Though the short video clip feature is most often associated with Snapchat, Instagram, or TikTok, LinkedIn is emphasizing the professional context. This could be a quick way to share key moments at conferences and work events, or quick tips relevant to the industry. Whether the platform maintains its professionalism will ultimately depend on how its users utilize the feature. However, director of product management Pete Davies doesn’t expect it to be all suits and PowerPoint presentations. “Stories first appeared on Snapchat, with other platforms like Instagram and Facebook adopting them soon after. They spread for a good reason: they offer a lightweight, fun way to share an update without it having to be perfect or attached to your profile forever,” he said in a blog post. “Does that exist in the business world? I’d hope that most of my interactions in the break room or passing people in the hall are similarly ephemeral and light. The same holds true for cubicle and coffee shop banter around the world: sometimes we want a way to just make a connection, have a laugh with our colleagues and move on.” As well as catering to different styles, LinkedIn sees Stories as a form of future-proofing. Many children have grown up with such features as one of their primary methods of communication and implementing Stories may help them to find a home there. At the same time, this could also mean users don’t clog up their feeds as much with content that’s only relevant for a short period. The feature will be rolling out to community testers “in the coming months”, so we should get a better idea of exactly how it functions then.
