Essential LinkedIn updates every B2B marketer needs to know about

Back at the end of the last year when Microsoft finally acquired LinkedIn, marketers the world over waited eagerly to see what the joining of the world’s biggest business card collection and one of the world’s tech titans would mean. It would seem that, over recent weeks, we’re starting to really see the fruits of that acquisition.

I write a weekly newsletter that covers the updates from each network of note that week, and after a few early weeks hearing mostly from the traditional ‘consumer’ networks such as Instagram and SnapChat, LinkedIn is coming to the fore. So here’s a spotlight on a few recent updates LinkedIn has announced and what they could mean for you, your brand and your clients:

Native video uploading

Following in the footsteps of Facebook, YouTube et al, LinkedIn is now set to offer the ability for individual users to create and upload native video to the mobile app. You can upload up to 10 minutes of video and access advanced analytics about the sectors and roles of those who viewed it.

Aside from all the initial reactions lamenting the possibility of LinkedIn changing from self-important status updates to self-important video content, there are a number of ways that this can be turned to the advantage of users. Imagine scoping job candidates by a video CV pinned to their profile page, or using a video Q&A to provide extra promotion of a recent piece of thought leadership content you’ve written. Also imagine an interview with an exec at an event posted as a native video on his or her page for their huge network to view – even if they couldn’t make the event – which a brand page can then cross-post.

There are multiple possibilities to use this new feature – scheduled to roll out in the coming months – to join up LinkedIn’s huge audience and value as a B2B channel with some great creative content options. Just be warned that, like Facebook, this could prompt a similar algorithm change to what content is prioritised in LinkedIn’s newsfeed.

Mentoring scheme

Another new feature LinkedIn is testing is an in-platform mentoring scheme, allowing certain users to sign up as mentees or mentors and be connected with those outside their regular sphere of influence. This is a really great example of the platform really living up to its name as a ‘social’ network; getting insights from someone outside your regular circle on your career and the industry as a whole is always helpful and could provide some really strong success stories for LinkedIn themselves. Wait for this to expand into localised meetup events and watch it start to eat into the traditional recruitment market even more…

Souped-up search and easier profile tidying

As part of a whole raft of updates LinkedIn announced at the end of June, one included giving users more information about who found them in search, and how. This is especially useful if you’re using your profile for thought leadership purposes, to make sure it’s the strongest it can be in specific areas. And to make it stronger more simply, LinkedIn also introduced a ‘drag and drop’ function to tidy up your profile; handy for those with multiple jobs/positions or multiple certifications and want to change the emphasis on each at certain times. While neither of these (or any of the others announced in the same update) may be particularly ground-breaking, they show a real commitment from LinkedIn to increase the usefulness and improve the usability of the network.

We’ll keep you updated on what else LinkedIn announces as we see it. Feel free to get in touch if you want to know how to make the most of these features for your own profile or team!

Photo credit: Nan Palmero