Add another aspect of social media to your to-do list: LinkedIn announced Thursday that it’s going to begin testing its own version of Stories.
This isn’t the first feature comparative to Instagram or Facebook that LinkedIn has introduced over the last few years—Newsletters, Live Video, Trending News, and Reactions are all facets of the platform.
“There are more conversations taking place in the LinkedIn feed than ever before, with a 25% year-over-year increase in engagement,” wrote consumer product leader Pete Davies, on LinkedIn’s blog announcing the news. “Last year, we started asking ourselves what Stories might look like in a professional context. Stories first appeared on Snapchat, with other platforms like Instagram and Facebook adopting them soon after. They spread for a good reason: They offer a lightweight, fun way to share an update without it having to be perfect or attached to your profile forever.”
Davies goes on to compare the Stories concept on a platform geared toward business to the light, ephemeral interactions experienced in an office break room or hallway: “Sometimes we want a way to just make a connection, have a laugh with our colleagues, and move on.”
How does this benefit the jewelry industry? On a social media platform that’s generally pretty buttoned up (i.e., users are concerned with putting their best possible image in front of professionals), this feature would allow a bit more casual interaction and also show employees or potential employees what it’s like to work for your business.
“We’ve learned so much already about the unique possibilities of Stories in a professional context,” wrote Davies. “The sequencing of the Stories format is great for sharing key moments from work events, the full-screen narrative style makes it easy to share tips and tricks that help us work smarter, and the way Stories opens up new messaging threads makes it easier for someone to say, ‘And by the way…I noticed you know Linda, could you introduce me?’ ”
Stories also seeks to provide a more comfortable environment to the up-and-coming professionals who have essentially grown up communicating with their friends and followers this way. Sharing their business-related experiences (or school experiences, for new or soon-to-be graduates) via this avenue might help to give potential employers a closer look at them without having to sacrifice their “fun” Stories over on Instagram (or, perhaps, TikTok).
Currently, LinkedIn Stories is being tested internally, with plans to roll it out (still in beta) to members in the coming months. Once it’s available for use, we should be anxious to see how, if at all, this affects the process of hiring and making new professional connections.
Top: LinkedIn logo via LinkedIn
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