LinkedIn Live and LinkedIn Events are two powerful tools on the LinkedIn platform that allow businesses and professionals to engage their audiences and build their brands. While they share some similarities, there are some key differences between LinkedIn Live and LinkedIn Events that are important to understand.
In short, LinkedIn Live is LinkedIn’s live video broadcasting tool, while LinkedIn Events allows you to create an event page and invite people to register and attend either virtual or in-person events. Understanding when and how to use each platform is crucial to developing an effective social media and content marketing strategy on LinkedIn.
What is LinkedIn Live?
LinkedIn Live is LinkedIn’s built-in live streaming platform. Introduced in 2019, LinkedIn Live allows you to broadcast real-time video to your LinkedIn connections and followers.
With LinkedIn Live, you can go live from your phone or desktop to:
– Share company news and announcements
– Host Q&A sessions
– Stream events and conferences
– Conduct product demos
– Deliver tutorials or how-to content
– Share industry expertise and thought leadership
Your live videos can be streamed to your LinkedIn Page followers or targeted to specific Groups that you manage or are a member of. LinkedIn Live videos can also be shared across members’ feeds and via notifications.
Key features of LinkedIn Live include:
– Live video broadcasting from mobile app or desktop
– Real-time interactions and comments from viewers
– Options to schedule broadcasts in advance
– Video gets saved to LinkedIn Page or Profile after broadcast
– Analytics on views and engagement
What are LinkedIn Events?
LinkedIn Events allow you to create dedicated pages for your virtual and in-person events. Rather than broadcasting live, LinkedIn Events are focused on promoting your event, building buzz, and handling registration.
With LinkedIn Events you can:
– Create an Events Page with details on the event program, speakers, location etc.
– Promote the event to your LinkedIn network and followers
– Manage registration and RSVPs
– Stay connected with attendees through messaging
– Share recordings and recap posts after the event
Key features include:
– Customizable event pages
– Registration and ticketing options
– Promotion through LinkedIn algorithm and notifications
– Messaging with attendees
– Analytics on event views, registrations, and engagement
Key Differences
While both are valuable engagement opportunities on LinkedIn, here are some of the main differences between LinkedIn Live and LinkedIn Events:
Purpose
– LinkedIn Live is for real-time broadcasting and presentations
– LinkedIn Events are for promoting, managing, and recap an event
Content Format
– LinkedIn Live is live streamed video
– LinkedIn Events can feature live video but mainly focus on agenda, speakers, presentations etc.
Interaction
– LinkedIn Live enables real-time engagement through comments
– LinkedIn Events allow for registration and attendee messaging
Feature | LinkedIn Live | LinkedIn Events |
---|---|---|
Live Streaming | Yes | Optional |
Event Promotion | Limited | Robust options |
Registration & Ticketing | No | Yes |
Post-event Recaps | Recordings only | Recordings, summaries, posts |
Real-time Engagement | Comments | Messaging |
When to Use Each
Here are some best practices on when to use LinkedIn Live vs. LinkedIn Events:
Use LinkedIn Live for:
– Product launches and announcements
– Q&A sessions
– Live training or tutorials
– Thought leadership and expertise sharing
– Conferences and event speakers/sessions
– Company meetings and town halls
Use LinkedIn Events for:
– Large conferences, summits, and events
– Smaller gatherings like networking events or local meetups
– Multi-day conferences or events
– Events with multiple sessions and tracks
– Events requiring registration and ticketing
– Virtual events and webinars
– Promoting events happening off of LinkedIn
Tips for Success
To get the most out of LinkedIn Live and LinkedIn Events, keep these tips in mind:
For LinkedIn Live:
– Test your tech and connection beforehand
– Promote the broadcast ahead of time
– Engage viewers with Q&A, polls, comments
– Have a clear CTA for viewers
– Follow up with a recap and clip highlights
For LinkedIn Events:
– Build event pages early
– Promote frequently leading up to event
– Send reminder messages to registrants
– Offer different ticket types and discounts
– Share speaker spotlights and agenda updates
– Post recap summaries and thank you notes
Conclusion
LinkedIn Live and LinkedIn Events both present excellent opportunities to engage your professional network.
With LinkedIn Live, you can broadcast real-time video and interact with live comments. LinkedIn Events enable robust promotion and management of in-person and virtual events.
The main factors to consider are your goals, target audience, and type of content you want to share. For live broadcasting and video, LinkedIn Live will allow you to present and discuss in real-time. For comprehensive event promotion and follow up, LinkedIn Events has more robust tools.
As part of an integrated approach, professionals and businesses can leverage both platforms to grow their audience, demonstrate thought leadership, and build deeper connections on LinkedIn. With a strategic use of each, any brand, executive or organization can elevate their engagement on the world’s largest professional network.