After launching native video in 2018, LinkedIn has proven to be more than just a platform for long-form B2B content. In just the first year, LinkedIn video posts increased the platform’s impressions by 300 million, and these videos earn three times more engagement than text posts. And early data suggests these videos are somewhere around five times more likely to generate a conversation among LinkedIn members.
And while these engagement numbers are impressive, these videos can also boost revenues, adding even more to their value.
So, are you ready to use LinkedIn video? If so, here’s everything you need to know to help you build a winning campaign.
Types of Video
Embedded Video
It’s still common to load a video onto YouTube and then embed the link on LinkedIn. But native videos tend to be more effective.
LinkedIn Native Video
This is video that is uploaded directly to LinkedIn or that was created on the platform.
It’s different from embedded videos in that it auto-plays in the feed, which makes it easier for you to grab people’s attention. On Facebook, native videos get 10 times more shares than linked videos, and there’s plenty of reason to believe this will happen on LinkedIn, too.
Video Ads
These are sponsored company ads that show up in the LinkedIn feed. Campaigns featuring these types of ads tend to increase brand awareness, brand consideration and lead generation. And unlike native videos, which are limited to ten minutes, video ads can last up to 30 minutes.
LinkedIn Native Video Best Practices
It’s no doubt these videos can help your brand, so here are some of the ways to make sure they work as well as they can.
Optimise Your Setup
Before filming, make sure your lighting is adequate, the camera is focused where you want it to focus, your background is clean and inviting, and your body language reflects the message you want to send. Of course, you’ll be able to do as many takes as you want, but spend some time preparing so that you can avoid having to spend too much time making the video.
Focus on Grabbing Attention
Like anything on the web, you only have a few seconds to snag someone’s attention, so make sure the first few seconds of the video are enticing enough to get people to stop and watch the rest of the video.
Plan for Sound to Be Off
Most people watch these videos without sound, so make sure you can convey your message without needing audio. This might mean using visuals, but it might also mean preparing subtitles to go along with your video.
Choose the Right Length
LinkedIn says the most successful video ads are less than 15 seconds long, but native videos are a bit different. Consider the following:
- Brand awareness and brand consideration videos should be less than 30 seconds
- Upper-funnel marketing videos should be 30-90 seconds long
- Brand or product stories can be longer
- Don’t exceed 10 minutes
Keep to these practices, and make sure to use a strong call to action as well as supporting copy, and you will find that LinkedIn video can be an effective way for you to promote your brand.