Adam Kaliszewski: How to use LinkedIn Stories, PRoto.pl

Shortly: I’m not a great enthusiast of introducing to LinkedIn “attractions” known from other platforms: stickers, animated gifs, and now – stories. The latter give an impression that they were copied almost 1:1 from competing websites, but at the same time they were slightly “slimmed down” and “disgusted”. Usability is the same as on Facebook or Instagram, but there is a lack of more advanced editing options (e.g. a horizontal photo will remain horizontal, no matter what) or basic filters, the typography is poor and the stickers – frankly speaking – rather ugly. And, if I am not mistaken, the stories are not visible in the browser version of the site. Meanwhile LinkedIn is not necessarily a “mobile first” type of platform in Poland. People browse it mainly from the desktop, during working hours, while in their free time, using a mobile phone, they prefer to visit entertainment and private platforms.

However, it seems to me that, with all their coarseness, LinkedIn stories have a chance to gain popularity. On the one hand – as an innovative (for the platform) format, giving it a bit more creative possibilities. On the other – as a place where, within the framework of a “stiff” LinkedIn, you can introduce a little more casual communication with more freedom. Small entrepreneurs and freelancers may be eager to use stories to promote their services and businesses (I have already seen examples of such use among my friends), while for people working in larger organizations it may be an opportunity, for example, to show their work behind the scenes, in the current epidemic situation and in the home office – also to publish a casual content related to the remote work.

The organizations will certainly struggle to find ways to use stories creatively and effectively: a simple visual tool seems to be a great vehicle for uncomplicated employer branding activities which would look a bit unnatural on Facebook or Instagram. However, I do not know if it will be truly effective: users may be more interested in what their contacts want to demonstrate rather than in the businesses’ communications (including – shortly – ads in stories). There is certainly an opportunity for the employees who are ambassadors of their respective companies, and certainly this element will also be worth taking into account in strategies which involve engaging specialists or managers in the business communication on LinkedIn.

The entire article was published on the PRoto.pl website.