LinkedIn has become an indispensable platform for professionals around the world. With over 740 million members, it is the largest professional networking site globally. LinkedIn allows users to connect with peers, discover opportunities, showcase expertise, and absorb knowledge.
A niche of power LinkedIn users has emerged over time – the LinkedIn top voices. These are professionals who have managed to amass a huge following on the platform through their insightful content. Their posts garner high engagement and shape opinion within their respective niches. Becoming a top voice on LinkedIn requires consistency, knowledge sharing, and most importantly – value addition.
In this article, we will look at 10 professionals who have emerged as the top voices on LinkedIn. We will understand their background, content strategy, and impact.
What makes someone a top voice on LinkedIn?
Here are some common traits and strategies displayed by LinkedIn’s top voices:
– Niche expertise – Most top voices establish themselves as subject matter experts in a specific field like marketing, sales, HR, etc. This helps attract an audience interested in that niche.
– Frequent posting – Consistency is key to building a loyal audience. Top voices post multiple times per week. Some even post daily. This keeps their followers engaged.
– Thought leadership – Top voices create content that provides unique insights and perspectives. They establish themselves as forward thinkers in their domain.
– Audience connection – The top voices invest time in building connections with their audience through comments, likes, and messages. This fosters community.
– Multimedia content – Leveraging different formats like text, images, videos, presentations, and live videos helps top voices deliver richer content.
– Calls to action – Top voices occasionally weave in soft sales pitches, event promotions, product recommendations, or other calls to action in their content. This gives followers specific ways to engage further.
– Content repurposing – Repurposing content across different formats and platforms allows top voices to reach a wider audience efficiently.
LinkedIn’s Top 10 Voices
Now that we understand what contributes to LinkedIn fame, let’s look at the current top 10 voices on the platform:
1. Jessica Stillman
Jessica Stillman is a freelance writer specializing in business, work, and productivity. Her focus is on providing actionable insights for career and business growth.
Stillman has garnered over 533K followers on LinkedIn through consistent posts on topics like innovation, leadership, growth mindset, and more. She frequently gets 100K+ views on her articles. Her content also appears on major sites like Inc.
Some key stats:
– 533K+ followers
– 100K+ views per post
– Contributor at Inc.
2. Vala Afshar
Vala Afshar is the Chief Digital Evangelist at Salesforce. He leverages his 30+ years of experience to provide advice on topics like sales, marketing, customer service, and digital transformation.
Afshar has amassed over 1 million followers through frequent posts highlighting inspiring quotes, key learnings, and wisdom from leaders. He adopts a conversational tone in his posts which connects with readers.
Some key stats:
– 1M+ followers
– Chief Digital Evangelist at Salesforce
– 30+ years of industry experience
3. Jeff Haden
Jeff Haden is a ghostwriter, speaker, LinkedIn Influencer, contributing editor for Inc., and the author of several books. His content focuses on leadership, entrepreneurship, and business strategy.
Haden has around 788K followers. His posts blend storytelling with counterintuitive insights on business and leadership. He takes complex concepts and breaks them down into easily applicable advice.
Some key stats:
– 788K+ followers
– LinkedIn Influencer
– Author & ghostwriter
– Contributing editor at Inc.
4. Bill Gates
Bill Gates hardly needs an introduction. The billionaire founder of Microsoft has accumulated over 13 million followers on LinkedIn.
Gates shares a varied range of content on his LinkedIn profile – from philanthropy and social causes he supports to innovations happening around the world. Followers look to him for insights on world affairs, leadership, and overcoming global challenges.
Some key stats:
– 13M+ followers
– Founder of Microsoft
– Philanthropist focused on global health and education
5. Gary Vaynerchuk
Gary Vaynerchuk is a serial entrepreneur, CEO of VaynerMedia, speaker, investor, and author. He shares highly motivational content on mindset, entrepreneurship, marketing, and personal branding.
Vaynerchuk has over 2 million followers on LinkedIn. His posts aim to inspire professionals to think big, pursue their passion, and stand out. The raw and upbeat tone resonates with his audience.
Some key stats:
– 2M+ followers
– Founder & CEO of VaynerMedia
– 4x New York Times bestselling author
– Investor and public speaker
6. Suneel Gupta
Suneel Gupta is a Group Product Manager at YouTube and author of books like Backable and Climb. His content provides tactical advice on product management, technology, branding, and career growth.
Gupta has garnered around 239K followers. He adopts a conversational style in his posts which focus on technology, leadership, and empathy. The actionable tips benefit tech professionals and those aiming for leadership roles.
Some key stats:
– 239K+ followers
– Group Product Manager at YouTube
– Bestselling author
7. Jay Samit
Jay Samit has worked with pioneers like Steve Jobs and Richard Branson. He is an independent board director and author. Samit’s content provides insights on innovation, disruption, and leading transformation.
With 413K+ followers, Samit’s posts give a unique perspective into growing companies and ventures in the digital age. He analyzes key trends and forecasts opportunities.
Some key stats:
– 413K+ followers
– Worked with Steve Jobs, Branson
– Independent board director
– Author of Disrupt You!
8. Anne Ravanona
Anne Ravanona is the CEO and Founder of Global Invest Her, a hub empowering women investors. She is also an angel investor and startup mentor.
Ravanona uses her LinkedIn platform to champion gender equity and women’s leadership globally. She provides advice, insights, and stories on funding, mentorship, allyship, and empowering women entrepreneurs. Her content has garnered 330K+ followers.
Some key stats:
– 330K+ followers
– Founder & CEO of Global Invest Her
– Angel investor and mentor
– Advocate for gender equity
9. John Budd
John Budd is the Chief Digital Officer at United Landmark Associates. He shares social media tips, personal branding advice, and insights on digital transformation for professionals and companies.
With 117K+ followers, Budd creates easily digestible and tactical content focused on marketing and brand building. His lively posts blend humor and practical guidance.
Some key stats:
– 117K+ followers
– Chief Digital Officer
– Regular contributor for Entrepreneur
– Social media & branding expert
10. Pradeep Kumar
Pradeep Kumar is the Senior Vice President and General Manager at SAP Litmos. He provides guidance on leadership, management, technology trends, and workplace culture.
With around 159K followers, Kumar’s posts aim to help leaders and professionals navigate business challenges. He shares research-backed insights on motivation, performance, and leading with empathy.
Some key stats:
– 159K+ followers
– SVP & GM at SAP Litmos
– Leadership & workplace culture expert
Takeaways from LinkedIn’s top voices
Here are some key takeaways from analyzing the content and strategies of LinkedIn’s top voices:
– They establish niche expertise and thought leadership in their domain. This attracts the right audience.
– They post frequently and consistently to build community and keep adding value.
– They adopt an engaging, conversational tone that connects with audiences.
– They incorporate multimedia elements to deliver an immersive experience.
– They focus on providing actionable tips and counterintuitive insights.
– They interact with their audience via comments, likes, and shares.
– They repurpose content across different formats and platforms.
Conclusion
Becoming a top voice on LinkedIn requires consistency, meaningful engagement, and long-term value addition through high-quality content. It provides professionals an opportunity to build authority, community, and impact.
While the path to gaining influence is not easy, it is accessible to anyone willing to put in the effort. We hope this article provided some useful inspiration through showcasing ten professionals who have successfully emerged as the top voices on LinkedIn. Their content strategies and best practices can pave the way for others to find their own influential voice on this powerful platform.