This week’s key points:

• The difference between Thought Leaders and LinkedInfluencers
• The newest trend on LinkedIn may saturate the platform for B2B companies
• Authenticity is goal number one in collaboration with LinkedInfluencers

Remember when LinkedIn wasn’t filled with endless common sense posts masked as motivational speeches? We don’t either. As more people are working from home, there is a large focus on building a personal brand through LinkedIn to cultivate an image outside of their place of employment. The issue? The LinkedInfluencers have simply found a way to go viral and may saturate the platform.

Thought Leadership vs LinkedInfluencers

The term Thought Leadership is constantly floating around LinkedIn. This form of content comes from people with experience in a particular field or niche as they share their thoughts on timely employment issues. Typically, those deemed as Thought Leaders are recognized and well-respected in their field. The content created not only helps the people reading, but it also better develops their organization’s reputation. 

On the flip side, we are seeing a rise in LinkedInfluencers – people that have cracked the code for creating a viral post on LinkedIn. These aspects include “clickbait-y one-liners; using short, incomplete sentences; throwing in a “random acts of kindness” video;” which push for increased engagement and connections on the platform. The issue is that, most of the time, the goal is for virality rather than an authentic connection or depth of content.

Jack Martin, a content creator on TikTok, exemplifies the ridiculousness of the seemingly motivational influencer trend that is taking over LinkedIn. The viral posts of “dear hiring manager” or “the most crucial thing I learned in ___” are only providing surface level thought rather than reflecting on the ways to change specific behaviors within the working world. Martin puts this display within his videos from creating his own celebratory post to responding with endearing congratulations.

What does this mean for marketers?

The lack of distinction between the Thought Leaders and LinkedInfluencers may cause issues for brands that use LinkedIn as an advertising tactic. When it comes to marketing, Linkedin is commonly used by B2B brands, which can include collaborating with key figures on the platform. So, how should you navigate this space?

As with anything, it’s important to do your research and determine the authenticity of the content that’s being posted by potential collaborators. Although someone may have a lot of reactions to their post, that does not mean that their goal is based in producing content that is authentic. You want to find someone who creates streamlined content that has the credibility to back up their claims.

Additional considerations

Make sure that your brand aligns with the brand of the collaborator. Just as it’s important for an influencer’s messaging to be authentic, it’s important that your brand remains authentic by collaborating with people who have the same values as you. It’s easy to pinpoint collaborations that are not based in mutual care. The content that has been previously shared by the influencer should align with your brand, so we recommend spending extra time researching potential collaborators. 

As with any social platform, there will be people striving to hit the highest metrics rather than focusing on authentic messaging. The influencer marketing space will only continue to grow alongside social media, so it’s important to reflect on the intentions behind a collaboration, as well as ensuring that the people you align with care about the influence of your brand. 

You know your business, we know LinkedIn. Let’s talk.

Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you for the next installment of Media Trends Monday! Have a great week.