Getting a top voice badge on LinkedIn can significantly boost your personal brand and establish you as an industry expert. However, achieving this prestigious badge requires consistent, high-quality content creation and engagement over an extended period of time. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through the key steps you need to take in order to earn the coveted top voice badge on LinkedIn.
What is the LinkedIn Top Voice Badge?
The LinkedIn Top Voice badge is an exclusive designation awarded to the most impactful content creators on the platform. According to LinkedIn, top voices are “recognized as leading professional voices who consistently deliver valuable insights.” The badge appears next to your profile name and photo anywhere your content is shared on LinkedIn.
Only a small, select number of members receive this badge each year. LinkedIn’s algorithm analyzes content performance across four key metrics before awarding top voice status:
- Quality and consistency of posts
- Engagement and reactions to content
- Expertise in a professional field or industry
- Adherence to LinkedIn’s professional community policies
In other words, top voices not only publish great content but also actively engage with their audience to build their authority over time. It is not a badge you can apply for but is instead granted to those identified by LinkedIn’s editorial team for their thought leadership.
Benefits of Earning the Top Voice Badge
There are several advantages associated with earning the LinkedIn top voice designation:
- Increased discoverability – Content from top voices receives extra amplification and surfaces more prominently in search results and feeds.
- Reputation boost – The badge signals to your network that you are an industry leader.
- Expanded reach – You gain more visibility beyond your existing connections.
- Backlinks – Getting shared more frequently means more backlinks and referral traffic to your website.
- Thought leadership – You are recognized as an expert, which can lead to more career and business opportunities.
In short, the top voice badge serves as social proof that you create high-caliber content and have insight worth sharing on LinkedIn. It lends immense credibility and influence.
How to Get a Top Voice Badge on LinkedIn
Now that we’ve covered the meaning and advantages of being a LinkedIn top voice, let’s discuss how you can work toward earning this badge for your profile. Here are the main steps to follow:
1. Optimize Your Profile
Make sure your LinkedIn profile is completely filled out and represents your expertise well. This includes having a professional headshot, an engaging summary section detailing your background, and comprehensive experience descriptions. The more robust your profile, the more likely others will be to engage with your content and react positively to your posts. Be sure to include relevant skills and expertise.
2. Consistently Create Valuable Content
Post new long-form content frequently, at least once per week. This content should provide unique insights, data, tips, or perspectives that your audience finds worthwhile. Avoid promoting yourself or your company directly. Instead, aim to establish thought leadership. Types of content can include:
- Industry trend analyses
- How-to guides and lists
- Case studies and whitepapers
- Expert interviews
- Research findings and data
Articles should be at least 700 words in length to be substantial. Optimize each post for SEO and use keywords related to your niche. Include images, stats, examples, and other visual elements to make your posts more engaging. Quote outside experts for added credibility.
3. Leverage LinkedIn’s Publishing Tools
Take advantage of LinkedIn’s built-in content creation tools like Publisher and Newsletters. Publisher allows you to easily publish long-form posts beyond just status updates. With Newsletters, you can send regular email digests to drive more profile views. Use hashtags and mentions to extend your reach.
4. Promote Your Content
Don’t just publish and forget. Actively promote your posts across social media by sharing links on Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms. Ask colleagues or clients to share your content when relevant to extend your potential audience. Post regular status updates that link back to your published articles to keep them circulating for months after publishing.
5. Engage With Your Network
Comment on other posts, like and react to content, and post discussion-prompting questions to spur engagement. Don’t just broadcast out content, connect with your readers. Reply to any comments you receive and thank those who shared your posts. LinkedIn’s algorithm tracks this engagement activity, so remain active beyond your own content.
6. Use LinkedIn Analytics
Review your LinkedIn Analytics dashboard regularly to see which types of posts perform best and which topics resonate most with your audience. Identify peak posting times when you tend to get the most reach. Use this data to refine your strategy over time, doubling down on what works.
7. Be Patient and Consistent
Earning the top voice badge doesn’t happen overnight. It can take months or even years of dedication. But sticking with it and delivering value consistently, week after week, increases your chances of being recognized. Even if you don’t achieve top voice status, you’ll still benefit from expanded reach and establishing yourself as a thought leader.
Best Practices for Creating LinkedIn Top Voice Content
Now that you have an overview of the process, let’s dig deeper into creating content optimized to achieve LinkedIn’s top voice standards. Here are some proven best practices to follow:
Spot Trends and Breaking News Early
Write timely posts about recent developments in your industry. Provide your insights before others do. You can turn around analysis quickly by repurposing content from your blog or newsletter.
Craft Attention-Grabbing Headlines
Use emotional headlines and curiosity gaps that entice readers to click and keep scanning. For example: “The Single Word that Immediately Kills Your Credibility” or “Why Our Team Stopped [X] and You Should Too.”
Establish Yourself as an Expert Guide
Adopt a mentor-like voice in your writing that educates and assists your audience. Include strategic advice and next-step recommendations.
Make Complex Topics Relatable
Break down intricate subjects using simplified language, metaphors, examples, and analogies. Make technical or obscure ideas clear and actionable.
Weave in Storytelling
Bring your posts to life by integrating anecdotes, case studies, and client stories. This helps create an emotional connection with readers.
Experiment Across Mediums
Beyond text-based articles, try short-form video explainers, podcast guest appearances, Slideshare presentations, live video, and polls/surveys.
Collaborate With Other Experts
Co-create content with recognized leaders in adjacent spaces. Joint posts allow you to tap into each other’s audiences.
Maintain a Regular Schedule
Post consistently so readers know what to expect. Producing content at consistent intervals also helps build authority faster.
Monitor Your Performance
Pay attention to which posts attract the most reactions, comments, and shares. Take notes on the topics, angles, headlines, and formats that perform best.
Join Relevant LinkedIn Groups
Participate in industry and niche-specific LinkedIn Groups to connect with highly targeted audiences hungry for insights. Share your articles in relevant Groups.
Ask Questions to Spark Discussion
Close your posts with open-ended questions to encourage readers to chime in with responses and keep the conversation going.
Mastering these techniques will position you for success. But achieving LinkedIn Top Voice status requires consistency over the long-term. Keep providing value for your community with excellent content.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
On the flip side, there are some common mistakes that could hinder your chances of earning the top voice badge. Be sure to steer clear of:
- Self-promotional content that’s too salesy or biased.
- Copying and repurposing content from others.
- Spamming groups or sending mass connection invites.
- Paying for fake likes or reactions on posts.
- Using clickbait-y headlines that mislead readers.
- Only posting sporadically or inconsistently.
- Creating content on too broad of topics.
- Automating or outsourcing all content creation.
Keep your focus on delivering authentic value, not gaming the system. Bring real insight to the table that helps move your professional community forward.
Examples of LinkedIn Top Voices and Their Content
To make these concepts more concrete, let’s look at a few examples of current LinkedIn Top Voices and analyze what makes their content so impactful:
Bernard Marr – Tech Visionary & Bestselling Author
Bernard consistently publishes long-form posts with practical models and frameworks on topics like digital transformation, AI, and future trends. He translates big ideas into actionable advice. For example, his article “The 5 Vs of Big Data” breaks down the meanings and applications of volume, velocity, variety, veracity and value. His thoughts on digital leadership have made him one of the most influential global voices in his field.
Bruce Kasanoff – Ghostwriter & Founder, Mighty Ape Media
Bruce takes an unconventional, conversational approach with posts like “I Don’t Have a Clue How to Do This, Do You?” where he discloses business vulnerabilities to forge connections. While still informative, his vulnerable style comes across as more authentic and human versus a detached expert. This allows readers to relate more to his content, keeping them engaged.
David Burkus – Bestselling Author & Business School Professor
David consistently taps into leading-edge research on human behavior, collaboration, and performance, filtered into practical lessons. For example, his post “This 70-Year Study Reveals 5 Secrets to Living an Exceptionally Long Life” synthesizes academic insights into clear advice anyone can apply. He also includes great visuals. His ability to find fresh angles on established research helps cement his thought leadership.
As these examples illustrate, there is no single right formula for becoming a LinkedIn Top Voice. But these creators all provide value, establish expertise in a niche, engage with readers, and focus on serving their professional community above all else. The badge is simply a byproduct of their commitment to high-quality content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about achieving LinkedIn Top Voice status:
How many top voices are there on LinkedIn?
The exact number is not public, but it is extremely exclusive. Less than 1% of LinkedIn’s over 740 million members are awarded Top Voice each year.
What content formats can help me become a top voice?
Focus on long-form posts of 700+ words. But also experiment with other formats like video, podcasts, presentations, and live video. Variety helps showcase the depth of your expertise.
How long does it take to get the top voice badge?
It’s not a quick process. Most top voices spend years consistently creating high-quality content before being recognized. But the journey itself pays dividends.
Can I request the top voice badge?
No, there is no way to manually apply or request the designation. LinkedIn’s editorial team selects top voices based on data-driven metrics and criteria.
How often should I post to become a top voice?
Aim for at least 1-2 times per week as a general baseline. But it’s quality over quantity. You could post daily but with mediocre content and have less impact than weekly stellar posts.
What if I don’t have tens of thousands of followers?
Follower count actually isn’t critical. There are top voices with only a few thousand followers. So don’t obsess over vanity metrics. Focus on engagement and quality content instead.
Conclusion
Earning recognition as a LinkedIn Top Voice can significantly accelerate your influence and visibility. But more importantly, the skills needed to achieve top voice status will also help strengthen your thought leadership abilities overall. By consistently creating and promoting high-value content tailored to your professional community, you boost engagement and establish expertise – regardless of whether you earn the badge or not.
While recognition as an official LinkedIn Top Voice confers some benefits, dedicating yourself for the long haul to serving your audience with stellar insights is what really matters. So stay focused on genuinely adding value, not chasing badges. Deliver consistent quality and the rest will follow.
What strategies have you found most effective for creating top content on LinkedIn? What future trends or topics do you think will resonate most with audiences and influence leaders in our current climate? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!