LinkedIn Video Optimization: Best Practices & Tips
Written by  Daisie Team
Published on 8 min read

Contents

  1. Why video content matters on LinkedIn
  2. Types of LinkedIn videos
  3. Tips for creating engaging LinkedIn videos
  4. How to upload a video on LinkedIn
  5. Optimizing LinkedIn videos for search
  6. Best practices for LinkedIn video captions
  7. Leveraging analytics to improve LinkedIn videos
  8. Examples of effective LinkedIn videos

When it comes to professional networking and career development, LinkedIn sits at the top of the social media pyramid. Its unique blend of business-oriented content and interactive features make it a powerhouse for building brands, forming partnerships, and showcasing talents. Among the various content formats available on LinkedIn, video content has emerged as a game-changer. This blog will guide you on how to optimize videos for LinkedIn, ensuring your video content stands out and achieves the desired goals.

Why video content matters on LinkedIn

LinkedIn isn't just a platform for job postings and professional networking anymore—it's evolved into a dynamic content-sharing platform where video plays a key role. Why does video content matter on LinkedIn? Let's find out.

Higher Engagement Rates: Video content tends to hold people's attention for longer periods. Compared to text or image posts, videos can lead to higher engagement rates, including likes, comments, and shares, helping you build a stronger connection with your audience.

Expressive Storytelling: Videos provide an opportunity to tell your story in a more expressive and compelling way. Whether it's a product demo, a workplace tour, or a quick tip, videos can convey a lot of information in a short time, making them ideal for the busy professionals who make up LinkedIn's user base.

Boosts Visibility: LinkedIn's algorithm seems to favor video content, so posting videos can boost your visibility on the platform. By learning how to optimize videos for LinkedIn, you can make the most of this chance to get your content in front of a larger audience.

Personal Brand Building: Video content allows you to show a more personal side of your brand. By letting your audience see your face or hear your voice, videos can help create a sense of trust and familiarity, positioning you as a thought leader in your field.

In the following sections, we'll dive into different types of LinkedIn videos, tips for creating engaging content, how to upload and optimize your videos for search, and how to leverage analytics to bring continuous improvement. So, whether you're a LinkedIn newbie or a seasoned pro, you'll find actionable insights on how to optimize videos for LinkedIn and maximize your video content's impact.

Types of LinkedIn videos

Knowing the different types of LinkedIn videos can help you pick the one that suits your content best. Here are the main types:

Native Videos: Native videos are those you directly upload to LinkedIn, rather than sharing from another platform. They auto-play in your audience's feed, grabbing their attention. Native videos can be up to 10 minutes long, providing ample time to share your message.

LinkedIn Live Videos: LinkedIn Live lets you broadcast videos in real-time. This is a great way to engage with your audience in an interactive and authentic way. Live videos can be up to 4 hours long — ideal for webinars, Q&A sessions, or events.

LinkedIn Stories: LinkedIn Stories are short, 20-second videos that disappear after 24 hours, similar to Instagram or Facebook Stories. They're perfect for sharing quick updates, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or short tips.

Video Ads: LinkedIn video ads allow businesses to promote their brand or products. They play automatically in the feed and can be up to 30 minutes long, though shorter videos usually perform better.

Now that you know the types of LinkedIn videos, you can consider which format will work best for your content. Whether you choose a native video, a live video, a story, or a video ad, remember: the key is to create engaging content that speaks to your audience. Let's look at how to do just that in the next section.

Tips for creating engaging LinkedIn videos

Creating engaging LinkedIn videos isn't rocket science, but it does require some thought. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Know Your Audience: The first step to creating engaging videos is understanding who you're talking to. What are their interests? What problems can you solve for them? Once you know this, you can tailor your content to their needs.

Keep it Short and Sweet: On LinkedIn, shorter videos tend to perform better. Try to keep your video under two minutes. Remember, your goal is to capture and hold attention, not to create a feature-length film.

Start with a Bang: The first few seconds of your video are crucial. Start with an interesting fact, a question, or a bold statement to grab your viewer's attention right off the bat.

Include a Call to Action: What do you want viewers to do after watching your video? Whether it's visiting your website, downloading a resource, or reaching out for more information, make sure to include a clear call to action.

Use High-Quality Visuals: Crisp visuals not only look professional, but they also make your video more enjoyable to watch. If you can, invest in a good camera or hire a professional videographer.

Remember, the most engaging videos are those that provide value to the viewer. So, before you hit "record," ask yourself: "What value am I providing with this video?" If you can answer that question, you're well on your way to creating engaging LinkedIn videos.

How to Upload a Video on LinkedIn

Uploading a video on LinkedIn is a breeze. If you've ever posted a status update, you're already halfway there. Here's a simple step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Log In to LinkedIn: The first step is as simple as it gets. Just log in to your LinkedIn account.

Step 2: Start a New Post: Click on the "Start a post" box at the top of your LinkedIn homepage. It's the same box you'd use to share an update or post a photo, but this time we're going to add a video.

Step 3: Select Video: Click on the video icon in the bottom-right corner of the post box. This will open a window for you to select the video file from your computer. Choose the video you want to upload, then click "open."

Step 4: Add a Caption: While your video is uploading, you can add a caption to your post. This is your chance to grab people's attention and get them to watch your video. Make it count!

Step 5: Post Your Video: Once your video has finished uploading, hit the "Post" button. That’s it. Your video is now live on LinkedIn.

And just like that, you've uploaded a video to LinkedIn. Easy, right? Now, let's move on to the next step: how to optimize videos for LinkedIn.

Now that you've got the hang of uploading videos to LinkedIn, let's dive into the nitty-gritty: optimizing your LinkedIn videos for search. Just like with any other search engine, your video's visibility on LinkedIn heavily depends on its optimization. But don't worry, we've got you covered with some easy tips.

Use Relevant Keywords: The first step to optimizing your LinkedIn video is to incorporate relevant keywords. Think about the words or phrases people might use to search for content like yours. These should be included in your video's caption, ensuring LinkedIn's algorithm and your potential viewers can easily find your video.

Tag Your Videos: Tags aren't just for Instagram. LinkedIn also uses tags to categorize content. When you upload a video, LinkedIn allows you to add tags related to the video's content. This makes your video more discoverable to people who are interested in those topics.

Engage With Your Audience: The more engagement your video gets, the higher it will rank in LinkedIn's search results. So, make sure to respond to comments on your video, and encourage viewers to like, comment, and share your video with their connections.

Keep It Short and Sweet: LinkedIn videos should be concise. Ideally, your video should be under 10 minutes long — the sweet spot is usually between 1 and 2 minutes. Shorter videos are more likely to be watched in their entirety, which can boost their visibility on LinkedIn's platform.

By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to mastering how to optimize videos for LinkedIn. Remember, the goal is to create content that is both engaging and easy to find. Now, let's move onto best practices for LinkedIn video captions.

Best Practices for LinkedIn Video Captions

Captions are a crucial part of LinkedIn video optimization. They not only make your content accessible to all users, but they also contribute to the overall SEO value of your video. So, let's talk about how to optimize video captions for LinkedIn.

Include Keywords: Just like in your video description, including relevant keywords in your captions can boost your video's search optimization. Remember, these should be words or phrases that people might use to search for content like yours.

Keep Captions Concise: Your captions should be clear and concise. Each caption frame should be no longer than two lines. This makes them easier to read and follow along with.

Sync Captions with Audio: Make sure your captions align perfectly with your video's audio. This not only makes your video more accessible, but it also provides a better viewing experience.

Use Proper Punctuation and Grammar: Proper punctuation and grammar are not just for essays and emails. They're also important for video captions. Proper punctuation can help convey the right tone and make your captions easier to read.

When done right, captions can significantly improve your LinkedIn video's reach and engagement. They're an often-overlooked component of how to optimize videos for LinkedIn, but they're definitely worth your attention. Next, we'll look at how you can use analytics to further improve your LinkedIn videos.

Leveraging Analytics to Improve LinkedIn Videos

Now that you've uploaded your video and added captions, it's time to dive into some data. Analytics can show you how well your video is performing and — more importantly — how you can improve it. Here's how to do it.

Keep an Eye on View Count: The number of views your video gets is a simple yet powerful metric. It tells you how many people are engaging with your video. But remember, it's not just about getting a lot of views — you want the right people to see your content.

Analyze Viewer Demographics: LinkedIn gives you detailed demographic data about your viewers. This includes their job roles, industries, and locations. You can use this data to tailor your content to your audience and increase engagement.

Watch the Watch Time: Watch time is how long viewers spend watching your video. This can give you insights into how engaging your content is. If viewers are dropping off early, it might be time to revise your video.

Check the Click-Through Rate (CTR): CTR measures how many viewers clicked on your call-to-action or your website link. A high CTR means your video is effective at driving action.

By paying attention to these metrics, you can fine-tune your LinkedIn videos to better serve your audience. So, as you consider how to optimize videos for LinkedIn, don't forget the power of analytics!

Examples of Effective LinkedIn Videos

Let's take a look at some examples of LinkedIn videos that hit the mark. These videos can give you ideas on what works well when thinking about how to optimize videos for LinkedIn.

Thought Leadership Videos: Bill Gates posts videos where he shares his thoughts on pressing global issues. These videos are not salesy but offer value to viewers by providing insights and sparking thoughtful discussions.

Behind-the-Scenes Videos: Google often posts videos showing the inner workings of their company, giving viewers a sneak peek into their culture and work environment. This makes their brand more relatable and inviting.

Tutorial Videos: HubSpot excels at creating tutorial videos that educate their viewers on various aspects of digital marketing. They offer clear, concise, and valuable information, making viewers likely to return for more insight.

Customer Testimonial Videos: Airbnb uses videos to showcase the experiences of their customers. These videos serve as social proof and build trust with potential customers.

Each of these examples shows a different approach to LinkedIn video content. What they all have in common is that they offer value to their viewers, whether that's in the form of education, insight, or entertainment. Remember this as you craft your own LinkedIn videos and you'll be on the right track. Happy filming!

If you're eager to further enhance your LinkedIn video content, don't miss the workshop 'Level Up Your Videos on Social Media' by Carolyn Edge. This workshop covers various techniques and best practices to make your videos stand out and engage your audience across different social media platforms, including LinkedIn. Elevate your video content game by joining this insightful workshop today!