LinkedIn now allows brands to sponsor any organic post

LinkedIn now allows companies to promote content from any app user, not just their own employees, by expanding their Thought Leader ads into a form of branded content promotion.

Previously, brands could use Thought Leader ads to convert verified employee posts into promotions. Companies now have the option to promote non-employee posts as well.

Why we care Sharing knowledge and experiences from people who aren’t on your payroll could help improve your brand’s reputation, credibility, and trustworthiness, which could lead to more conversions.

How it works. A brand can set up a thought leader ad by following these simple steps:

Log in to Campaign Manager. Once you’re signed in, search for a person (by name) who is a 1st or 2nd degree connection, or enter the URL of the content you want to sponsor. The search results will display a list of posts by that member that the brand can sponsor. To prevent misuse or unauthorized promotion, when a business selects a post to sponsor, the creator will receive a notification asking them to approve or deny the request.

availability Thought Leader ads for non-employee members will be available worldwide in late March.

What LinkedIn says. LinkedIn said in a statement:

“Nearly 73% of decision makers say an organization’s thought leadership content is a more reliable basis for assessing its capabilities and competencies than its marketing materials and product sheets.” “Expanding our Thought Leader Ads format to allow brands to showcase voices beyond their employees gives them a new way to reach their target audience with relevant information, such as customer testimonials.”