LinkedIn Makes Its Platform Fresher By Presenting Podcasts

JAKARTA - LinkedIn is now building its platform in a fresh direction, with the launch of the new LinkedIn Podcast Network.

The podcast will later host shows focused on key professional trends, created by internal staff and external experts.

They focus on areas including understanding technology, managing mental health, and explaining the hiring process.

“Starting today, we're piloting an exciting new way for you to connect with top professional voices with the launch of the LinkedIn Podcast Network. With this trial, you'll have access on LinkedIn to programming and conversations from industry-leading content creators."

"(Content creators) include Morra Aarons-Mele, Jonathan Fields, Mita Mallick, and Dee C. Marshall, as well as events created by LinkedIn News."

LinkedIn co-founder and executive chairman, Reid Hoffman will also co-host a podcast about personal entrepreneurship called The Start-Up of You, which will premiere this spring.

Citing from Social Media Today, Thursday, February 24, all LinkedIn podcasts will be available on their platform, by following each podcast host on the app and subscribing to their newsletter. Listeners can also listen through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or other audio providers.

The main attraction that LinkedIn wants to highlight is that by connecting with these hosts on LinkedIn, listeners will be able to expand the conversation beyond the passive listening experience.

Hosts will continue to engage with existing and new listeners drawn from LinkedIn's global community of 810 million members through posts, videos, newsletters, LinkedIn Live events, and more. Just navigate to your favorite podcaster's profile and click Follow, super fans can click the bell icon and stay updated," explained LinkedIn.

Podcast popularity is now at an all-time high, with Edison research reporting last year that some 80 million Americans are now weekly podcast listeners, while 116 million people listen to podcasts every month.

Of course, this podcast makes money, by presenting significant advertising. In fact, podcast revenue is estimated to exceed USD 2 billion by 2023. Likewise in Indonesia, where podcasts are also mushrooming, be it YouTube or Spotify.

LinkedIn hopes to capitalize on this by making its platform more engaging and will provide another option to help promote some of its top creators, with the app also open for other broadcasters to join LinkedIn's stable of professional podcasts.