Get Ready For Bigger, Bolder Business Influencers

Thought leadership is the lifeblood of both corporate comms and business to business marketing. However, not all leaders are good at it or willing to commit to it meaningfully.

For those who truly aspire to drive the agenda in their category or sector, LinkedIn's new Creator Mode's recent launch will come as an early Easter gift.

LinkedIn has rolled out its new Creator Mode within personal profles, making it easier than ever before for users to see their favourite creator's take on current events or find out their specific insights from a particular industry.

When thought leaders switch on Creator Mode, they'll be able to add hashtags to show their audience what topics they post about. In turn, this will help LinkedIn showcase them to interested audiences in the platform.

Creator Mode also moves a profile's Featured and Activity sections to the top of the profile, which will help display content more predominantly, and turns the Connect button to Follow. This is designed to help users build their audience.

Thought leaders and organic reach

With the new Creator Mode, business influencers will be able to improve organic reach, grow their Pages and potentially be well placed if (or when) LinkedIn makes a move to monetise the content on its network.

Creator Mode is one part of the incentives that LinkedIn are dreaming up to keep creators engaged and audiences responsive. The change puts more emphasis on the people that drive conversation within the app, which should help thought leaders build their personal brand and stand out within their field.

There has been a 50% increase in conversations on LinkedIn, it says, and nearly five billion connections were made in 2020.

LinkedIn Live is about to get bigger

There will also be a larger focus placed on LinkedIn Live, which will give further boosts to the content that creators share within the platform.

Tomer Cohen, Chief Product Officer, LinkedIn

"And, if you're a LinkedIn Live broadcaster, your Profile background will now show your Live broadcast when you start streaming, helping to increase the visibility of your content."

It sounds like LinkedIn are lumping extra visibility on top of extra visibility in a big boost for those who already feel comfortable with LinkedIn Live. Visibility squared? That's the type of thing that would entice anyone into the Live game.

But how do you get in on the act? You need to apply to become a LinkedIn Live broadcaster, only approved members and organisations can go live. Here's how you do that:

1. Complete an application form. If you're approved, LinkedIn will send an email and ping through an in-app notification.
2. Pick your streaming tool. You can go live using a third-party broadcast tool or create a custom stream.
3. Make sure you make the most of LinkedIn's broadcaster features, such as captions.
4. Use the encoder to achieve best results and professional quality broadcasts.

LinkedIn Video Cover stories for profiles

Additionally, LinkedIn has announced a way for regular users to improve their personal brand and marketability. Video Cover Stories will let people share their story more engagingly via an introductory video.

Job seekers will be able to share a quick overview of their skills and why they should be recruited. Business owners could use their Cover Stories to share products and company updates.

Tomer Cohen, Chief Product Officer, LinkedIn

"Once you add your Cover Story, an orange ring will appear around your Profile photo, and a preview of your video will auto-play silently within your photo frame (we like to think of it as the "Harry Potter" effect). And, stay tuned for captioning capabilities coming soon."

Video Cover stories will add a new level to how everyone brands themselves on LinkedIn, and it could even help with the job hunt. According to LinkedIn, 76% of US hiring managers think it would help see a pre-recorded video of job candidates.

Be big, be bold and show LinkedIn your personality and your skills. There's never been a better time to be engaging and showcase yourself.