As businesses seek more targeted, impactful campaigns, LinkedIn influencers are proving that influence and expertise may be the winning combination for 2025.
For brands aiming to connect with professional audiences, LinkedIn has emerged as the surprise star of influencer marketing. Once known solely as a platform for résumés and networking, it has transformed into a thriving marketplace where influencers share insights, build authority, and drive meaningful action.
“LinkedIn may not be the first platform that springs to mind for influencer marketing, but that’s quickly changing. B2B marketers and creators are spearheading this transformation, and even some B2C brands are starting to take notice,” says Jasmine Enberg, VP and Principal Analyst at Emarketer. She says the turmoil at Twitter/X has been a big factor in helping LinkedIn pick up some disgruntled users, especially influencers.
To dig deeper into this growing trend, I chatted with five marketers at brands including HubSpot, Wix, ClickUp, and Teachable to uncover how they are leveraging LinkedIn influencers to engage niche, professional audiences, and why this trend is only just beginning.
Brands are paying attention
Several converging trends are driving the rise of LinkedIn influencers. Olivia Owens, Head of Creator Partnerships and Business Development at Teachable, notes, “We’re at a point in the creator economy where influencers are no longer just entertainers; there’s a new class of educational creators building online communities based on their expertise.” A recent Teachable survey found that 95% of consumers have learned something new from a creator. “This has led to the emergence of ‘B2B creators’—influencers with validated authority, engaged audiences, and a scalable platform that brands seek,” Owens explains.
“When someone with a high title at a successful company speaks, you’ll listen,” shares Chris Cunningham, Founding Member and Head of Social Marketing at ClickUp. He confirms that “LinkedIn influencers are more sought after than ever in the B2B marketing landscape.”
“LinkedIn is not just a powerhouse for reaching audiences; it’s a key platform for discovering new creators,” says Alanah Joseph, Head of Creator Partnerships at HubSpot. She has observed a growing number of influencers leveraging LinkedIn to network with brands and professionals in the creator economy. The platform has also transformed into a hub where brands, agencies, creators, and their managers can seek out new brand deals and opportunities.
Although LinkedIn has been around for over two decades, Sarah Adams, Head of Partnerships and Influencer Marketing at Wix, notes that “more and more B2B brands are finally viewing LinkedIn as a viable avenue for influencer marketing.” However, this shift comes with its challenges. Adams emphasizes that “there are many actions LinkedIn can and should take to be more influencer marketing-friendly,” pointing out the need for enhancements in search capabilities, analytics, and visibility of post impressions.
Examples from LinkedIn Influencer Collaborations
As the lead for Creator Partnerships at HubSpot, Joseph highlights that “Creators in the B2B space are our top priority.” In 2024, HubSpot partnered with over 20 LinkedIn creators to promote HubSpot products and resources, primarily through static posts, but are also experimenting with live video and newsletters. They focus on creators who act as “on-demand business mentors,” helping audiences enhance their B2B strategies with HubSpot tools. Their campaigns succeed because they grant creators full editorial freedom and prioritize long-term partnerships over short-term ad buys, offering opportunities for contributors in their Media Network through blog columns and exclusive content.
LinkedIn is where business people hang out. Cunningham further shares that “it’s where they go to learn on their lunch break. It’s where they share their accomplishments. It’s where they find new trends/strategies. It’s even becoming where they get out their popcorn and follow drama between companies.” And his strategy is to also make people laugh. His influencer series “HR Going Too Hard in a Meeting” has over 80 million impressions.
ClickUp’s influencer strategy is similar to an “inch wide, mile deep approach” where they would rather partner with fewer influencers and go deep on the partnerships. “In the past we’ve tried working with many LinkedIn influencers at a time, but we’ve found success in picking a few strong ones and putting in a lot of time to ensure success on both ends.” This includes product meetings, working sessions, and partnering on webinars.
One unique way to partner with LinkedIn Influencers is to encourage them to “build in public.” This is the strategy that Owens embodies at Teachable, and used for their first LinkedIn campaign in 2024 in partnership with LinkedIn Creator Agency Creator Match, where she advises her influencer partners to “create content that helps their followers see how they’re diversifying their revenue streams and turning their authority into true businesses.”
The future of brand collaborations
“LinkedIn Influencers and brand partnerships will keep on scaling and I believe the ways in which brands work with influencers will go beyond sponsored content,” shares Adams. A good example of this is the relatively new ability for brands to promote influencer, user, and employee posts on Linkedin through Thought Leader Ads, which was previously only available for companies to boost content from employees.
Similarly at HubSpot, Joseph confirms that “we plan to continue investing in LinkedIn influencers and collaborating on long-term partnerships that span across their platforms and HubSpot Media channels for the foreseeable future.”
Owens anticipates that the trend of leveraging LinkedIn influencers will only intensify, stating, “I think it’s inevitable that LinkedIn ramps up its strategic approach to influencers in the coming months. As this unfolds, brands will smartly continue to invest in this marketing channel. At Teachable, we’re eager to deepen our partnerships with LinkedIn influencers, amplifying their narratives of growth and business scaling through revenue diversification.”
At ClickUp, Cunningham revealed that “we view LinkedIn influencers as partners in long-term collaborations rather than one-off postings. Our goal is to collaborate with both larger influencers for broad reach and smaller micro-influencers for more targeted engagement. The power of micro-influencers in driving authentic interactions and engagement is undeniable, and LinkedIn will be no exception to this trend.
As the platform evolves, so do the opportunities for authentic, targeted collaborations with influencers who bring expertise and credibility in their niche audiences. From Teachable’s “build in public” campaigns to HubSpot’s long-term influencer partnerships, the strategies and successes shared in this article make one thing clear: LinkedIn influencer marketing isn’t just a trend; it’s the future of professional brand engagement in 2025. For companies ready to embrace this shift, the potential to create meaningful, long-term connections and generate real impact has never been greater.