Linkedin has expanded its Wire Program and renamed it to BrandLink which would be helping marketers to tap into video content. BrandLink lets brands place their video ads along premium publisher content in the app but now this placement is being offered to influencer content as well which is the first step towards creator monetization in the app.
It will be delivering more relevant video content to members while also letting advertisers align with editorial content from trusted publishers. Some of the world’s top creator voices include Allie K. Miller, Rebecca Minkoff, Bernard Marr, Candace Nelson, Gary Vaynerchuk, Guy Raz, Shelley Zalis and Steven Bartlett.
The LinkedIn Wire program was launched with selected partners in June last year which enabled brands to place their ads in pre-roll slot of video content from reputed publications which includes Business Insider, Bloomberg, Forbes and The Wall Street Journal. LinkedIn had expanded its Wire to EU publishers last year and now it’s being offered under the name BrandLink which would let marketers to place their LinkedIn promotions in the pre-roll influencer video clips.
Selected creators would get a percentage of the ad revenue which would give LinkedIn a path for more video posts and open up the same to more creators in the app. As of now there are very few participants with approved brands but it could be a great option for helping in expansion of your brand messaging.
With video content on the rise in the app, it can be considered. If you consider data, time spent watching video posts in the app increased by around 36% year over year whereas LinkedIn video content generated 1.4x more engagement as compared to other post formats.
Participants who were initially involved with the Wire Program saw strong results. Since its launch, BrandLink has seen 130% higher video completion rate and 23% higher view rate as compared to standard video ads. Members who viewed their BrandLink ads are up to 18% more likely to become a lead.
The option is interesting as it leads to safer placement of video ad and leads to more valuable brand association which will provide a path for LinkedIn to get more creators for posting more video content to the app.
Right now, B2B marketers are facing lot of pressure for proving their campaign impact and 91% of them believe that video format would help them in accelerating their advertising ROI more than any other format.
The good thing about LinkedIn is that it brings about cutting edge actionable insights on AI and the future of work directly to top professionals of the world. It is available on both desktop and mobile and it offers multilingual content support and advanced targeting capabilities which is based on geography and language preferences.
Today, B2B buyers are looking out for real stories and thoughtful content which speaks to their professional needs and video plays a pivotal role in that shift. Research is showing that 72% of B2B buyers in India consuming influencer content says it helps in building brand trust. It brings together the power of video and trusted creator voices together which lets brands to drive awareness, recall and relevance through content which feels credible.
Evolution of LinkedIn video strategy signals commitment towards delivering high impact advertising experiences which enables marketers for connecting with key decision makers across industries. The BrandLink Program now includes global publishers such as The Washington Post, Condé Nast, ADWEEK, USA TODAY and Fast Company. Now brands will be able to reach diverse audience with options for multilingual content and regional targeting.
To sum it, we are entering one of the most interesting evolutions of influencer marketing.
