It’s official: LinkedIn Stories is coming!
LinkedIn is following in the footsteps of Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook by bringing a professional twist to the 24-hour stories format we all know and love.
But what does this mean for brands on LinkedIn?
We’re covering the all-important details and must-have strategies to keep you ahead of the curve:
LinkedIn Stories: What Is It and How Can Brands Use It?
LinkedIn Stories is currently being tested internally at LinkedIn, with plans to roll out further in the coming months.
It’s still unconfirmed exactly how the new stories feature will look and work, but LinkedIn’s Senior Director of Product Management, Pete Davies, shared that the format will be great for encouraging more conversations on the platform.
“Last year, we started asking ourselves what Stories might look like in a professional context,” Davies said.
He goes on to explain why having a “lightweight” and “fun” way to share an update has as much of a place on LinkedIn as it does anywhere else.
“Sometimes we want a way to just make a connection, have a laugh with our colleagues and move on.”
Based on Davies’ post, it sounds as though LinkedIn Stories will display in a full-screen mode, similar to Instagram Stories — and will also include some form of messaging feature, which could make quick and casual conversations easier on the platform.
This isn’t the first time LinkedIn has tried their hand at stories. In 2018, LinkedIn tested a version of LinkedIn Stories called “Student Voices”:
Source: Social Media Today
This early version of LinkedIn Stories was exclusively for college students in the US, but could give a good indication of how the new version will look in the LinkedIn mobile app.
LinkedIn’s pivot to stories is indicative of just how far social media has evolved since Facebook first switched from a series of connected profiles to a centralized News Feed in 2006. Stories are the new norm, with users preferring to “share in the moment” rather than committing to a permanent feed post.
This fits with the trend we’ve seen on Instagram over the last few years, with people posting less to their feeds. In a recent study with Fohr, we found that influencers are now posting to their feeds a third less than they did in 2016.
So what does this mean for brands?
Simply put, this feature will provide a new, temporary way to share information with your professionally-motivated audience. And although having another channel to contend with might feel overwhelming, there are lots of ways to turn this into a new creative opportunity to support your business goals.
Ready to take your Instagram Stories designs to the next level? Find out how to design stories that captivate your audience!
4 Ways to Incorporate LinkedIn Stories into Your Marketing Strategy
Much like the introduction of Instagram Stories, LinkedIn Stories offers a huge opportunity to create a stronger, more personable dialogue with your audience.
But before jumping straight into your new LinkedIn Stories content strategy, it’s worth considering who you’re talking to and why you want to capture their attention.
Understanding the audience you’re talking to, what they are interested in, and what you want to achieve will help to shape your content strategy and keep you on track for success!
So with this in mind, here are 4 ways to use LinkedIn Stories for your marketing strategy:
LinkedIn Stories Strategy #1: Encourage Thought Leaders to Give Professional Tips
LinkedIn is a huge platform for professional thought leadership, and this new “snackable” format is a great way to showcase your in-house knowledge in a fun and engaging way.
Whether it’s resume advice from your HR team, a quick industry recap, or creative design pointers, sharing helpful tips is a sure-fire way to capture your audience’s attention.
Just remember to keep your content suited to the fast and easy-to-digest nature of stories. For example, if you’re sharing “5 tips on professional networking,” you may want to prepare 5 slides to slot in among your video content, so your content is super skimmable for your audience!
LinkedIn Stories Strategy #2: Share Real-Time Event Updates
LinkedIn Stories only have a short lifespan, which makes them perfect for sharing less polished, off-the-cuff content straight from a live event.
From big company announcements to awards ceremonies, sharing clips from live events on stories can be a great way to showcase what’s going on at your company.
This can also be an excellent way to create extra hype around an event on LinkedIn. Consider asking key speakers or event coordinators to share quick soundbites about what to expect, or share a “sneak peek” of some of the extra special details in store!
LinkedIn Stories Strategy #3: Host a Corporate Q&A
Just like Instagram Stories, LinkedIn Stories provide an awesome way to show a more human and authentic side to your brand on social.
Hosting a Q&A on stories will showcase the people behind your brand, which is a great way to share your brand story and help build brand affinity.
To gather questions for your Q&A, invite your audience to submit them in advance. This could either be through direct messages or a traditional LinkedIn feed post.
LinkedIn Stories Strategy #4: Share Brand Announcements and Product News
If you’re one of the first few brands using LinkedIn Stories, the chances are you’ll be gaining a huge amount of extra airtime with your audience on LinkedIn.
With that in mind, it could be a great idea to use this new platform to share all your important brand updates — even if you have a feed post about them too.
Whether you’re sharing job opportunities or a product launch, capitalizing on this new channel to reach more of your audience is definitely a good move!
If Facebook Stories are anything to go by, early adopters of LinkedIn Stories will set themselves ahead of the competition.
So will you be using Linkedin Stories to market your brand? Let us know in the comments!
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