TopLinked.com, a website and LinkedIn group which helps open networkers expand their networks and connect with other members, last week launched a related site: OpenNetworker.com. Up until now, TopLinked.com has listed the top 50 LinkedIn members sorted by connection count. Ron Bates, an executive recruiter and obvious LinkedIn addict, leads the tally with 44,000 connections. Anyone looking to quickly grow their network can send connection requests to the people listed.
OpenNetworker.com seems to be a paid version of TopLinked.com. The intention one might have of joining this private site, is to receive connection invites from other aspiring power networkers who receive the monthly newsletter. OpenNetworker.com also promises the ability for a user to list their contact details on other networking sites like Facebook, and 12 others you've never heard of like Ryze, Konnects, and UNYK.
In reviewing the email sent out by TopLinked, describing the new site launch, I noticed the conversation quickly veered from facts and content, to blinding rage. See the clip below:
"Our new service combines the huge network building reach of TopLinked.com (we have well over 38,000 active participants in just our TopLinked.com group on LinkedIn) PLUS the ability to grow your networks on the world's top twenty social networking sites PLUS an amazingly lucrative affiliate referral program.
And now for the disturbing news.
Just today someone launched a rip-off copycat of TopLinked.com."
