How To Engage With Influencers On LinkedIn

The infinite scroll

You’re scrolling through your LinkedIn feed. You can’t help but wonder:

“How do these people get such amazing insights? What’s their secret to these results? How can I connect with them to learn?”

You may be feeling a little inconsequential in the world of LinkedIn influencers, but your lurker behaviour isn’t going to solve that. It’s time to turn into a leader.?

Stop lurking and start leading

When you’ve found yourself trying to fathom what sets an influencer apart from the rest of the crowd, remember something: influencers are people too. Even more importantly, they didn’t wake up one day and suddenly have a highly engaged, growing online audience. Influencers had to build it.

Put aside your imposter syndrome, and start thinking about how to connect with the LinkedIn influencer you admire the most. Then, remember that they’re a person too. That means they’re always keen to connect with people who share their interests. That’s the starting point, that turns you from a lurker to a leader.?

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Engaging with LinkedIn influencers

Stop simply scrolling, and start engaging with influencers. Here’s how to become an active, engaged part of their online audience:?

• Become a content consumer: Switch on those notifications for the person you admire, and make a point of regularly engaging with the influencer’s content. If you’re a fan, act like a fan! Respond with thoughtful comments, share insightful posts, and prioritise their content as must-read for your daily scroll.
• Go beyond the comment: Now that you’re rolling with your engagement, shift your perspective a bit and go beyond the comment. Ask insightful questions that showcase your interest in their content. Think of a unique perspective you might like to share on what they’ve had to say. This positions you as someone who isn’t just a fan or a follower. You clearly understand their value.
• Join the discussion: Where you see the influencer you admire, follow them there and join in the discussion. Be sure to tag them, but don’t turn from lurker into stalker. You’re aiming to be a leader here, after all! Where you can share an insight, comment appropriately, or contribute to a conversation, do it.?

Kicking in to connect

What comes next? The connection request. Now that you’ve demonstrated that you’re a highly engaged follower and a valuable fan, it’s time to send that connection request.

No, don’t just click and hope. Ditch the generic connection request, and create a personalised connection request that goes beyond the norm. Tip: check out our Prominence Global guide to crafting an epic connection request.?

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Build the relationship

Once your connection is set, carry on with your de-lurking strategy, but step it up to build the relationship. Celebrate your chosen influencer’s successes, and start engaging with their content on other platforms too. If you spot an opportunity to contribute to their work, offer your assistance. This is where the art of relationship building becomes your priority. Be useful, be helpful, and be kind. Nurturing this relationship will build your credibility and influence too.?

From connection to lead

As you establish yourself a little more each day, the opportunity to shift from connection to lead will begin to appear. Be patient here, and don’t step straight into salesperson mode. Focus on building trust, and establishing yourself as a valuable resource. You’ve offered help, and now offer to collaborate.

Your influencer is undoubtedly asking questions, so answer them, and then assess if there’s an opportunity for you to collaborate. Offer to co-author a piece of content, or make a point of sending them good referrals when they’re looking for a service provider. Aim to be a consistent source of support and valuable information.?

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Authenticity is everything

The most important part of turning yourself from a lurker into a leader is retaining your authenticity. Influencers are people, remember? That means they appreciate genuine interactions and not the sales pitch persona. Let your unique self shine, and stay true to who you are. Whether you’re engaging with influencers, or building your lead pipeline, authenticity is everything on LinkedIn.?

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