LinkedIn tests TikTok-inspired short video feed on its app

LinkedIn tests TikTok-inspired short video feed on its app
28 Mar 2024

LinkedIn, Microsoft's professional networking platform, is experimenting with a new feature that mirrors the short-form video feed of TikTok.

This development was confirmed by the company to TechCrunch after Austin Null, a strategy director at McKinney, an influencer agency, first noticed it.

Null showcased the new feed on LinkedIn itself. The feature can be found under a "Video" tab in the app's navigation bar.

How to use it?
Steps

When users tap on the "Video" button, they are led to a vertical feed of brief videos that can be navigated by swiping.

The platform enables users to engage with these videos through likes, comments, or shares.

However, LinkedIn has not revealed its criteria for selecting which videos appear in this feed.

This feature bears resemblance to the vertical short-form video feeds found on other popular platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and Netflix.

The focus of LinkedIn's video feed
Content focus

LinkedIn's new video feed stands out from other platforms by focusing solely on career-related and professional content.

While LinkedIn has always allowed users to upload videos, this dedicated feed aims to boost engagement and discovery by offering concise videos for quick scrolling.

According to LinkedIn, videos are becoming a favored format among its users for gaining insights from professionals and experts.

Early testing stages of LinkedIn's new feature

The innovative video feed feature is currently in its initial testing phase and is not yet available to most users.

This initiative comes at a time when many creators have amassed substantial followings on TikTok, by sharing advice and experiences related to career advancement, job hunting, and professional growth.

LinkedIn's new feed could offer these creators a novel platform for disseminating their video content and potentially reaching a larger audience.

Future prospects: Monetization and user reception
Future

There is speculation that LinkedIn may monetize this new video feed in the future to incentivize creators to post their content on the app.

However, not all users may embrace this new feature. Some might feel inundated by the growing prevalence of short-form video feeds on popular apps.

Despite these potential concerns, LinkedIn's emphasis on professional and career-focused content could differentiate its video feed from others.