LinkedIn Video Coming Soon?

LinkedIn -- everyone's on it -- literally, everyone of us.  And, the majority of its traffic is now mobile.

But, it still remains virtually nothing but text.

In this mobile-focused video world, where is LinkedIn in the video conversation?  And, why isn't it?  (a provocative -- yet little discussed topic -- that came up in my breakfast meeting yesterday).

There's YouTube of course.  And, now virtually every video conversation I have with industry insiders includes Facebook (which is seen as YouTube's first real threat).  Countless others -- like extremely well-funded upstart Vessel (a company I recently profiled which bills itself as being the Hulu for the mobile/digital-first millennial world) - are also frequently mentioned.

So, why isn't LinkedIn part of this conversation?  Why isn't LinkedIn in the video game yet?  It is ripe for video not just because all of us are on it.  It also is ripe for video not just because most usage is now mobile.  It is also ripe -- very -- because many on LinkedIn (especially LinkedIn "Influencers") have massive, passionate audiences who hang on every thought and insight from their individual business "celebs."  Imagine if those celebs of the written word evolve into the far more viral video world?  Some will effectively make that transition, others will not (in a kind of "Video Killed the Radio Star" kind-of-way).  Yes, LinkedIn videos generally would be a different kind of content (i.e., not entertainment first and foremost).  But, that too could be a real strength and differentiator.  And, that unique-ness could very well be LinkedIn's "special sauce" to advertisers (due to its business-driven/buying-power demographic).

But, while video is not yet part of LinkedIn's story, it inevitably will (and absolutely should and must) be fundamental to it.  The company already is killing it (with a market cap of nearly $33 BILLION!). Just imagine when video inevitably enters its lexicon ....

NOW is the time to enter that video conversation.  It is a conversation that is moving at auctioneer warp speed ....

[For more LinkedIn "fun facts", check out this article titled "120+ Amazing LinkedIn Statistics" -- a great summary of all.]

Nimble & WeDemand! -- 2 "MUST CHECK OUT" Companies (For Very Different Reasons)

Yesterday, I participated in live demos for two digital media services that I urge you to check out now -- for very different reasons:

(1) Nimble -- think of this service as LinkedIn on steroids, consolidating -- and making sense of -- all of your social networks (including LinkedIn) in one place.  Lots of power here to do lots of powerful things that will -- guaranteed! -- add value to your business networking.  Run, don't walk, to this one -- it has broad application to virtually all of you who are reading this.  I am adopting it today.

(2) WeDemand! -- this is a very different service with perhaps more limited appeal, but directly in my sweet spot of several of my interests -- including live music and the "Share Economy" (about which I just wrote in Venturebeat).  Think of this one as crowd-funding for music fans to connect to their favorite bands and bring them to a venue near them (by essentially expanding tour dates to reach those motivated pockets of fans).  It is pure "win" on this one -- musicians drive more live concert (and related merch, etc.) revenues; and fans get to see bands that otherwise would be unavailable.  At a strategic level, WeDemand! also gives artists (and their booking agents) important data about demand for them in any particular city.  Although similar to Songkick's Detour service (about which I previously wrote in that same Venturebeat article), WeDemand! operates a bit differently and is not 100% pure crowd-funding.  WeDemand! also was first -- and works within the current "system" a bit more by crowd-funding only a portion of the artist's minimum guarantee, thereby mitigating the concert promoter's risk.