This Criminally Underrated Feature Can Maximize Your LinkedIn Reach

Leverage this feature now to stand out from the crowd.

Anangsha Alammyan

21 May 2023 • 5 min read

Photo by TheRegisti on Unsplash

Leverage this feature now to stand out from the crowd.

Is your LinkedIn content strategy not working?

Are other creators with similar content getting better engagement?

Even the most seasoned LinkedIn content creators face these complications in their LinkedIn journey.

After all, LinkedIn is no longer just a job-hunting portal. It has branded itself as the treasure trove of leads, clients, and businesses for solopreneurs and young entrepreneurs.

With over 60% of users between the ages of 25 to 34 years, it’s a great platform for freelancers and business owners to connect with their peers and potential clients.

But how can you stand out and dominate LinkedIn when there are 930 million other users out there?

The competition is tough, so your winning strategy can’t be simple. I’ll let you in on my little growth hack on LinkedIn. But first, do you know the answers to these questions?

Are exclusive LinkedIn creators privy to some secret features to grow on the platform?
Is LinkedIn driving traction to posts using a specific tool?

Well, the answers are both yes and no.

Surprised? That’s the secret I want to share with you today.

Long story short: No, there are no hidden tools, but LinkedIn is surely prioritizing one of its features greatly.

What’s this secret feature, you ask?

One of the most underused but highly rewarding LinkedIn post features is…

Video posts.

Yes, LinkedIn’s official stats say that videos get 5x more engagement.

The best part?

You can also host Live Videos and stand a chance to get 24x more engagement.

What’s so different about LinkedIn Video posts?

In my 3 years of experience with LinkedIn, I gained maximum traction on posts with images. So finally when I started making videos, I decided to experiment with LinkedIn Videos too.

Case study: Two LinkedIn Video Posts

Two of my early LinkedIn Video posts surprised me with their reach and engagement.

I made a longish video (~ 2 minutes) on “Will AI take over all the writer jobs in the next few years?” Despite my skepticism about the length of the video, it gathered 97,458 impressions and 232 reactions.

The next video was slightly longer (~ 3 minutes) with reasons why AI can’t replace human writers in the next few years. This detailed take on the subject also gathered 17,229 impressions and 89 reactions.

But why are these numbers alluring?

Because at the time of posting the videos, my follower count was lower than these impressions.

It’s still way lower than the first video’s impressions.

These videos reached the maximum number of accounts who don’t even follow me.

That’s the charisma of LinkedIn Videos.

Why I think LinkedIn Videos will be the next BIG thing

Many LinkedIn creators have now understood the potential of using images in their posts, but videos are still uncharted territory.

Now is the best time to leap into video content creation, because:

LinkedIn algorithm prefers video posts

LinkedIn is trying to compete with YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels to engage audiences on their social media platform. Video content is booming across the globe, so LinkedIn is promoting videos through its algorithm.

The feature is under-utilized

There’s a huge gap in video content creation on LinkedIn.

Very few creators are leveraging this powerful tool to engage with their followers.

You can leap in with video format posts to build a strong brand.

Video posts give exclusive identity to your brand

Hooks are important for any LinkedIn post. This hook can also lure users into watching the videos until the end.

If your content is relatable with on-point storytelling, you’ll soon have the secret sauce for a successful LinkedIn brand.

Videos facilitate both brand-building and brand recall

Images help people associate your face with your brand, but sometimes they can be out of place, like vacation pictures may be irrelevant in an educational post.

With video content, you’ll get more screen time to establish your brand while providing valuable and relatable content.

Create once, publish 3x

You can repurpose the same video for YouTube and Instagram and publish it thrice. This is a golden key for content creators because they can create only once and share it across multiple platforms for an even wider reach.

Tips for creating great LinkedIn Video Posts

Your purpose is not just to post videos.

You want to gain brand value and recognition while building a community.

To achieve this, be smart with your LinkedIn content strategy.

I swear by some essential video creation tips that’ll help you get started:

Don’t link videos from other streaming platforms directly to LinkedIn. Upload it natively to gain preference from the LinkedIn algorithm.
Create an interesting thumbnail to hook the viewers.
Add captions, as LinkedIn keeps the video content muted by default.
Keep it short. If you have a detailed video on YouTube, upload only a short part natively on LinkedIn and route the viewers to your YouTube channel.
Leverage the description section to add an intriguing hook, use relevant hashtags, and tag people to boost your reach.
Master the art of understanding LinkedIn Analytics to understand what your audience likes. Then, create more of such content.

LinkedIn Live is the next obvious step

Once you realize the potential of video posts, I highly recommend hosting LinkedIn Live Events for candid conversations with your community.

To set up a LinkedIn Live, follow these steps:

Choose a broadcasting platform out of the five supported by LinkedIn: Restream, Socialive, StreamYard, Switcher Studio, and Vimeo.
Connect the broadcasting tool to your LinkedIn page.
Create a Live Event from your Page’s admin view.
From your preferred broadcast partner’s page, link it to the created event on LinkedIn.
Finally, go live.

What LinkedIn Video posts mean for creators and companies to build a brand on LinkedIn

Both LinkedIn Video posts and Live Events are gaining prominence amongst creators in 2023, but there’s still a huge gap.

It’s your opportunity to fit into this gap and create a brand identity by leveraging video posts and live events.

I hope this article has helped you understand why you should consider making videos, and equipped you with best practices to get started.

Wondering how to excel at LinkedIn when there are so many tools at your disposal? Grab The Ultimate LinkedIn Guide and start building your business on LinkedIn today.

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