I sat down with LinkedIn's CMO. Here's what I learned. 

I went to LinkedIn's office in the Empire State Building to sit down with Jessica Jensen, LinkedIn's Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer. We talked about LinkedIn creators, B2B marketing, video content, and even improv (you’ll have to watch the video for that part). 

Here are some main points that came from the conversation.

"Creators are essential to LinkedIn."

What started as an online resume site has evolved into a platform with 1.3 billion users and its own content ecosystem. As a result, LinkedIn creators have more than doubled in the last four years. 

Jensen was sure to stress that these creators aren’t just influencers either. They're experts and spokespeople with unique perspectives across every industry – from finance and tech to nursing and farming. 

LinkedIn has rolled out two programs to help pair these creators with brands and advertisers. The first of which, BrandLink, allows brands to run pre-roll video ads alongside content from creators. Top Voices 360 goes deeper, pairing a specific brand with a specific creator for custom content or events marketing.

"Real human video is the solution to pollution."

When I asked Jensen about the role of video content on LinkedIn, she didn’t hesitate to stress its importance. 

She explained that with “AI junk” flooding our feeds, presenting yourself as a real human being with a real point of view is more valuable than ever. Video is the perfect format for that.  

I can personally attest to this. Video content has cut down the time it takes me to earn a client’s trust. When I’m talking to new prospects, they already have a sense of who I am and what I’m about, just from watching my videos. 

Her advice for anyone intimidated by posting on LinkedIn: don't overthink it. Pick up your phone and record 60 seconds on what you're learning or building. Then answer the comments, because that tells the algorithm you're a real person building a real community.

"18,000 people touch 60 million people."

LinkedIn does executive content extremely well. Just look at CEO Daniel Shapero’s page. But what I found interesting is how that doesn't stop at the C-suite level. 

Jensen shared that at LinkedIn, everyone is expected to be part of the community, not just executives. Employees are trained to make insightful and authentic posts that can connect with an audience. 

If anyone’s doubting the efficacy of employee posting, just look at the math. LinkedIn has 18,000 employees. Combined, they reach 60 million people. You’re not getting that audience with executives alone. 

As Jensen put it, companies that rely on the occasional C-suite post are just scratching the surface. She recommends finding the 200 best people in your company and training them to be genuinely good on LinkedIn. It’ll do wonders for generating business and building brand trust. 

"I strongly believe in B2P, business to people."

B2B brands advertising on LinkedIn often fall into the trap of playing it too safe, with campaigns Jensen would refer to as “boring”.  

Her take on what makes a successful B2B campaign is simple. People buy software and hardware and financial services. B2B marketers need to think about their campaigns the same way they would with consumer marketing. Be unusual. Grab eyeballs. Move hearts.

Some of her favorite examples of brands doing this are Salesforce, Adobe and ServiceNow (especially their Idris Elba campaign). 

The big picture

As LinkedIn becomes more of a content-focused platform, there’s a huge opportunity for both businesses and creators to capitalize on it. 

That means breaking through the walls of AI-generated text with genuine, creative videos that can engage an audience. The brands and creators who make that shift early are the ones who'll own the platform's next chapter.

At Creatorbuzz, we help connect B2B companies with the right creators for their brand and build campaigns that connect with their audience.

If you’re a creator looking to build with B2B brands, join our network today. 

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