LinkedIn has rapidly become one of the most important social media platforms on the internet. It is social media for business, a place where commerce and communication collide and is used primarily as a tool for networking, growth, and branding. It brings everyone from job seekers to CEOs to the same place, where a massive number of users consume the several types of content you can find on the platform. The social media content on LinkedIn ranges from blog posts and written word updates to pictures and videos.

LinkedIn officially launched in 2003 and has steadily risen in popularity. According to The Business of Apps, LinkedIn has over 756 million members, and their revenue has been steadily increasing every year, with Q3 of 2021 being their biggest yet. It is hard to say how many monthly active users there are with accounts owned by businesses and individuals. Still, it is clear that LinkedIn is a massive global platform with users on every continent that is extremely important for commercial purposes.

Influencer marketing requires businesses to utilize social platforms and their creators to achieve growth. Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok are currently dominating the market here, as the abundance of mega-influencers and micro-influencers that create sponsored user-generated content is high. But many brands are overlooking the potential of LinkedIn.

LinkedIn is not one of the top platforms for influencer marketing right now. According to MediaKix, LinkedIn came 6^th on the rankings of top channels for influencer campaigns, with only 19% of marketers considering LinkedIn an important part of their influencer social media strategy. But with a massive number of social media users, easy access to industry experts, and a specific type of influencer that may work well for certain businesses, LinkedIn certainly has a role to play in the industry’s future.

Let’s look at what the future may hold for LinkedIn influencer marketing.

B2B Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is primarily regarded as a B2C medium. Whether you are Instagram or TikTok influencer marketing, chances are, you are trying to sell consumers on a product. But LinkedIn opens the door to B2B marketing for this industry. You aren’t going to find many businesses scrolling Instagram or Snapchat to find their next software or business service. But you will find many using LinkedIn for this purpose. This makes LinkedIn one of the more intriguing platforms for influencer marketing.

All businesses won’t need this. LinkedIn won’t be your starting point if you are looking to target young and trendy consumers as a fashion brand. However, if you are a Software as a Service business looking to expand into new and exciting marketing channels, influencer marketing on LinkedIn could be a wise decision. It will allow you to get product reviews or software reviews, social media posts, or other types of sponsored content from business influencers. These could be industry leaders or people who have built a brand as trusted commercial thought leaders. The value of a social post for a B2B business from LinkedIn influencers could be significant.

Creator Mode

LinkedIn hasn’t been one of the primary tools brands rely on, as they tend to focus on social channels with either a larger audience or better influencer marketing infrastructure. Because marketing agencies haven’t influencer marketed on LinkedIn regularly, they might not be aware of some of the changes on the platform. Recently, LinkedIn has added additional tools to try and lean into influencer marketing and become a more viable platform moving forward. One of those tools is Creator Mode.

LinkedIn’s Creator mode is a new way for accounts to open themselves to influencer marketing opportunities. It allows LinkedIn users to shift their accounts from regular to Creators, making it easier for brands and business owners to identify those open to influencer marketing opportunities. This is likely the first step in a long road for LinkedIn. There is chatter that they will try and find ways for users to begin monetizing and leveraging their social media fame in the near future, and Creator mode is an important first step. It makes it easier for influencers to grow their brand and reach new audiences and easier for brands to discover influencers seeking partnerships.

A Bright Future

While LinkedIn hasn’t reached the status of Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok for influencer marketing, it has potential. LinkedIn has a huge number of different accounts that have achieved major followings, and they are adding new tools to make it easier for content creators to find an audience. They are also leaning more into short-form video, one of the types of content that are most popular right now.

If LinkedIn continues to add tools and make it easier for businesses and influencers to use their platform, this will be a massive new revenue channel for many different people. It opens the door to B2B influencer outreach and could usher in a new era for the industry.

Partnering with a top influencer marketing agency is the best way to get the most out of your campaigns. Influence Hunter is an influencer marketing firm with significant experience helping brands create high-performing marketing campaigns that are customizable and engaging. With effective campaigns created across industries, Influence Hunter has found a recipe for success. Get in touch today to find out how we can help your business.