LinkedIn has just revealed on their blog that they are looking to add Snapchat-like Stories to their platform.
The intention is to provide new ways to communicate in an ephemeral manner with people in the business context, with LinkedIn’s Pete Davies arguing that there is a generation of LinkedIn users who grew up with Stories as a way to communicate on other platforms and expect them on LinkedIn also.
Pete writes:
… the sequencing of the Stories format is great for sharing key moments from work events, the full-screen narrative style makes it easy to share tips and tricks that help us work smarter, and the way Stories opens up new messaging threads makes it easier for someone to say, “and by the way… I noticed you know Linda, could you introduce me?”
From what we can gather, LinkedIn Stories will work much like on other platforms, ie the stories will expire, they will be delivered full screen, and in sequence, viewers will be able to comment, and that LinkedIn will introduce an open beta sometime in the next few months.
I am not sure that stories which are sold as ephemeral (but which can be easily screen recorded) is the best product to introduce to a litigious market such as business, but I am also sure that many companies and individuals will be happy to add another venue for self-promotion to their arsenal, so I expect that Stories will be popular, at least with some segment of the audience.