LinkedIn Top Voices 2019: Here are the people most responsible for driving professional conversation

It’s a noisy world out there. Figuring out how to tune out the shouting, how to have meaningful conversations about the topics you’re passionate about (or want to stay up-to-speed on) is increasingly more difficult. Yet the demand to hear from top voices keeps growing. 

Today we’re unveiling our 5th annual Top Voices list, LinkedIn’s definitive look at the professionals in a host of industries and regions who have figured out how to have those conversations. These are people who use every tool available to them on LinkedIn— articles, posts, videos and comments — to give and get help around topics in which they’re experts; we see the results of their conversations in their ability to start chains of interactions that go well beyond likes and follows (more on the metrics later). If you want to stay inspired and informed, these are the people you should be following.

This year’s honorees make up a dynamic group that isn’t afraid to be creative with their content, jump into the comments or share their experience and expertise to benefit others. There’s Nayla Al Khaja, the UAE’s first female film director and producer, who posts about her career journey and local gender issues. Kristina Hooper, chief global market strategist at Invesco, is gaining momentum among the finance crowd by sharing her investment views in a weekly newsletter. Facundo Manes, a neurologist in Argentina, frequently shares his reflections on current events. And returning Top Voice Morgan Ingram is activating niche conversations in the sales community, often using selfie videos, around topics like the success of voice messages for prospecting to sales management tips. 

To compile the list, we used a combination of quantitative and qualitative signals. First, our editors partnered with the LinkedIn Data Science team to measure the reactions a member is able to generate when they engage on the platform. Specifically, we looked at the volume of responses a person’s contributions sparked and the secondary spread of those responses. These signals are proxies for conversation and community development. 

That said, engagement metrics aren’t enough; we all know colleagues who get people talking — and not always in the best way. So our next filter was qualitative. Editors refined the list by looking at the member’s body of work: Are the contributions insightful, conversational and timely? Do they seek to give and get help versus being self-promotional? Finally, does this list reflect the world we work in today? All sharing activity measured took place over a 12-month period, from September 2018 to September 2019. As with all LinkedIn Lists, we exclude LinkedIn and Microsoft employees from consideration.

So, how does one really become a Top Voice? This year, we asked the honorees for their top tips. A few core themes stood out: 

• Authenticity is key. Almost all the Top Voices stressed the importance of letting their unique voice and personality shine through their content.
• Don’t overthink it. Raja Al Mazrouei, a Top Voice on our Gulf list, warns not to “over-engineer” posts. Many also mentioned keeping content simple and easy to absorb in order to cut through a crowded landscape.  
• Find your niche. “Don't follow the trends. Get really good at something, try to become the absolute best in your field and talk about it with passion. Your audience will find you!” says Somi Arian, a Top Voice in the UK. 
• Make sure you’re providing value. Andrea Perez, an honoree in marketing and social media, puts it this way: “Share what you wish someone had shared with you.”

Remember that new voices rise to the top every year — and there’s nothing stopping you from turning your own ideas into powerful conversations. Follow the advice above, and you may be surprised at the community you find. 

Here are this year’s #LinkedInTopVoices around the world.