LinkedIn Study Finds Adding Links Boosts Engagement By 13% via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

A new study of over 577,000 LinkedIn posts challenges common marketing advice. It finds that posts with links get 13.57% more interactions and 4.90% more views than posts without links.

The LinkedIn study by Metricool analyzed nearly 48,000 company pages over three years. The findings give marketers solid data to rethink their LinkedIn strategies.

Link Performance Contradicts Common Advice

For years, social media experts have warned against adding links in LinkedIn posts.

Many claimed the platform would show these posts to fewer people to keep users on LinkedIn.

This new research says that’s wrong.

The data shows that about 31% of LinkedIn posts contained links to other websites. These posts consistently did better than posts without links.

Image Credit: Metricool LinkedIn Study 2025.

Content Format Performance Reveals Unexpected Winners

The study also found big differences in how content types perform.

Carousels (document posts) work best for engagement, with the highest engagement rate (45.85%) of any format. People on LinkedIn are willing to spend time clicking through multiple slides.

Polls are a missed opportunity. They make up only 0.00034% of all posts analyzed but got 206.33% more reach than average posts. Almost no one uses them, but they perform well.

Text-only posts performed worse than visual content across all metrics. Despite being common, they received the fewest interactions.

Video Content Shows Remarkable Growth

LinkedIn video content grew by 53% last year, with engagement up by 87.32%. This growth is faster than on TikTok, Reels, and YouTube.

The report states:

“Video posting may have increased by 13.77%, but the real story is in the rise of impressions (+73.39%) and views (+52.17%). Users are engaging more with video content, which indicates that LinkedIn is prioritizing this format in its algorithm.”

Industry-Specific Insights

The research broke down performance by industry. Surprisingly, sectors with smaller followings often get better engagement.

Manufacturing and utilities companies had fewer followers than education or retail companies, yet they received more engagement per post.

This challenges the idea that having more followers automatically means better results.

Practical Tips for Marketers

Based on these findings, here’s what LinkedIn marketers should do:

• Don’t avoid links: Include links when they add value. They help, not hurt, your posts.
• Mix up your content: Use more carousels and polls. They perform much better than other formats.
• Send more traffic through LinkedIn: With clicks up 28.13% year-over-year, LinkedIn is better than many think for driving website traffic.
• Be realistic about follower growth: Only 17.68% of accounts gained followers in 2024. Growing a LinkedIn following is harder than on other platforms.

Looking Ahead

The Metricool report challenges fundamental LinkedIn marketing beliefs with solid data. The most useful finding for SEO and content marketers is that adding links helps rather than hurts your posts.

Marketers should regularly test old advice against real performance data. What worked on LinkedIn in the past might not work in 2025.

Featured Image: Jartee/Shutterstock

LinkedIn Launches New Creator Hub With Content Strategy Tips via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

LinkedIn has launched a new “Create on LinkedIn” hub that helps professionals create better content, understand their stats, and use different post types.

The new hub is organized into three main sections: Create, Optimize, and Grow. It also includes a Creator Tools section with specific advice for each post format.

This resource offers helpful tips straight from LinkedIn for people using it to grow their business, build their brand, or share industry expertise.

Screenshot from: https://members.linkedin.com/create, April 2025.

Content Creation Best Practices

The “Create” section explains what makes a good LinkedIn post. It highlights four key parts:

• A catchy opening that grabs attention
• Clear, simple messaging
• Your personal view or unique angle
• Questions that start conversations

LinkedIn suggests posting 2-5 times weekly to build your audience, noting that “consistency helps you build community.”

The guide recommends these popular content topics:

• Career advice and personal lessons
• Industry knowledge and expertise
• Behind-the-scenes workplace stories
• Thoughts on industry trends
• Stories about overcoming challenges

Analytics-Driven Content Optimization

The “Optimize” section shows how to use LinkedIn’s analytics to improve your strategy. It suggests these four steps:

1. Regularly check how many people see and engage with your posts
2. Adjust when you post based on when your audience is most active
3. Set goals using your average performance numbers
4. Make more content similar to your best-performing posts

Format-Specific Creator Tools

One of the most useful parts for marketers is the breakdown of LinkedIn’s different content types. Each comes with specific tips and technical requirements:

Video Content

LinkedIn says “videos build trust faster” and reveals that “85% of videos watched on LinkedIn are viewed on mute.” This makes subtitles a must.

The guide suggests keeping videos short (60-90 seconds) and posting them directly on LinkedIn instead of sharing links.

Text and Images

For regular posts, LinkedIn stresses being real:

“People want to learn from those they feel a connection to, so it’s best to be yourself.”

It suggests focusing on specific topics rather than broad ones.

Screenshot from: members.linkedin.com/create-tools, April 2025.

Newsletters

You can create newsletters if you have over 150 followers and have posted original content in the last 90 days.

LinkedIn recommends posting on a regular schedule and using eye-catching cover videos.

Screenshot from: members.linkedin.com/create-tools, April 2025.

Live Events

LinkedIn Live lets you stream to your audience using third-party broadcasting tools if you qualify. To help you get the best results, LinkedIn offers tips before, during, and after your event.

Screenshot from: members.linkedin.com/create-tools, April 2025.

Why This Matters

While organic reach has dropped on many social platforms, LinkedIn still offers good visibility opportunities.

The content strategy advice matches what many marketers already do on other platforms. However, it provides specific insights into how LinkedIn’s algorithm works and what its users prefer.

Next Steps for Marketers

LinkedIn’s focus on analytics and testing different content types shows it wants users to be more strategic.

Check out this new resource to update your LinkedIn strategies. The format details are especially helpful for optimizing your content.

With over 1 billion professionals on LinkedIn, the platform is essential for B2B marketing, promoting professional services, and building thought leadership.

Smart marketers will include these approaches in their social media plans.

Featured Image: Fanta Media/Shutterstock

LinkedIn Integrates Calendly Scheduling Into Profile Buttons via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

LinkedIn partners with Calendly, enabling Premium users to schedule meetings directly through profile buttons.

• LinkedIn partners with Calendly on custom profile buttoms.
• This functionality enables users to schedule meetings directly through profiles.
• This feature is available to premium users.

LinkedIn Lists Top 15 In-Demand Skills, Makes Related Courses Free via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

LinkedIn has published its “Skills on the Rise” report, which lists the 15 fastest-growing skills in the U.S. job market.

To stay competitive, here’s what professionals should focus on.

The Top 15 Skills In Demand for 2025

AI is driving major workplace changes. LinkedIn predicts that by 2030, about 70% of skills in most jobs will significantly change. A quarter of professionals plan to learn new skills this year.

“AI Literacy” is now the most in-demand skill, reflecting the need for workers who can use AI tools across all industries.

While many list “AI” as a skill, this usually means basic familiarity with tools like ChatGPT rather than in-depth expertise.

The complete list of fastest-growing skills identified by LinkedIn includes:

1. AI Literacy
2. Conflict Mitigation
3. Adaptability
4. Process Optimization
5. Innovative Thinking
6. Public Speaking
7. Solution-Based Selling
8. Customer Engagement & Support
9. Stakeholder Management
10. Large Language Model (LLM) Development & Application
11. Budget & Resource Management
12. Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy
13. Regulatory Compliance
14. Growth Strategy
15. Risk Assessment

The report explains why each skill is gaining importance and the most common job titles and industries where these skills are prevalent.

Soft Skills Gaining Importance

While AI skills are essential, there is a growing need for soft skills. These skills are valuable as organizations address complex workplace issues such as return-to-office policies and managing teams from different generations.

For example, “Conflict Resolution” (ranked #2) is essential for customer service representatives, administrative assistants, and project managers in the technology and internet sectors.

“Adaptability” (ranked #3) is becoming essential for teachers, administrative assistants, and project managers as they face fast technological and economic changes.

Free Learning Resources Available

To help people develop these skills, LinkedIn is offering free access to related LinkedIn Learning courses until April 18. The list includes a link to a recommended course for each skill.

The report also includes in-demand skills lists for 15 job functions and seven additional countries, including Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Spain, and the UK.

LinkedIn created a separate list specifically for marketing job functions, as shown below.

Screenshot from: LinkedIn, March 2025.

LinkedIn’s methodology for determining the fastest-growing skills considers three key factors: skill acquisition (the rate at which members add new skills to their profiles), hiring success (the share of a skill possessed by recently hired members), and emerging demand (increased presence of skills in job postings).

See LinkedIn’s full report.

LinkedIn Study: AI Shortens B2B Sales Cycles By 1 Week via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

A new report shows that B2B sales teams increasingly use AI to improve efficiency and close deals.

Commissioned by LinkedIn and conducted by Ipsos, the survey included 1,250 sales professionals and found that AI is now a key part of sales practices.

Here’s what marketers need to know.

AI Adoption on the Rise

88% of sales professionals use AI weekly, and 56% use it daily. This trend reflects changes in the sales field, where teams must manage complex buying processes.

Karin Kimbrough, LinkedIn’s Chief Economist, notes that companies using AI gain a competitive advantage.

“Companies integrating AI are gaining a competitive edge,” says Kimbrough in the report. “Teams that don’t embrace AI will fall behind.”

Microsoft’s Future of Work report also shows that sales professionals see significant productivity increases from AI.

Key Drivers Of Investment

98% of sales executives plan to invest more in AI this year. They’ll focus on:

1. Sales intelligence
2. Sales enablement
3. AI-powered CRM tools

Methodology Note:
Ipsos surveyed sales professionals in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, India, and Singapore, focusing on mid-market (200–999 employees) and enterprise (1,000+ employees) sectors spanning tech, finance, manufacturing, professional services, and other industries.

Top Three Impact Areas

Sellers exceeding their targets are 2.5 times more likely to use AI daily than those not meeting their goals.

Researchers found three main ways AI improves sales:

1. Finding Leads
   1. 38% say AI helps to identify leads faster and more accurately.
   2. Sellers save at least 1.5 hours weekly using AI for lead research.
2. Personalized Messages
   1. AI tools enable faster and more tailored outreach campaigns.
   2. Sellers using AI saw a 28% increase in responses.
3. Sales Efficiency
   1. AI streamlines data entry and scheduling in CRM systems.
   2. Nearly 69% of sellers say AI shortens their sales cycle by about one week and helps them close more deals.

Looking Ahead

Dan Shapero, LinkedIn COO, advises companies to “start small” and focus on delivering immediate wins as a foundation for long-term AI adoption.

This approach resonates with the growing number of sales executives (39%) who feel “highly confident” about their readiness for future challenges.

In practical terms, sales teams can begin by:

• Automating routine tasks like updating CRM records or lead qualification.
• Leveraging real-time insights for targeted outreach (e.g., tracking job changes or company news).
• Experimenting with generative AI to craft more engaging prospect messages.
• Regularly training teams on new tools to reduce resistance and smooth adoption.

Dan Shapero, COO at LinkedIn, states:

“It’s too early to know what your AI strategy is. I think the question you ask yourself is, “What is my AI win?”. What’s the one thing that I can do with my team right now that’s going to create value over the next six months? Because the world is changing so quickly, it’s one of these moments to start small, to go big over time.”

For more insights, see the full report.

Featured Image: Screenshot from Linkedin ROI of AI report, March 2025. 

LinkedIn Rolls Out Email Metrics For Newsletter Publishers via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

LinkedIn now offers email analytics for newsletters, providing data on email sends and open rates.

• LinkedIn added new email metrics for newsletter publishers.
• New data include emails sends and open rates.
• LinkedIn notes that the reported data is only an estimate.

LinkedIn Report: AI Overwhelms 72% Of B2B Marketers via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

A recent LinkedIn report reveals that 72% of B2B marketers feel overwhelmed by the speed at which AI is reshaping their roles.

LinkedIn Chief Economist Karin Kimbrough shared the study, exploring marketers’ current concerns and opportunities.

Overview Of LinkedIn B2B Marketing Report

AI In B2B Marketing

Approximately two-thirds (66%) of B2B marketing leaders surveyed report integrating generative AI into their marketing campaigns.

Key applications include:

• Content creation: 45% leverage AI for short-form copy, 33% for blog posts.
• Efficiency gains: 40% report faster workflows, while 39% use AI to scale personalized campaigns.

However, challenges persist:

• 43% cite insufficient AI skills on their teams.
• 34% express data privacy concerns, and 40% worry AI-generated content lacks a “human touch.”
• Plagiarism risks (34%) and inaccuracies (32%) remain hurdles.

Despite this, 55% of organizations now offer AI training, signaling a push to close skills gaps.

LinkedIn’s data indicates that AI isn’t replacing jobs; it’s making daily tasks more efficient.

By current projections, half of today’s skills will require significant adjustments within the next five years. AI is accelerating changes to as much as 70%.

More than half (53%) of marketing professionals worry about being left behind if they don’t stay current with AI.

Short-Form Video Drives Highest ROI

According to LinkedIn’s report, video content dominates marketing strategies, with 55% of marketers citing short-form social videos as their top ROI driver.

LinkedIn data reveals:

• 75% use social media as their primary channel, followed by email (53%) and blogs (44%).
• 61% attribute increased brand engagement to bold creative campaigns.

Immersive tech is also rising:

• 35% use AR/VR for interactive demos and virtual events.
• 34% plan to adopt AR/VR this year
• 55% will expand connected TV (CTV) advertising investments.

Budgets Rebound

68% of marketers saw budget increases last year, and 72% expect further growth.

Priorities include:

• Lead generation: 37% rank pipeline quality as their top goal.
• Brand investment: 67% boosted spending on brand-building, with 88% of CMOs advocating for “riskier” creative campaigns.

CMOs Gain Influence

Marketing leaders are securing bigger seats at the table:

• 69% of CMOs say their role has grown in strategic importance.
• 77% report stronger collaboration with CFOs, emphasizing marketing’s financial impact.
• 84% of CMOs now actively shape company-wide budgeting and strategy.

What This Means For B2B Marketers

LinkedIn research suggests that B2B marketers who blend AI capabilities with human communication will be best positioned for success.

Marketing leaders are seeing the strongest results when they:

• Use AI to handle routine tasks
• Invest in visual content, especially short-form social videos
• Focus on social media while maintaining active blogs and email lists.
• Build stronger relationships across departments, especially with sales and finance
• Demonstrate clear ROI to the C-suite

While B2B marketing is changing, opportunities exist for those who adapt their skill sets.

The research combines data from LinkedIn with survey responses from 2,001 B2B marketing leaders across eight countries.

Featured Image: Luis Line/Shutterstock

LinkedIn Report Reveals 5 Key Trends Reshaping B2B Marketing via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

A new LinkedIn report shows how businesses are changing their approach to measuring marketing success.

The report, based on insights from leaders at Microsoft, ServiceNow, PwC, and other global firms, identifies five key trends reshaping measurement strategies.

1. Revenue-Centric Metrics

Marketers are now focusing more on revenue-related metrics instead of traditional cost-per-lead measures.

Leaders are adopting tools that sync CRM data with campaign engagement. These tools bridge the gap between marketing activity and business outcomes and show how specific efforts drive deals.

Other critical shifts include:

• Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) are no longer the primary metric because their conversion rates are inconsistent.
• There is a greater emphasis on “sourced pipeline,” which refers to deals generated by marketing, and “influenced pipeline,” which measures the effect of multiple touchpoints in marketing.

ServiceNow’s Vivek Khandelwal noted:

“You can talk about click-through rate, cost per click, and cost per impression all day long, but what eventually matters to the business are the revenue metrics. It’s all about how many customers we’re winning, how many opportunities we’re creating, and the ROI we’re generating on marketing investments.”

Personio’s Alex Venus emphasized:

“Our North Star metric is qualified pipeline, which means an opportunity that your salespeople care about, which should be converting at a rate of 25% or more.”

2. ROI Frameworks for Brand Marketing

CFOs now need proof that brand-building works financially. This means marketers must show how their awareness efforts lead to sales results.

The report reads:

“The emphasis is shifting from the cost of marketing outcomes to the value of those outcomes. For marketers, that means reporting on KPIs that correlate with revenue in a clear and consistent way – at a rate that both sales and finance can believe in.”

To justify brand spend, teams are:

• Separating brand and demand budgets to optimize spending.
• Running campaigns focused on specific high-value accounts, then tracking deal timelines for correlation.
• Balancing engagement (e.g., branded search growth) with pipeline influence.

3. AI-Powered Attribution Models

B2B buying groups are getting larger, often including 6 to 10 members.

As a result, marketers are now using machine learning models instead of outdated last-touch attribution methods.

Julien Harazi, Head of Lead Generation at Cegid, stated in the report:

“As B2B marketers, our world has become a lot more complicated. All of the touchpoints are intertwined and it can be difficult to understand the buyer journey and identify where the value comes from in terms of your marketing.”

Emerging solutions include:

• Lifetime value (LTV) analysis by channel/segment
• Media Mix Modelling to assess cross-channel synergies
• Integration with LinkedIn Sales Navigator for account-level journey mapping

4. Multi-Timeframe Measurements

Leaders now measure performance across three timelines to balance immediate optimizations with long-term growth:

1. Real-time: Cost-per-qualified lead optimizations
2. Mid-term: 3–12-week pipeline ROAS
3. Long-term: LTV-adjusted ROI incorporating brand investments

This approach helps teams avoid over-indexing on short-term gains while undervaluing brand-building.

Sveta Freidman, Global Data & Analytics Lead at Xero, states in the report:

“One of my goals is to build an understanding of lifetime value by channel, segment level and by platform so that we can optimize our approach around the best outcomes for our business.”

5. Unified Real-Time Dashboards 

With 73% of marketers citing siloed data as a top challenge, integrated analytics tools are becoming critical.

Solutions gaining momentum include:

• LinkedIn Insight Tag for cross-website behavioral tracking
• Hybrid metrics balancing brand engagement and demand signals
• Predictive AI models identifying untracked revenue influences

What This Means For Marketers

The report highlights the value of measurement for brand growth.

These three priorities stand out for B2B marketers:

1. Link metrics to revenue.
2. Use tools like multi-touch attribution and brand lift studies to assess demand and brand impact.
3. Balance real-time optimizations with long-term customer value analysis.

Success in B2B marketing depends on your ability to translate data into language that resonates with CFOs and business leaders.

Download the full report for more details.

LinkedIn Video Views Up 36%, New Tools & Courses Available via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

LinkedIn video viewership is up 36% YoY. The platform adds new tools and free training courses to boost video creation.

• LinkedIn video watch time is outpacing other content formats.
• New creator tools include profile previews, enhanced analytics, and desktop video features.
• Free LinkedIn Learning courses can help you learn more about video’s role in professional communication.

LinkedIn Report Reveals Most In-Demand Marketing Skills via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

Marketing jobs are increasing, and many professionals are satisfied with their roles. However, rapid changes in technology and work environments pose new challenges.

The LinkedIn Marketing Jobs Outlook report offers insights into the changing job market and strategies for career growth.

Here’s all the data from the report that you need to know.

Marketing Jobs Are Rebounding

The report highlights a strong recovery in marketing job opportunities.

Marketing-related job postings on LinkedIn increased by 76% year-over-year.

Industries like technology and financial services, which experienced significant layoffs, are now showing steady growth in hiring.

Job Satisfaction Is High, Retention Remains a Challenge

Despite workplace challenges, job satisfaction among marketers is notably strong. According to the report, 67% of Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) are “completely satisfied” with their roles.

However, retaining top talent remains a hurdle, with 55% of marketers considering leaving their current position if a better opportunity arises.

Workplace Change Overwhelms Many Marketers

The fast-paced evolution of the marketing industry is a double-edged sword. While it drives innovation, it also leaves many professionals feeling overwhelmed.

The report notes that 72% of marketers struggle with the rapid evolution of their roles, and 53% worry about falling behind due to technological advancements.

Skill of the Year: Collaborative Problem-Solving

Collaborative problem-solving has been identified as the “Skill of the Year” in marketing.

This ability, which emphasizes teamwork and customer-centric decision-making, saw a 138% growth in demand.

Companies increasingly value marketers who can navigate complex challenges with agility and foster team innovation.

Top Hard Skills for Marketers

Technical expertise remains critical in the marketing field, with demand for specific hard skills surging:

• Creative Execution: Demand for this skill has increased by 443% over the past two years.
• Artificial Intelligence: Skills in AI grew by 392% during the same period.
• Marketing Technology: As platforms and tools evolve, proficiency in marketing technology rose by 351%.

What Does This Mean?

To stay competitive, LinkedIn advises marketers to focus on three key strategies:

1. Upskilling: With AI reshaping the industry, professionals should prioritize learning new tools and technologies. Courses like “Generative AI for Digital Marketers” are among LinkedIn Learning’s top recommendations.
2. Agility: Marketers should embrace change and adopt a growth mindset to remain adaptable to evolving consumer behaviors and technological advancements.
3. Collaboration: Breaking down silos and promoting cross-functional teamwork can drive creative problem-solving.

Conclusion: A Year of Growth and Innovation

LinkedIn’s latest Marketing Jobs Outlook report shows that the industry is changing rapidly.

While there are challenges like workplace stress and technology changes, there are also many growth opportunities.

Marketers can succeed by staying informed, embracing change, and improving their skills.

Featured Image: ShutterStockies/Shutterstock