If LinkedIn isn’t part of your social strategy, it could be time to think again.
This year, LinkedIn released a ton of new features that are perfect for brands and businesses looking to grow online.
In this blog post, we’re sharing 5 new LinkedIn features that you might have missed, as well as our top tips on how to use them to reach new audiences:
New LinkedIn Features #1: Live Video
In a time like no other, we’ve seen brands and creators embracing Live video more than ever before.
And it’s no surprise. Live video streams provide a way for people to connect and engage with their communities in a more personable, scalable, and entirely digital way — the perfect recipe for building a stronger sense of community during a global pandemic.
In this respect, LinkedIn Live couldn’t have arrived at a better time.
According to the platform, LinkedIn Live videos get on average 24x more comments than native videos produced by the same brand.
However, LinkedIn Live still isn’t available to everyone. In order to gain access, users have to submit an application form for review.
According to LinkedIn, the review process takes into account:
Video and overall content creation history
Audience size and engagement history
Member or Page account has been in good standing
Two Factor Authentication (2FA) enabled in account settings
Broadcasters also need to use a compatible third-party streaming tool in order to host a LinkedIn Live.
But once you’re all set, going live on LinkedIn brings a ton of benefits to the table, from community-building to brand awareness. And by using a streaming service, you can share your live stream to multiple platforms at once, like Simon Sinek:
Plus, your LinkedIn followers will be notified every time you go live, which is a great way to reach your community and increase your exposure on the platform.
Ready to level-up your LinkedIn strategy? Discover How to Grow Your Business on LinkedIn in the blog post!
New LinkedIn Features #2: Name Pronunciation
LinkedIn’s name pronunciation feature is a simple but effective addition to the platform, and it’s great for promoting inclusion in the workplace.
Thanks to this new feature, users can now record a 10-second audio clip and add it to their profile, so other users can listen to the recording to learn how to correctly pronounce their name.
As a spokesperson from LinkedIn explains, “Correct pronunciation is not just common courtesy — it’s an important part of making a good first impression and creating an inclusive workplace.”
As a business or brand, encouraging your community to provide this insight (and taking note of it before interviews or meetings) is a valuable way to show your commitment to inclusion and could encourage a wider, more diverse pool of candidates for your hiring opportunity.
NOTE: You currently can’t record or edit your name pronunciation on the LinkedIn desktop site. It can only be done on LinkedIn iOS and Android mobile apps.
New LinkedIn Features #3: Reactions
You might not think of LinkedIn as a typical social network, but more people are using the platform to connect and engage with fellow professionals.
Just like Facebook reactions, users can now respond to a LinkedIn update by pressing and holding the like button and choosing from a range of different expressions: like, celebrate, support, love, insightful, and curious.
These expressions have been specially designed with LinkedIn’s professional updates in mind. For example, the celebrate reaction is perfect for updates that welcome a new team member, announce a promotion, or reflect on a strong financial quarter.
And not only does this new feature make engaging with content quicker and easier, but it also creates an opportunity for creative marketing.
For example, businesses like Gymshark are using the range of expressions as a way to gauge the thoughts or feelings of their audience:
This is a great way to boost your LinkedIn exposure while driving genuine interactions for your brand — the more interactions your posts gain, the more LinkedIn feeds your post will reach!
New LinkedIn Features #4: Polls
LinkedIn Polls is a great new feature for driving quick engagements on the platform.
Whether your topic is light and frivolous — like email sign-offs — or something more serious — like HR policies — polls are an effective way to get a quick pulse check from your professional network.
Howie Fung, Senior Product Manager at LinkedIn, explains, “Asking your network for feedback — and providing it to others in return — is a great way to get relevant and informed input, while also sparking new conversations and discussions with your trusted connections.”
Additionally, you can use LinkedIn Polls as a springboard for conversations. For example, LinkedIn’s Andrew Seaman encourages voters to share experiences in the comments, as well as taking part in the below poll:
As a poll creator, you can keep an eye on the activity in real-time, such as how many votes have been cast, the results so far, and how much time is left for voting. Only you can also see who has voted and what they voted for.
Find out how to create your first LinkedIn Poll here.
New LinkedIn Features #5: Organic “Carousel” Posts
LinkedIn “carousel” posts aren’t exactly new — in fact, the feature doesn’t even officially exist on LinkedIn.
But we have seen a surge in people sharing interactive, scrollable posts on LinkedIn over the last few months.
So what’s the secret? LinkedIn documents.
LinkedIn documents can be previewed in a scrollable format, making them a perfect cheat-code for brands and businesses looking to share dynamic, engaging galleries of images on the platform.
For the best results, add navigation arrows to your images before uploading them to LinkedIn. This will encourage more tap-throughs, which means more engagement and a greater reach for your content!
TIP: Use a carousel builder tool, like Content Drips, to create seamless designs.
LinkedIn is constantly releasing new features for its 500M-strong community of users.
Stay on top of all the latest updates by subscribing to Later’s newsletter: a weekly roundup of the biggest social media news for businesses and brands.
Ready to take your LinkedIn strategy to the next level? Plan and schedule your Linkedin posts in advance with Later:
