LinkedIn jumps into influencer marketing like TikTok with Thought Leader Ads
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Key notes
- LinkedIn launches Thought Leader Ads, a new way for brands to leverage influencers on the platform.
- This shift targets the growing influencer marketing market and aims for higher engagement than traditional ads.
- Building a network of creators and competition with established platforms like TikTok are key challenges.
LinkedIn is entering the influencer marketing space with the launch of Thought Leader Ads. This new advertising format allows brands to amplify posts from established LinkedIn users, including industry experts and thought leaders, to capture a larger share of the influencer marketing market.
Traditionally, LinkedIn has focused on business-to-business (B2B) advertising, capitalizing on its user base of professionals to connect companies with clients and customers. However, with revenue growth is decreasing in recent years, LinkedIn is looking for new ways to expand. Influencer marketing, a multi-billion dollar industry, seems like a good opportunity, as visible on TikTok and Instagram.
Thought Leader Ads use the credibility and reach of established LinkedIn users. Brands can identify relevant influencers and, with their permission, promote their posts to a wider audience. This strategy can generate higher engagement than traditional advertising methods, as users are more likely to trust content from industry peers than generic marketing messages.
Early results seem promising. LinkedIn reports that Thought Leader Ads have yielded higher engagement rates than standard image ads, but building a network of creators takes time and effort. A couple of weeks ago, LinkedIn was seen testing a TikTok-style feed.
Currently, LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager advertising system lacks an automated process for connecting brands with influencer agencies. The company acknowledges this as a limitation and is exploring ways to simplify the process.
It remains to be seen whether Thought Leader Ads can compete with the established dominance of Instagram and TikTok in the influencer marketing space. However, LinkedIn’s raid into this territory significantly changes the professional social media platform.
The success of this new ad format will depend on their ability to build a robust network of creators, simplify the process for advertisers, and effectively compete with other platforms for brand dollars.
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