LinkedIn Boosts Vertical Video Tools - 36% Upload Increase

The Growing Importance of Video on LinkedIn

Video content currently dominates platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Now, LinkedIn is increasingly recognizing video as a significant business opportunity.

While not yet mirroring TikTok’s format entirely, the Microsoft-owned professional network has experienced substantial growth in video usage. LinkedIn reported a 36% increase in video uploads and a 100% rise in video creation directly on the platform compared to the previous year.

New Features to Enhance Video Engagement

To capitalize on this trend, LinkedIn is introducing new features designed to encourage greater video activity. These include a full-screen vertical video display accessible to all users, regardless of device, alongside tools aimed at boosting viewer interaction.

These updates follow Microsoft’s recent earnings report, which revealed a 9% revenue increase for LinkedIn over the past year, with premium subscriptions exceeding $2 billion in revenue.

Leveraging a Large User Base

With a user base exceeding 1 billion, LinkedIn is poised to leverage economies of scale in both advertising and paid features as it seeks to maximize revenue. Video is expected to play a crucial role in this strategy.

The platform’s video viewership has already increased by 36% year-over-year, demonstrating the medium’s inherent stickiness and popularity, particularly within the LinkedIn environment.

Expanding the Vertical Video Experience

The introduction of a vertical video feed for desktop web pages is a logical progression, building upon the strong engagement already observed with this format on mobile devices, where it was initially launched.

Similar to the mobile experience, users can now easily select and navigate through videos in their feed via swiping or clicking.

Future Developments and Testing

It’s important to note that this is not yet a complete full-screen video player akin to those found on TikTok or Instagram. Testing of such a player, first reported in March 2024, is ongoing and actively seeking user feedback.

However, LinkedIn is proceeding with the rollout of several features intended to support this potential future experience.

Enhanced User Experience and Discoverability

A new profile preview feature allows users to view a creator’s profile without leaving the video, accompanied by a more prominent follow button. This aims to streamline the user experience and encourage connections.

Furthermore, LinkedIn is integrating more video content into its search results, displaying a new video carousel alongside traditional links. The preference for video results over text-based ones will be closely monitored.

Creator Tools and Analytics

LinkedIn is also developing analytics tools for creators, enabling them to track average watch times for their content. This initial step signals the potential for more comprehensive analytics features in the future, particularly if a full video feed is widely released.