LinkedIn now wants to be more like…TikTok?

by DTM | Posted on

LinkedIn looks to be taking inspiration from TikTok as it tests a new short-form video feed.

The move will see LinkedIn following a trend set by other major platforms – Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube have all been using short-form videos to engage with audiences after the successes of TikTok, which really started to gain traction at the start of the pandemic.

The change, which has been confirmed by LinkedIn, has already been spotted in the wild.

LinkedIn introduces short-form video feed

Austin Null shared a screenshot of the updated app to LinkedIn – a new Video tab sits between Home and My Network on the bottom navigation bar. The Post button seems to have been displaced to the top of the interface, next to the Messages button.

The new Videos tab looks to offer a vertical scroll of short-form videos, and users can engage by liking, commenting, and sharing. Though very similar to other platforms, LinkedIn’s video feed is expected to focus on professional content, and creators are likely to have to battle with more algorithms to ensure success on yet another platform.

Microsoft asserts that videos are increasingly popular among users seeking insights from professionals and experts, hence the update to LinkedIn.

Though the move seems fairly atypical of LinkedIn, the platform has been making pretty significant changes in recent months, including adding gaming experiences. Creators have already found success sharing professional advice on other platforms, like TikTok, and it makes a lot of sense for the content to also be available on LinkedIn, given its audience.

A LinkedIn spokesperson told TechRadar Pro in an email that the move comes as a response to videos rapidly becoming one of the platform’s members’ favorite formats to learn from other professionals and experts, confirming that the company is testing new ways to engage with members via video.

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