LinkedIn Launches Video Content
Digital Brand Lab, Eastwick
Earlier this month, LinkedIn launched its first new feature since the acquistion by Microsoft for $26.2 billion earlier this summer — platform-hosted video content. The videos, which run 30-seconds in length and are recorded via the newly launched LinkedIn Record app, are being used for Q&A style discussion about tech trends, leadership challenges and more. Some videos focus on asking questions to the community, while the majority of others focus on giving answers. In both cases, the videos are aggregated into a single, continuously playing topic feed, not unlike the presentation of videos on Facebook’s platform.
According to the social network, the new feature is only available to 500 of its most influential users for now, predominantly C-level executives, big name investors and other thought leaders. However, a LinkedIn spokesperson did tell TechCrunch it eventually plans to roll it out to the rest of its 433 million users.
Eastwick’s Take on LinkedIn Videos
After all the research indicating video is the fastest growing medium for content consumption, it’s clear this is LinkedIn’s attempt at increasing platform engagement and nabbing a piece of the digital ad dollars pie. However, as the last major social network to hop on the video bandwagon, it remains to be seen whether it will be successful at either.
Here’s the good and the bad of what we know today:
1. The Videos Are Receiving Positive Attention
The Good: Perusing through the comments and likes on these early videos, we definitely see that engagement is high. Not a single one had less than 100 likes and a healthy handful of comments. One of the most engaged with pieces had close to 1,000 likes.
The Limitations: As much as we could attribute these numbers to the new video format, they could also very well be a reflection of these influencers’ large followings, meaning the average user or small business might not get the same social love.
2. The Videos Are Accessible
The Good: The content gets right to the point and caters to the layman. There is no room for tangents or getting bogged down in technical jargon, so the videos are very easy to watch and easy to fit into the small spaces of a professional’s work day. They’re also a pretty light lift on the part of the video creator.
The Limitations: It’s hard for most people to sufficiently answer any question in 30 seconds or less, let alone big, open-ended ones like, “What is the future of artificial intelligence in the workplace?” As a result, we’re seeing a real lack of depth to the videos and almost no meaningful insights for users to take away from watching them. Without this payoff, LinkedIn could see user engagement fizzle out prematurely. We predict the platform will eventually bump up the time limit or axe it all together.
3. The Videos Are Sparking Conversation
The Good: By posing questions to its influencer community, LinkedIn is generating discussion around some of the most exciting topics in business and tech today, giving its users an inside look into how these thought leaders are planning and solving for the challenges and possibilities of tomorrow. Every video thread feels like a main stage panel for an event like GrowthBeat or Code Conference.
The Limitations: The discussion is more two-point than two-way. There is no back and forth, no follow-up or clarification and no real dialogue. Unlike in text-based forums like Quora, where people also have the opportunity to respond to each other and build off ideas, it doesn’t seem like any of the LinkedIn video makers are watching each other’s content. Instead they are more or less shouting their answers into the abyss and leaving the thread behind, stunting the usefulness of the conversation and making us question (no pun intended) what the point is.
What does this mean for you?
The LinkedIn video content play is still in pilot and it is bound to change as more users take advantage of the platform. The prospect of video on LinkedIn could be interesting for some clients depending upon their audience given its influencer community. We expect LinkedIn to release this to broader audiences as they have done with other pilots to date. For now, we recommend holding off on any LinkedIn video plans until the pilot is complete. We will continue to follow their progress.
In the meantime, there are other channels and platforms for your C-Suite to join in the conversation and get started on this trend and utilize live streaming and video for your CEO’s thought leadership platform. For more on how your business can make waves with video, reach out to the Eastwick Digital Brand Lab, here.
