LinkedIn, the leading professional networking platform, is doubling down on its video strategy by expanding its BrandLink program to include B2B creators, marking a significant step toward creator monetization.
Initially launched last year as a tool for advertisers and publishers, BrandLink allowed premium publishers—primarily major media outlets like Bloomberg, Reuters, and The Wall Street Journal — to display ads before selected videos and earn a share of the ad revenue, reportedly around 50%.
Now, LinkedIn is opening the doors to individual B2B creators, starting with a select group of 30 influential voices, with plans to scale the program further.
The inaugural cohort features prominent names like podcaster Guy Raz, host of How I Built This, and Steven Bartlett, creator of The Diary of a CEO. These creators, known for their engaging content tailored to business audiences, represent the kind of talent LinkedIn aims to empower through this initiative.
The move comes as video consumption on the platform surges, with LinkedIn reporting a 36% year-over-year increase in video viewership between October 30, 2024, and January 29, 2025, and a 67% rise in weekly video creation among participants in its publisher program during the same period.
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“Today, CMOs are eager to align with the next generation of voices that speak about business,” said Matthew Derella, LinkedIn’s Vice President of Marketing Solutions. “Our goal is to build a truly sustainable ecosystem for B2B creators.”
This expansion of BrandLink reflects LinkedIn’s broader push to become a hub for professional video content, capitalizing on the growing appetite for short-form and authentic video among its over one billion users.
The platform has been testing features like a vertical, TikTok-style video feed since March 2024, and the data shows that video is now the fastest-growing content category on LinkedIn, with creation rates outpacing other formats by twofold.
For creators, the monetization program offers a chance to tap into LinkedIn’s advertising ecosystem, aligning their content with brands eager to reach decision-makers. While the exact revenue-sharing model for creators remains undisclosed, the success of the publisher program suggests a lucrative opportunity.
Agencies are already reporting a boom in B2B creator campaigns, with Publicis Media Exchange noting a 250% increase in spending on such initiatives, and VaynerX estimating that 80% of B2B creator marketing energy is concentrated on LinkedIn.
The program’s rollout is strategic, timed ahead of LinkedIn’s first-ever NewFront presentation to advertisers on May 5, 2025.
By showcasing its creator-driven video content, LinkedIn aims to position itself as a premium destination for B2B marketing, competing with platforms like YouTube and TikTok while maintaining its professional edge.
For now, the program is invite-only, but LinkedIn’s history of scaling successful initiatives — like its publisher-focused Wire Program, rebranded as BrandLink — suggests broader access for creators is on the horizon.
As the platform continues to evolve into a content recommendation engine, B2B creators have a unique opportunity to monetize their expertise, build trust with professional audiences, and shape the future of business storytelling.
With video engagement soaring and LinkedIn’s commitment to creators growing, 2025 could mark a turning point for the platform’s creator economy. As one industry expert put it, “LinkedIn doesn’t need more video—it needs the right voices.” With BrandLink, it’s clear the platform is betting on creators like Raz and Bartlett to lead the charge.
