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LinkedIn's timing could use a tweak - a lot of experts are portraying today as a financial apocalypse.  Still, in a move that's hard to argue with, the business connections company is launching its own ad network.

This development can be viewed as a sort of extension of LinkedIn's information-sharing deal with CNBC.  In that situation, articles, financial data, and video content are being promoted on the basis of user-provided information.

 

Now, Erick Schonfeld explains, "Whenever someone visits LinkedIn, a cookie will be placed on their browser, which will identify them as a LinkedIn member when they visit a partner site.  Personally identifying information will be removed, but members will be grouped into different, targetable categories."

Ad network partners should be able to make more relevant offers to users from there.  Unless LinkedIn members take advantage of the site's nod to privacy and opt out of the program, anyway.

A good way to measure the success of this venture will be seeing how quickly it manages to collect partners.  Other companies may be feeling less than adventurous, though - the Dow's already down 329 points - and so a key point remains that LinkedIn shouldn't lose money if things are a little quiet.