Today we’re launching the 4th annual Top Voices list, which celebrates the professionals creating the most-engaging content on LinkedIn. More than 2 million posts, videos and articles course through the LinkedIn feed each day, generating tens of millions more shares and likes. We culled through the data to highlight over 340 professionals around the world that are sparking conversations that make everyone better informed.
This year, the Top Voices that stood out range from IBM’s most-prolific female inventor Lisa Seacat DeLuca, who talks about the importance of engaging young females in STEM, to college student Vincent Carlos, who takes to LinkedIn to share the career insights he uncovered from his latest readings. Sharing on LinkedIn has helped each of these professionals build their careers and make important connections, whether it’s finding the right person to help with user research or landing paid writing opportunities.
“This is the benefit of LinkedIn, which is that everyone has been given a microphone to share their ideas,” says Carlos. “You just have to use it.”
If you’ve been thinking about joining the conversation on LinkedIn, but aren’t sure where to get started — we’ve got you covered. We’ve collected the best advice from our 2018 Top Voices and are sharing their secrets to success. Here’s how to build your own engaging professional conversations:
Have a fresh perspective
The most valuable asset you have as a content creator is your unique point of view, so be sure to let it shine. By sharing your take on the latest professional current events or an issue that’s trending in your industry, you are opening yourself up to new insights and ideas from your community that can drive a meaningful conversation. Need some inspiration? Check out the LinkedIn Daily Rundown for the latest news in the professional world.
Ask questions
One of the best ways to engage with your LinkedIn community is by asking questions. Think of topics that are top-of-mind for you at work and invite others to weigh in, e.g.: What are some of the biggest challenges you’re facing at work? What will the tech, retail, or entertainment industry look like in 5-10 years? These thought-starters can help spark discussions or debates and will keep the conversation flowing.
Experiment often
There are many ways to fuel and inspire conversation on the platform, so it is important to experiment and discover the style that works best for you. Try sharing a post of stunning imagery or a thought-provoking video that grabs your audience’s attention. Responding to comments on posts, @mentioning other professionals and using relevant hashtags are great ways to get people talking and make your content easy to discover.
Make it a habit
The more consistently you share your voice, the greater relationship you can build with your professional community. Make time to not only regularly share your insights, but also to engage in the comments with other professionals. The greater your presence is on the platform, the more others will seek it out!
Be sure to check out the full Top Voices list to explore and follow leaders in your industry, LinkedIn Influencers and beyond – including Technology, Education, Health Care, Management & Workplace, Economy & Finance, Retail, Marketing & Social Media, Startups & Entrepreneurship, Sales, Data Science & Analytics, and Philanthropy & Global Development.
Get out there and share your perspective on this year's list using #LinkedInTopVoices: Who are you following right now?
Methodology
To compile the list, our editors partnered with the LinkedIn Flagship Relevance team to uncover today’s most engaged — and engaging — members around the world in key segments. We use a combination of data and editorial signals. We screen for engagement among professionals sharing in their area of expertise, looking at what kind of conversations — measured by engagement, including comments and re-shares — their original content is creating. We track relative follower growth, too: Are these professionals attracting dedicated fans in their particular sector? Finally, we emphasize quality and diversity; the list should reflect the world we work in. All activity measured took place over a 12-month period, from mid-September 2017 to mid-September 2018, and as with all LinkedIn Lists, we excluded LinkedIn and Microsoft employees from consideration.