Do you want to position yourself as a thought leader on LinkedIn? Do you want to be known for your expertise, impact and contributions to the LinkedIn community? Becoming a LinkedIn Top Voice may be the perfect way to fulfill these objectives. These badges can enhance your profile and drastically increase your reach and visibility.
Let's explore the essence of what it means to be a LinkedIn Top Voice and strategies for attaining this status.
Understanding LinkedIn Top Voice Programs
LinkedIn Top Voices represent individuals within the LinkedIn community acknowledged for their expertise and thought leadership in respective fields. LinkedIn's exact selection criteria is unknown but is believed to include things like content quality, engagement metrics, platform influence, and overall community contribution.
There are two programs: The Top Voices Program and the Community Top Voices program. I'll touch on both.
LinkedIn Top Voices Program
Distinguished by a blue badge, the LinkedIn Top Voices program is an exclusive invitation-only initiative, recognizing top-tier experts and leaders worldwide.
Previously known as the Influencer program until its transition in 2022, members transitioned into the new Top Voices program. Gaining entry into this program is solely through LinkedIn's selection process, meticulously handpicking individuals deemed worthy of the coveted blue badge.
LinkedIn very carefully evaluates potential candidates, ensuring they meet stringent criteria encompassing user trust, active engagement on the platform, and sharing valuable content. However, the platform reserves the right to revoke the badge at any time should an account fail to meet policies or the requisite standards.
Community Top Voices Program
Identified by a light gold icon, the Community Top Voices program acknowledges individuals for their significant contributions to collaborative articles, earning specific skill endorsements on their profiles. This was newly introduced in 2023.
While distinct from the Top Voices program, the Community initiative shares similarities, particularly in its reward system via skill badges. The acquisition of the gold badge hinges on users showcasing expertise in one or multiple skills, often demonstrated through contributions to collaborative articles. The attainment of the badge relies on peer recognition, with other users determining the noteworthiness of one's work.
Upon receipt, the Community Top Voice badge remains valid for 60 days. However, LinkedIn reserves the right to revoke the badge if the contributed work proves irrelevant, unoriginal, or breaches community policies or standards.
To keep the badge beyond the initial 60-day period, users must consistently provide their audience with relevant, original content that continues to garner recognition and value within the community.
Criteria for Earning LinkedIn Top Voice Recognition
Exact criteria for LinkedIn Top Voice selection remain undisclosed, but several factors are suspected, including:
Content Quality and Engagement: LinkedIn Top Voices consistently craft high-caliber content that educates, captivates, and resonates with their audience. Whether through articles, videos, or other mediums, their posts are characterized by informative substance, engaging presentation, and meaningful interaction.
Platform Influence: Top Voices have significant influence within the LinkedIn community, evidenced by substantial following and active engagement with their content. Their opinions and insights command respect and generate dialogue on LinkedIn and other social media platforms.
Community Contribution: Top Voices actively contribute to the LinkedIn community by fostering engagement, sharing knowledge, and nurturing growth opportunities. They foster meaningful interactions, offer valuable guidance, and champion peer collaboration.
Becoming a Community Top Voice on LinkedIn
The Community Top Voice initiative recognizes individuals actively engaged in community-building efforts within LinkedIn groups. Participation in group discussions, sharing insights, and offering support to fellow members are key criteria for Community Top Voice recognition.
It is important to note LinkedIn does not simply hand out these badges to everyone. You must be in the top 10% of contributors who add good-quality comments. You won't automatically receive them when you hit a certain number of contributions.
To try to achieve LinkedIn Community Top Voice status, consider these strategic approaches:
Define Your Niche: Establish a distinct niche and tailor your content to resonate with audiences within that domain. Specialization enhances your credibility and facilitates LinkedIn's recognition of your expertise. For instance, I have worked in corporate communications for nearly 15 years, so my chosen niche is corporate communications. LinkedIn has dozens of options.
Cultivate Collaborative Partnerships: Collaborate with industry peers, thought leaders and influencers to broaden your network and extend your content's reach. Embrace diverse perspectives and foster mutually beneficial collaborations to enrich your content and audience engagement.
Leverage Analytics: Use LinkedIn's analytics tools to glean insights into audience preferences, content performance, and trending topics. Utilize data-driven strategies to refine your content and optimize engagement.
My Experience with LinkedIn Community Top Voice
In late 2023, I achieved LinkedIn Community Top Corporate Communications Voice. My experience is it is well worth the effort to achieve and maintain. Some of the results I have seen include:
Hundreds of new followers and connections
More than a 300% increase in weekly profile views
Significantly more reach for both my regular posts and my contributions to the collaborative articles
Increase in opportunities for things like speaking engagements, profiles, etc.
Whether you’re a seasoned leader or an emerging voice in your field, these badges are a great way to demonstrate your expertise and value to the LinkedIn community—a community of more than 1 billion people. They represent not just professional achievement but a commitment to sharing knowledge, fostering discussion, and contributing to the growth of others.
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