LinkedIn links up with panel of 'influencers'

LinkedIn is adding more expert advice to its website and making it easier for its users to find their pearls of wisdom.The online professional networking service hopes the proffered tips and advice will help it extend its clout beyond the help-wanted market.The new feature added Tuesday will encourage LinkedIn's more than 175 million members to sign up to follow the musings of "influencers" - a 150-person panel that includes President Barack Obama, business moguls, Internet bloggers, self-help gurus and entrepreneurs.LinkedIn Corp. plans to anoint other people as influencers, but only after screening candidates in order to ensure they are qualified to dispense helpful advice.Besides Obama, LinkedIn recruited his Republican Party challenger, Mitt Romney, to be among its initial group of influencers. Virgin Group Richard Branson also has agreed to share his thoughts, along with oil mogul T. Boone Pickens, actor James Caan and Craig Newmark, the founder of online classified service Craigslist.

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