LinkedIn launches new feature helping small businesses

Professional social networking website, LinkedIn, launched a new feature in Dubai last night, on Monday November 4, which aims to help grow small businesses around the world. Called Open for Business, the new feature will allow small business owners and freelancers to add their services to their profile.

The global feature launch kicked off with an event that took place under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, in presence of Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, and Abdulla Al Basti Secretary General of the Executive Council of Dubai.

By including the services that each business offers, they will be discoverable in the search function within the website. For example if you’re a graphic designer, you can list your skills and abilities, so that potential clients will be able to search for required services and find you on LinkedIn.

Once you have marked yourself ‘Open for Business’, prospective clients are able to send you a direct message and enquire more about the services you offer. You can either do this through a company page or your personal profile, whichever you prefer.

Small business owners and freelancers can start using this feature now, just by customising their profile in the LinkedIn settings page. LinkedIn advises users to ‘be as detailed as possible so members who view this section have a good sense for what you provide’.

To mark the launch, the LinkedIn logo illuminated Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper, located in the heart of Dubai.