Linkedin has released a professional networking app specifically aimed at China’s growing youth working class. According to the CEO, ‘Red Rabbit’ is designed to be an “interesting, young and fresh” adaption of the existing Linkedin network.
The dual brand strategy is apparently the first in Linkedin’s global operations and features a game-like UI which will be available across mobile and desktop platforms.
China’s advanced outlook on mobility and its growing IP sector has seen post-80’s and 90’s gen workers become a focus in many industries including technology and business.
Linkedin is unique among western tech companies in that it plays by the Chinese government’s expression laws, the same policies that saw Google, Youtube and Facebook ousted to the other side of the firewall. While the move drew widespread criticism worldwide, Linkedin has seen China become its fastest growing market as they tap into the booming industry of personal connections.
At the time, a Linkedin spokesperson was quoted as saying at the time that “we recognized when we launched that we would need to adhere to the requirements of the Chinese government in order to operate in China. So the decision to proceed in China was one that we weighed heavily.”
Linkedin’s model also made it a more attractive adapter than other western networking sites. Facebook, Youtube and Google have successful existing counterparts, however the nature of professional networking means that only a foreign networking site could offer access to connection from abroad. While there are many local counterparts, none have managed significant adaption rates outside of the Chinese community.
While suspect data use has foreigners wary about Linkedin’s operations in China, CEO Shen Bo Yang says data collection will continue to be an important part of the local strategy. “LinkedIn China team will continue its in-depth study of Chinese people’s social needs in the workplace as well as communication habits, characteristics of mobile use.”
The new app will allow existing Chinese linked users to import their contacts.
Image Credit: Red Rabbit (Linkedin)
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