LinkedIn has started to roll-out its „Stories“ feature in Brazil. An attempt to become (even more of) a social media platform. It is a feature that has worked wonders for Instagram – who in turn took the inspiration for its concept from Snapchat.
On IG and Snapchat, the introduction of stories started a whole new trend and usage of the platforms. I expect something similar to happen with the type of content that currently works well on the number one professional (social media) network.
Why does LinkedIn want to start using Stories in the first place?
It‘s simple really, stories work. The engagement rates are high and the time spend on Instagram and Snapchat has increased with the feature introduction.
Instagram users have shown that they love reading and listening to stories.
Maybe some Instagram by Facebook statistics will show us why LinkedIn is eager to add this product feature to their app and website.
The latest stats available for Instagram are here! Updated December 2019.
500 million users now use Instagram Stories every day as per the information from 99firms.com. This is over 300% growth rate in under three years. This feature is becoming more and more popular and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
- 1 in 4 Millennials and Gen Z-ers look for Stories of the products and services they want to buy.
- 15%–25% of people swipe up on a link in branded Stories.
- One-third of the most-viewed Instagram Stories are from businesses.
- 36% of businesses use Instagram Stories for product promotion.
- 59% of brands link Instagram Stories to a shoppable page.
- The average posting frequency for IG Stories is 2.3 posts per week.
- Instagram Stories accounts for 34% of Instagram’s sponsored content.
What are the most effective post types on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is not your average social media platform. The platforms roots are those of a professional network. Yes, professional is the key term here.
Most brands and retailer alike have not truly discovered the power of LinkedIn. But it is a great place to communicate brand values and working methods.
Hence, the type of content that is shared is generally more elaborate and well researched. Longer texts of content in status updates and articles work very well here.
Yet, the main challenge with technical and longer content is that the user needs to take his time for it. In our fast-paced society, most users do not truly take their time to read through every single word that has been written.
Headline skimming and listicles (top reasons to… how to… 5 reasons why…) are still important parts of how content is consumed.
Stories can help draw the user‘s attention to the parts and pieces of content that are relevant for him or her, without reading through a long and daunting piece of text. That what has established itself as a „typical“ LinkedIn post, might change rapidly with the introduction of the stories feature.
Yet, researched and professional content will be key to suit the expectations of the reader; LinkedIn is a professional network, first and foremost – the content needs to fit the target audience and their mindsets accordingly.
How will it affect other content types on the platform
We can only guess what will happen to other types of content on LinkedIn, at this point in time. But if Instagram by Facebook is any indication for what might happen once stories are rolled-out to a broader target audience, it will change the type of content that is consumed, dramatically.
Are stories the death of classical long form content
Maybe, maybe not. Stories are a great way to draw the attention to long(er) form content. The position at the top of the page, and the short video format help to get a message across quickly.
On Instagram and Snapchat, influencer spend more and more time on stories, instead of photo shoots for static content.
On IG by FB, the story-feature is not used to promote other posts, frequently. A mere 10-15% of insta-stories redirect the user to a longer form post (image or video).
However, I do think this might be a little different on LinkedIn, a platform that values exclusive content creation on the website or app itself. At the end of the day, we‘ll need to experiment with the new features and see how we can use it best.
Who should use LinkedIn Stories
Brands and retailer use stories on Instagram to promote their products, mainly. I do not think we will see a similar usage of Stories on LinkedIn, though. It is more likely, that users will see these quick info bites to promote their longer content, or do live reports and interviews of and at events.
Instagram by Facebook usage of LinkedIn‘s new product feature
According to this research, IG-stories are only used in ten percent of the cases to promote blog posts. The use of the story format on IG is therefore very transactional.
Could this type of content work on LinkedIn, too? Possibly, but the type of goods and services would be distinctly different. I think the emphasis will lie more on services, than goods; as tutorials, workshops and webinars seem to fit the format best.
Looking for a new job? Then you will certainly want to spend more time, communicating with your network and peers on LinkedIn.
A solid reputation on LinkedIn cannot only land users their next job, it is an essential element to make connections in your current one.
LinkedIn Stories will be given the most prominent online real estate on social media, above the fold. If you would like to get someone‘s attention, this is the right place to do it. A quick 15-30 seconds authentic message can go a long way.
How do LinkedIn Stories set them apart from the competition
I don‘t really know yet. First indications from the feature roll-out in Brazil show that it is very similar to Instagram by Facebook‘s stories feature.
As soon as I‘ve been able to test LinkedIn Stories myself, I will share some more insights on what the differences are. And of course, share more thoughts on how to best use stories to promote your goods and services as a retailer or brand.
For more information on using LinkedIn as a marketing tool, reach out to me using the contact form and schedule an appointment for a personal chat, today.
