With millions of highly qualified professionals using LinkedIn every single day, it is undoubtedly an indispensable tool for corporate and agency recruiters alike.
Since its inception in 2003, this network has dominated the market, and it seems that no new platforms have significantly challenged its dominance.
But why is this so? And more importantly, are there really no apps that can compete with this social media giant?
Scroll down to learn the truth and find out what is the best LinkedIn competitor – if there is one, to begin with!
Taking Control of the Market
LinkedIn did not become the “Facebook for business” by chance.
Reid Hoffman, the network’s creator, established it in 2003. It got 4,500 users within a month.
They now have over half a million members and there appear to be no strong competitors in the English-speaking world.
Early on, LinkedIn was effective in attracting high-quality professionals to its platform.
To allow it to become viral, LinkedIn also used an Outlook-style contact uploader. As a result, they were able to grow their user base significantly faster than any of their competitors.
Despite the distribution advantages that Outlook has over webmail, no other company has invested in this area.
Why Is LinkedIn So Popular?
Once you look into LinkedIn, you will immediately realize that it is incredibly popular for every element of business and work, whether you are a business owner or seeking employment.
If you go to LinkedIn now and look for a company, you’ll see that if they’re serious about visibility and popularity, they’ll be there.
Professionals seeking new jobs, as well as those who already have jobs but would like to establish a public business presence, are all on this platform. When it comes to personal or business exposure, LinkedIn has tremendous value.
However, it is not only popular with companies and individuals, but it is also popular with Google ranks. When it comes to getting indexed, any company or individual who has a 100 percent full LinkedIn profile will receive the most visibility.
Businesses are aware of this, as are people who are attempting to connect. LinkedIn may give so much exposure that, in many circumstances, it will appear in the first SERPs when a name search is conducted.
You have to admit – it’s pretty tough to beat that.
What Are Alternatives To LinkedIn?
Let’s go over some apps that pose a serious threat to LinkedIn in the “best platform for professionals” category.
Who among the LinkedIn competitors comes close to this immensely popular network?
Indeed
Indeed is an online employment board where both job seekers and companies can post job openings. Its services are currently available in 60 countries and may be accessed in 28 languages.
It began as a job board when it was founded, but as it has developed, it has added more features and services. It was the most frequented-visited employment website in the United States in 2010, and it now has over 250 million unique monthly visits.
It makes money via advertising and a pay-per-click strategy, with clicks on its platform costing anything between $0.25 and $1.50. Employers pay a tiny fee each time a job seeker clicks on and reads an employer’s job advertising, which is essentially how it all works.
Meetup
Meetup is a fantastic website that lets you find (or start) local gatherings. When you register, you indicate your areas of interest.
Meetup will then alert you as new local meetups are formed that you might be interested in. The events include a wide range of subjects, from business to hobbies to everything in between.
If you can’t find one that interests you or fits into your schedule, you can come up with your own, and Meetup will contact anybody who has indicated that your topic is of interest to them.
You can meet like-minded folks on this unique, free platform. I strongly recommend using it while applying for jobs at startups or attempting to get people to hear about your startup event.
It is used by 16 million people in 196 countries throughout the world.
Sumry
Sumry is the first and best introduction tool in the world.
It allows you to construct online portfolios and resumes. It emphasizes your education, experience, credentials, and work experience, as well as any references from people who may have worked with you in the past.
When you locate a position that interests you, you have the option to be introduced to the organization even before you submit an application.
Xing is a European career-oriented platform that allows professionals to form a small-world network. It includes over 200 nations as members and a multi-language interface to facilitate networking in a culturally diverse globe.
The geographic focus of Xing is one of its distinguishing features. It is the last major regional professional network to have survived LinkedIn’s worldwide ascent. Germany, Switzerland, and Austria account for the majority of its traffic and users. And most of their profiles are written in German.
If you’re looking for a job in Central Europe in a German-speaking area or want to make professional connections in a primarily German-speaking business, Xing is an invaluable resource.
AngelList
AngelList is a good place to start if you’re interested in start-ups and entrepreneurship.
It began as a mailing list and then evolved into a website for angel investors (angel investors fund start-ups in their early stages, when most other investors are hesitant to back them).
It gradually grew into a community for those working in tech businesses, venture capital firms, and anybody else interested in start-ups and technology.
AngelList’s user base allegedly boasts around 15 million accounts, which pales in contrast to LinkedIn.
They have 5.78 million monthly website visitors as of 2019, implying that their active user counts are probably closer to one or two million than the 15 million claimed.
It is, nevertheless, a potential LinkedIn alternative for tech and start-up aficionados.
Jobcase
Jobcase allows job searchers to develop a detailed profile that highlights their most relevant and vital information for recruiters.
You can include a personal profile, work preferences (such as readiness to relocate, ideal employment location, etc.), personal attributes, and other career-relevant information in addition to work experience and education.
While LinkedIn allows for some of these more granular data categories, Jobcase has the advantage of powering over 100 current job-listing websites.
As a result, users get access to a greater number of employers and opportunities linked with those sites. Jobcase’s mission, according to CEO Frederick Goff, is to use the company’s data analytics expertise to build a community-oriented, all-in-one platform for all things job-related.
Opportunity
Are you looking for a larger network of people to connect with? Opportunity connects you with sales leads, like-minded colleagues, job openings, and potential collaborations. Anyone, from job searchers to hiring managers, can use this free software.
Every month, Opportunity generates millions of new leads and matches them with people who have the right skills, interests, and expertise. Users can download a mobile app that sends them alerts when an opportunity appears nearby.
According to the company’s website, it has identified 380 million possibilities and suggested and linked 50 million people from over 190 countries.
Is It Worthwhile Signing Up On LinkedIn Alternatives?
LinkedIn is the most popular professional networking platform. Surprisingly, it only draws a small percentage of the total worldwide Internet population.
Facebook has around 2.9 billion monthly active users, whereas LinkedIn has 690 million. That implies there is plenty of area for alternatives, and they may be worthwhile to explore.
LinkedIn competitors 2020, though, are mostly focused on distinct niches.
Despite the fact that LinkedIn is the largest professional network, it has a number of competitors, as seen above, who have taken advantage of some of the gaps it has left.
LinkedIn has long been criticized for its user interface and user experience, particularly among new-age users, who prefer to interact with competitors who provide better functionality, which is one of the reasons people are willing to give a chance to an alternative.
Conclusion
This is the greatest moment to take advantage of the potential of professional social networking to connect with the right people and advance your career more quickly.
Although LinkedIn is a good professional platform, there are alternative solutions available. And by putting yourself out there in several ways, you increase your chances of connecting with the individuals you want to meet.