LinkedIn IPO - One problem..

Great article on Bloomberg about Web 2.0 companies, VC money, M&A and all the other hububbling W'Street loves.

What is not to love? W2.o companies are exploding and many actually have real revenue streams (Exceptions abound - Meebo $80M valuation vs 5M revenue? Zoiks!).

Allegedly, the article hints that LI may IP later this year...

" LinkedIn Corp., a networking site for more than 9 million business professionals, plans to keep expanding and eventually take a bow on Wall Street with an IPO -- a milestone for a Web 2.0 company. .."

Problems.

1) No customer support - I have sent an email a day to LinkedIn to remedy my email and Answer problem. One vague answer and then, nada.

2) Stagnant UI - W2.0 means changes and beta tests and test users and constantly experimenting with newer and groovier features. LI is essentially stagnant. Nothing new with the exception of Answers (which has been done already by Google and Yahoo and a bunch of others).

3) Revenue - YouTube had network TV and movie release deals. What is LinkedIn's revenue stream besides a) some users subs paying for advanced services and b) Google ads? Anything pending with Monster? Maybe an exec recruiting deal with F500 companies? How can one further monetize all those users in a recognizable and unique way.

I beat up on LinkedIn (because they won't answer my emails - sheesh) but I really like the service.

Make it better. And maybe that IPO will soar.





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