When LinkedIn announced on April 9, 2015, that it was acquiring Lynda.com for $1.5B Wall Street reacted with two thumbs up. LinkedIn isn’t the only company that will enjoy financial benefits from this acquisition. For the $30 million online and certification space, the marriage of LinkedIn and Lynda.com signals a new era of increased growth and activity. Here are four ways we think the acquisition will change the training industry.
1. It Just Got a lot Easier to “Sell In” Video
Sure YouTube has been the #2 search engine for several years, and the Khan Academy has become a household word in the industry but those facts didn’t completely speak corporate America’s language. A $1.5B acquisition is in a language businesses understand. The video is Hot.
2. On-Demand Training Requests will Increase
When it comes to introducing new learning techniques, most businesses opt to be followers rather than innovators. LinkedIn’s willingness to pay a whopping $1.5B for an on-demand learning company serves as a powerful confidence builder in the online space. Instead of the consultants being the ones who constantly suggest that an on-demand training option should be considered, expect to see the clients asking how they can incorporate this type of video into their platform.
3. Increased Interest in Flipped Classrooms
While the Flipped Classroom has gained traction in academia, it’s still in third gear in corporate America. LinkedIn’s acquisition of Lynda.com may be just the motivation organizations needed to justify trying this approach to training. The great thing about the flipped classroom is that it combines video (it’s hot) with a trainer. In other words, flipped classrooms are not a threat to headcount like pure on-demand video libraries could be.
4. Trainers Need To Increase Comfort In Front Of The Camera
At one time, it would be unthinkable for an un-trained talent to get in front of the camera. Those days are over. Trainers, facilitators, and Subject Matter Experts need to get their video faces on because delivering content via video will become a job requisite. Learning and mastering video presentation skills will become critical as companies evaluate trainers on their ability in front of the camera as well as in the classroom.
In conclusion, LinkedIn’s acquisition of Lynda.com for $1.5B in 2015 signaled a new era of growth and activity in the online learning and certification space. This move will make it easier to sell video training and increase on-demand training requests. Additionally, it may motivate organizations to try the flipped classroom approach to training, which combines video with a trainer. Finally, trainers, facilitators, and Subject Matter Experts need to become comfortable in front of the camera as delivering content via video will become a job requisite. The acquisition of Lynda.com by LinkedIn was seen as a positive move by Wall Street and is likely to have a significant impact on the training industry.