Career network site Linkedin has announced the launch of Linkedin Events, a new feature which will allow users to join and create professional events, invite connections and have conversations.

Linkedin says it recognises the importance of face-to-face meetings in building professional relationships, and its new platform is intended to tap into that. The network conducted research which showed 80% of Linkedin users consider professional networking to be important to new opportunities and success.

The feature will start with a pilot group of organisers in San Francisco and New York, but will be rolling out globally to all members within the next few months. All users are able to join and participate in events they’re invited to.

The new feature will allow you to:

-Create an event: Whether on desktop or mobile, event organisers can create an event and provide all of the details for it – a description, date and time, and a unique hashtag so people can follow along.

-Promote an event: Hosts can invite their connections and share the event with their network to encourage other people to join. Attendees can also invite people in their network that might be interested.

-Manage an event: Organisers can easily track attendees and invitees, post updates, edit the details if the time or location changes, and follow-up after the event.

-Have conversations with fellow attendees: All event attendees will be able to chat with each other in the event page feed before, during, and after the event to share their excitement, meet one another, share videos and photos from the event, and continue strengthening their relationships.