No. You don’t have to become an Influencer, TikToker or YouTuber to do video on LinkedIn.

Video has come to LinkedIn town and what a flippin' mess it is!

It’s all over the place.

What are we even doing with this B2B video thing, people?!

As LinkedIn has refocused and reprioritized video content on the platform, it’s created a Wild West landscape of all kinds of content.

Love it or hate it, it's here so I wanted to demystify "the situation" that has developed around issues of video style, quality and content creation conventions on LinkedIn.

This shift has created a big opportunity for B2B professionals to put video content out there that gets them the visibility they need with their target audience.

While this is indeed a great opportunity, it’s completely understandable that professionals who haven’t done much on-camera video before might feel confused, intimidated, or concerned about how they’ll come across.

There are conventions that have developed on social media—many of which are consumer-focused or generational.

If you didn’t grow up with an iPhone in your hand, spending hours a day on social media posting videos, being on camera might feel uncomfortable.

But B2B content is in a lane all it’s own, with a wide range of what can work, there's room for all.?

Even though you CAN create video content one way doesn't mean you need to do it that way.?

Let me state it plainly: you don’t need to be a TikToker, do dancing videos, pretend to be an actor, walk around your house ranting, show shots of your pet, or act silly to create great B2B video content.

After all, you have a reputation to protect.

If that’s the kind of content you want to make, go for it—there’s certainly a place for it!

Engaging and entertaining content keep people engaged so they don’t swipe away.

There’s all kinds of hooks, gimmicks, or techniques you can use and you can feel free to experiment, I do.

But LinkedIn is a platform for business.

As long as you’re creating content that grabs and holds interest and adds value to your target audience, you’re on the right track.

I recommend leaning into your unique perspective on topics relevant to your audience.

Your unique take is what will set you apart.

How do you know you have a unique take?

When it’s something people can disagree with!

Sometimes, a hot take fuels meaningful conversations.

Thought leadership, insights, shared lessons from experience, tips, techniques, and opinions all make for fantastic content.

Keep it simple, direct and understandable.?

This applies to editing, too.

Yes, you’ll see lots of heavily edited videos on LinkedIn with graphics, music, and sound effects.

Those techniques can add excitement, but they’re not always necessary.

In some cases, over-editing can even work against you.

If it’s not part of your brand or what you’re trying to accomplish, that’s okay!

If you have something truly valuable to share, just saying it into the camera—or editing down a meaningful discussion—makes for excellent content.

Your video can be recorded with your phone, your computer, or a separate camera.

As long as your message is clear, the audience will forgive or disregard a lower level of production value.

Just make sure they can see you and hear you. That’s generally good enough.

By all means, add polish and preparation as you see fit.

But remember: there’s a wide range of what’s acceptable.

You may even learn that adopting some newer/younger/wilder shooting and editing styles help add pizzaz and life to your content.

Video likes action, excitement.

Dull talking heads aren't great content.

Good lighting, color, motion, these kinds of things all engage audiences.

There's a balance we need to find between what works for you and what works for your audience.

It’s your personal brand, and you get to decide what works for YOU.

Today, there are so many tools available for video creation:

• Remote video is now widely accepted as professional quality, thanks to the pandemic normalizing it.
• iPhones and similar cameras make high-resolution recording accessible.
• Affordable lighting options, better microphones, and an overall increase in on-camera experience (thanks to Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams) mean you’re better equipped than ever.

There’s really no reason to not put more video content out there.

It’s never been easier or more important to do.

The audience wants more video, that’s where they spend time.

Are you going to deliver?

You can and should be yourself, do what feels right to you.

There’s room for all kinds of content out there.

Take your seat at the table and make your content your way.

The key takeaway?

If you have something valuable to say, just start creating. The tools are there, and your voice matters.