At the start of the year, you would have seen numerous trend pieces, and for us, LinkedIn stood out as a key platform — one that continues to shape professional engagement, thought leadership and brand visibility.
In his recent contribution to JSE Magazine’s article Clear Voice, written by Mark van Dijk, our CEO, Marc Ashton, highlighted the importance of executives actively engaging on social media. He noted that while only 37% of JSE Top 100 CEOs are active on LinkedIn, leadership content generates twice the engagement of company pages. Marc encourages leaders to establish their presence on LinkedIn to strengthen professional connections and amplify their impact.
As we step into 2025, LinkedIn’s role in professional networking and thought leadership has only grown stronger, offering unparalleled opportunities to build credibility and foster meaningful connections. Whether you’re a business looking to lead industry conversations or a professional aiming to make an impact, LinkedIn remains the platform you can’t afford to ignore.
With traditional newsrooms shrinking, there is a noticeable shift toward greater investment in owned channels, and LinkedIn is no exception, offering a valuable space to share stories directly with target audiences. No longer just a virtual CV or job search tool, LinkedIn has become a thriving ecosystem for content marketing, brand building and industry engagement.
Top 4 reasons why LinkedIn should be your platform of choice
One of the key reasons LinkedIn should be your platform of choice is its professional audience. Unlike other social media platforms, LinkedIn users log in with a professional mindset, making it ideal for connecting with decision-makers and industry experts.
Another reason is LinkedIn’s tools for thought leadership amplification. Features like long-form articles, video posts, and newsletters make it easy to share insights and establish authority in your field. This is evident from the growing number of requests we’ve received to support clients with long-form LinkedIn content, showing that professionals are increasingly recognising the platform’s value.
The decline of traditional media houses in the B2B space has positioned LinkedIn as a powerful Owned Media channel, enabling businesses and thought leaders to take control of their narratives. Unlike other platforms where content often gets lost in the noise, LinkedIn prioritises professional conversations, making it easier to build relationships and drive real business outcomes. The platform fosters meaningful engagement through interactive features such as polls, live events, and direct messaging. Additionally, LinkedIn’s newsletter functionality delivers content straight to subscribers’ inboxes, ensuring a direct and highly engaged audience — an invaluable tool in a landscape where organic reach on other platforms continues to decline.
Additionally, LinkedIn’s advanced targeting options enable thought leaders to reach individuals from specific industries and locations, with specific job titles, making it a powerful tool for B2B lead generation.
While LinkedIn provides the tools to showcase thought leadership, it needs to be coupled with a dedicated Public Relations (PR) strategy to unlock real value.
Without a PR strategy your LinkedIn strategy can fall flat
In the article, 2025 PR Predictions: Content Creation and Storytelling published on PR NEWS, Kelsey Sowder, Director of Client Relations at PANBlast, said: “We’re at a saturation point of posts that start with an irrelevant-seeming story and finish with some insightful business lesson. Everyone is catching on, and it’s starting to feel like thought leadership soup.”
Content creation should be approached with intention and authenticity. To truly stand out and cultivate an engaged audience, professionals must focus on authenticity, keeping posts concise and their takeaways clear. A bold perspective or even a controversial opinion, when relevant and well-reasoned, can also help cut through the noise and make a meaningful impact on LinkedIn. Tagging peers or even other relevant thought leaders in your posts can also amplify your message, extend your reach and encourage valuable discussions within your industry.
Working with a PR professional can help to amplify these efforts by aligning content with strategy to ensure you reach your communication objectives. Additionally, integrating rich media such as video and infographics enhances engagement, making complex ideas more accessible and visually compelling. These formats not only increase visibility but also encourage interaction, strengthening thought leadership and brand presence on the platform.
With its ability to connect professionals, amplify expertise and foster industry-leading conversations, LinkedIn in 2025 is more than just a social media platform. It’s the ultimate tool for building influence, driving engagement and creating meaningful professional connections With the right content and the power of PR, LinkedIn can help you turn your ideas into influence and your influence into impact.
Get in touch with us today to discuss how you can tap into the power of LinkedIn to become an industry thought leader.