LinkedIn has officially launched a marketplace that competes with platforms like Fiverr and Upwork, giving freelance SEO and PPC professionals a new place to market their services. The LinkedIn Service Marketplace, which first launched as a beta in March, has already attracted two million users, according to LinkedIn.
How it works for service providers. Professionals can set up a service page from their LinkedIn profile, as shown above. Your service page will show an overview of the services you provide, ratings and reviews from previous clients and whether you have mutual connections with a prospective client. Service pages are linked to your profile, so your identity and page are connected.
The service page also has a dashboard that can be used to manage requests, messages, reviews and client lists.
How it works for potential clients. Potential clients can search for freelance service providers through LinkedIn’s search functionality, using the “Services” filter. They can also submit a request for a proposal or message a provider without having to connect with or follow them first.
Why we care. LinkedIn is the leading social media platform for professionals, so its Service Marketplace might be more likely to attract prospective clients from reputable organizations, which could mean more lucrative opportunities than other gig marketplaces. The Service Marketplace also leverages LinkedIn’s existing features, like mutual connections, which can go a long way in helping freelancers establish credibility, especially those that haven’t garnered many reviews.
For LinkedIn, the marketplace may attract new users, which adds to its value as a recruiting platform for businesses. Additionally, more active users and businesses may also mean more revenue opportunities for LinkedIn, through advertising and/or its Premium subscription service, for example.
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