LinkedIn is an invaluable resource for professionals and businesses alike, offering networking opportunities that make it easy to find the perfect fit for any position or project.

When you add an industry, other people can more easily find you or your Page when searching for someone in your industry.

Adding the industry to your Linkedin profile will open the door for potential opportunities, connections, and content tailored specifically to you.

Recently, Linkedin announced an expansion update to their industry categories that are currently being implemented.

By taking advantage of Sales Navigator, we conducted an in-depth analysis of all new Linkedin industries to accurately estimate how Linkedin's 1 billion users would be categorized under the revised industry list.

In this post, we will share our research findings and the importance they have for both individuals and organizations.

After thoroughly analyzing the research data, we have uncovered powerful insights that can support you in forming a comprehensive business strategy.

Read on to find out more!

Key Takeaways:

1. Linkedin has expanded its industry category list to better match the needs of its users from 149 to 420 industry codes.
2. Linkedin users may need to update their profiles to reflect their industry choices.
3. Pros: NAICS industry classification standards, better customization and niche-oriented
4. We must be aware of the potential for double-counting, code similarity issues, and outdated codes.

How to add an industry to your Linkedin profile

Keeping your Linkedin profile up to date is fast and easy.

Easily modify or check the accuracy of your Industry section by visiting "Edit Profile" in your account and locating the Industry field.

Make any necessary adjustments, so that you can guarantee that it's up to date!

For now, the selection of one category is all that's available.

Linkedin Industry List - Update to the Industry Codes V2

Linkedin is currently updating its industry list "to align with the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) standards."

According to Linkedin, "this update is rolling out gradually and you may not see this change reflected in your application yet".

Our findings have revealed an incredible expansion of industry codes, the complete list now has 420 codes as compared to only 149 in the original list.

This opens the door to more specialized and niche-oriented categorization, which allows for a better-tailored marketing campaign or business strategy when using Linkedin industries.

The Linkedin industries 2023 is divided into 20 distinct categories, as provided below:

Linkedin Industry List: Double counting

Although the sorting process is still in progress, we have noticed that some Linkedin users are being assigned to two distinct categories even when they only possess one visual categorization by industry.

By aggregating our classified research base, we uncover a total of 1,066 million users - exceeding the estimated 950 million Linkedin members.

Even allowing for any potential double-counting, the estimates appear fairly accurate and suggest that the update could be completed soon.

Linkedin Industry List: Deprecated codes

Approximately a third of all former codes were eliminated, including some major ones such as Information Technology (21M), Education Management (12M), and Automotive (9M).

Each profile has been assigned a unique code, and many of them are very particular.

If you work in any of these Linkedin industries, it is critical to examine your profile for potential alterations made by Linkedin.

Unfavorable changes may be coded without your knowledge, so ensure that the best option for yourself is still present on your page.

NOTE: Please be aware that if you attempt to update your industry profile, it may display an outdated classification. If your code is no longer valid and you decide to make a change, then unfortunately you cannot revert back - you will need to select one of the new lists instead.

Linkedin Industries - Takeaways

With the new Linkedin industry list, there are many positives to be noted; however, a few takeaways and observations should also be considered:

• Niches: The number of industry codes has skyrocketed from 149 to an impressive 420, allowing for increased customization potential.
• Industry Standards: By introducing this new categorization, the system can interconnect with other programs and applications that match the codes defined by NAICS.
• Manufacturing-oriented: We judge that the catalog is more explicit in distinguishing manufacturing businesses, yet it's less precise when sorting out retail and technology posts.
• Double Counting: As the process progresses, it is taking a bit longer to complete. Some profiles have been placed into two distinct categories simultaneously.
• Codes Similarity: At first glance, some of these codes can seem all too similar, which could lead to misunderstandings. For instance:

14 - Hospitals and Health Care (32Million members)
2081 - Hospitals (22k members)

743 - Plastics and Rubber Product Manufacturing (2 million members)
117 - Plastics Manufacturing (1 million members)
763 - Rubber Products Manufacturing (7k members)

• Similar codes in distinct categories: While certain industry codes are shared across different categories, this can create ambiguity and confusion. Take for example the following:

Category: Technology, Information, and Media
6 - Technology, Information, and Internet (26Million)
1594 - Technology, Information, and Media (43Million)

Category: Professional Services
96 - IT Services and IT Consulting (28Million)

Despite all the questions that arise, we are confident this update will be beneficial to Linkedin due to its exceptional ability for personalization.

We are confident that these issues and minor inconveniences will be swiftly resolved in the coming year.

Complete List of ALL Linkedin Industries - 2023

Why is this important for you?

Choosing the right niche is at the core of any successful sales or networking strategy.

Narrowing down your focus to a more specific area will make it easier for you to generate accurate leads and stay within LinkedIn’s new limits, so don’t neglect this essential piece when planning your campaign!

The best way to build authority is by sharing value (content, opinions) with the people that are in your niche target.