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Twitter and LinkedIn finally introduce lists – a step towards social CRM

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 2:42p.m.

What social media has been missing for a while is the ability to easily segment your network. Facebook allows you to create lists, but Twitter and LinkedIn have dragged the chain … until now.

Twitter is slowly rolling out a lists feature, that lets you put your contacts in specific lists. You’ve been able to do this already using desktop apps like Seesmic Desktop or Tweetdeck, but it’s great to have this built-in to the service itself.

What would be even better – particularly for larger networks – is intelligent segmenting. For instance, sometimes I’d just like to see my contacts who are in New Zealand, but at the moment I have to manually create a list. Still, it’s a good start.

LinkedIn has also introduced lists as part of its paid service, one of the first features I’ve seen that makes me seriously consider upgrading my account.

The way they’ve rolled it out is clever, too. Underneath all the usual options (Add this person to your network, Forward this profile, etc) there’s “Save [Name]’s profile”. You get the opportunity to sign up for a 30-day trial, after which I don’t think many people will turn back.

Nice one, LinkedIn!

Simon and Marie Young from social media consultancy iJump blog about social media, marketing, corporate culture and the changing nature of organisations.

The social networking revolution is disrupting our jobs, our relationships, the way we understand the world.

iJump equips organisations - and you - see beyond the technology, make sense of the chaos and embrace the future you want.

iJump.co.nz

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Comments [2]

Simon Young

18 Oct 2009 2:23p.m.

Thanks Ian for your comments. When I said a step, that's what I meant. At the very least, LinkedIn offers a way to export all your contacts (including phone numbers if they've made theirs available). Hmmm, a live API would be very nice! Trouble is, if these social network providers like Facebook and LinkedIn did exactly what users like us wanted, they would deprive themselves of the exclusivity that gives value to their offerings.

Ian Hendry

18 Oct 2009 2:02a.m.

LinkedIn Lists are a very far way away from Social CRM. What sort of CRM system comes with its own set of data and won't let you add your own contacts to it unless those people also use the system; doesn't store any phone numbers or address information for your contacts; and doesn't have basic workflow, diary or sales opportunity management? Let's recognise this for what it is: an ability to add your own notes to profiles on the LinkedIn website. Nothing more. And even that's something most people would rather do in their own CRM systems, which LinkedIn doesn't make easy because it can't export enough useful information; nor does it have an API to provide a live link between the two. When SAP invested earlier this year I expected to see LinkedIn taking big strides towards Social CRM -- this is barely a shuffle. Ian Hendry CEO, WeCanDo.BIZ http://www.wecando.biz

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