When it launched in 2003, the founders of LinkedIn had no idea that the website would grow to see the kind of success it now has. The company is a social media site that’s designed for networking purposes in the business world. It’s far less social networking and far more professional networking, which is a significant part of the reason the site is such a success. With LinkedIn’s success has come a myriad of acquisitions by the company, each one more successful than the other.
Rapportive – $15 million
In February 2012, LinkedIn acquired the company called Rapportive. The company was designed to provide social contacts for people on the internet. LinkedIn took over for $15 million, making it one of the top five acquisitions by the professional networking site to date.
Pulse – $90 million
Pulse was a site that was used for professional publishing. When LinkedIn took over the site in 2013, it became a part of the LinkedIn family, earning the company a significant amount of money. The price of Pulse was $90 million.
SlideShare – $119 million
LinkedIn took over SlideShare in 2012 and made it one of their most successful portions of business. Users of the site now use SlideShare as a way of finding other users through their content. The price of this particular acquisition was $119 million.
Bright – $120 million
One of the most successful applications on the LinkedIn site comes from Bright. Bright was a company that helps users find jobs that match their particular area of expertise and resume. The company was purchased by LinkedIn in 2014 for $120 million, making it one of the company’s most expensive purchases.
Bizo – $175 million
Bizo is just one of a string of acquisitions LinkedIn has announced in 2014. This one is the most recent by all of a week. Bizo is a company that allows advertisers to find professionals and businesses. What LinkedIn plans on doing with this particular site is not quite known, though it does fit seamlessly with the rest of the company.
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