LinkedIn Really Wants to Get Along With the Cool Kids

LinkedIn now has a clone of Snapchat’s Stories feature. The company is testing a new feature called Student Voices with university students in the United States that allows them to share their campus story.

The videos, which last for up to a week, are mainly meant to show off their academic experience. “It’s a great way for students to build out their profile and have this authentic content that shows who they are and what their academic and professional experiences have been,” a LinkedIn spokesperson told TechCrunch.

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The feature is obviously trying to grab students’ attention, but I doubt that’s going to work. The feature will probably only be used by a few students at universities every once in a while, and it likely will get expanded to other users as a regular Stories feature. LinkedIn is really trying to get along with the cool kids here.

The company is testing other features like post reactions, much like Facebook. It’s also testing support for GIFs in comments, which is another indicator of the service trying to be hip.

In other, related news, LinkedIn is also testing the ability to let users create an account with their Google account, and that’s an interesting addition mainly because the service is owned by Microsoft. What’s even surprising is that the “Join with Google” button has prominent placement on the sign-up screen.

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Conversation 9 comments

  • captobie

    20 November, 2018 - 3:50 pm

    <p>I cringe every time I see someone use LinkedIn like it's Facebook and wonder, "Is this really the professional image you're trying to project?"</p>

  • bart

    Premium Member
    20 November, 2018 - 3:57 pm

    <p>Understandable move of MS. Catch them early in peoples professional life. </p><p><br></p><p>If its the right way to go about it, I don't know. Stories seems horrific to anyone not using it on Snapchat/FB/Instagram. But it is something the targeted demographic uses a lot. And if you think about it, a video CAN leave a better impression of someone (good or bad), then just a standard profile page/CV.</p>

  • matsan

    21 November, 2018 - 1:14 am

    <p>Just another nail in LinkedIn's coffin. With all the ads – sorry, "Promoted" – content on the Home page I'm so close to give up on this tool.</p>

  • dontbe evil

    21 November, 2018 - 2:22 am

    <p>post reactions would be really great</p>

  • christian.hvid

    21 November, 2018 - 5:05 am

    <p>GIFs. Awesome. Now, if they could only find a way to have LinkedIn support animojis, life would be perfect. /s</p>

  • Tony Barrett

    21 November, 2018 - 5:49 am

    <p>Not a chance in hell. Snapchat and Instagram are where all the kids hang out, and I can't see that changing. Anyone under 18 even thinks Facebook is just for old people these days – kids just don't use it.</p>

  • jimchamplin

    Premium Member
    21 November, 2018 - 11:06 am

    <p>“Stories,” hmm?</p><p><br></p><p>That’s a likely… [Shades] … story.</p><p><br></p><p>&gt;YEAAAAAAAHHHHHH!&lt;</p>

  • roastedwookie

    26 November, 2018 - 4:18 am

    <p>Another wish from MS, and another possible mess up. Leave that damn thing Linkedin alone as it is! MS fcked up Skype bad enough already, there's no need for another fckUP!</p>

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