Fast facts
- Like many other platforms, LinkedIn is now testing short-form vertical videos and offering them to some users.
- It remains to be seen if LinkedIn will make this a feature for all users of the service.
Whether you love them or can live without them, short-form videos, arguably popularized by TikTok, are here to stay. After TikTok found success and continues to do so, competing platforms like Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat jumped on board, and even broader streaming sites like Netflix and the short-lived Tubi chased it.
LinkedIn is experimenting with short-form videos in a dedicated “Video” tab in the top navigation bar. User Austin Null It was first seen by a strategy director at McKinney (an influencer agency), and the platform confirmed the test for TechCrunch.
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Just like TikTok or Instagram Reels, you can skip to the next video and interact with it through likes or comments. The interface visually matches the traditional written LinkedIn posts of the shared demo.
While TikTok and Instagram may scatter the possibilities with dance trends alongside tech unboxings, with advice and comedy in between, LinkedIn's approach to short-form video is focused on the professional world, with careers front and center . The feed itself will include videos already posted on the platform, a long-standing feature, but whether LinkedIn aims to court creators remains to be seen.
Although it's still a test and not rolling out to all users, LinkedIn is clearly looking for feedback, both good and bad, on this new type of content. If appropriately themed and organized by content that already interests you on LinkedIn, the arrival of a video that you can easily digest and learn something from could be welcome. However, it could also be seen as a distraction from the heart of the platform.
TheStreet has reached out to LinkedIn for comment and to see if they can share more about the approach and types of short-form videos they consider most suitable. If LinkedIn responds, we'll be sure to update this article.
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