Hajra Naz
LinkedIn’s focus on video content is yielding positive outcomes, as shown by recent research from marketing expert Caroline Giegerich.
She looks at LinkedIn’s claim that video posts receive five times as much engagement as text posts in her investigation, was published in Adweek.
She shares her thoughts:
“To test LinkedIn’s claim that videos get five times more engagement, I decided to see if it was true. With 84% of marketers using video in their content strategies, I wanted to dig deeper and understand the true value of this format.”
Key Findings
Giegerich’s 90-day analysis showed that video posts consistently outperformed written content in terms of reach:
- Her least successful video posts still earned almost three times the impressions of top-performing written posts.
- The most successful video reached 774,000 impressions.
- Her videos had about 250,000 views on average.
Giegerich saw the best results with:
- Videos under 5 minutes in length
- A direct-to-camera style
- Posts made between 9-11 AM EST
She also suggests that adding a personal touch to the videos may have contributed to their higher performance.
“When it comes to the content, I keep my videos under 5 minutes and talk directly to the camera, simplifying tech topics so they’re easy for everyone to understand.
I also schedule my posts in the morning, between 9-11 AM EST. If Gossip Girl did tech, that would be me. Over time, I’ve added fun sound effects and captions using Capcut.”
When to Use Text Posts
According to Giegerich, written articles are more helpful after consumers are familiar with the brand, while video works best for increasing awareness at the beginning of the sales funnel.
She explains:
“My written posts consistently take the top three spots for engagement, even though my video posts generate much more awareness. For instance, my highest-engaging written post received 68 times fewer impressions than my lowest-performing video.”
According to her findings, text posts were more likely to be shown to her direct connections, while videos were recommended to people beyond her network.
Giegerich explains:
“One format is focused on reaching my network, while the other is pushed by the LinkedIn algorithm to a broader audience outside my immediate connections.”
Limited Monetization Options
The study points out that LinkedIn offers fewer monetization opportunities compared to its rivals:
- The platform currently provides sponsored posts and consulting options.
- Only 100 people will be able to participate in the Creator Accelerator program; they will be chosen in 2022.
- LinkedIn trails behind TikTok and Instagram in offering rewards for creators.
What This Means
Although video is preferred by LinkedIn’s algorithm, Giegerich’s research demonstrates that text and video posts have different functions.
- Video posts are great for raising awareness and can generate high impression numbers, though their results can be inconsistent.
- On the other hand, written posts generate better engagement within established networks.
For marketers, Giegerich recommends a balanced strategy: use video for visibility while leveraging written posts to boost engagement.
