Like other social media platforms, LinkedIn has gradually been seeing more and more of its traffic coming from mobile devices.
Now, the professional networking site is revamping its mobile app for a more intuitive experience.
The new, redesigned version will make core features carried over from the desktop version easier to use, and it aims to deliver a lighter, more streamlined feel.
The new version, called Project Voyager, is still in beta mode and should be available for Android and iOS within a few weeks.
Jeff Weiner, LinkedIn’s CEO, unveiled the redesigned app at LinkedIn’s Talent Connect conference, held in California last week.
The app will have 5 sections: Home, Me, Messages, My Network, and Search.
Home looks a lot like the Facebook News Feed and is meant to function similarly. The Home page will feature news stories and other content shared by people in your professional network. LinkedIn will also recommend items it thinks might be relevant to you, such as articles popular in your network.
The My Network section will contain professional updates from your contacts. This is where you’ll find job updates and professional anniversaries.
You’ll also see recommendations of contacts you may know. The Me page is your dashboard for your profile’s activity.
You can see recent interactions as well as statistics on how many people have looked at your profile or viewed your updates. You can also edit your profile from within the Me page.
The Messages section is an instant messaging system, which LinkedIn has found people generally prefer to email-style inboxes.
Echoing Facebook Messenger, LinkedIn’s Messages will include the ability to send stickers and GIFs.
Search is where users can go to find a connection, business, or group.
LinkedIn has paid particular attention to speeding up the search feature, making it 300% faster than the current search, according to Weiner. Artificial intelligence will help to quickly complete searches and provide users with relevant results. Project Voyager also incorporates an app launcher, which users can take advantage of to quickly launch other apps within LinkedIn’s portfolio, including Lynda.com, Pulse, and Connected.
With its new layout and improved features, Project Voyager looks lighter and fresher and sounds as if it will be more powerful than the previous app. It could be a big step forward for LinkedIn.
Written by content manager Meghan Woolley
Please subscribe to our newsletter about social media news and strategies for social media marketing in your inbox every week.
