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LinkedIn launches Stories feature in Australia

Australia will be the first market in Asia Pacific to experience LinkedIn’s new Stories feature which launches today, giving users the chance to upload short videos and photos which live on the site for 24 hours.

Following the success of ‘stories’ features on Instagram and Facebook, LinkedIn Australia country manager Matt Tindale said the launch will give professionals a more creative way of sharing content with their network.

“Stories will give LinkedIn members another way to post professional content on our platform. It’s more relaxed and informal and gives them a chance to be a little bit more creative. You can share and show Stories for 24 hours and they include photos, videos, stickers and text. It’s a nice way for people that may have been a little bit hesitant in the past because posting is so permanent on their profile,” Tindale told Mumbrella.

Both people and brands will be able to share Stories, the individual posts can last up to 20 seconds, and users will be able to see who has viewed their Stories or delete Stories from their feed if necessary.

An example of the Stories on Linkedin

Tindale said it was an important time for LinkedIn, considering how many workers are currently separated from their workplace. The launch of the feature, which has been tested in Brazil, the UAE and the Netherlands, comes as LinkedIn has seen a massive surge in use across its platform.

“Connectivity has never been more important. A key part of our platform is connecting the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful and we’ve seen engagement on our platform spike, not just over the last three or four months, but over the last 12. We saw 350bn feed views last year, video has increased significantly, Linkedin Live has seen demand increase.

“We’re doing the first Asia Pacific launch in Australia because we’ve got a large penetration with professionals in this market and a lot of early adopters for the products we launch. We’re anticipating a lot of demand for Stories and utilisation of it, and we’ve already seen it be very successful in other markets.”

Tindale said for brands and members to be successful on LinkedIn Stories they should be authentic, creative and talk about the things that are important to them. Purposeful posting and a behind-the-scenes glimpse are likely to provide high engagement with viewers.

Filming content for LinkedIn Stories

LinkedIn has also seen a big demand for its Learning products since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, not just with entry-level workers, but all the way up to the C-Suite where demand has increased by over 100%, the platform said. The conversation about productivity, staying connected and mental health has been forefront, said Tindale, with the platform playing a key role in helping workplaces stay switched-on during the pandemic.

A big demand for LinkedIn Live has also been connected to the cancellation of events across the country. The entire platform is based on providing professionals with more ways to connect, and Tindale expects to see the increased use across the products, including Live, continue as businesses adapt to the ‘new normal’.

“We’re providing another option, even as regulations relax and the economy begins to return. Even though it’s early days, we do expect that option for virtual events to stay there. It’s an incredibly efficient and effective way to connect people, not even just in a single market, but across a region or across the globe,” said Tindale.

LinkedIn Stories is live for Australian users now.

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