As a marketer, are you leveraging LinkedIn to its fullest potential?
In this guide, we analyze 16 top LinkedIn marketing influencers to see how they’ve grown their audiences to hundreds of thousands (or even millions!) of followers.
You’ll learn the secrets of growing a LinkedIn audience and boosting engagement – and we’ll give you the key takeaways for growing your own business or personal profile.
Influencer 1: Gary Vaynerchuk
Number of followers: 5.6 million+
Business promoted: VaynerX, VaynerMedia and VeeFriends
Key quote: “When I hear people debate the ROI of social media? It makes me remember why so many businesses fail. Most businesses are not playing the marathon. They’re playing the sprint. They’re not worried about lifetime value and retention. They’re worried about short-term goals.”
Why should you follow him?
The first of the top LinkedIn influencers to follow is Gary Vaynerchuk. He has a great ability to recognize trends and patterns early. He then communicates this via his LinkedIn page (and various other social media pages) to help others understand how these shifts impact markets and consumer behavior. His content, which offers a variety of LinkedIn marketing tips for brands, is authentic and value-driven, and he uses
storytelling and personal branding to deeply connect with his audiences. If you’re looking for the latest trends, especially in the B2B space, make sure you follow him.
Influencer 2: Neil Patel
Number of followers: 660,900+
Business promoted: Neil Patel Digital
Key quote: “The key to success isn’t much good until one learns the value of failure”
Why should you follow him?
Neil Patel is considered a marketing genius. His content focuses on practical, data-driven strategies for digital marketing. What he does well is that he breaks down complex SEO, content marketing, and lead generation topics, and clearly sets out strategies that work. His LinkedIn profile has become a great source of easy-to-understand B2B marketing insights. Thanks to these insights, many businesses have been able to improve their online visibility, drive qualified leads, and build brand authority.
Influencer 3: Matt Bailey
Number of followers: 26,400+
Business promoted: SiteLogic
Key quote: “Tomorrow’s marketers need to understand data and turn it into action. Then, present that data persuasively to influence action”
Why should you follow him?
What we like about Matt Bailey’s content is that he focuses on helping marketers turn data into action. In a data-led world, this is a must-have to attract more followers and entice engagement. He shows how to find the story in the data and communicate it persuasively through influence and presentation skills. For B2B companies, he offers a lot of insights where he blends data analytics with storytelling to deliver impactful marketing strategies – an effective strategy when selling to other businesses.
Influencer 4: Rand Fishkin
Number of followers: 166,600+
Business promoted: SparkToro
Key quote: “You have to ask yourself, whenever you are producing any type of content, who will amplify this and why?”
Why should you follow him?
Rand Fishkin is an entrepreneur and the co-founder of the search company Moz. His candid and transparent approach to discussing the SEO industry is a welcomed breath of fresh air for many. You’ll find great value in his content as it resonates with so many business owners, especially those in the B2B space. He cuts to the heart of challenges that these businesses face in the SEO space and what they can really do about it. He gives hard-hitting tips that work and explains how business owners can create content that others will want to share.
Influencer 5: Ann Handley
Number of followers: 473,100+
Business promoted: MarketingProfs
Key quote: “In an online world, our online words are our emissaries; they tell the world who we are”
Why should you follow her?
Ann Handley has become renowned for her social media content which focuses directly on how you can rethink the way your business markets itself. What really stands out about her LinkedIn profile is that she hosts live LinkedIn webinars, one of which is “Marketing Myth Bustesr.” For B2B businesses, her content provides a great roadmap of how they can create customer-focused, clear, and valuable posts that help build trust and long-term relationships. She also gives great insights into how you can leverage the written word effectively.
Influencer 6: Pam Moore
Number of followers: 346,700+
Business promoted: Marketing Nutz
Key quote: “Effective branding is not making yourself heard. It’s being understood.”
Why should you follow her?
Pam Moore puts herself forward as a Digital Brand Physiologist, where she helps brands develop meaningful, long-term connections with their audience. What sets her content apart is that it focuses on the blend of digital marketing strategies and human-centric branding. She is all about connection. B2B businesses can learn a lot about how to build trust and nurture leads in an effort to make that all-important commercial transaction. You’ll also find deep insights into artificial intelligence, with a lot of her content focusing on AI technology.
Influencer 7: Mari Smith
Number of followers: 55,500+
Business promoted: Mari Smith International
Key quote: “Content is King, but engagement is Queen, and the lady rules the house!”
Why should you follow her?
While Mari Smith uses LinkedIn to grow her credibility, her real specialization lies with Facebook. She is known as the “Queen of Facebook,” which is really what her content focuses on. Through LinkedIn, she helps guide businesses on how to leverage Facebook successfully, with tips and hints on best practices. B2B companies can learn a lot about how to get high integrity, profitable exposure online in what is a highly competitive market. It’s this focus on building Facebook credibility that really sets her apart.
Influencer 8: Kieran Flanagan
Number of followers: 63,000+
Business promoted: Hubspot and Zapier
Key quote: “When it comes to content, the best marketers know that self promotion is good!”
Why should you follow him?
Kieran Flanagan, who’s known as a phenomenally effective B2B marketer, posts content specifically focused on early-stage founders that are looking to grow their business. His content is a great source of insights for B2B businesses that are in the early stages of growth. He’s also a SaaS expert, helping businesses grow their traffic, users, and revenue. As such, he’s built a loyal following in that space. If this is your game, we’d highly recommend that you follow him.
Influencer 9: Joe Pulizzi
Number of followers: 246,100+
Business promoted: Tilt Publishing
Key quote: “Before you create any more great content, figure out how you are going to market it first”
Why should you follow him?
Having achieved the “Lifetime Achievement Award” by the Content Council, Joe Pulizzi’s name carries a lot of weight. What he does well is video: he posts a variety of recorded videos where he covers everything from AI tech to political marketing strategies. He also does many live webinars on LinkedIn. For B2B businesses, he shares great advice on how strategies that major businesses use can be applied to B2B marketing strategies.
Influencer 10: Larry Kim
Number of followers: 91,200+
Business promoted: Customers.ai
Key quote: “Before you create any more great content, figure out how you are going to market it first”
Why should you follow him?
Larry Kim has a lot of credibility behind his name, being named Search Marketer of the Year. What we really like about his content is that he shares a lot of insights that he’s gained from his own entrepreneurial journey, which is highly valuable for any B2B business that is either starting out or looking to scale. He talks a lot about AdWords, Facebook, and keyword tools, so if this is an area you are looking to focus on, we’d highly recommend following him.
Influencer 11: Barry Schwartz
Number of followers: 40,800+
Business promoted: RustyBrick
Key quote: “If you’re going to build a website, make sure to have a website that Google would be embarrassed not to rank for its main keyword”
Why should you follow him?
Barry Schwartz is a great person to follow on LinkedIn if you are looking to improve the online visibility of your website. As an SEO expert, his content primarily focuses on how you can refine your website and its content to improve the ranking of specific search terms. This is important because if you are not ranking when a term relevant to your business is searched, you’ll never be considered. His posts provide great insights into simple things you can do on your website to attract more prospects through search engines.
Influencer 12: Jeff Bullas
Number of followers: 56,300+
Business promoted: Side Hustle Strategies
Key quote: “Less is more. Keeping it simple takes time and effort”
Why should you follow him?
As a digital entrepreneur, Jess Bullas has a wealth of information about what it takes to not only run a business, but grow it. We would recommend that you follow him if you are looking to adopt more AI in your business, whether that be in your marketing or operations. With a mission to inspire and educate entrepreneurs to grow their business in a digital world, he’s definitely someone that you should be following on LinkedIn if you are serious about growth in the age of AI.
Influencer 13: Ryan Deiss
Number of followers: 44,400+
Business promoted: The Scalable Company
Key quote: “Until you reach $1M in revenue, you should be the MOST valuable person in your business. Once you cross the 7-figure mark, the game changes”
Why should you follow him?
As an entrepreneur, author, and investor, Ryan Deiss is the creator of the “Customer Value Optimization” methodology. This can best be summarized as the “treasure map” to building an unstoppable business. The value in his content lies in helping other business owners systemize, scale, and exit. If your goal is to build a B2B business with the intent to sell it in the future, you’ll find a wealth of information on his LinkedIn profile.
Influencer 14: Eric Siu
Number of followers: 44,300+
Business promoted: Single Grain
Key quote: “Do not chase the money, chase the opportunity”
Why should you follow him?
Eric Siu is an SEO consultant and entrepreneur who has developed growth strategies for dozens of notable brands. What he does well is that he covers a broad range of digital marketing themes, from SEO and paid media to mobile advertising and more. He’s worth a follow as he provides great case studies on what digital marketing strategies leading companies have deployed and why these have worked. He then unpacks how you can apply these strategies in your own business. His videos are short and sharp, but contain plenty of key insights. If you’re strapped for time, his content might be just for you.
Influencer 15: Jay Baer
Number of followers: 50,300+
Business promoted: Spirit Guides
Key quote: “If your stories are all about your product or services, that’s not storytelling. It’s a brochure. Give yourself permission to make the story bigger”
Why should you follow him?
Jay Baer is not only a renowned global business strategist, but also a serial entrepreneur who teaches business owners how to gain more customers and keep them. What’s unique about Jay is that he’s a colorful influencer with a particular focus on the spirits game. If you’re a business that sells liquor or any fast-moving product, you’ll find a great amount of value in his posts which unpack marketing strategies for both B2C and B2B FMCG companies.
Influencer 16: Bryan Eisenberg
Number of followers: 144,500+
Business promoted: DataTurk
Key quote: “Effective content marketing is about mastering the art of storytelling. Facts tell, but stories sell”
Why should you follow him?
What we really like about Bryan Eisenberg’s content is that he’s a revenue specialist. He’s an optimization expert who helps companies increase sales by focusing on revenue blind spots. Through his LinkedIn content, you’ll learn a lot about where your own revenue blind spots may lie and how you can fix them. If you’re a B2B business that wants to make small cuts that will make a significant impact in increasing your revenue, then you should be following this revenue influencer.
Marketer’s Takeaways
Here’s what you need to remember when it comes to LinkedIn strategy for companies:
- Personal Branding and Storytelling: Follow the strategies of influencers Gary Vaynerchuk and Ann Handley who emphasize the importance of building personal brands through storytelling.
- Data-Driven Content: Take note of influencers such as Neil Patel and Matt Bailey who focus on turning data into actionable strategies. Analyze what’s working with your LinkedIn audience, and double down.
- Interactive Engagement: Figures like Pam Moore and Rand Fishkin stress the power of interactive content, like webinars, videos, and AI tools, to engage audiences and build trust on LinkedIn. Watch them to see how to do engagement well.
- Don’t make it about you: Focus on relationship-building rather than self-promotion.
- Tailor your content: Make sure that you tailor your content to audience pain points and deliver value through education, as opposed to the hard sell.
- Use the power of AI: Many of the influencers above speak to the adoption of AI and how it’s become a necessity to stay ahead of the pack. Use the many AI tools that are available to produce content that works for your business (including the Media Shower platform!).
Ready to level up your LinkedIn content? Try the Media Shower marketing platform, which has been trained on LinkedIn best practices. Start your free trial today.