LinkedIn creator mode – Do I turn it on?

LinkedIn Creator Mode - do you need it?

LinkedIn regularly updates features and provides new options that help you raise visibility and support the content you create.

If you’re not on there all the time you may have missed the option to switch on Creator Mode. Here’s what you need to know to decide whether to turn creator mode on.

The biggest question most clients have right now is around creator mode for individual profiles.

Should I turn it on? Are there any negatives to turning on creator mode?

My short answer is YES, but as always it comes down to what your LinkedIn goals are and how LinkedIn creator mode will help the most.

What is LinkedIn creator mode?

According to LinkedIn Business
‘Creator mode is a profile setting on your dashboard that can help you grow your reach and influence on LinkedIn. You can turn on creator mode to get access to additional tools and features that help you create content and grow your audience base on LinkedIn.”

LinkedIn Creator mode gives you:

More ways to get discovered. From time to time LinkedIn recommends people to follow – this could be you.
An option to share up to 5 hashtags. Use these to quickly showcase your areas of expertise.
The featured content section is more prominent because it’s higher up the page.
Follow V’s Connect as the default, but don’t worry, it’s easy for people to connect with you if they want to.
Access to more creative features like Newsletter and LinkedIn live
The option to create your 30-second profile video intro
Shows follower count over the total number of connections you have

Who needs creator mode?

LinkedIn creator mode can be for anyone wanting to raise their visibility. And it’s especially useful for small business owners, sales teams, and people interested in building their personal brands.

Creator mode will support your goals to:

Grow your audience and network connections
Be known for your area of expertise
Get more eyeballs on your content as people outside your network will see your content if they follow your hashtags
Increase your odds of being considered for opportunities (media, podcast guests, speaking spots)
Help people understand what you do
Gain more interest in an event you’re running via LinkedIn live
Help people decide whether to work with you

Small Business Owners

Who want to raise awareness of their solutions and build a thought leadership presence.

Sales Teams

Who want an opportunity to start conversations with potential and existing clients and showcase the services/offers they have.

Personal Brand Builders

Who want to be remembered for their niche and want to expand their reach.

5 simple steps to turn on creator mode

Step 1: Go to your profile dashboard and switch Creator Mode to green

Step 2: LinkedIn shows you a preview of how it will look. Hit next.

Step 3: Add 1-5 hashtags so your connections know what topics you post about.

Step 4: If you want these topics to show on your Profile Intro choose yes

Step 5: Hit save and wala, your new creator mode profile is visible.
And you have access to LinkedIn Live and Newsletter feauture.

When not to turn creator mode on

Turning on/off features on LinkedIn should be squarely tied to your goals. So if you don’t have any plans to grow your profile or be known as an expert in your niche, you don’t really need to turn it on.

When not to turn creator mode on:

You’re not clear on what you want to be known for
You don’t have a goal for LinkedIn
You only log on once a week and don’t want anyone to know you hang out there
You hate the idea of Follow being your default instead of Connect
You don’t want to consistently create content

My experience as a freelancer with Creator Mode turned on

For someone like me, a small business owner, B2B focus and freelance marketer, turning Creator Mode on is a no-brainer.

It gives me an extra opportunity to show what I can do and how I can help.

I see my LinkedIn profile as my very own personal advertising billboard. Another space on the internet for me to showcase what I do and how I help. The more options the better.

For example, if people come across my profile because of content I’ve created or a comment I made on a post they are checking me out because they want to know more about me.

So in my mind, I need to make it as easy as possible to understand that quickly, yes?

Over half of my new clients find me on LinkedIn, the others are referrals from past clients or peers – so it’s worth giving my profile every chance of being more discoverable and appealing to people outside of my network.