Linked In has installed a group of upgrades to their platform, most notably a new unified search feature and a smarter query intent algorithm that are designed to deliver more relevant site search results. These upgrades were announced last week and will be rolled out over the next few weeks to all site users.

Linked In had over 5 billion searches last year, and the new search upgrades allow searchers to refine search results by placing additional screens on the results. This, coupled with the search algorithm that tracks the intent of the searcher over time will allow more efficient searches of companies, people, and jobs. An automated notification system will send a notice when saved search results have changed.

Bottom Line:  A Linked In presence for company owners and managers has become a must for social media optimization for virtually every firm out there. The ability to network, recruit new employees, and  be found by the search terms that best describe your business and its unique selling proposition continues to grow in value as Linked In grows and refines its position as the leading business to business social network.

Eric Van Cleave is a Partner in Zenergy Works, A Santa Rosa, California based Social Media Optimization (SMO), SEO and Website Development Firm.