Dive Brief: 

• LinkedIn on Thursday announced the launch of two new ad programs: Sponsored Updates API and Content Partners. 
• The Sponsored Updates API allows identified partners — which are so far AdStage, Brand Networks, Shift, Salesforce ExactTarget Marketing Cloud, and Unified Social —​ to plug directly into the platform and sell ads in users' feeds. 
• Content Partners lets advertisers sponsor high quality content from media publishers that, according to LinkedIn, attract 30% more engagement than normal content on the platform. 

Dive Insight: 

Like all of the other social sites, advertising is LinkedIn's bread and butter. New products help the platform stay competitive. For advertisers interested in reaching the C-suite directly, LinkedIn offers a clear advantage. These new ads product could help expand that reach and engagement.