LinkedIn earlier this month unveiled a new push around creators to bring more original content (and engagement) to its platform, but that’s not the only effort they are making to bring more activity to its networking site. TechUnzipped has learned and confirmed that LinkedIn is also running a test around events specifically, paid events.
The test involves a small group of users, and the company hasn’t decided whether to roll it out more broadly, the Microsoft Corp. division said in a statement Monday. LinkedIn is still exploring the approach, including how much if anything it will collect from hosts.
The move would build on the growth of LinkedIn Events, a program that saw participation surge during the pandemic. Twenty-one million people attended one of the platform’s events in 2020, the company said.
“We continue to learn from member and customer feedback and test new ways to improve the experience,” LinkedIn said in the statement. “As part of this, we are exploring options for payment in the Events product based on feedback from event organizers.”
From what we understand this is part of a bigger overhaul the company is looking to make around video and audio services, so these are likely going to anchor the events service, which will all be rolled out in the coming weeks and months.
Earlier this year, LinkedIn started offering hosts the ability to advertise their events. The company said it’s exploring other new features — beyond potentially charging money — to make hosting events easier.
