LinkedIn Tests Video Trends to Encourage Member Engagement

LinkedIn’s taking another step into TikTok territory, with a new video trends feature that will encourage members to add their own video responses to trending topics in the app.

As you can see in this example, posted by social media expert Lindsey Gamble, LinkedIn’s new format will include header tags within video clips, as well as within the main feed, that highlight trending video topics in the app. Tap on any topic to see what other members are sharing about that specific subject.

LinkedIn will also encourage viewers to “Add to this trend” with a simple CTA button that opens your own camera to record your take.

The format is similar to LinkedIn’s AI-generated “Collaborative Articles”, which generate industry and niche questions, then invite members to contribute.

Those got a heap of attention in the app upon launch, though mostly because consistent contributors to these articles also qualified for a topic expert badge in the app. LinkedIn has since removed that element, after it found that people were cheating the system, and I’d be guessing that engagement with Collaborative Articles has declined significantly as a result.

But now, it’s trying a similar approach with videos, which also mirrors TikTok’s participatory trend process.

So will it work in his context?

I mean, you can definitely see that some LinkedIn users will feel compelled to add their own take, especially if it’s a topic that resonates with them and their professional experience. LinkedIn will have to ensure that the topics remain professionally focused, and don’t veer into other territory, but barring that, I can see how this could get more people sharing more video uploads in the app.

And overall, LinkedIn is seeing more video activity.

LinkedIn says that video content has seen a 36% increase in watch time year-over-year, and with younger audiences, in particular, now more accustomed to consuming information in video format, it makes sense that this will continue to grow on LinkedIn as well.

As such, it could be a smart way to enhance video engagement, and get more people posting in the app.

LinkedIn’s currently testing its new video trends with U.S. users.