LinkedIn Learning, formerly known as Lynda.com, is an e-learning platform that offers video courses taught by industry experts in software, creative, and business skills. As a subsidiary of LinkedIn and one of the largest online learning platforms, LinkedIn Learning has a significant market share in the online corporate training space. In this article, we will examine LinkedIn Learning’s market share relative to competitors, discuss factors driving its growth, and provide an outlook on its future market potential.
LinkedIn Learning’s Market Share
As a private company owned by Microsoft since 2016, precise market share data for LinkedIn Learning is not publicly available. However, industry analyses provide estimates of LinkedIn Learning’s market dominance:
– LinkedIn Learning is estimated to control 50-60% of the market for premium corporate e-learning content. This gives it the largest market share among dedicated corporate training platforms like Skillsoft, Udemy Business, and edX Business.
– Among its parent company’s assets, LinkedIn Learning is a high growth business for Microsoft. It comprises approximately 10% of Microsoft’s productivity division, which also includes Office 365, LinkedIn, and Dynamics 365.
– Over 14,000 organizations use LinkedIn Learning for employee development, giving it the largest enterprise customer base in its market. Skillsoft, its closest competitor, is estimated to have around 11,000 corporate customers.
So while absolute market share is hard to quantify, analysts agree that LinkedIn Learning is the dominant player in premium online corporate training. Its extensive content library, brand reputation, and integration with LinkedIn make it a go-to training solution for large enterprises.
Factors Driving LinkedIn Learning’s Market Share
Several factors have contributed to LinkedIn Learning achieving and maintaining its leading market share:
Extensive Content Library
With over 16,000 courses across business, technology, and creative topics, LinkedIn Learning has one of the largest libraries of premium self-paced courses available. This breadth and depth of content across in-demand skills gives it a competitive edge.
Instructor Quality
LinkedIn Learning curates its instructors carefully, working with industry experts to create courses that provide real-world insights. The quality of instructors is a differentiator compared to platforms that aggregate user-generated content.
Brand Reputation
LinkedIn Learning benefits from strong brand recognition in the corporate training space from its history as Lynda.com, a pioneer in online learning. Its association with LinkedIn also provides credibility.
LinkedIn Integration
Seamless integration with LinkedIn’s professional social media platform through single sign-on and appearing on user profiles gives LinkedIn Learning amplified visibility and discovery.
Enterprise Admin and Reporting
LinkedIn Learning provides robust administrative tools for enterprise customers to track learner progress, deliver customized learning paths, and demonstrate training ROI.
LinkedIn Learning User and Revenue Growth
In addition to market share dominance, LinkedIn Learning is seeing strong growth in both its user base and revenues:
User Base Growth
– Over 30 million users access courses on LinkedIn Learning.
– The user base grew approximately 25% year-over-year in 2021.
– Monthly active usage rate is also increasing, with users spending more time on the platform developing skills.
Revenue Growth
– LinkedIn Learning’s revenue exceeded $300 million in 2020.
– Year-over-year revenue growth is estimated at over 40% in 2021.
– Growth is being driven by both new enterprise customer acquisition and expansion within existing accounts.
This rapid growth in both users and revenue points to a platform customers find high value in. LinkedIn Learning’s longevity and steady growth provides advantages in machine learning for recommendations and competitive moat.
Outlook on LinkedIn Learning’s Market Share
Looking forward, LinkedIn Learning is well positioned to maintain and potentially grow its market share lead:
New Content Areas
LinkedIn Learning is expanding its content catalog into emerging, high demand areas like diversity and inclusion, mental health and wellbeing, and sustainability. Staying on the cutting edge will attract new users.
Cloud-Native Platform
As a born-in-the-cloud platform, LinkedIn Learning is positioned to take advantage of the growth in cloud-based applications and mobile learning. Competitors like Skillsoft with legacy desktop software may find it harder to adapt.
International Expansion
Currently LinkedIn Learning has most of its customer base in North America and Western Europe. Expanding into high-growth regions like Asia Pacific and Latin America represents a significant growth opportunity.
Pricing Power
As the market leader, LinkedIn Learning may have additional pricing power that could drive revenue growth beyond simple user base expansion. However, pricing changes also risk customer churn.
Overall, LinkedIn Learning’s strong market position, growing customer base, and product roadmap point to continuation of its #1 market share position. However, the e-learning market is evolving rapidly, so LinkedIn Learning cannot be complacent. It must continue providing a stellar customer experience and high quality content to maintain its leadership.
Conclusion
In summary, while exact market share figures are elusive, industry estimates agree that LinkedIn Learning is the dominant player in premium online corporate training. Its extensive content library, recognizable brand, and integration with LinkedIn give it competitive advantages. LinkedIn Learning is experiencing strong growth, both in terms of users and revenue. It is well positioned to maintain its leadership in the corporate e-learning space. However, it faces competition from players like Skillsoft, Udemy, and disruptive startups. LinkedIn Learning must continue to innovate and provide maximum value to learners and enterprise customers in order to preserve its #1 position in the years ahead.
