Is LinkedIn video dead?
- Mar 26
- 3 min read
Since the start of the year, I’ve had a lot of founders and marketers ask the same question:
“Are LinkedIn videos not working anymore?”
Usually this comes after someone posts a video that gets a few hundred views instead of the thousands they were seeing a year ago. So the natural reaction is: Video must be dead.
But the reality is a bit different. LinkedIn video hasn’t died. It’s just changed quite a lot in 2026. Here’s what’s actually going on.
LinkedIn doesn’t push every video anymore
A couple of years ago you could upload almost any talking-head video and it would get strong reach. That’s because LinkedIn was heavily promoting video to change the behaviour on the platform. Now that behaviour has shifted.
People are used to video in their feed, which means LinkedIn no longer needs to artificially boost it. The result is that video is now judged much more like any other content format.
If the content is good, it spreads. If it isn’t, it dies quickly.
Retention matters far more than views
The biggest shift I’ve noticed in 2026 is that watch time matters more than impressions. If people scroll past in the first few seconds, the reach stops. But if viewers stay, comment or rewatch sections, LinkedIn keeps distributing the video.
In simple terms:
Average video → reach drops fast. Engaging video → reach grows over time
So the focus now needs to be holding attention, not just posting video.
The first 3 seconds decide everything
On LinkedIn today, the hook is the entire game. People are scrolling quickly between text posts, carousels, videos and polls. Your video has seconds to earn attention.
If it didn't take me 100 times to film every video I do, this article would make sense to be in video format. I personally just hate being on camera but is something I know and will do. I'm enforcing our clients to do it so need to listen to my own words.
Back to the hook! A strong opening might look like:
“Most B2B companies are wasting their LinkedIn video budget.”
or
“I tested 50 LinkedIn videos this year. Only 6 actually worked.”
That first line decides whether people stay or scroll.
Shorter videos are outperforming long ones
While long-form content still has a place, most of the high-performing videos I see now are 30–60 seconds.
Why?
Because they match how people actually use LinkedIn: quick breaks, quick insights, quick lessons. Think of them less like mini webinars and more like fast, valuable ideas.
5. Personality is beating polish
Interestingly, the videos performing best right now are not the highly produced ones. They’re simple:
One person
One idea
One camera
One clear point
In other words, authenticity is outperforming production value. A founder sharing a real lesson from the week often beats a carefully scripted corporate video.
So… are LinkedIn videos dead?
Not even close. But the easy reach phase is over and of course, like any social media network, they have shareholders, and those shareholders need to see reward. And this means that paid boosting or promotion of video is what they want.
The creators winning on LinkedIn video in 2026 are doing three things well:
They hook attention instantly
They keep videos short and focused
They share real ideas, not polished marketing
Video is still one of the most powerful ways to build trust on LinkedIn. It just now rewards clarity, personality and value, not simply pressing record.
If you're interested in introducing video into your LinkedIn campaigns, we have a specialist content team that can support you in building out ideas and campaigns that showcase your business, drive engagement and put you in front of the right people.