It’s safe to say we all know what “stories” are when it comes to Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. If you don’t know what I am talking about, well, where have you been!
For those in the digital industry who are not aware, LinkedIn launched its own version of the stories feature. But for how amazing and awesome the feature is on other platforms, LinkedIn’s version is seriously lacking and needs to improve FAST if it’s going to last much longer.
Before we dive into what LinkedIn should improve, and honestly needs to improve on, let’s expand on its stories feature.
LinkedIn Stories: What You Need to Know
When it comes to LinkedIn Stories, you can very much say that LinkedIn jumped on the bandwagon when it comes to using this feature. It gives the “professional,” or a company page, a different avenue to showcase themselves or the services they offer to their audience.
Here are the facts– LinkedIn Stories are visual status updates that disappear twenty-four hours after being posted. When in the mobile app, a story banner appears at the top (similar to Instagram). Stories are designed to fit your mobile device vertically, and once a story finishes, it automatically displays the next story (unless the viewer clicks off, of course). Users are able to post photos or videos and can add text or stickers, which the app provides you with. The ability to answer LinkedIn’s “Question of the Day” is also a feature that users may enjoy.
LinkedIn Stories were ultimately created to give users the option to diversify their content creation and reach a wider audience. More people tend to see your stories than other posts or status updates across social media platforms. Why? Because stories don’t abide by the same algorithm as a platform’s news or post feed. Take Instagram for example. So, LinkedIn hopping on the proverbial bandwagon is a good thing. Well, one would think…
Why LinkedIn Needs to Step Up Its Game ASAP
LinkedIn Stories are great and all, but they are seriously lacking in the interesting features department. Even at ENX2 Marketing, we aren’t too thrilled right now. According to our Social Media Intern, Erika Jenkins, a few things about LinkedIn Stories grind her gears – the inability to change the sizes of the text box and the image you want to post, not to mention the fonts (Hint: there’s only one). If you see smoke, it’s probably coming from the frustration fuming out of Erika’s ears.
Customizable fonts are a staple of stories on other platforms, but LinkedIn fails in this category. The ability to resize text boxes is missing. If you have a large message, the text will be too small to see or not fit on the screen at all. This is something that should not be an issue in 2020. All images must meet the dimensions that LinkedIn requires. Users cannot zoom in on an image to fit the screen. So, if you have an image that you would like to share that doesn’t match the size of your mobile device’s screen, you’ll be left with a black void of empty space.
Sure, stickers are cool, and having the feature is a neat upgrade, but the ability to stand out from other platforms is not there. Polls, GIFs, or even a second font would be nice. That won’t stop us at ENX2 from thinking of incorporating it from time to time, but we do look forward to some needed updates in the near future.
Contact the LinkedIn Professionals at ENX2 Marketing Today
If you are interested in learning more about LinkedIn Stories, LinkedIn as a whole, or any other social media platform for professional use, the social media marketing pros at ENX2 Marketing are here to help. Together, we can make you and your business rise above the competition.