[Editor’s Note: LinkedIn currently seems to be all the rage for those in business and communication. PRNEWS decided to create a series on LinkedIn for those who want to expand their knowledge and experience using the platform. So far we’ve completed pieces on best practices for LinkedIn Live and tips for thought leadership posts. Today’s piece highlights LinkedIn’s “Creator Mode” feature and its benefits.]
LinkedIn members may have noticed an increase in different types of content from their connections. Some professionals and brands have launched newsletters. Other individuals are hosting audio chats. Many members are offering expertise on collaborative articles.
The increase in content types is a direct result of the launch of LinkedIn’s Creator Mode. We’re here to provide a rundown on Creator Mode and how it can benefit public relations and communication professionals.
What is Creator Mode?
According to LinkedIn: “Creator Mode is a profile setting that can help you grow your reach and influence on LinkedIn. You can turn on Creator Mode to get access to additional tools and features that help you create content and grow your audience base on LinkedIn.”
“Turning on Creator Mode helps members better showcase their content, engage their audience and share knowledge,” says a LinkedIn spokesperson. “There are currently over 17M members that have Creator Mode turned on globally.”
Clayton Durant, Director of Emerging Media & Platform Strategy at MikeWorldWide, and a verified LinkedIn Top Voice, says communicators should look at it as an “upgrade.”
“From a PR perspective, digital strategists should think of 'Creator Mode' as a button that upgrades your LinkedIn profile, transforming it from just a personal online resume to a robust executive eminence tool,” he says.
Who has access to Creator Mode?
Any member with an audience base of more than 150 followers/connections that interacts on the platform, and displays good behavior, are eligible for Creator Mode access.
What features are available to Creators?
Some of the features available to those with Creator Mode include:
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Profile changes: Instead of “connect” your button will now say “follow.”
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Link in profile: This allows you to feature a personal blog or product or drive a follower to any space you would like them to visit.
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Profile optimization: Featured skill keywords listed under your name and title
“These tags serve dual purposes,” Durant says. “Guiding the LinkedIn algorithm in recommending content to a broader user base and identifying pages with pertinent content for wider reach, especially on LinkedIn's trending news timelines were editorial picks garner millions of views daily. Done correctly, choosing your topical page hashtags can help you grow your following tenfold without the need for additional paid media.”
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LinkedIn Live access
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Heightened eligibility to be featured for your content in LinkedIn roundups
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Newsletter creation capabilities
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Audio event creation
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Ability to offer expertise in collaborative articles
“I like to think of collaborative articles as peer review,” says JinJa Birkenbeuel, Chief Executive Officer, Birk Creative. “You can make suggestions and comments on the content that LinkedIn has created using artificial intelligence. The articles on the collaborative articles section are originally generated by AI, and so it allows creators to provide feedback and suggest ideas. I think it's great that humans can give feedback to these artificially-generated articles that LinkedIn produces.
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Expanded analytics: includes post analytics and audience analytics for a more-thorough look into who is consuming your content and popularity of your content.
“Creator Mode endows users with profound analytics encompassing follower and engagement data and delving into demographic specifics,” Durant says. “This permits strategists to discern which companies are engaging with content, the roles of these engagers, and their geographical locations. Such insights not only facilitate evaluating daily content efficacy but also correlate the digital strategist's LinkedIn KPIs to tangible business objectives, making the argument for investing in a LinkedIn program easier to understand for all parties involved.”
How should PR/Comms use it for clients?
Diana Kelly Levey, freelance journalist, copywriter, content strategist, ghostwriter, DianaKelly.com, believes PR pros should encourage their clients and organizations to become more active on LinkedIn in the first place.
“The client should look at who is following them, viewing their profile, commenting on their posts and subscribing to their newsletters (if they decide to launch that),” Kelly Levey says. “This is an excellent way to reach out to someone on LinkedIn who could partner with the client in the future or help their business in some way.”
Durant notes the importance of utilizing Creator Mode for executive communications.
“Activating Creator Mode, especially from an executive eminence standpoint, focuses on one primary objective: transitioning an executive's profile from what we at MikeWorldWide label the "Everyday Executive" (an individual who uses the platform for casual posts and interactions) to a "Top Voice," he says. “This status, granted by LinkedIn, distinguishes thought leaders and executives leading dialogues across diverse areas, from finance to entertainment.”
Kelly Levey also suggests how communicators can guide their clients and brands in the right direction if concerned about the time commitment.
“If the PR professional's client isn't able to set aside the time for posts and articles, the PR pro can work with them to develop a content calendar and ghostwrite [posts],” she says. “I've found that the two biggest issues people in my network…say they have with using Linkedin are A) not having time to post and B) not knowing what to say.”
Advantages of Creator Mode vs. None
Even though turning on a new feature sounds tempting, Creator Mode is simply not for everyone. Dani Herrera, intentional DE&I consultant, trainer and speaker, explains how to evaluate.
“I'd strongly suggest turning Creator Mode on if your main goals are sharing content and building a community,” she says. “But, if your main goals are finding a new job or browsing LinkedIn every now and then., I'd recommend working on optimizing your profile first.”
Birkenbeuel sees LinkedIn Creator Mode as a way to give a voice to those who may be wary of speaking up.
“Many people are terrified to leave comments or engage in conversation—in particular women,” Birkenbeuel says. “Women are afraid to use their voice for fear of being reprimanded, lose their jobs, stature, or shamed…so Creator Mode is really great for women that are trying to increase, enhance or develop their brand.”
However, Birkenbeuel notes, it does take a little elbow grease and some gumption to make Creator Mode work for you.
“It really does allow you to learn and use your voice and become more powerful as a public speaker,” she says. “But you do have to have some level of confidence to make it work well.”
Durant notes that for executives and thought leaders, Creator Mode provides a superior chance to wield true influence on the platform.
“Without it enabled, it's considerably tougher to build a significant following and establish influence,” he says. “In fact, running an executive eminence program on LinkedIn without Creator Mode is much like adding a 50-pound weight to your campaign, significantly reducing your ability to optimize your campaign results.”
We could go on regarding Creator Mode best practices, but these are a few, for now, that we think will benefit your efforts. If you have more suggestions or questions, feel free to reach out to senior editor Nicole Schuman at [email protected]. We may use your suggestions in a future story.