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LinkedIn has been exploding in the last 12 months. The number of people sharing their stories, getting millions of views, and growing their personal brand is encouraging to see.
Because of this enormous content boom on LinkedIn, everyone is rushing to become a LinkedIn influencer on the platform and to build an extensive network of followers.
But what makes LinkedIn influencers?
It's funny, LinkedIn decided that at first.
They created their own list of celebrities that they deemed worthy of the title LinkedIn Influencer. The funny thing is that the public didn't agree with them.
You can only be a B2C or even a B2B influencer if you can influence, and some of those people on the list weren't too active on the platform and posting engaging content.
The original list has since then been put aside, and people are popping up all over the globe that creates engaging content and is liked and followed by tens of thousands of people.
So what makes LinkedIn influencers legit?
Let's find out what LinkedIn influencer marketing is all about.
Engaging content
A solid content marketing strategy is vital, and engagement is the monetary value you can put on a piece of content. It's as simple as that.
If people engage with a LinkedIn post - like it, comment on it, click to see other people's comments, or click the link in the post - then the post is displayed to more people, and your views go up. You should also check the best influencer marketing tools as well!
Is video important?
Video is highly regarded in LinkedIn’s algorithm. LinkedIn Native Video and now LinkedIn Stories have made a lot of waves but for a good reason. Video is simply the most engaging content form out there.
Remember though, that while you are absorbing video content know your limitations on mobile vs desktop. You can only view stories on a mobile phone at this time.
Plus, you get to see LinkedIn stars (aka your co-workers, distant connections, and grandma Betty) in the flesh. It's the most natural way to communicate and does the job much better than written content in some cases.
It also helps that LinkedIn set it up just like Facebook, where you scroll, and the videos start playing.
Tell a Story
Telling a story is the most powerful thing you can do to get people's attention.
How does a brand tell their stories on social media anyways?
Imagine this - Steve is sitting at his desk towards the end of his shift, and his mind is naturally wandering around social media. He flips his LinkedIn profile open and starts browsing his LinkedIn feed.
When he sees your compelling post about that thing that happened to you last year and how you grew from it, he reads the entire thing, clicks on your page, checks out the company you work for, and clicks connect.
Powerful stories are how audiences are born, grown, and influence is created.
It’s ok to be relatable, helpful, vulnerable, educational, and authentic.
Don’t be afraid of rejection
So many people want to remain quiet as they are afraid of rejection. If you want to be a LinkedIn influencer, you need to voice your opinions, take sides, cheer for a cause, and make a statement.
If Louis Grenier never had a voice on LinkedIn, learned how to stand out, and disagreed with the marketing status quo, maybe he would not have become a LinkedIn Influencer?
People connect to LinkedIn posts that are real and writers that put their hearts into them. So don't be afraid of the haters out there that might not like what you wrote.
If you stay honest and authentic to yourself, you will grow your engagement and succeed in personal branding and as a thought leader.
Bring value
One of the best strategies in any industry is to bring value to people.
Don't just post something because you want to get leads and clicks, and likes. Post something because you genuinely believe that it will bring some value to your target audience. That's what being a thought leader is all about.
You can write LinkedIn posts that bring a smile to people, teach something, show something innovative, provide valuable insights, or share your experience.
Sharing cool tips and tools to get the job done is an all-time LinkedIn favorite. Use it often.
Connect people together
One of my favorite forms of viral posts is when someone asks all of their connections to write a comment about what they do or what they are looking to achieve. This way, people feel included, start commenting, and click to see what everyone else wrote.
It's not only interesting, but it feels like it unites people, and you can always find a LinkedIn user that you can help, which brings me to my next point.
Most companies also use LinkedIn as a hiring driving force. You may have heard that LinkedIn is also developing a marketplace to connect businesses to freelancers in one place. This will further develop opportunities for connecting people together. Watch out Fiverr and Upwork.
Offer to help
Offer to help. Help is not a bad word, it's a perfect word. It's up there with words like "value" and "success" and "girth." There are so many ways to offer help. Here are some of them
- Offer to hook someone up with your services.
- Offer a free consultation.
- Suggest interviewing someone on your YouTube channel (like I'm doing).
Host giveaways
People LOVE gifts and free things. My friend Deepak Shukla just hosted a giveaway on LinkedIn where people needed to tag someone in the comments to enter. He gave away some legit digital marketing tools and picked a few winners, which is always nice.
It's nice to see that more than one person won something and that the prices were of excellent value. Granted, you can't give away free stuff in every post, but those posts do get a lot of engagement.
So it would be best if you planned to host a giveaway every month or at least every quarter.
Recap
What do you think? Did I miss anything on this list? Would you agree with the qualities that make a LinkedIn influencer out of the average Joe?
How soon did it take for you to grow your LinkedIn target audience? You know what to do. You could even try making creative advertising gifs to spice things up. Hit the comments section and leave your opinion, I really want to hear it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do LinkedIn influencers get paid?
They do not get paid by LinkedIn. But they may get paid by brand deals. However, the amount and type of compensation depends on the agreement between the brand and the influencer. Sometimes an influencer will be given free products in exchange for a review or mention on social media. Other times, an influencer may be paid a flat fee or receive a commission for every sale.
How do I become a LinkedIn influencer 2024?
To become a LinkedIn influencer by 2024, you need to post valuable content that resonates with your audience. You should also aim to grow your network by connecting with other professionals and engaging in conversations on LinkedIn. Additionally, you may want to consider hosting or attending industry events to build your profile as an expert in your field.
How many followers do you need to become an influencer?
It's not so much about the number of followers you have as it is about the quality and engagement of your followers. That said, to be able to reach a large number of professionals on LinkedIn, you'll need at least 1,000 followers.
How much does a 100k influencer make?
It really varies depending on the brand deals an influencer secures. Generally, an influencer with 100,000 followers can expect to make anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars for a single post.
