Linkedin is creating a new program that will give advertisement and promotional opportunities to influential content creators and career professionals on the platform.
This announcement was made in parallel with Dan Roth’s – the LinkedIn Editor-in-Chief – post on LinkedIn earlier this week:
“Creators are the lifeblood of LinkedIn. People who share their voice with the goal of building up the community — whether that’s by creating original posts, stories, videos, articles, etc.; amplifying new people to follow; sharing news and links and explaining why they’re worth your time; etc. — help us all see what’s possible and what’s coming.
Now we’re hiring an experienced leader to build a global team that supports creators around the world, enabling them to have an even bigger impact and better experience on the platform. This is a super exciting opportunity: a chance to grow and help an essential audience”.
It is clear that LinkedIn is cashing in on the importance of content creators: the success of platforms such as TikTok and OnlyFans have also led other companies to take a more-content driven approach.
3/ Creators are the ones who often get that ball rolling, creating original posts, stories, videos, articles, etc.; amplifying new people to follow; sharing news and links and explaining why they're worth our time; etc. They help get people talking and thinking.
— Daniel Roth (@danroth) February 12, 2021
“Creators are the ones who often get that ball rolling, creating original posts, stories, videos, articles, etc.; amplifying new people to follow, sharing news and links, and explaining why they’re worth our time” – Roth Twitter
Roth’s decision to invest in content is not unsurprising: content shares on LinkedIn have risen by 50% in 2020 as more and more conversations are taking place on the platform.
A Microsoft report on LinkedIn Engagement states:
“We once again saw record levels of engagement across the platform, as LinkedIn’s nearly 740 million members use the network to connect, learn, and find new opportunities. Sessions increased 30%. Conversations were up 48%. And hours spent on LinkedIn Learning were up 2x, compared to a year ago”.
Moreover, LinkedIn’s new content-focused strategy could give users a larger incentive to actively post engaging content on the platform which could open up a plethora of potential advertising opportunities. From a brand-perspective, companies could capitalize on LinkedIn influencers and take advantage of their niche following and their strong reach.
Above all, LinkedIn’s new creator community allows it to fulfill its mission of giving a platform to important voices within the community.