LinkedIn has launched a new service, LinkedIn Today, an online news aggregator that compiles articles being shared by the members.
The new service, which aggregates headlines from around the Internet, would show excerpts of the most popular articles. LinkedIn users can also create separate news pages for up to 22 industries.
LinkedIn Today will be compiled automatically based on what stories people in a user’s professional network and industry are reading and sharing. It will also include news shared on Twitter by LinkedIn members who have linked the two accounts.
LinkedIn Today will compete with other general news aggregators, like Google News or Yahoo News, as well as industry-specific news websites.
LinkedIn’s chief executive Jeff Weiner said the service is intended to provide relevant news to users.
Weiner said, "We want to give you what you need to know to be better at what you do."
The social networking for professionals has more than 90 million members, but in its public offering registration statement, LinkedIn had said that a majority of them are not regular visitors to the site.
LinkedIn has said its users are already sharing news and content and LinkedIn Today will add to the numbers.
LinkedIn product head Deep Nishar said there are quite a few of our members who are already doing it.
Nishar said, "And there will be more members definitely as a result of seeing the manifestation of what happens when you share and interact with your network."
The new feature will be available in an upgrade to its iPhone app, said LinkedIn.
The company is planning a stock offering for later this year.
