LinkedIn works for business because it was designed for business. In the last year this more business focused social media site has added some features that really help give businesses that serve other businesses an edge.

LinkedIn brings some of the most popular software forums together. Their LinkedIn Intelligent Applications (InApps) platform offers a truly creative environment for presenting your business to fellow members. InApps also promotes internal connectivity.

Connect with other Businesses and Customers with LinkedIn

Use Google Presentations or Slide Share to embed a visual display of recent accomplishments. Do you want to stay on top in your field? Add Reading List (from Amazon). You will find out what others are reading. Are you promoting an eBook or print media? Reading List is a promotional tool as well.

LinkedIn offers two blog options: WordPress App and Six Apart’s BlogLink. If you have a WordPress blog, it is easy to sync it with your LinkedIn profile. Special LinkedIn tags allow you to filter your posts, and you can display your personal WordPress Gravatar. Automatic updating is included.

Do you already use a different blog platform? Then use Blog Link instead. It supports WordPress and TypePad, Movable Type, Vox, Blogger, LiveJournal and more.

LinkedIn also offers an Outlook Toolbar. Now every person you contact, or who contacts you, can be added easily to your Outlook Contacts. It also lets you know when you have contacts that aren’t part of the LinkedIn network. We all know that the best way to grow a network is to invite someone to join it.

Have you ever wanted to take advantage of a long layover? Now you may be able to. Tripit lets you and other members post travel itineraries. When connections will be in the same city, you can arrange for the personal connection. Nothing builds rapport like actually meeting people.

Connect your employees with LinkedIn

Huddle Workspaces creates secure online workspaces. Collaboration and sharing tools are part of the package. Box.net Files let members share and manage files online.

LinkedIn offers its own feedback tools

Company Buzz is a great tool for finding out what people are saying about your business. You can identify topics that you want Buzz to track. Buzz stores historical data so you can look for trends. You can also use Buzz to drill for related tweets on Twitter using the top words associated with your topic. If something is being said about your company, you’ll find out.

LinkedIn Polls lets you create polls. You can poll within the community for free, or expand your poll to include specific groups of professionals. For example if your business targets medical professionals, Polls can deliver your poll to that group. There is a pay-per-response fee for polling outside the community.

LinkedIn doesn’t take a daring approach to adding services. When they put a new service on their site, you can know it works for business. The CEO of LinkedIn, Dan Nye, is committed to offering “applications that enable people to more effectively collaborate with their networks on a wide range of daily professional activities. We choose to work with leading companies whose services make sense for how our members use LinkedIn – for collaboration, information sharing and developing opportunities.” They intend to keep improving their offerings.