LinkedIn is testing a TikTok-like short-form video feed to boost user engagement

The news: LinkedIn is testing a TikTok-like vertical feed for short-form videos within its app, per TechCrunch.

• The feature was spotted by an influencer agency employee and shows a "Video" tab that opens a scrollable vertical feed of videos users can like, comment on, or share.
• While videos can already be posted on LinkedIn, this dedicated feed will be aimed at boosting engagement and discovery of bite-sized professional video content.
• LinkedIn confirmed the test, stating videos are becoming a desired format for users to learn from experts and professionals.

Why it matters: The move sees LinkedIn join numerous popular apps like Instagram, YouTube, and even Netflix in launching TikTok-inspired video feeds.

• TikTok's rise has sparked an industrywide scramble to replicate its viral content format and engagement success.

Survey says: 69% of B2B marketers plan to increase their budgets for video content in 2024, the highest percentage across all categories.

• Videos are used by 84% of B2B marketers, second only to short articles/posts, which suggests that video is a dominant B2B marketing medium.
• US B2B video ad spending is projected to jump from $1.33 billion in 2022 to $2.45 billion in 2025; the percentage of B2B digital ad spending allocated to video is expected to increase from 12.5% in 2023 to 13.9% by 2025.

Our take: While imitative of TikTok's model, a curated professional video feed could help LinkedIn facilitate learning and career development.

• If executed well, it could carve a niche complementing (rather than competitors' replicating) TikTok's breadth.
• For LinkedIn, the feed presents opportunities for career-focused creators to expand their reach and for the platform to tap into rising professional video content trends, spurring potential revenue streams.
• However, some users may view it as an unnecessary feature bloat that adds to the proliferation of video feed duplicates across apps.