LinkedIn Video Sponsored Update Tip
LinkedIn video sponsored updates are great for getting quality traffic to see your video. But what if you want to send traffic directly to a landing page?
LinkedIn Video Sponsored Update Changes: Over the past year, LinkedIn’s ad platform has gone through major changes. One of the changes being advertisers no longer able to embed video in their sponsored updates. You can still embed video on organic updates, so make sure to take advantage of the feature there.
The Issue
LinkedIn video sponsored updates send traffic directly to the YouTube video. This is pointless, because interested users will most likely watch the video in their LinkedIn feed. They can also click the YouTube button found in the bottom right corner of the video if they want to view on YouTube.
The Work-Around
While playing around with video sponsored updates, I came across a solution. Here’s how to send traffic directly to a landing page from your LinkedIn video sponsored update:
- Copy and paste your YouTube video link into the ad text box. This will auto-generate the video and embed it into the sponsored update.
- Once the video is generated, remove the YouTube link. You’ll notice that the YouTube video will remain embedded. This won’t affect the video in any way.
- Add the link to your landing page in the ad text.
That’s it. It is actually quite simple. Now you can show your YouTube video and send traffic to a landing page directly from LinkedIn.
Why Does This Happen?
When you paste a YouTube video link into a sponsored update, LinkedIn pings YouTube, grabs the video and auto generates the content.
Once LinkedIn has pinged YouTube and generated content, it will remain there until manually removed. This allows you to delete the YouTube link that originally generated the video.
Why It’s Cool
This solution makes more sense for a sponsored update. If you’re in the market for views, YouTube advertising is a much more cost-effective route. This solution allows you to kill two birds with one stone – show your video and send traffic to a landing page.
Raphael
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Hello,
Thanks for this interesting article.
I have one question: If someone click and so watch a youtube video in his Linkedin feed, does the views on the youtube account increase ?
Jon Kaspszak
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Hi Raphael,
Thanks for the comment.
Yes, YouTube videos viewed in the LinkedIn feed will count as a YouTube view. Just as they would if they were viewed on YouTube.
This means overall YouTube channel views will increase as well.
– Jon
Raphael Dellavalle
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Thanks you for your quick answer! Just one more question: Do I have to copy the youtube video url or the youtube video embed link so that they count as Youtube view ?
Zaki Usman
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As long as the URL and embedded code point to the same YouTube video, then it doesn’t matter what you use. If I remember correctly, LinkedIn wants you to enter the URL link.
Ben
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Hi Jon,
Thanks for the great article. When I try to do this LinkedIn creates a preview of my video instead of embedding it. It isn’t playable within LinkedIn, when you click the play button it redirects to the YouTube page.
Is there something I’m missing or has this possibly changed since you wrote the article?
Thanks!
Jon Kaspszak
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Hey Ben, Thanks for the comment. LinkedIn has changed the way you can embed video for sponsored updates. Like you said, using the YouTube video link will only provide a preview and link to YouTube. You can learn more about ad specs for sponsored updates here: https://www.linkedin.com/help/lms/answer/68894.
From LinkedIn Help:
Video:
Videos are not supported as they cannot be embedded and we do not allow uploaded videos at this time.
LinkedIn has gone through major changes on its ad platform over the past year, and it’s too bad the embedded video features no longer exists. You can still embed video on organic updates, so make sure to take advantage of the feature there :).