AJ Eckstein (Founder & CEO of Creator Match) joins Mikael to discuss the emerging world of LinkedIn creator marketing and how brands can leverage professional influencers for B2B growth.
AJ's company Creator Match has run some of the biggest LinkedIn creator campaigns including Notion's viral "Notion Faces" campaign with 50 creators posting simultaneously, plus campaigns for HubSpot, BetterHelp, Teachable, and Wix.
Unlike traditional social platforms, LinkedIn creators typically maintain full-time corporate jobs while building influence in their professional niches - making them trusted voices rather than traditional influencers. The platform represents a massive blue ocean opportunity since most brands haven't tapped into creator partnerships on LinkedIn yet.
AJ explains that successful LinkedIn creators master "edutainment" - the balance between education and entertainment that works perfectly for B2B audiences. His free Chrome extension helps brands identify which creators are already doing sponsored content and provides analytics on engagement rates and top-performing posts. The key insight: LinkedIn creator marketing works because it combines the trust of professional recommendations with the performance of thought leader ads, creating organic-looking sponsored content that outperforms traditional LinkedIn advertising.
Tune into the full episode to learn how to build your own LinkedIn creator playbook!
HIGHLIGHTS:
0:00 Intro
1:48 AJ's bragging rights - major LinkedIn campaigns
4:45 What makes LinkedIn creators different
7:36 The creator opportunity and monetization
10:54 What makes a great LinkedIn creator
13:27 Why brands should use LinkedIn creators
16:54 The power of thought leader ads
18:57 Finding creators with Chrome extension tools
20:30 How to approach and work with creators
23:36 Key takeaways and blue ocean strategy
Connect with Mikael - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikaeldia/
Connect with AJ - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-aj-eckstein/ or visit creatorMatch.com
