LinkedIn 2015 Annual Report Download - page 39

If Internet search engines’ methodologies are modified or our search result page rankings
decline for other reasons, our member and non-member engagement could decline.
We depend in part on various Internet search engines to direct a significant amount of traffic to our
website. Similarly, we depend on providers of mobile application ‘‘store fronts’’ to allow users to locate
and download our mobile applications that enable our service. Our ability to maintain the number of
visitors directed to our website and users of our online services is not entirely within our control. Our
competitors’ search engine optimization, or SEO, efforts may result in their websites receiving a higher
search result page ranking than ours, or Internet search engines could revise their methodologies in an
attempt to improve their search results, which could adversely affect the placement of our search result
page ranking. If search engine companies modify their search algorithms in ways that are detrimental
to our new user growth or in ways that make it harder for our members to use our website, or if our
competitors’ SEO efforts are more successful than ours, overall growth in our member base could slow,
member and non-member engagement could decrease, and we could lose existing members. These
modifications may be prompted by search engine companies entering the online professional
networking market or aligning with competitors. Our website has experienced fluctuations in search
result rankings in the past, and we anticipate similar fluctuations in the future. Any reduction in the
number of users directed to our websites would harm our business and operating results.
Our business depends on continued and unimpeded access to the Internet and mobile networks
by us and our members on personal computers and mobile devices. If government regulations
relating to the Internet or mobile networks or other areas of our business change, if Internet
access providers are able to block, degrade, or charge for access to certain of our products and
services, or if third parties disrupt access to the Internet, we could incur additional expenses
and the loss of members and customers.
Our products and services depend on the ability of our members and customers to access our
online services through their personal computers and mobile devices. Currently, this access is provided
by companies that have significant market power in the broadband and Internet access marketplace,
including incumbent telephone companies, cable companies, mobile communications companies, and
government-owned service providers, any of whom could take actions that degrade, disrupt, or increase
the cost of user access to our products or solutions, which would, in turn, negatively impact our
business. In addition, Internet or network access could be disrupted by other third parties. Further, the
adoption of any laws or regulations that adversely affect the growth, popularity or use of the Internet
and mobile networks, including laws limiting Internet neutrality, could decrease the demand for our
subscription service or the usage of our services and increase our cost of doing business.
Our growth depends in part on the success of our strategic relationships with third parties.
We anticipate that we will continue to depend on relationships with various third parties, including
access to platforms and content providers and distributors to grow our business, authors who provide
content (including learning and development material), and channel partners. Identifying, negotiating
and maintaining relationships with third parties require significant time and resources, as does
integrating third-party content and technology. Our agreements with technology and content providers
and similar third parties are typically non-exclusive and do not prohibit them from working with our
competitors or from offering competing services. In some cases, in particular, with respect to content
providers, these relationships are undocumented, or, if there are agreements in place, they may be
easily terminable. Our competitors may be effective in providing incentives to these parties to favor
their solutions or may prevent us from developing strategic relationships with these parties. These third
parties may decide that working with LinkedIn is not in their interest. In addition, these third parties may
not perform as expected under our agreements with them, and we have had, and may in the future
have, disagreements or disputes with these parties, which could negatively affect our brand and
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