LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 850 million members worldwide. With such a massive userbase, LinkedIn attracts people from all walks of life and career levels looking to connect, learn, share, and find opportunities. While every LinkedIn user is unique, some common archetypes emerge based on how people utilize the platform. In this article, we will explore the top 5 most common types of LinkedIn users and what motivates them to be on the network. Understanding these core user groups can help optimize your own LinkedIn presence and strategy.
The Networkers
Networkers are those who see LinkedIn primarily as a tool to build connections and expand their professional circles. These users thrive on accumulating as many quality contacts as possible to grow their reach and visibility. Typical activities for Networkers include:
- Sending connection requests proactively
- Accepting connection requests from anyone reasonably relevant
- Joining industry networking groups and alumni associations
- Commenting on posts and interacting casually to increase engagement
Networkers aim to cast as wide a net as possible and view their number of connections as a benchmark of success on the platform. Having access to a vast contact base provides Networkers with opportunities to get introductions to leads, referral partners, or potential hires down the road. While some may see Networkers as focused on vanity metrics, for many, it is simply about forming genuine relationships and being helpful to their communities.
The Job Seekers
As the name suggests, Job Seekers use LinkedIn as an active job search and career advancement tool. LinkedIn is arguably the top place for recruitment and job discovery across most industries. Typical activities for Job Seekers include:
- Having an optimized, professional profile that details their experience, skills, and background
- Following relevant companies to get job opening alerts and insider news
- Leveraging advanced search to find ideal openings and target desired employers
- Applying to jobs, messaging recruiters, scheduling interviews via LinkedIn
Job Seekers are motivated by landing their next great role or progressing their careers. Beyond just job hunting, many also use LinkedIn Learning for professional development and share content to boost their personal brand as an expert. Job Seekers are purposeful in cultivating the right connections and proactively managing their professional image on the platform.
The Company Evangelists
Company Evangelists are LinkedIn users that serve as brand amplifiers for their employers. They share company news, celebrate wins, highlight coworkers, and generally aim to boost awareness and engagement for the organization. Typical activities include:
- Sharing company articles, product updates, case studies, and other content
- Posting about company culture, values, initiatives, events, and employees
- Engaging with followers by commenting, liking, and resharing relevant industry news
- Following and connecting with strategic partners, media, influencers, and customers
Quality Company Evangelists come off as authentic advocates rather than salespeople. Their goal is to humanize the brand and provide value-driven insights versus overly promotional messaging. Many companies even empower select employees with expanded LinkedIn access and coaching to maximize their brand ambassador roles.
The Thought Leaders
Thought Leaders strive to establish themselves as subject matter experts and authorities in their fields via LinkedIn. Typical activities include:
- Publishing long-form posts and opinion pieces to share their knowledge
- Commenting on other posts and joining discussions to display their expertise
- Posting research, slides, videos, and other assets to demonstrate thought leadership
- Engaging followers by sharing advice, responding to questions, and providing consultation
By consistently creating and distributing valuable insights, Thought Leaders build influence and credibility. Their goal is to be seen as the “go-to” resource that audiences can learn from and trust. Thought Leaders aim to grow large followings within their niches as a way to boost their personal brands and businesses.
The Lurkers
Lurkers represent LinkedIn users that spend time consuming content but rarely engage or post themselves. They use LinkedIn predominantly as a news source to stay up to date on their industries, peers, and client companies. Typical Lurker activities include:
- Checking the LinkedIn newsfeed and customized feeds
- Reading articles, company pages, Groups, and other profiles
- Viewing updates without liking, commenting, sharing, or indicating they engaged
- Monitoring profiles of clients, prospects, competitors, and business connections
For Lurkers, LinkedIn provides valuable intelligence and insights that influence their business decisions and perspectives. But for various reasons, Lurkers prefer to stay unseen and have a minimal public presence. That said, lurking should not be seen negatively, as it demonstrates active listening and learning.
Conclusion
While the Networkers, Job Seekers, Company Evangelists, Thought Leaders, and Lurkers represent major LinkedIn user types, the reality is most people exhibit characteristics of multiple archetypes. You may connect broadly like a Networker while also engaging deeply in discussions like a Thought Leader, for example. The key is being self-aware of how you personally utilize LinkedIn and then optimizing your presence accordingly. Focus on your primary objectives and the value you can provide to others in your ecosystem. With over 850 million members, LinkedIn needs all of these diverse voices and perspectives. How will you contribute uniquely to the professional world’s largest community?