Linkedin Rolls Out Stories Feature Worldwide

LinkedIn has launched LinkedIn Stories worldwide, an opportunity for individuals and company pages to publish photos and short videos via the mobile app. Can the feature bring a little Instagram glamour to the networking platform?

What does LinkedIn Stories look like?

·         The Instagram-style format will enable brands to reach out to members using photos and videos of up to 20 seconds in duration, offering a more casual and immediate way to share news, insight and highlights.

·         Such posts will only be viewable for a 24-hour window and represent efforts by the professional network to capitalise on the popularity of video as part of a shift in emphasis towards visual mediums and mobile.

·         From today, members and brands will also have the ability to incorporate text and customised work stickers in Stories.

Have any brands used it yet?

·         Brands have been quick to utilise Stories in trial markets across France, the US, Brazil and others, spurring the creation of new content.

·         Fashion house Christian Dior Culture employed Stories posts to communicate behind the scenes shots from Paris Fashion Week in September.

·         Other uses of the new format by early adopters include revealing competition winners, providing insights into ‘making of‘ new products and hosting audience Q&A‘s.

OK, anything else?

·         The new tool also offers job seekers and experts the ability to post temporary content and is designed primarily to share ‘lightweight conversations related to your work-life‘ which don’t need to be preserved for posterity.

·         Career advisers will also benefit from the ability to share spontaneous advice and stories for job seekers.

·         Tom Pepper, head of marketing solutions UK, Ireland & Israel at LinkedIn, said: “LinkedIn Stories offers an authentic and visual way for them to do so.“

·         Pepper added: “We believe Stories can become an integral part of brands’ communication strategies. My advice to any brands looking to experiment with Stories is – just do it! The great thing about Stories is that they don’t have to be slick or overproduced – as long as they are authentic and match your brand and audience.”

Credit: The Drum