Surely, if you’re a college student in 2025, you’re probably familiar with — and might even be super active on — a little (read: huge) platform called LinkedIn. The site is designed specifically for working professionals, allowing you to highlight your work experiences, education, and career achievements — as well as network, search for jobs, and grow your personal and professional brands.
LinkedIn isn’t just for current working professionals, though; it’s also a great tool for college students who are eventually going to become working professionals. The platform serves as a great way to market yourself, learn about the industries you’re interested in, and connect with people who could help you get your next internship or teach you a new skill.
Although it’s for work, LinkedIn is, at its core, a social media platform, which means it has a lot of features similar to what you might see on other sites like Instagram and TikTok, such as the ability to send direct messages, make posts, comment and react on other peoples’ content, tag others, and more. And its current buzzy feature will hit especially close to home for Gen Zers: Just like how other social media platforms are integrating more short-form video content to appeal to Gen Z, LinkedIn also has its own video feature, and it’s becoming more and more popular.
“Videos on LinkedIn are being watched 36% more year over year, with video creation growing at two times the rate of other original post formats,” LinkedIn Community Manager Jamé Jackson tells Her Campus in an exclusive interview. According to Jackson, users are using LinkedIn video to make all types of content, ranging from classic “Day in the Life” vlogs (but with a professional spin) to straight-up video resumes.
In response to the format’s growing popularity, LinkedIn recently rolled out some new updates that can enhance your experience using this feature on the platform, including immersive video and a video carousel web, full video feed card, the ability to preview a creator’s profile, video “follow” enhancements, video search enhancements, and video analytics to track the average watch time.
Being that LinkedIn videos are all the rage rn, Jackson shares some tips for college students who want to get in on the hype and start making some LinkedIn videos of their own.
1. Utilize Captions and Copy
There is no denying the power of your words. Jackson notes that LinkedIn offers the option to generate auto-captions for your video but also encourages adding your own captions to your video. Adding your own captions can help you avoid any mistakes (in case a word you said was misheard) and allows viewers to visually take in what you have to say if they’re unable to play or hear your video’s sound.
Your post’s copy (the written post that accompanies the video) is equally important. The copy allows you to elaborate on whatever your video entails, providing more context, personality, and calls to action to get others to interact with your post. “We always encourage members to still spend time writing a strong post to accompany their video,” Jackson says. “That video you post today can continue to get rediscovered by new audiences simply because of the keywords you use. So truly, do not sleep on the power of the copy.”
2. You Don’t Need Fancy Equipment
While you want your videos to look put-together and professional (this *is* LinkedIn, after all), you don’t need high-end filming studio level equipment to put together a good video. “Don’t stress about making big financial investments,” Jackson says. “Start with what you have. Have a window with natural sunlight you can prop your phone against? Start with that. Start with what feels natural and attainable, and then grow from there.”
3. Use A Script
If you’re struggling with figuring out what to say in your video, start by jotting your thoughts down into a script that you can use to make sure you hit all of your main talking points, “If you get a little tongue-tied, you can also start off scripting your videos and rehearsing enough that you don’t feel read,” Jackson says.
4. Start With Short Videos
Just like with any other platform, it can take time to adjust to a new platform. One way to get acquainted with LinkedIn videos is to start off by making shorter form content. Then, you can work your way up to longer, more in-depth videos as you get more comfortable with being on camera and working with the feature.
5. Let the Videos be Conversation-Starters
Jackson notes that she’s seeing a lot of engagement in the comments section of videos, which is “leading to people making connections to top industry CEOs and experts, finding business opportunities — like brand partnerships — or even finding jobs.” LinkedIn is a networking platform, after all, so don’t be afraid to network and use these videos as a potential conversation-starter. You never know who you’ll end up hitting it off with!
6. Showcase Your Personality — and Your Expertise
Just because your video is being posted on LinkedIn, that doesn’t mean your video needs to be monotone and bland. Yes, you should still maintain professionalism, and while that boundary between business and pleasure differs for everyone, the LinkedIn videos you create serve as your own forum to showcase your personal brand. “Personality is key,” Jackson says. “Ask yourself: What unique insights, knowledge, and qualities can I share in this video? People do not want to watch videos that feel put on — be yourself and shine.” Of course, your videos will ideally provide value to others, so be sure you’re actually saying something interesting, educational, or entertaining in them, but above all, they should be authentic and true to who you are.