LinkedIn influencers are a select group of thought leaders and experts who regularly share unique professional insights and experiences on the LinkedIn platform. Becoming a LinkedIn influencer is by invitation only – you cannot apply or request to become an influencer. Only a very small percentage of LinkedIn’s over 722 million members worldwide are given this exclusive status.
How are LinkedIn influencers selected?
The process of selecting LinkedIn influencers is intentionally opaque, but seems to involve these key criteria:
- Thought leadership and expertise – Being recognized as an authority in your field
- Large following – Having a substantial number of connections and engagement on content
- Quality and consistency – Producing engaging, high-quality content on a regular basis
- Alignment with LinkedIn’s goals – Supporting LinkedIn’s mission of creating economic opportunity
In addition to these factors, LinkedIn looks for diversity across industries, geographic regions, age groups, and other demographics when curating its influencer program. The goal is to showcase a wide range of experienced professionals producing unique professional insights.
Who gets to become a LinkedIn influencer?
While the exact process is ambiguous, there are some patterns in the types of members who get invited to join LinkedIn’s exclusive influencer program:
- C-level executives – Current or former CEOs, CTOs, CMOs, etc. from major companies
- Best-selling authors – Writers with popular business books and publications
- Leading academics – Professors from prestigious universities and institutions
- Prominent investors – Venture capitalists, angel investors, and other finance leaders
- Notable entrepreneurs – Founders of successful startups and innovative companies
Essentially, LinkedIn hand-picks recognized achievers who are leaders in their respective fields. They look for members who demonstrate thought leadership through their content, personal brands, accomplishments, and other signals. Geographic diversity is also considered, with influencers coming from all major global regions.
How many LinkedIn influencers are there?
The total number of LinkedIn influencers is not publicly revealed. However, some estimates put the current number of influencers between 1,000 – 2,000 globally. This is an extremely exclusive group relative to LinkedIn’s user base of over 722 million members.
Here is a look at the growth of the LinkedIn influencer program over the years:
Year | Estimated Number of Influencers |
---|---|
2011 | 150 |
2014 | ~500 |
2017 | ~1,000 |
2020 | ~1,500 |
2022 | ~2,000 |
As you can see, LinkedIn steadily grows the influencer program each year, but at a controlled pace so it remains an exclusive status.
What benefits do LinkedIn influencers get?
Here are some of the key benefits LinkedIn influencers enjoy:
- Amplified distribution – Content shared by influencers has much greater reach
- “Influencer” badge – Distinctive tag appears on their profile and content
- Premium support – Access to LinkedIn sales and support teams
- Exclusive events – Get invited to high-profile conferences and gatherings
- Increased authority – Being named an influencer adds to their prestige and personal brand
The “influencer” designation carries significant weight and cachet due to the program’s exclusivity. It allows already prominent professionals to further amplify their personal brands and thought leadership.
Do LinkedIn influencers get paid?
LinkedIn does not directly pay influencers for their content. However, being named an influencer provides indirect financial benefits and opportunities, such as:
- Increased consulting & speaking opportunities
- More book deals & publications
- Job and partnership offers
- Exposure for their companies/products
The prestige and exposure from the program can certainly translate into monetary gain for influencers. But the influencer designation itself does not come with any paid compensation from LinkedIn.
How often do new LinkedIn influencers get added?
There is no fixed schedule for when LinkedIn adds new members to the influencer program. However, looking at historical trends, we can deduce:
- New batches seem to be added 1-2 times per year
- Each batch tends to be in the range of 100-200 new influencers
- Larger batches are added around prominent events like new product launches
So while the timing is irregular, LinkedIn seems to cautiously add groups of around 100-200 influencers every 6 months or so. They want to maintain exclusivity while steadily growing the program.
What is the application process to become a LinkedIn influencer?
There is no application process to become a LinkedIn influencer. The only way to be selected is to be directly invited by LinkedIn. You cannot request or submit an application for influencer status.
LinkedIn does all the vetting internally based on factors like thought leadership, content engagement, industry representation, and alignment with company goals. Getting on their radar often requires actively building your brand and audience organically on LinkedIn.
What criteria does LinkedIn look for in influencer candidates?
Based on those selected, LinkedIn seems to use the following criteria when vetting potential influencers:
- Industry thought leadership – Recognition as an authority in their field
- Content engagement – Consistently popular posts and reactions to content
- follower count – Having a substantial follower base in the millions
- Prestige indicators – Executive roles, major publications, awards, etc.
- Content quality – Producing engaging, thought-provoking content
These factors signal that a member has valuable insights to share with the broader LinkedIn community. Content alone isn’t enough – a combination of prestige, popularity, and thought leadership is required.
How to increase your chances of becoming a LinkedIn influencer
Since the process is opaque, there is no sure-fire way to guarantee becoming a LinkedIn influencer. But based on those selected, you can improve your chances by:
- Establishing thought leadership and personal brand in your industry
- Publishing books, articles, content related to your field
- Building an engaged following in the millions on LinkedIn
- Consistently posting high-quality content that gets reactions and shares
- Having professional/personal achievements and awards
- Getting speaking opportunities at prominent conferences
Slowly building up these elements over time – rather than trying to pursue influencer status directly – is the best approach. Focus on serving your audience and community first.
Do LinkedIn influencers have to create content regularly?
Yes, to retain their influencer status, members need to continue actively publishing on LinkedIn. The requirements seem to be:
- Minimum 1-2 posts per week
- Posts meet quality guidelines
- Content provides unique value and insights
- Some level of engagement on posts
Inactive influencers who stop sharing content for extended periods may have the designation removed. Regular publishing is expected to continue providing value to LinkedIn’s member community.
What types of content and topics do LinkedIn influencers create?
Influencers cover a wide range of professional topics and content formats. Here are some common ones:
- Industry trends and analysis
- Leadership and management advice
- Career tips and professional development
- Workplace culture and human resources issues
- Entrepreneurship and startups
- Technology innovations
- Written posts / Articles
- Video commentaries and interviews
- Research studies and data
- Interviewing other influencers and leaders
The focus is on insightful, thought-provoking business content. Both practical advice and big picture thinking are common themes.
Do LinkedIn influencers interact with followers?
Yes, many LinkedIn influencers actively engage with their audiences in the comments and messages. A few ways they interact include:
- Responding to comments on their posts
- Answering questions about their content
- Replying directly to messages
- Liking comments and messages
- Featuring comments in new posts
- Having conversations and dialogue
This two-way engagement helps build rapport and relationships with followers. It also signals that influencers aren’t just broadcasting content – they are part of the community.
Conclusion
Being designated a LinkedIn influencer puts you in an elite group with amplified reach, prestige, and benefits. But it is exclusively by invitation only. While you can take steps to boost your chances, there is no guaranteed formula for getting this recognition from LinkedIn.
The opaque selection process and intentionally limited group size ensures that the LinkedIn influencer program retains its exclusivity and cachet. It allows the platform to spotlight diverse thought leaders who align with LinkedIn’s mission and provide value to its community of professionals.