While LinkedIn was founded in December of 2002, the actual website didn't launch until May 5, 2003. That makes it older than Facebook (2004), Twitter (2006), YouTube (2005), and even MySpace (August 2003). Step back for a moment and think about that.
While LinkedIn is smaller than all of the social networks mentioned above, it has dominated the business social networking vertical with no rival in sight. Its growth has been accelerating lately: It surpassed 50 million users last year and has recently launched a wave of new features, including the ability to follow companies and new link-sharing features. Some estimates peg LinkedIn's worth at $1.3 billion or more.
Will the business social network continue its domination of the corporate sector? Does it intend to undergo an IPO anytime soon? What other social features will it launch in order to accelerate growth? We look forward to finding out the answers to all of these questions, but for now we're sure the LinkedIn team is busy celebrating Cinco de LinkedIn.
image courtesy of iStockphoto, gvictoria