Will LinkedIn cross the chasm? Or has it?
I’ve been an avid user of LinkedIn for many months now. Likely, if you know me, you’ve received at one point or another, a LinkedIn invitation mail, and a plug for the company from me. Not only do I consider it one of the most valuable tools I’ve ever used on the Internet, but it’s been a fascinating study in social dynamics for me as well. For instance, at one point, somebody at Rogers Communications became an evangelist for LinkedIn inside the company. I could watch, on an almost daily basis, the infection of the LinkedIn bug throughout Rogers. I saw a similar phenomenon at Microsoft.
How far can LinkedIn go? My network of direct connections is now 260 people. I’ve posted the stats below. I can reach nearly 260,000 people up to four degrees away. When somebody connects with me, they get up to 85,000 (roughly) new connections through me.
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Thomas Power, the founder of eCademy, which is a professional business networking organization, has 2083 direct connections, and can reach just over 330,000 people. I am guessing that means the total network must be somewhere between Thomas’ 330,000 people, and perhaps 350,000 people.
I’ve noted that my network grows minimally as I add new users now. Yesterday, I loaded up the LinkedIn tool bar which has some nifty features that let you comb through old mail and link people who aren’t in your address book. So I did it, and did a mass mailing to everyone in my address book. I added 31 new direct connections doing that, and increased the size of my network by a little less then 30,000 people. So, if I am adding 1,000 people, approximately, per new connection, will I reach the size Thomas’ network with another 60 or 70 connections?
So, at this point, is the universe of potential LinkedIn users addressed? 350,000 business professionals is a lot of business people! Has LinkedIn, to use a Geoffrey Moore analogy, crossed the chasm? Or, is there another wave to be added?
