LinkedIn Adds Video Covers for Articles and Newsletters

LinkedIn’s rolling out a new option to make your articles stand out in-stream, which also aligns with its broader push on video content.

Soon, all LinkedIn members will be able to add a video in the header image slot on a LinkedIn article.

As you can see in this example, posted by social media expert Lindsey Gamble, the header image spot on LinkedIn articles now also notes that you can “add a cover image or video” to accompany your LinkedIn article.

The same also applies to newsletters in the app, and LinkedIn has confirmed to SMT that the option is currently in the process of being rolled out to all users.

LinkedIn says that the new cover videos will be playable in the main feed, to help engage prospective readers, while video thumbnails will also be displayed in emails sent to subscribers.

LinkedIn recommends that creators post horizontal videos in the header display, in alignment with the article format, in 16:9 aspect ratio. LinkedIn also says that your cover videos should be short and engaging, ideally around 30 seconds, or less, in length.

It could be a good way to drive more interest in your LinkedIn content, and enhance in-app engagement.

Because video is blowing up on LinkedIn right now.

LinkedIn says that videos are 20x more likely to be shared in the app, while overall video viewership on the platform is up 36% year-over-year. Video content also generates 1.4x more engagement than other post types. 

Combine this with native articles, which LinkedIn is more likely to promote to an expanded audience, and the data suggests that this could be a valuable option, which could get more people reading your LinkedIn updates, and drawing them to subscribe to your in-app updates.

Which also applies to company pages. LinkedIn added the option for company pages to post long-form articles to the app back in 2021, which will now get access to this new video header option.

Company pages can also create newsletters as well, and videos on each will give you more ways to make your content stand out, and grab attention in-stream.

It’s another consideration either way, which could enhance you LinkedIn strategy.

LinkedIn says that cover videos are being rolled out globally over the next few weeks.