Instagram Stories and Facebook Stories have been around for a while now but have you heard of the latest social channel to introduce this feature? LinkedIn has recently launched its Stories feature across accounts worldwide. While LinkedIn might not sound like the kind of place that you would typically post snippets of your day, many brands are already taking to this new feature.
What are LinkedIn Stories?
LinkedIn Stories are made up of short photos or videos that can last up to 20 seconds. These will only be available to view for 24-hours and can be customised to include work stickers or even text. The Stories will be highlighted at the top of the feed in order for any connections to find them easily.
The set-up is very similar to the existing story features present on other channels. For those who have used these before, it shouldn’t be too difficult to adapt to.
Are any brands using them?
LinkedIn Stories might have only rolled out this week but some brands received trial versions beforehand. It has been evident that brands in the US, Brazil and France have been quick to give these a try. Take Christian Dior, for example, they used Stories to post behind the scenes shots that allowed others to get an insight into the brand.
Other brands are using this feature for showing how products are made, revealing competition winners and hosting Q+As.
Head of Marketing Solutions in UK, Ireland & Israel at LinkedIn, Tom Pepper, expressed his views on the new feature. He said: “We believe Stories can become an integral part of brands’ communication strategies. My advice to any brands looking to experiment with Stories is – just do it! The great thing about Stories is that they don’t have to be slick or overproduced – as long as they are authentic and match your brand and audience.”
This advice is likely to be taken on board by brands who might have been unsure about how to approach this new feature.
How can affiliates use them?
LinkedIn is often seen as a much more professional setting than other social channels. Typically, affiliates use this channel for networking with other affiliates, affiliate programs and brands. However, others have company pages and so could really start to leverage Stories and create something special.
The tool has been designed to provide lightweight conversations and affiliates should take this on board. Perhaps, they can offer news about their growth, new partnerships and even their experiences. It might be worth trying out Q+A sessions or competition posts to see how they perform on this feature.
It is also worth noting that affiliate managers can use this feature in their marketing strategies. New promotions and affiliate announcements can be added to Stories to gain extra exposure.
Affiliates must ensure they start strong with their story as the average person only watches between 40-60% of it. Of course, keeping their attention is also key so the perfect balance must be found. As long as you can stay on brand and provide value, this could really be an effective tool.
Don’t ignore it
Some may believe that they won’t gain any value from LinkedIn Stories and the truth is that this feature is still in its infancy. However, as more brands start to make use of the feature, you won’t want your competitors to be one step ahead of you.
Our advice is to continue to use LinkedIn in a professional manner while giving an insight into your business.
