avatarRemco Livain

Summary

LinkedIn has introduced its "stories" feature in Brazil, adopting the popular ephemeral content format that disappears after 24 hours, which was originally pioneered by Snapchat and later popularized by Instagram.

Abstract

LinkedIn, known for its professional networking focus, has officially launched its "stories" feature in Brazil, positioning it at the forefront of the LinkedIn app experience. This move reflects the growing demand for quick, consumable content that is temporary in nature. While LinkedIn is not a traditional social media platform, it has recognized the importance of integrating this feature to stay relevant and engaging. The "stories" format, which allows for short video messages, is expected to inject more dynamism into the network. However, the challenge lies in how users will adapt this casual, immediate form of communication within a professional context, as LinkedIn content typically prioritizes quality and thoughtfulness over speed. The success of LinkedIn Stories remains uncertain, especially considering mixed results on platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. The rollout in Brazil will serve as a test case for the broader adoption of this feature.

Opinions

  • The introduction of LinkedIn Stories is seen as a response to the increasing popularity of short-form, ephemeral content across social media platforms.
  • There is a concern that the Stories format might lead to a decrease in content quality due to its emphasis on speed and brevity, which could be at odds with LinkedIn's traditionally more curated and professional content.
  • The success of Stories on LinkedIn is not guaranteed, as seen with similar features on Facebook and WhatsApp, which did not achieve the expected level of engagement.
  • The feature's familiarity, given its presence on other platforms, could work in LinkedIn's favor, as users are already accustomed to how stories work.
  • The professional community's reception of LinkedIn Stories will be critical in determining

Better late than never, LinkedIn rolls out „stories“

Well, it is official, LinkedIn has rolled out its stories function in Brazil.

on its LinkedIn app. Right at the top of any user‘s app and feed.

LinkedIn might be an a-typical social media network, but they have decided that this product feature is a must-have. The demand for quick bite content, easy to consume that „self-destructs“ within 24 hours, continues to grow.

Snapchat started it

Whereas Snapchat started the stories hype, Instagram by Facebook took it to the next level. It could be said that it was the exact feature Instagram needed to grow to new heights.

Short video messages are an important part of all social media apps at the moment — but the content varies

Even back in 2018, LinkedIn noted that it was planning to roll out Stories to more users — and while it rolled out on student campuses in the USA first, we now know LinkedIn Stories didn’t hit the actual product until 2020.

A quick video format will help make the professional social media network more lively. The big question is how users are going to use the new Stories-Feature on LinkedIn.

Stories are short, punchy, fast and to the point.

Speed over quality?

What sets professional networks apart from most social content is not only the nature of the posts, but the quality as well. Most posts on LinkedIn are a little longer, well-written and thought through; very different from how Snapchat and Instagram users use stories.

Do stories posts sacrifice content quality over speed? Probably not, but they are generally less „staged,“ and more natural

Whether professional users will start posting more short video content, remains to be seen. The product roll-out in Brazil will tell if it a great addition to the product.

I expect LinkedIn to roll out this feature more quickly than we might think. And those who use LinkedIn as their main source of social media and network communication can start to get their heads around how they would use it.

Will it be a success

We have seen stories „fail“ on both Facebook and WhatsApp (by Facebook, as well). Hence, the developments in Latin America are of great interest to LinkedIn — and users all over the world.

It is unlikely that the feature will not be used at all, though. There are advantages to being late to the party, too.

Users know exactly how stories work. This might be a potential chance or a possible pitfall, though. Expectations are high and we will find out soon enough if they were right to bring „LinkedIn Stories“ into the equation.

References in German:

References in English:

LinkedIn
Linkedin Marketing
Stories
Features
Marketing
Recommended from ReadMedium