LinkedIn is a popular professional social media platform used by millions of people and businesses around the world. On LinkedIn, users can create and share various types of content, including text posts, images, presentations, and videos. Videos can be a highly engaging type of content on LinkedIn that allow users to connect with their network in a more personal and dynamic way.
Why Post Videos on LinkedIn?
Here are some of the key reasons businesses and professionals may want to post videos on LinkedIn:
- Showcase your knowledge and skills: Videos allow you to demonstrate your expertise in a topic through sight, sound, and motion.
- Build relationships and connection: Videos help showcase your personality and connect with viewers in a more relatable, human way.
- Tell stories and share experiences: Videos are a compelling storytelling medium that engage viewers’ emotions and imagination.
- Explain complex topics: Videos can simplify complex topics through demonstrations, animations, examples, etc.
- Increase visibility: Videos stand out in the LinkedIn feed and can help grab more attention.
- Boost engagement: Videos tend to generate more comments, shares, and reactions than text or image posts.
- Enhance company culture: Fun, behind-the-scenes videos give a peek into company culture.
LinkedIn Video Specifications
When uploading and sharing videos on LinkedIn, it’s important to follow the recommended specifications for the platform. This helps ensure your videos look and perform well across different devices and viewing experiences.
Here are the key LinkedIn video requirements to keep in mind:
Supported File Formats
LinkedIn supports the following video file formats:
- MP4
- MOV
- AVI
MP4 is the recommended format for best results across LinkedIn.
Resolution
The supported resolutions for uploaded videos are:
- 720p (1280 x 720 pixels)
- 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels)
720p resolution is the minimum recommended for a good viewing experience. 1080p provides higher quality but results in larger file sizes.
Dimensions
LinkedIn recommends uploading landscape videos with an aspect ratio of 16:9. Some common 16:9 resolutions include:
- 1280 x 720
- 1920 x 1080
- 3840 x 2160 (4K)
Portrait videos can also be uploaded but may result in black bars on the sides when viewing.
File Size
The maximum file size for videos uploaded to LinkedIn is 5GB.
However, smaller file sizes are recommended for quicker upload times and playback performance. As a guideline:
- 720p videos should be under 250MB
- 1080p videos should be under 500MB
There are various tools available to compress video files sizes without too much loss of quality.
Length
LinkedIn allows videos between 3 seconds to 10 minutes in length. However, videos less than 2 minutes tend to see higher view-through rates.
Some tips for ideal video lengths:
- Teaser or trailer: 30-60 seconds
- Explainer or how-to: 1-2 minutes
- Presentation or interview: 2-10 minutes
Bitrate
The recommended bitrate for uploaded videos is between 1.5-4 Mbps. Higher quality videos can use a bitrate up to 6 Mbps.
Lower bitrates may result in compressed, blurry, or pixelated videos. But very high bitrates will result in large file sizes without much added benefit.
Audio Codec
LinkedIn recommends videos have stereo audio at 48kHz or 44.1kHz sampling rate. The audio codec used can be AAC or MP3 up to 192kbps.
This provides good audio clarity for built-in speakers and headphones.
Captioning
Adding captions to your video can help make the content more accessible and engaging. LinkedIn supports the WebVTT caption file format.
Captions can be uploaded as a separate .VTT file during video upload. Automatic captions can also be generated if needed.
Uploading Videos to LinkedIn
Uploading videos to LinkedIn to share on your profile or page is easy and can be done in a few steps:
- Click the “Start a post” button on your LinkedIn feed
- Select the option to upload a video from your computer
- Choose your video file (MP4, MOV, or AVI)
- Add a title, description, hashtags, etc
- Customize thumbnail image and include captions (optional)
- Click “Post” to share your video
The video will process shortly after uploading and then appear in your connections’ feeds. You can track views, reactions, comments, and shares to see how well your video performs.
Best Practices for LinkedIn Videos
To maximize the impact of your LinkedIn videos, keep these best practices in mind:
- Optimize video for mobile viewing by shooting horizontally.
- Use high-quality lighting, audio, and stable camera work.
- Hook viewers in the first 3-5 seconds with an engaging intro.
- Use on-screen text and graphics sparingly to highlight key points.
- Include a strong, clickable thumbnail image and compelling title.
- Shorten videos to 2 minutes or less when possible to maintain attention.
- Publish consistently to build a loyal viewing audience.
Analytics for LinkedIn Videos
LinkedIn provides video analytics so you can see how your videos are performing. Key metrics include:
- Views: Number of times video has been watched.
- View rate: Percentage of followers who’ve viewed the video.
- Completion rate: Percentage of viewers who watched the full video.
- Shares: Number of times video has been shared.
- Reactions: Likes, comments, and other reactions.
- Followers gained: New followers resulting from the video.
Analyzing these metrics allows you to see which types of videos resonate most with your target audience.
Conclusion
Posting high-quality, engaging videos on LinkedIn can help boost your brand visibility and follower growth. By following the recommended specifications and best practices, you can produce videos that captivate audiences on LinkedIn. The key is being strategic with video content that educates, entertains, or inspires your ideal viewers.