There has been news of a possible IPO by LinkedIn. The social network is continuously adding useful features which can help to get its technology into other applications. LinkedIn recently launched two-way integration with Twitter and offered a plug-in to pull in users LinkedIn contacts within Microsoft Outlook.

Now, LinkedIn is opening up its API which will allow developers to create applications that tap into LinkedIn’s social network.

The 11 different APIs released by LinkedIn fall into three distinct categories -

  • 1. Developers will be able to let users easily access their profiles, information, connections and messages via oAuth login.
  • 2. Give users the ability to make actionable decisions about information. Will let them message their LinkedIn contacts, post updates, accept contacts and more.
  • 3. Search.

Now, with the new API, developers will be able to embed LinkedIn search in other applications. LinkedIn relaunched its search engine last year and it received more than one billion queries in this year alone.

With the the opening up of its API, LinkedIn is for sure going to expand its presence across the web, and may also represent a new level of growth for the social network.

LinkedIn has already tested the API with several developers and applications are already for launch. TweetDeck , the Twitter, MySpace and Facebook client, will be integrated with LinkedIn in its next version. Using the client, you will be able to see updates from your contacts, view their profiles and message and comment your contacts directly from TweetDeck. Posterous, Box.net, and Ribbit will all launch LinkedIn integrations in the near future as well.

According to LinkedIn’s VP of search and platform products, Adam Nash, they have received 4,000 requests from developers to integrate LinkedIn with their applications in the past year. LinkedIn is already having 50 million users. With the developement of third-party applications for LinkedIn, the social network could expect powerful growth in future. It is very important to have a loyal and dedicated community of developers for your product.

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