LinkedIn introduced the influencer feature in 2012 as a way for thought leaders and industry experts to share unique professional insights with the LinkedIn community. Influencer mode gives high-profile professionals increased visibility and reach on the platform.
What is an influencer on LinkedIn?
A LinkedIn influencer is someone who has established thought leadership and expertise in their field. Influencers are handpicked by LinkedIn based on their professional accomplishments, size of their network, and ability to publish engaging content.
Some of the benefits of being a LinkedIn influencer include:
- Increased visibility – Influencers appear at the top of search results and get dedicated social media promotion from LinkedIn.
- Expanded reach – Influencers can publish long-form posts that will be distributed across LinkedIn and to external news feeds.
- Thought leadership – The influencer program provides a platform to demonstrate expertise and establish brand authority.
- Lead generation – Influencers can attract new professional connections and opportunities by sharing insights.
LinkedIn looks for influencers who are innovative thinkers that can provide unique perspectives on industry trends, professional skills, and workplace culture.
How do you become a LinkedIn influencer?
LinkedIn directly invites qualified professionals to join the influencer program. To be considered, you must:
- Have an established presence, reputation, and following in your industry.
- Be a thought leader who can provide original analysis and insights.
- Publish content consistently and maintain an active engagement with your network.
- Have a sufficiently large LinkedIn network, typically over 10,000 connections.
LinkedIn looks at factors like the number and engagement of your followers, quality of your posts, overall activity on the platform, and real-world credibility when vetting potential influencers.
What benefits do LinkedIn influencers get?
There are several unique benefits associated with being a LinkedIn influencer:
- Long-form content – Influencers have the ability to publish posts up to 30,000 characters rather than the standard 1300 character limit.
- Increased visibility – Influencer content appears at the top of LinkedIn’s feed and main page. It is also actively promoted across LinkedIn’s official social media accounts.
- Expanded distribution – Influencer posts are distributed beyond your immediate connections and can be featured in LinkedIn’s external news feed for additional visibility.
- Analytics – Influencers get access to detailed analytics on the reach and engagement of their content.
- Branding – There is an “influencer” badge that appears on your profile to recognize your thought leader status.
Overall, the main benefit is the ability to build your professional brand and expand your reach to LinkedIn’s audience of over 690 million members.
What topics do LinkedIn influencers write about?
LinkedIn influencers are free to write about any professional, industry, or workplace topics of their choosing provided the content offers meaningful insights or analysis. Some common influencer post topics include:
- Leadership and management strategies
- Workplace culture and human resources issues
- Industry news and trends
- Career and professional development advice
- Personal branding and thought leadership
- Innovation and future of work insights
- Diversity, equity and inclusion
- Marketing, sales, and business strategy
The best influencer content is relevant to LinkedIn’s member base of professionals across all industries and roles. Posts that provide tactical tips or actionable insights tend to perform well.
Examples of top LinkedIn influencers
Here are a few examples of well-known LinkedIn influencers across various industries and areas of thought leadership:
Richard Branson
The Virgin Group founder publishes posts on entrepreneurship, leadership, and management.
Bill Gates
The Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist provides insights on technology, business, and global development.
Arianna Huffington
The Huffington Post co-founder writes about wellness, productivity, leadership, and empowering women.
Guy Kawasaki
The Silicon Valley investor shares advice for startups, entrepreneurs, and small businesses.
Daniel Pink
The author provides analysis on management, sales, and behavioral science.
Bernard Marr
The best-selling business author and futurist analyzes AI, big data, strategy, and productivity.
Having a mix of well-known business leaders, authors, and industry experts helps make LinkedIn’s influencer content more engaging for professionals.
How often do LinkedIn influencers post?
There is no set posting frequency, but most influencers publish new long-form articles weekly or bi-weekly. The goal is to post consistently enough to remain relevant and top of mind, but not so often that followers get overwhelmed.
Here are some guidelines around optimal LinkedIn influencer posting frequency:
- 1-2 posts per week is a typical cadence for most influencers.
- Consider posting more frequently (2-3x a week) when promoting something time-sensitive like an upcoming event or product launch.
- Post less frequently (every 2-4 weeks) if you will be traveling or have limited time to devote to high-quality content creation.
- Avoid posting daily or multiple times a day, as this risks saturating followers.
- Use LinkedIn’s analytics to assess engagement and optimize from there. Notice when certain post days/times get more traction.
Maintaining a regular content publishing rhythm is important, but always focus on quality over quantity when it comes to influencer content.
Do LinkedIn influencers get paid?
LinkedIn does not directly pay influencers for their content. The influencer designation is viewed as its own professional benefit due to the increased personal brand visibility it provides. However, there are several ways influencers can potentially monetize their status:
- Sponsored content – Influencers may be able to work with brands to create sponsored posts as part of a content marketing strategy.
- Consulting services – Position themselves as experts that brands want to hire for services like speaking, training, or advising.
- Product sales – Directly promote and sell their own products or services using exclusive discounts or offers.
- Partnerships – Collaborate with other influencers or companies to cross-promote services and products to each other’s audience.
The main benefit of being an influencer is increased authority, credibility, and personal brand recognition. But it also creates opportunities to monetize that influence.
What is the LinkedIn influencer program controversy?
The LinkedIn influencer program has faced some criticism over the years, including:
- Exclusivity – Critics argue the invite-only nature goes against LinkedIn’s open professional community.
- Favoritism – Detractors claim influencers are chosen based on popularity rather than merit, with an overrepresentation of celebrities.
- Elitism – Some users dislike the hero worship culture created by the influencer badge and premium placement.
- Sponsored content – Thepractice of influencers publishing branded content without disclosing sponsorship has drawn backlash.
- Lack of diversity – There have been calls for greater inclusion of influencers from underrepresented backgrounds.
While LinkedIn maintains that its careful vetting process preserves influencer integrity, the program remains controversial. Some view it as self-serving rather than adding value for everyday professionals on the platform.
Conclusion
The LinkedIn influencer program gives select thought leaders a powerful platform to share their expertise. Becoming an influencer provides increased visibility, reach, and personal brand building for professionals at the peak of their industry. However, the exclusivity and hero culture fueled by the program has garnered criticism. Overall, the ability to publish long-form insights directly to LinkedIn’s huge professional network remains highly appealing to those who achieve influencer status.