Hey, LinkedIn: Let’s Make Conan An Influencer!

Watch out Linkedin, Conan O’Brien is preparing to leave his mark.

During Sept. 26’s episode of Conan, the massively popular talk show host and comedian unveiled his latest plan to take over the Web: gaining a loyal LinkedIn following. And why not? He already has more than nine million followers on Twitter, four million Google+ fans, two million Facebook likes and almost one million YouTube subscribers.

He’s adding to the “Conan Social Media Empire” in a serious way after proclaiming on his show, “I’m going to conquer LinkedIn.” Of course, this is to disregard the fact that he admits he’s never been on the site and doesn’t even really understand it.

Despite the fact that Conan is a newbie to LinkedIn, I believe he would make a great addition to LinkedIn’s roster of 300+ Influencers. As an Influencer myself, I think he could provide some really valuable -- and funny -- insight to LinkedIn users.

Here’s why:

1. Conan’s already influential. Conan’s no C-list celebrity. In fact, after his Thursday segment, he quickly hit the 500+ connections mark on LinkedIn. His followers are out there and ready to follow him to any platform he takes on. Conan’s skyrocketing popularity on LinkedIn and existing following on other social outlets means he could bring his tongue-in-cheek, quirky brand of comedy to the home of professional networking, too.

2. Comedians are professionals, too! Just a quick scroll through LinkedIn’s Influencers paints a pretty impressive picture. From the leader of the free world, Barack Obama, to the father of entrepreneurship, Richard Branson, to media moguls like Arianna Huffington and tech guys like Bill Gates, the program seems to have it all.

However, the Influencer program currently doesn’t count many comedians among its ranks -- at least not any with such great red hair. Bringing Conan on would completely change that, opening the door to a fresh creative perspective.

3. He really, really wants it. “I will not rest until I become the number one personality, or Influencer, as you call it on your site,” Conan said. Sure, he may just want to “conquer” a new social outlet, be he certainly seems dedicated to the endeavor. Giving Conan an Influencer platform will help him to see what a unique, innovative and dedicated audience LinkedIn has. And do we really want to crush the dreams of one of America’s favorite TV personalities?

4. Even professionals need a good laugh. They say laughter’s the best medicine, so why not give Conan the chance to offer sound professional advice with a humorous twist? One of the best aspects of LinkedIn’s Influencer program is the broad range of post topics. After taking a look at his profile page, it’s no question that Conan has something humorous to offer -- he lists “pretending to listen” and “blaming my father” among his skills.

Still, Conan graduated magna cum laude from Harvard, so he’s got a lot more to offer LinkedIn than just laughter. For example, at a commencement speech in 2011, Conan warned a class of college graduates that the only places hiring are Panera Bread and Mexican drug cartels. But he also offered some serious advice about being patient in the job search and letting your career aspirations evolve over time. Conan's intelligent humor could offer a fresh perspective for LinkedIn readers.

With influence, intelligence, humor and unmatched dedication, Conan’s got what it takes to be a LinkedIn Influencer. So what do you say LinkedIn -- are you ready to give Conan a shot?

Do you think Conan should be added as an Influencer?

Image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

About Ilya Pozin:

Founder of Open Me and Ciplex. Columnist for Inc, Forbes & LinkedIn. Gadget lover, investor, mentor, husband, father, and '30 Under 30' entrepreneur. Follow Ilya below to stay up-to-date with his articles and updates!