New York Times Co. Joins Forces With LinkedIn

In its latest effort to go digital, the New York Times Co. on Tuesday, July 22, announced a joint venture with networking site LinkedIn that aims to boost features available on NYTimes.com.

Under the partnership, LinkedIn members who visit the business or technology sections of The New York Times’ Web site will see a series of headlines tailored to aspects of their LinkedIn profile, including their industry of employment and job title. Advertisements on the Times’ page will be similarly tailored, factoring in LinkedIn profile information that includes seniority, company size, gender and geography. Readers are able to opt out of the ad service.

The changes won’t affect the Times’ home page.

“Working with LinkedIn, we have created a program that will provide readers with a more relevant and customized experience,” said Vivian Schiller, general manager of NYTimes.com, in a statement. “This relationship will further our engagement with our large audience of professionals, executive decision makers and small-business employees.”

NYTimes.com had 17.7 million unique visitors in June, according to Nielsen Online.

The deal marks the latest pairing of media outlets and networking Web sites. Monster Worldwide, a national provider of online job and recruiting services, last month announced the launch of co-branded recruitment sites with more than a dozen regional newspapers, including The Columbus Dispatch and the San Francisco Examiner. New York-based Monster also has a content agreement with cable network MSNBC.

Online headhunters and job sites continue to prosper, even in the face of a struggling economy and plunging classified ads at their print counterparts.

Filed by Kira Bindrim of Crain’s New York Business, a sister publication of Workforce Management. To comment, e-mail editors@workforce.com.