LinkedIn Might Be Working on a Freelancer Booking Service
For content creators, 2020 was the year of the pivot and a growing interest in freelancing. Between stay-at-home orders and the swift shutdown of many small businesses, many of us were eager to create new opportunities from the comfort of our couches. And with that, the demand for booking services also grew. So it should come as no surprise that LinkedIn’s freelancer “Marketplaces” is in the making (allegedly). Here’s what we know so far.
For one, this will not replace the already-existing Pro Finder tool, which allows you to connect with a person that matches your professional needs. The three step-process includes answering questions and receiving up to five proposals, reviewing the proposals, and sending a free message to your final choice. The rumored LinkedIn “Marketplaces” platform will be a bit more intuitive with an in-house payment service attached to a feature that allows LinkedIn users to book creatives for freelance services.
Per The Information:
“The service, which is slated to launch as soon as September, could help LinkedIn attract new users and generate more revenue from existing users of its professional networking site, which Microsoft acquired in 2016…Microsoft executives have separately discussed allowing future customers of the LinkedIn service to make payments to freelancers using a digital wallet that Microsoft is developing where people can store money.”
Additionally, money stored inside this digital wallet could possibly be used toward other paid LinkedIn services as well, such as online courses, or to “tip” freelancers.
We’re building out our creator management team and I’m hiring someone senior to lead it. Is that you? Got any great candidates to recommend? Please let me know! https://t.co/RG9V3vdJUy
1/ Why creators? A short thread:— Daniel Roth (@danroth) February 12, 2021
BTW, LinkedIn is also looking for a new Head of Community; yet another sign that the platform has a heightened interest in engaging and supporting content creators. If you haven’t already, here are some ways you can update your LinkedIn profile right now.
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