Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	Description of Business and Basis of Presentation LinkedIn Corporation and its subsidiaries (the “Company”), a Delaware corporation, was incorporated on March 6, 2003. The Company operates an online professional network on the Internet through which the Company’s members are able to create, manage and share their professional identities online, build and engage with their professional networks, access shared knowledge and insights, and find business opportunities, enabling them to be more productive and successful. The Company believes it is the most extensive, accurate and accessible network focused on professionals. Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“US GAAP”) and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding interim financial reporting. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in the financial statements prepared in accordance with US GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. Therefore, these condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, filed on February 12, 2015. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2014, included herein was derived from the audited financial statements as of that date, but does not include all disclosures including notes required by US GAAP on an annual reporting basis. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all normal recurring adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations, comprehensive loss and cash flows for the interim periods, but are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be anticipated for the full year 2015 or any future period. Principles of Consolidation The condensed consolidated financial statements include the Company, its wholly-owned subsidiaries, and variable interest entities in which LinkedIn is the primary beneficiary in accordance with the consolidation accounting guidance. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. Redeemable noncontrolling interest ("RNCI") is included in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. RNCI is considered to be temporary equity and is therefore reported outside of permanent equity equal to its redemption value as of the balance sheet date. Use of Estimates The preparation of the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. These estimates are based on information available as of the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements; therefore, actual results could differ from management’s estimates. Recently Issued Accounting Guidance Business Combinations In September 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued new authoritative guidance on simplifying the accounting for business combinations, which requires that an acquirer recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. The effect on earnings of changes in depreciation or amortization, or other income effects (if any) as a result of the change to the provisional amounts, calculated as if the accounting had been completed as of the acquisition date, must be recorded in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined rather than retrospectively. This standard will be applied prospectively to adjustments to provisional amounts that occur after the effective date. This standard will be effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of 2016; however, early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect this standard to have a material impact on its financial statements. Debt Issuance Costs In April 2015, the FASB issued new authoritative guidance on simplifying the presentation of debt issuance costs, which requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. This standard requires retrospective adoption and will be effective for the Company beginning in its first quarter of 2016; however, the Company plans to early adopt in the fourth quarter of 2015. The Company does not expect this standard to have a material impact on its financial statements. Cloud Computing Arrangements In April 2015, the FASB issued new authoritative guidance on customer's accounting for fees paid in a cloud computing arrangement, which provides guidance to customers about whether a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license. If a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, the customer should account for the software license element of the arrangement consistent with the acquisition of other software licenses. If the arrangement does not include a software license, the customer should account for a cloud computing arrangement as a service contract. This standard is effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2016. This standard may be adopted either prospectively to all arrangements entered into or materially modified after the effective date or retrospectively. The Company does not expect this standard to have a material impact on its financial statements. Derivatives and Hedging In November 2014, the FASB issued new authoritative guidance on determining whether the host contract in a hybrid financial instrument issued in the form of a share is more akin to debt or to equity. The guidance applies to hybrid financial instruments that include embedded derivative features, which must be evaluated to determine whether the nature of the host contract is more akin to debt or to equity and whether the economic characteristics and risks of the embedded derivative feature are clearly and closely related to the host contract. If the host contract is akin to equity, then equity-like features (for example, a conversion option) are considered clearly and closely related to the host contract and, thus, would not be separated from the host contract. If the host contract is akin to debt, then equity-like features are not considered clearly and closely related to the host contract. In the latter case, an entity may be required to separate the equity-like embedded derivative feature from the debt host contract if certain other criteria are met. Similarly, debt-like embedded derivative features may require separate accounting from an equity-like host contract. This standard is applicable as it relates to the accounting for the preferred stock of the Company’s joint venture (see Note 3, Acquisitions and Joint Venture). This standard will be effective in the first quarter of 2016 and early adoption is permitted. The Company expects to early adopt in the fourth quarter of 2015 on a modified retrospective basis. The Company continues to evaluate this standard and believes the cumulative effect of initially applying the new standard would not be material. The impact to future periods will depend on the timing and amount of changes in fair value of the preferred stock of the Company’s joint venture and will be recorded in other income (expense), net. Revenue Recognition In May 2014, the FASB issued new authoritative guidance on revenue from contracts with customers. The guidance outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The core principle of the revenue model is that "an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services." The guidance also requires significantly expanded disclosures about revenue recognition. In July 2015, the FASB voted to approve a one-year deferral of the effective date to December 15, 2017 for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after that date and permitted early adoption of the standard, but not before the original effective date of December 15, 2016. This standard will therefore be effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2018. This standard will be applied using either the full or modified retrospective adoption methods. The Company is currently evaluating adoption methods and whether this standard will have a material impact on its financial results.

Description of Business and Basis of Presentation

LinkedIn Corporation and its subsidiaries (the “Company”), a Delaware corporation, was incorporated on March 6, 2003. The Company operates an online professional network on the Internet through which the Company’s members are able to create, manage and share their professional identities online, build and engage with their professional networks, access shared knowledge and insights, and find business opportunities, enabling them to be more productive and successful. The Company believes it is the most extensive, accurate and accessible network focused on professionals.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“US GAAP”) and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding interim financial reporting. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in the financial statements prepared in accordance with US GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. Therefore, these condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, filed on February 12, 2015.

The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2014, included herein was derived from the audited financial statements as of that date, but does not include all disclosures including notes required by US GAAP on an annual reporting basis.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all normal recurring adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations, comprehensive loss and cash flows for the interim periods, but are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be anticipated for the full year 2015 or any future period.

Principles of Consolidation

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the Company, its wholly-owned subsidiaries, and variable interest entities in which LinkedIn is the primary beneficiary in accordance with the consolidation accounting guidance. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

Redeemable noncontrolling interest ("RNCI") is included in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. RNCI is considered to be temporary equity and is therefore reported outside of permanent equity equal to its redemption value as of the balance sheet date.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. These estimates are based on information available as of the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements; therefore, actual results could differ from management’s estimates.

Recently Issued Accounting Guidance

Business Combinations

In September 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued new authoritative guidance on simplifying the accounting for business combinations, which requires that an acquirer recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. The effect on earnings of changes in depreciation or amortization, or other income effects (if any) as a result of the change to the provisional amounts, calculated as if the accounting had been completed as of the acquisition date, must be recorded in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined rather than retrospectively. This standard will be applied prospectively to adjustments to provisional amounts that occur after the effective date. This standard will be effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of 2016; however, early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect this standard to have a material impact on its financial statements.

Debt Issuance Costs

In April 2015, the FASB issued new authoritative guidance on simplifying the presentation of debt issuance costs, which requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. This standard requires retrospective adoption and will be effective for the Company beginning in its first quarter of 2016; however, the Company plans to early adopt in the fourth quarter of 2015. The Company does not expect this standard to have a material impact on its financial statements.

Cloud Computing Arrangements

In April 2015, the FASB issued new authoritative guidance on customer's accounting for fees paid in a cloud computing arrangement, which provides guidance to customers about whether a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license. If a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, the customer should account for the software license element of the arrangement consistent with the acquisition of other software licenses. If the arrangement does not include a software license, the customer should account for a cloud computing arrangement as a service contract. This standard is effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2016. This standard may be adopted either prospectively to all arrangements entered into or materially modified after the effective date or retrospectively. The Company does not expect this standard to have a material impact on its financial statements.

Derivatives and Hedging

In November 2014, the FASB issued new authoritative guidance on determining whether the host contract in a hybrid financial instrument issued in the form of a share is more akin to debt or to equity. The guidance applies to hybrid financial instruments that include embedded derivative features, which must be evaluated to determine whether the nature of the host contract is more akin to debt or to equity and whether the economic characteristics and risks of the embedded derivative feature are clearly and closely related to the host contract. If the host contract is akin to equity, then equity-like features (for example, a conversion option) are considered clearly and closely related to the host contract and, thus, would not be separated from the host contract. If the host contract is akin to debt, then equity-like features are not considered clearly and closely related to the host contract. In the latter case, an entity may be required to separate the equity-like embedded derivative feature from the debt host contract if certain other criteria are met. Similarly, debt-like embedded derivative features may require separate accounting from an equity-like host contract.

This standard is applicable as it relates to the accounting for the preferred stock of the Company’s joint venture (see Note 3, Acquisitions and Joint Venture). This standard will be effective in the first quarter of 2016 and early adoption is permitted. The Company expects to early adopt in the fourth quarter of 2015 on a modified retrospective basis. The Company continues to evaluate this standard and believes the cumulative effect of initially applying the new standard would not be material. The impact to future periods will depend on the timing and amount of changes in fair value of the preferred stock of the Company’s joint venture and will be recorded in other income (expense), net.

Revenue Recognition

In May 2014, the FASB issued new authoritative guidance on revenue from contracts with customers. The guidance outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The core principle of the revenue model is that "an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services." The guidance also requires significantly expanded disclosures about revenue recognition. In July 2015, the FASB voted to approve a one-year deferral of the effective date to December 15, 2017 for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after that date and permitted early adoption of the standard, but not before the original effective date of December 15, 2016. This standard will therefore be effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2018. This standard will be applied using either the full or modified retrospective adoption methods. The Company is currently evaluating adoption methods and whether this standard will have a material impact on its financial results.