XING Company Profiles now also available to freelancers and as a free basic version

Additional active online reputation management options Hamburg, July 15, 2010 - XING, Germany’s largest business network, is now offering freelancers and one-man businesses the opportunity to present themselves by creating their own company profile. More than a million freelancers and one-man companies registered on XING now have the same options available as large companies when it comes to boosting their online presence. In addition, XING now also offers a free BASIC version of its Company Profiles. A professional profile within Germany’s leading social business network  allows freelancers and one-man companies both to appeal to customers, clients, and business partners on XING and to be found by any Internet user, e.g. via a search engine.

Online reputation as a success factor; Active reputation management with XING Company Profiles

Helmut Becker, Chief Commercial Officer at XING AG, commented that “A positive online reputation is a key factor for success for companies and freelancers. Nowadays it’s considered the norm to go on the Internet to find out more about companies and service providers. But simply being online is not good enough. Companies need to make sure that they are present where their target group is and actively manage their online reputation. Our BASIC Company Profile now offers freelancers and one-man businesses a simple way of doing just that.”

In addition to the existing fee-based STANDARD and PLUS Company Profiles, XING is now introducing a free BASIC Company Profile. Here, freelancers and one-man companies can use XING to promote their business among a highly attractive business target group. According to AGOF internet facts 2010-1, XING in Germany hosts more than 1.7 million unique users consisting of business professionals who are academics or have a monthly net household income of at least €3,500.  They can also be found beyond the XING platform, making Company Profiles an efficient alternative to a personal website or an entry in a business directory. Furthermore, freelancers and one-man companies now have access to a practical addition to their personal XING profile that allows them to draw attention to their business, services, and project experience. For more information about the new offers, please go to

http://companyprofile.xing.com.

The appearance and layout of the fee-based STANDARD and PLUS Company Profiles  have also been optimized to guarantee even better visibility on the XING platform. PLUS profiles still offer advanced features such as company updates that XING members can subscribe to and follow. This means that companies can create their own communities of followers that keep customers, job applicants, and people interested in the company up to date on the latest products and services. These profiles are now also available to freelancers. About XING
XING.com is the social network for business professionals. Millions of members use the platform to do business and promote their career. XING makes networking and professional contact management simple, with made-to-measure networking functions and services. The XING community is highly active with  members meeting, exchanging views in about 38,000 specialist groups, and getting together at networking events to share their contacts, skills and expertise. The XING business network is based on trust - It boosts members’ career prospects while acting as a recruiting portal for both companies looking to fill vacancies and qualified professionals interested in a new challenge.

XING is the only network in the world to offer full SSL encryption. The platform is operated by XING AG, a listed company with headquarters in Hamburg and offices in Barcelona and Istanbul. Please visit www.xing.com for more information.