LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 800 million members. As a platform built around connecting professionals, LinkedIn allows users to share a wide variety of content to showcase their skills, experiences and perspectives. One popular type of content on LinkedIn is video. However, not all videos are allowed on the platform. LinkedIn has guidelines around the types of videos that can be posted.
LinkedIn’s Video Guidelines
LinkedIn aims to create a professional community and prevent the spread of misinformation or inappropriate content. As such, they have established guidelines around what types of videos can be shared on the platform. Here are some key requirements for LinkedIn videos:
- Videos must be relevant to your profession and appropriate for a business audience.
- They should not contain explicit, offensive or inappropriate content.
- Any claims or statistics presented should be backed up with credible sources.
- Videos should not promote services, products or recruitment without proper disclosures.
- Recordings should not violate copyrights or intellectual property rights.
In addition to meeting these guidelines, there are restrictions around the types of videos that can be natively uploaded and hosted on LinkedIn:
Supported Video Types
LinkedIn currently supports uploading and hosting the following video file formats directly on their platform:
- MP4
- MOV
- AVI
There is a 16GB file size limit for videos uploaded to LinkedIn. The supported aspect ratios for uploaded videos are:
- 16:9
- 4:3
- 1:1
Square 1:1 format videos are optimized for mobile screens and tend to have higher engagement on LinkedIn. The optimal video length is between 30 seconds to 5 minutes. Longer videos may experience lower view completion rates on the platform.
Embedding Videos
In addition to uploading videos directly, LinkedIn also allows users to embed videos from other platforms like YouTube and Vimeo using an embedded video URL. When embedding a video, it must still comply with LinkedIn’s content guidelines and community policies.
Here are some tips for embedding third-party videos on LinkedIn:
- Test the embed code first before posting to ensure the video appears properly.
- Pay attention to aspect ratio – vertical videos may have black bars when embedded.
- Provide proper attribution to the original creator for copyright requirements.
- Double check that the content meets LinkedIn’s guidelines.
Video Post Restrictions
While LinkedIn wants to allow users to share engaging video content, they also aim to ensure an appropriate viewing experience across their platform. As such, there are some restrictions around video posts:
- Videos cannot be included in LinkedIn messages between connections.
- Users with free accounts only allowed to post one video per week.
- Company Pages are limited to one video post per day.
Exceeding these limits will lead to videos being rejected by LinkedIn during the post submission process. Video posts are also subject to LinkedIn’s algorithm – they may not appear prominently in follower’s feeds unless they receive high engagement.
Review Process for Videos
All videos posted to LinkedIn undergo an automated review process to check for compliance with their guidelines. Additionally, user-generated content flagged as inappropriate is manually reviewed by LinkedIn’s team. Videos found to violate LinkedIn’s Professional Community Policies may be subject to the following consequences:
- The video post may be removed.
- The poster may receive a warning or temporary posting restriction.
- For severe or repeat violations, accounts may be permanently restricted or suspended.
If you believe a video was mistakenly flagged or removed, you can submit an appeal to LinkedIn. But in general, it is best to ensure all videos meet their platform guidelines and community standards prior to posting.
Tips for Successfully Sharing Videos on LinkedIn
When sharing videos on LinkedIn, follow these best practices for the greatest reach and engagement:
- Keep videos relevant to your target audience with useful insights.
- Use eye-catching thumbnails and previews that sell the video.
- Optimize video titles and descriptions for SEO with keywords.
- Publish videos consistently and promote new videos organically.
- Analyze performance data to refine video strategy over time.
- Leverage LinkedIn’s analytics to learn viewer demographics.
Types of Videos That Perform Well
Not all videos see the same success on LinkedIn. Certain types of videos tend to resonate best with LinkedIn’s professional audience. Here are some of the top-performing categories of videos based on engagement and views:
Expert Talks & Lectures
Videos of thought leaders, industry experts, and conference speakers sharing insights receive high viewership. Audiences come to LinkedIn to hear from credible professionals.
Advice & How To’s
LinkedIn members are there to learn. Educational videos that teach relevant skills or provide actionable career tips are widely watched.
Case Studies
Videos showcasing client success stories and real-world examples resonate as they demonstrate solutions in action.
Product Demos
With LinkedIn’s business focus, product demo videos allow brands to showcase offerings to relevant audiences.
Company Culture & Values
Give behind-the-scenes looks at company culture to attract talent and build employer brand through video.
News & Current Events
Commentary on latest developments in industries, markets and the world appeal to professionals.
So in summary, educational, insightful and relevant professional videos have the highest potential to perform well and be approved on LinkedIn. Understand the platform’s guidelines, post consistently, promote organically, and analyze performance data to refine your video strategy over time.
Conclusion
LinkedIn is highly selective regarding the videos approved on their platform to maintain a professional environment. All videos should be appropriate for a business audience, back up claims, comply with copyrights, and meet platform guidelines. LinkedIn supports MP4, MOV and AVI file formats up to 16GB in size. While native uploads are limited to 1-2 videos per week, embedding third-party videos is also allowed. To maximize views and engagement, focus on sharing thought leadership talks, how-to tutorials, case studies, product demos, company culture spotlights, and insightful commentary on industry news. With the right strategy, video can be a powerful medium for reaching LinkedIn’s audience of professionals.