LinkedIn’s adding a new product showcase element on user profiles, enabling users to highlight specific products and projects that they’ve worked on in different roles, while it’s also updating its Newsletter functionality with some additional connection features.
First off, on Product listings – soon, you’ll be able to add the products that you’ve worked on as a sub-element in your experience listings.
As you can see in these example screens, when you go to edit an element within your ‘Experience’ section, you’ll soon also be able to add products that you contributed to in your time at the organization. Those links will also connect back to the corresponding Product Page on your company profile, adding another pathway to discovery for your brand.
But of course, in order to add a product to your profile, you’ll first need to have it listed within your company page.
LinkedIn added product pages back in 2020, as a means to help businesses showcase their product offerings, and highlight key features.
This new option is an extension of the same, which will give users more ways to show their expertise, while also helping LinkedIn expand its data banks, with info on people, companies and products all being gathered within the app.
That could open up new marketing opportunities, through direct promotion of product pages for example, while it will also give LinkedIn more specific insight into the products that people work on under varying job titles. That’ll provide more data points to match users with relevant job openings and career paths, and this extra display capacity will also put more onus on brands to include product pages in their listings, so that people can then include them in their experience.
LinkedIn’s also looking to enhance its Newsletter product, with a new option to include both @mentions and #hashtags in Newsletters and Articles to help maximize engagement.
As you can see in this example, the functionality will work in a similar way to tagging in other apps, with the system auto-listing likely entity matches when you enter an @ or # symbol.
As explained by LinkedIn:
“In the coming weeks, we’re rolling out the ability to @mention members and Pages within the copy of an Article or Newsletter, enabling collaborators to help further distribute your content. You can also include #hashtags in your Articles to enrich your content and help readers discover like-minded communities on LinkedIn.”
Will that help to improve reach?
Well, probably, if, say, you’re mentioning people, who are then likely to interact with your post to show gratitude for the mention. Hashtags remain a bit of a mystery on LinkedIn, from a reach perspective, but it could see your post added to relevant communities and conversations, which could have various benefits.
LinkedIn initially launched its Newsletter functionality late last year, leaning into the rising popularity of direct connection with your audience, and thus far, LinkedIn says that 28 million of its members have signed up to receive newsletter updates from their chosen brands and creators.
Which is only a fraction of its 800 million plus members, but still, that’s a lot of people willing to establish more direct connection via the option.
Finally, LinkedIn is also adding the capacity for Company Page admins to respond as their brand to any post in the app.
As you can see here, admins will now see an account switcher option when they go to respond to a post in the app.
“We know that a brand’s content is only part of how its voice comes to life on LinkedIn, so we are introducing the ability for Pages to respond as the brand to any post in the feed, regardless of whether they are @mentioned or following the hashtags used in the post. By joining these conversations, brands can share their unique perspective, reach new audiences, and grow their followers.”
That adds another, simple way to boost brand connection and engagement, which could come in handy when looking for ways to establish brand expertise, and build community.
Each update has a range of potential uses, providing more ways to share your experience and work. And with LinkedIn engagement at record highs, it’s definitely worth considering how you can improve your connections in the app.
Products on Profile feature is currently an early pilot and will start to become generally available in a phased rollout in the coming months.
