Obama Gets LinkedIn
June 19, 2008 by Craig Stoltz
When grazing my LinkedIn page today, I came across this “LinkedIn Answers Featured Question”:
This inventive use of social media by Obama was new to me. For those unfamiliar with this LinkedIn feature, members can ask and answer questions among themselves. As a neat social network currency feature, those deemed by the asker to provide the best answer win a little green medallion that follows them around LinkedIn.
Featured Questions are paid for, like ads. They’re used by various interests to collect a crowd and thereby (subtly, perhaps) transmit a message, form a link, etc.
When I started writing this entry, 31 answers had been posted. As I post, 44 are up there. They are mostly quite earnest and substantial.
p.s. As I hit “publish,” 48 answers are in. Wonder who will get “best answer”? I’ll bet it’s not John McCain.
p.p.s.: One day since my posting, 1,066 people have posted answers.
A co-worker saw this a few minutes ago as well. BO is only one link away from me! I didn’t realize that there are paid questions, however I do think this is an interesting way to get the Obama message out there and a way for him to connect to the people on LinkedIn.
What is your answer?
The thing I like best about this is that so many people have answered. And some of the replies are well-thought and well-said. I have to think about my answer. Have you posted an answer yet?
Bill Gates used this feature about a month ago to ask something like “How can we get more students interested in a career in I.T.”, to which I gave an earnest and well-thought response, along with at least 500 others.
Thanks for the comments, all. Startled by your questions about whether I’d answered Obama’s question, I posted this: “Cap emissions to drive innovation, watch U.S. GNP hockey-stick.” That may not turn out to be Obama’s favorite answer, but at least it’s short.