What you need to know about LinkedIn Live

Heard about LinkedIn Live but not sure how it works and/or how you can get access?

Here’s a quick rundown for you (along with some tips for getting the most out of LinkedIn video - even if you don’t have access to LinkedIn Live yet). 

What is LinkedIn Live?

LinkedIn Live gives individuals and organisations the ability to broadcast real-time videos from their profile or their page.

Who has access to LinkedIn Live?

LinkedIn Live is currently in BETA which means it is only available to a limited number of users.

I have no idea what the criteria is for acceptance but my guess is that the following factors will increase your chances of being accepted:

• You are already posting consistently on LinkedIn (including regular video content)
• You are already getting a high level of engagement with your content (i.e. likes, comments and shares)
• You have good-sized network you are engaging with regularly

Anyone can apply for access to LinkedIn Live, but do bear in mind that streaming is currently only available through third party broadcast tools - most of which require a financial investment ranging from around $25 to around $75 per month. 

You can apply for access here 

How to ‘go live’ on LinkedIn 

Unlike Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Instagram Live, or Twitter Live, at the time of writing this article, you can't go Live on LinkedIn without using a third party broadcasting tool. Currently these include:

1. Wirecast
2. Switcher Studio
3. Socialive
4. Streamyard via their direct integration with Restream.io

I am currently using Switcher Studio. This is a mobile app. I broadcast from my phone and follow along with the comments on a second screen. 

While the visual quality is excellent with Switcher Studio, you do need a good wifi signal. While most of my broadcasts have been fine, I’ve had the odd one where the connection has been glitchy. But that’s live video for you…if it happens you just have to roll with it. 

At the time of writing, it's not possible to download the video from your live broadcast. This means you can’t repurpose your content in the same way you can a Facebook Live. It also means you can’t add captions to the replays of your videos. As many people are watching social media videos with the sound turned down, this does reduce the number of people who will engage with your content. Plus it’s not great from an accessibility point of view. But hopefully this will change in time. 

Why use LinkedIn Live?

Since I got access to LinkedIn Live in June 2019, I’ve been going live daily. This has allowed me to grow my following (tons of second connections join my live broadcasts) and develop a more personal connection with my network.

While live broadcasts are generally less ‘polished’ than pre-recorded video, this often brings greater authenticity. This can help you develop a more personal connection with your network. 

Not only have viewers bought products I’ve mentioned on my live broadcast (like my LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook, for example), they’ve also reached out to ask how they might work with me. 

At the time of writing, the reach of LinkedIn Live videos far outstrips any other content I post on the platform. In 10-15 minutes of live broadcasting (which often takes a similar amount of time to prepare) I typically get around 3-5k views and 80 comments. While some of my other LinkedIn content performs better over time, I couldn't expect anywhere near that kind of engagement in the first 10-15 minutes after posting.

How to get the most out of your LinkedIn Live broadcasts

While it’s early days, and I’m still experimenting, I’ve already learned loads about getting the most out of LinkedIn Live. If you don’t have access, you can apply these tips to any video content you create on LinkedIn. 

1. Be consistent

If you have access to LinkedIn Live, go live at least once a week (if not more). If you don’t have access yet, posting regular videos will help you deepen your connection with your followers.

2. Find your optimum broadcast time

Experiment with different times of day to see which works best for your audience. I’ve settled on around 2pm - just after lunch for my UK followers and first thing in the morning for those across the Atlantic. Showing up at the same day/time not only helps with consistency (once it becomes a habit, you’ll get to the point where it feels harder NOT to show up). It also help people get to know, like and trust you.

Don’t have LinkedIn Live yet? Posting video content on a specific day/at a specific time is a great way to grow your audience.

3. Promote your broadcasts

While LinkedIn Live does alert your followers that you’re going live, they might be in the middle of something. Promoting your broadcast ahead of time (including letting people know what you’ll be talking about and for how long) means people can schedule it in their diaries. I’ve found 10-15 minutes to be the optimum time for broadcasts. 

And don't forget to give a clear call-to-action asking people to let you know if they will be joining (this will ensure your promotional post is seen by more people).

Find out more about how the LinkedIn algorithm works.

4. Share helpful content

If you want people to take the time out of their day to join your broadcast, you need to make it worth their while. That means sharing content that solves your ideal clients/customers problems and (ideally) offers them a quick win. 

For example, one of my most successful LinkedIn Live broadcasts was about how to use LinkedIn voice messages in your marketing. Not only did this genuinely add value (some viewers weren’t even aware they could send voice messages on LinkedIn) it prompted several to send me follow up messages asking how they could work with me.

Watch my live broadcast on how to use LinkedIn voice messages to generate leads and sales for your business.

5. 'Shout out' other LinkedIn users 

‘Shouting out’ other people can be a great way to get engagement on your own content. For example, in this LinkedIn Live broadcast on whether you should be posting video content on LinkedIn, I shared examples of LinkedIn users who were creating great video content, including Mahmood Reza, Janine Coombes, Simon Bourne and Mark Gaisford.

Not only did this add value to my network (people love recommendations on great people to learn from) it helped get my content in front of new people. When you shine the light on other people, they can’t help but get involved in the conversation, which is a great way to improve your reach. 

If you don’t have LinkedIn Live yet, you can still use 'shout outs' in your video content. Find out how to create 'shout out' posts on LinkedIn.

Missed that link? Watch my LinkedIn Live broadcast: should you be publishing video content on LinkedIn?

6. Encourage people to talk back to you

If you want people to engage with your LinkedIn broadcast (or any of your content for that matter) you need to make it easy for them. Which means telling them exactly what you want them to do. This is why I start all my broadcasts with a simple call-to-action. This might be something generic like: ‘comment below and tell me where you are in the world’ or more specific ‘did you know you could send voicemails on LinkedIn? Hit ‘Y’ or ‘N’ in the comments below and let me know.’ The easier you can make it for people to engage with you, the more likely they will be to do so. 

If you don’t have LinkedIn Live yet, this is a strategy you can use on any kind of content. Read: three easy ways to get engagement on your LinkedIn content.

7. Schedule time to follow up

If your broadcast is helpful, you will almost certainly get messages from viewers with questions. So make sure you set aside time to follow up (ideally immediately afterwards). It’s also worth spending a few minutes scanning the comments to see if there is anything you have missed and/or if any follow up is needed. When I scroll through the comments after a live broadcast I sometimes find requests for the link to my playbooks and/or questions about an upcoming live event or my membership programme. Where possible, I use the voicemail function to follow up those leads. Not only is this quicker, it also adds a personal touch. 

If you don’t have LinkedIn Live yet, this applies to any video content you are posting on LinkedIn.

Don’t have LinkedIn Live yet?

If you don’t have access to LinkedIn Live yet, I love Rob Balasabas’s advice to study others who have access already. This should give you an idea of how LinkedIn might want to see you using the platform (e.g. how frequently are they publishing content, what kind of engagement are they getting) in order to grant you access. It will also give you an idea of what kind of content you can create when you do get LinkedIn Live.

Rob also suggests acting ‘as if you have access already' and putting out regular, pre-recorded helpful video content. Then, when you do get access you can turn this into a regular live broadcast/show. 

Need help with your LinkedIn content strategy? Get my LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook.