Career-focused social network LinkedIn on Tuesday introduced a new effort to expand the website’s unique original content offerings, highlighting new long-form posts by “thought leaders,” with LinkedIn accounts. The first batch of LinkedIn long form contributors includes Richard Branson, Tony Robbins, Caterina Fake, Craig Newmark, President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Users interested in becoming highlighted “influencers” can apply here.
As LinkedIn’s head of content and products Ryan Roslansky wrote in a post announcing the move:
In addition to having access to status updates, you’ll start to see longer form and original posts from influencers with videos, photos, and Slideshare presentations…Over the next few months, you’ll see us continue to expand the list of influencers you can follow. We’ll take a look at both universally-recognized thought leaders across LinkedIn and also industry-specific movers and shakers.
The move follows LinkedIn’s break from Twitter in June over Twitter’s new developer rules of the road.
