LinkedIn to permit website owners to view anonymized visitor profile data

By Hillary K. Grigonis Published July 26, 2017

LinkedIn is now using profile data to show businesses just who is visiting their websites. A new LinkedIn Website Demographics tool, announced Thursday, July 26, allows companies to see data about who is visiting their website by using anonymous demographics from LinkedIn users. The new tool is designed to help companies analyze whether or not they are reaching the right audience by using information users already put inside their profile, like industry and job title.

The tool uses data from each LinkedIn user’s profile, divided into eight different categories. With the analytics, businesses can see factors like the job title, industry, company and location of website visitors that have a LinkedIn account. Designed largely for business-to-business companies and other businesses that target customers in specific industries, the tool can help IT companies see if they are reaching potential customers in that desired industry. Using that data, businesses can gauge the effectiveness of their advertising and adjust accordingly.

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For users, LinkedIn says that the new tool works “in a way that respects user privacy” — the tool isn’t going to give companies individual names of website visitors. What the tool does offer, for website visitors with a LinkedIn profile, is job title, industry, job seniority, job function, company, company size, location and country.

The tool also allows businesses to sort the data by dates, which allows companies to see if an ad taken out on a certain date had an impact in not just how many people visited the website, but who visited. Companies can also create custom audiences to monitor continually.

“LinkedIn Website Demographics is a major leap forward in helping you make more informed marketing decisions to grow your business,” the announcement reads. “With the ability to gather insights before, during, or after campaigns, you can improve your strategy and make smarter marketing decisions.”

The tool is installed directly into the website using JavaScript and allows website owners to monitor separate pages as well as the website as a whole.

The feature, LinkedIn says, will be rolling out over the next few weeks. While not yet fully live, businesses can find more details on LinkedIn’s Website Demographics page.

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Hillary K. Grigonis

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