Interest in LinkedIn has skyrocketed over the last decade, with searches for the networking platform increasing by more than 172%.

The latest data comes from StockApps, which analyzed search traffic for LinkedIn from 2010 to 2022. The company found that, as of May 2022, LinkedIn was bringing in nearly 1.5 billion unique global visitors, as opposed to 1.3 billion in November 2021. What’s more, searches for “LinkedIn” have increased more than 172% in the last ten years.

“LinkedIn has become a staple for anyone who wants to build their brand,” writes StockApps Financial analyst Edith Reads. “That reality is evident in the growing interest by professionals seeking to share skills and opportunities. In addition, its Google search interest has grown to 79 from 29 ten years ago, underscoring the platform’s growing significance in connecting people.”

StockApps data confirms what WebProNews wrote about Friday when data from SeekingAlpha was released indicating that LinkedIn is a major growth driver for Microsoft. The data showed that LinkedIn has consistently delivered a stable average of ARPU growth of 23%.

Meanwhile, LinkedIn also delivers 277% better lead generation than Facebook or Twitter. Similarly, the platform provides 12.84x higher cost-per-click than Twitter and 4.4x higher than Facebook.

One thing is clear: LinkedIn is not only a major growth driver for Microsoft, but as Reads points out, the platform is a critical component to any company building its brand.