LinkedIn next online forum for candidates

MySpace and Facebook are so last month.

While nearly all the presidential candidates have pages on those social networking sites popular with the younger set, Barack Obama is the first to venture in LinkedIn, a networking site for older professionals.

"How can the next president better helps small business and entrepreneurs thrive?" the Illinois Democrat asks today on LinkedIn's homepage.

Obama and Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor, are currently the only candidates who are members of LinkedIn, said spokeswoman Kay Luo.

If MySpace and Facebook are like a rowdy party or singles bar with members posting provocative snapshots or trashing Britney, LinkedIn is like a huge reception with everyone exchanging business cards to try make professional as well as personal connections.

"Your network consists of your connections, your connections' connections, and the people they know, linking you to thousands of qualified professionals," it brags.

Launched in 2003, the Palo Alto, Calif.-based site claims more than 14 million members worldwide, about half of them in the United States. Individuals can join for free with basic accounts, but LinkedIn charges corporations for the ability to contact members directly and post job offers.

It doesn't divulge how many connections people have on average, but Luo said in an email, "We encourage members to connect to people that they know well or do business with. Generally, you need at least 20 connections in order to get value from LinkedIn."