Because of my status with LinkedIn, I often get early access to new features. The latest feature that LinkedIn is beta testing is Audio Events.
You might be familiar with LinkedIn Live Events, the ability to host a conversation or presentation live on LinkedIn using Video. Audio events are similar, except audio events are well, audio-only. LinkedIn is tapping into the trend of audio-only conversations popularized by Clubhouse. You may also hear it called Social Audio.
One of the consequences of the last two years of us doing everything on Video is Video fatigue — people are tired of always being visible on video.
Note: LinkedIn audio events are slowly being rolled out to all users and may not be available to you yet. You will know you have access when you create a new event and one of the options is Audio Event
Virtual events are a great way to learn new things, build relationships, foster connections, and ultimately unlock opportunities. LinkedIn Audio Events allow members to have real-time conversations with their community in a more casual environment. It enables LinkedIn members to engage in the power of virtual events. For many listeners, this is like listening to a podcast, but one where they can actively participate. The audio-only experience leaves you free to do other things like drive, walk, or exercise.
All Audio Events are public, so anyone can join and participate in the conversations. You do not need an invitation to join an Audio Event. Any member who has logged into their LinkedIn account can join and use the “Raise your hand option” to request access to the stage and talk with others on the stage.
I hosted my first audio event on February 7 as an experiment to learn how it works and how I might leverage this feature to increase engagement with my core audience – independent agents. The event’s title was “Why Insurance Agents Need a Fractional CIO.” I was able to bring a couple of people I know to the stage to participate in the conversation. The three of us could talk with each other just like a conference call. About 370 people listened in on our conversation.
A few days later, I was reading an article in the Wall Street Journal by Joanna Stern about the new features being built for LinkedIn. Imagine my surprise when I came to this paragraph:
This mention reinforced the idea that you never know who might be listening to your event.
As mentioned above, hosting an Audio Event is currently in beta testing and only available to a limited number of creators. LinkedIn will be expanding access in the coming weeks.
At the moment, Audio Events cannot be recorded or replayed after the event has ended. I have submitted a suggestion to allow recording and replay so those who can’t attend live can benefit from the conversation.
Audio Events have no video, screen sharing, or text chat. Live captioning will be added in the coming weeks. People join Audio Events from their LinkedIn profile, so you can trust whom you are talking to and their area of expertise.
I will continue to experiment with this new medium. I am thinking about adding an audio event to the Catalyit Live schedule during the 4th week of the month.
What topics would you like to hear discussed or who would you like me to bring on as a guest?
