LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 530 million members globally as of 2019. With over 31 million registered members in the UK alone, LinkedIn UK has established itself as an invaluable platform for professionals looking to network, build their personal brand, and advance their careers.
But just how many LinkedIn users are there currently in the UK? In this article, we’ll examine the latest LinkedIn UK user statistics and trends to find out how many professionals are leveraging LinkedIn to connect and get ahead.
LinkedIn UK User Statistics
According to the latest data from LinkedIn, there are over 31 million registered members currently on LinkedIn UK. This figure has seen steady growth over the past few years, up from 19 million users in 2015 and 26 million users in 2018.
With over 31 million members, LinkedIn UK accounts for around 6% of LinkedIn’s entire global user base. The UK is LinkedIn’s 3rd largest market after the United States (over 90 million users) and India (over 62 million users).
To put LinkedIn UK’s 31+ million users in perspective, here are some key benchmarks:
- LinkedIn UK users represent around 47% of the total UK population.
- 1 in 2 UK professionals aged 25-34 are on LinkedIn.
- There are more LinkedIn members in the UK than there are people living in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland combined.
Clearly, LinkedIn has achieved critical mass in the UK job market. The platform’s continued growth underscores how vital of a tool it has become for career-minded professionals in the country.
LinkedIn UK User Demographics
In addition to sheer user numbers, it’s also worth examining the key demographics and traits of LinkedIn members in the UK. Here’s a breakdown of who’s using LinkedIn in the country based on LinkedIn’s own user data:
- 53% of users are male, 47% female
- The largest age group is 25-34 year olds, followed by 35-54
- Over 50% of users are in senior, managerial, director, or executive roles
- The top industries are IT & Services, Finance, Manufacturing, Corporate Services, Healthcare
- Over 50% of users are university educated
- 60% of users log in at least once per day
A few key takeaways from these UK demographics:
LinkedIn attracts a balanced male-female ratio, but skews towards older Millennial and Gen X professionals. The large share of managerial/director-level members highlights LinkedIn’s popularity with seasoned professionals and leaders. Finance, tech, manufacturing, healthcare, and corporate services are among the most active industries.
LinkedIn UK Engagement and Usage
In addition to member counts, LinkedIn also provides data on how actively users engage with the platform in the UK. Here are some key engagement statistics:
- Members in the UK visit LinkedIn 29 times per month on average
- The most engaged age groups are 25-34 and 35-54 year olds
- 54% of visits to LinkedIn in the UK are for networking purposes
- 49% of visits are to look for a job or post a job
- 36% of visits involve reading or posting content
These figures indicate that UK members are visiting LinkedIn frequently, predominately to network, job search, and share/consume content. Young professionals are the most actively engaged age demographic on the platform in the country.
How Has LinkedIn UK Grown?
LinkedIn launched in the UK in 2005. Within the first year, it reached over 1 million UK users. This surged to over 2 million by 2007. Steady growth followed over the next several years.
LinkedIn UK really started to hit its stride in the early 2010s. Usership jumped from 8 million in 2011 to 15 million by 2013. Much of this growth was fueled by high adoption rates among young professionals.affairs.
Growth further accelerated between 2015 to 2018, with UK membership soaring from 19 million to over 26 million. LinkedIn was gaining mainstream popularity as an indispensable tool for career and talent management.
In the last few years, even amidst rising competition from sites like Facebook and Instagram, LinkedIn UK has maintained its momentum. User counts continue to reach new highs, suggesting LinkedIn remains highly entrenched as the UK’s go-to professional networking platform.
How Does LinkedIn UK’s User Base Compare Globally?
With over 31 million members, LinkedIn UK has the 3rd largest user base globally, behind only the United States and India. The UK represents LinkedIn’s largest market in Europe.
Here’s how LinkedIn’s top countries stack up based on registered members:
Country | LinkedIn Users |
United States | 92 million |
India | 62 million |
United Kingdom | 31 million |
Brazil | 28 million |
France | 26 million |
Italy | 17 million |
Netherlands | 11 million |
Spain | 10 million |
Canada | 10 million |
Australia | 9 million |
A few observations on how LinkedIn UK fits into the global landscape:
- The US is by far LinkedIn’s largest market, but growth is slowing there
- India is experiencing a surge in LinkedIn adoption in recent years
- Among mature economies, the UK leads in LinkedIn members relative to population
- No other European country comes close to the UK in terms of user base
LinkedIn UK punches far above its weight, boasting membership figures comparable to countries with 2-3X higher populations. The UK is clearly an important focal point of LinkedIn’s continued global expansion.
How Does LinkedIn UK Stack Up Against Facebook and Instagram?
With mainstream social networks like Facebook and Instagram now widely used for professional networking and content sharing, how does LinkedIn UK’s user base compare?
Here’s a breakdown of monthly active users on these sites in the UK (in millions):
Platform | Monthly Active Users (UK) |
45 million | |
26 million | |
25 million |
A few things stand out from this comparison:
- Facebook still dominates overall, but is approaching saturation
- Instagram and LinkedIn are now neck-and-neck in terms of monthly active users in the UK
- LinkedIn slightly edges out Instagram in terms of registered profiles in the country
While Facebook understandably boasts the biggest user base, LinkedIn and Instagram are now jousting for the title of UK’s second most popular social platform. Their distinct professional vs personal branding positioning provides value not fully duplicated on either site.
Conclusion
LinkedIn continues to see strong and steady adoption in the UK, with over 31 million registered users at last count. It remains the dominant professional social network and an invaluable career advancement tool for British workers and businesses. With high levels of engagement, especially among young professionals, LinkedIn UK maintains its relevance even as new platforms like Instagram rise up. For the foreseeable future, LinkedIn will continue to be a networking staple for professionals in the country.