LinkedIn Doubles Down on Video with New Discovery, Engagement & Analytics Features
LinkedIn / Video Updates
Back in the fall, I said that LinkedIn video was the best opportunity across all of social media and I’m doubling down on that.
Fresh off announcing a 36% more year-over-year increase in video views on LinkedIn and video creation growing at 2x the rate of other original post formats, LinkedIn unveiled a handful of product updates for video.
Desktop Video Experiences: The full-screen video experience and the "Videos for You" carousel are now available on desktop. In the full-screen experience, users can navigate to the next and previous video vertically using up and down arrows.
Videos in Search: When users search for topics, they will now see relevant videos in a swipeable carousel.
Profile Preview within Full-Screen Video Player: Viewers can see a snapshot of a profile from the video player, showcasing other videos they've shared, with a button to follow and visit their full profile.
Video Follow Enhancement: The follow button within the full-screen video player is now more prominent.
Average Watch Time: A new metric that highlights the average time users watched a specific video.
LinkedIn / Profile Preview & Average Watch Time
What It Means for Creators
LinkedIn’s video updates reinforce the platform’s commitment to making video content a central part of its user experience.
By expanding its dedicated mobile video experience to desktop, LinkedIn now provides a new way for users to watch videos, including users who typically engage with LinkedIn on desktop during work hours. This should drive even more video viewership.
Incorporating video into search results improves discoverability and aligns with the growing trend of social media becoming go-to search engines, especially for younger audiences. Given that Gen Z is LinkedIn’s fastest-growing demographic, this caters to them while creating more opportunities for creators to tailor videos to popular search keywords or common user queries.
One challenge with short-form video feeds is the flood of content from various creators. While this can boost views, it often creates a barrier to meaningful connections between creators and viewers. The profile preview feature, paired with a more prominent follow button, gives viewers context about the creator and provides a stronger call to action, helping convert more viewers into followers.
The introduction of Average Watch Time expands LinkedIn’s suite of video metrics, giving creators valuable insights into how well their content resonates and how it compares to other short-form video experiences. For example, creators can align video length with their average watch time to increase completion rates or place brand messaging earlier in sponsored videos.
Will This Attract TikTok Creators?
LinkedIn’s video updates come at a key time. While it may not be the first platform TikTok creators consider, it should definitely be on their radar, especially for business or professional-related content. And it doesn’t have to be the typical corporate-style videos. “Day in the life” content that blends personal and professional experiences has also performed well on the platform.
Go Deeper on LinkedIn
For more on LinkedIn’s rise as a platform for creators, here are some of my previous pieces:
