How to Find Influencers on LinkedIn

Finding the right influencers on LinkedIn can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack, but it absolutely doesn't have to be. Unlike platforms built purely on aesthetics or entertainment, LinkedIn is the world's largest professional network, packed with industry experts, thought leaders, and decision-makers who have built genuine authority. This guide breaks down the simple, actionable methods you can use to identify, vet, and connect with the perfect influencers to elevate your brand.

Why LinkedIn is a B2B Goldmine for Influencers

Before we jump into the "how," let's quickly cover the "why." You're not looking for influencers who post beautifully curated lifestyle content, you're looking for genuine experts who can speak credibly to a professional audience. LinkedIn is where CEOs, software developers, marketing directors, and financial analysts share insights, debate trends, and build their professional brands. Reaching them through a trusted voice on the platform is incredibly powerful.

LinkedIn influencers, often called "thought leaders" or "key opinion leaders (KOLs)," offer targeted access to niche audiences. Their followers aren't just casual scrollers, they are professionals looking to learn, grow, and find solutions to their business problems. A recommendation from a respected voice here carries more weight than on almost any other platform.

Method 1: Master LinkedIn's Native Search Functions

The most direct way to find influencers is by using the tools LinkedIn gives you right on the platform. With a few smart filters, you can easily narrow down the massive network to a manageable list of prospects.

Start with General Keyword Searches

The search bar is your best friend. Begin by typing in keywords relevant to your industry, product, or target audience. Think broader than just job titles.

• Industry terms: "fintech," "revenue operations," "B2B SaaS," "content marketing"
• Job-related concepts: "sales leadership," "employee experience," "demand generation"
• Pain points your product solves: "customer retention," "lead nurturing," "data analytics"

Filter by "Content" to Find Active Creators

Searching for people directly can give you thousands of results. A better approach is to see who is creating influential content around your keywords. After you enter your search term, click the "Content" filter at the top of the results page.

This shows you posts, articles, and videos related to your search. Now, look for posts with high engagement - lots of reactions, insightful comments, and shares. The people behind these posts are your potential influencers. They’re already proving they can spark conversation on the topics you care about.

Filter by "People" with Advanced Settings

You can also search for people directly, but you have to use the filters efficiently.

1. Enter your keyword (e.g., "AI in marketing").
2. Click the "People" filter.
3. Now, click "All filters." This opens up a powerful panel where you can narrow your search by:
   • Connections: Start with 2nd and 3rd-degree connections to expand your reach.
   • Locations: Target specific countries or regions.
   • Current Company: If you want to find experts from particular organizations.
   • Industry: A must-use filter to keep your results relevant.

Use Boolean Search for Precision

To get even more specific results, use Boolean operators directly in the search bar. This lets you combine terms and exclude others.

• Quotes: Use quotes to search for an exact phrase. "content marketing expert"
• AND: Use AND to find profiles that include both keywords. "founder" AND "b2b saas"
• OR: Use OR to find profiles that include either keyword. "sales" OR "business development"
• NOT: Use NOT to exclude a keyword. "marketer" NOT "intern"

For example, if you're looking for a keynote speaker who is also a sales leader, you could search:

("sales leader" OR "VP of Sales") AND "speaker" NOT "hiring"

This gives you a highly targeted list of potential influencers who match your specific criteria.

Method 2: Follow Relevant Industry Hashtags

Hashtags on LinkedIn function like community hubs for specific topics. Industry professionals follow them to stay updated, and influencers use them to get their content discovered.

How to Use Hashtags to Find Influencers:

1. Identify your core hashtags. Think of 5-10 hashtags that are central to your industry. They could be broad, like #b2bmarketing, or more niche, like #revops.
2. Follow them. Simply search for the hashtag and click the "Follow" button. Now, content with this hashtag will start appearing in your feed.
3. Pay attention to the top voices. As you see posts from these hashtags, you'll start noticing the same names over and over again. These are the people consistently creating valuable content and getting engagement. They are your potential influencers. Take note of who is leading the discussions.

When you click on a popular hashtag, LinkedIn sometimes shows you the "top contributors." This is a quick and easy way to identify key players in that space.

Method 3: Discover Influencers in LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn Groups are often overlooked, but they can be a treasure trove of engaged, niche experts. Find a few active and well-moderated groups in your industry and join them.

How to Monitor Groups for Talent:

• Look for helpful answers. Who is consistently providing thoughtful, detailed answers to other members' questions? Sheer helpfulness is a great sign of an authentic influencer.
• Identify the movers and shakers. Notice who starts the most engaging discussions. They're not just posting links, they're asking open-ended questions and facilitating conversations.
• Check out the admins and moderators. The people running a successful industry group are typically well-respected leaders in that field. They're often influencers themselves, with a vested interest in the community's quality.

Method 4: Pay Attention to LinkedIn's Editorial Curation

LinkedIn itself works to elevate creators and experts on the platform. You can piggyback on their efforts to find proven influencers.

Where to Look:

• LinkedIn Newsletters: Many top influencers run their own LinkedIn Newsletters. When you see one on a topic relevant to your industry, subscribe to it. Check out the author's profile - if their newsletter has tens of thousands of subscribers, they have a dedicated audience.
• Top Voices Lists: LinkedIn regularly publishes "Top Voices" lists for various industries and topics (e.g., Marketing & Advertising, Technology, Finance). These lists are a curated directory of people whose content has been judged as valuable by LinkedIn's editorial team. You can find these lists by searching on Google for terms like "LinkedIn Top Voices Marketing."
• The LinkedIn News Module: The trending news section on the right side of your homepage often features commentary from top experts. When you click on a story, scroll down to see who is being quoted. These are individuals LinkedIn has identified as thought leaders on that topic.

The Crucial Step: How to Vet Potential Influencers

Finding a list of names is just the beginning. Now you need to qualify them to make sure they're a good fit for your brand. Rushing this step is a common mistake that leads to failed campaigns.

Focus on Engagement Quality, Not Just Follower Count

A B2B influencer with 10,000 engaged followers is far more valuable than one with 100,000 who posts to a silent audience. Look for signs of a real community.

• Look at the comments. Are people having actual conversations? Are they asking follow-up questions? Or is it just a string of "Great post!" and "Thanks for sharing!"? Rich, substantive comments are a sign of a highly engaged audience.
• Check their comment-to-like ratio. A lot of likes is nice, but a high number of thoughtful comments indicates a much deeper level of engagement.
• Do they reply to comments? A great influencer actively participates in the discussion happening on their own posts. It shows they're invested in their community, not just broadcasting content.

Analyze Their Content Authenticity and Relevance

Read their last 10-15 posts. Does their tone and perspective align with your brand values? The best partnerships feel authentic because the influencer was already a natural fit.

• Look for vulnerability and real stories. Do they share lessons from failures, not just wins? This kind of authenticity resonates deeply with professional audiences.
• Beware of generic platitudes. If every post feels like a generic motivational quote you could find on a poster, they might lack the depth needed for a strong partnership.
• Check for consistency. Are they posting regularly and on-topic? A scattered or inconsistent posting history could be a red flag.

How to Make Contact Without Being Ignored

True LinkedIn influencers get tons of cold outreach messages. To stand out, your approach needs to be personal, respectful, and value-oriented.

Dos and Don'ts of Reaching Out

• DO: Engage with their content first. Spend at least a week or two leaving thoughtful comments on their posts. Let them see your name and recognize you as a thoughtful member of their community before you ever land in their inbox.
• DON'T: Send a generic connection request. Always add a personal note. Mention a specific post or article of theirs that you enjoyed and why it resonated with you.
• DO: Keep your initial message brief and to the point. Your first message shouldn't be a 500-word essay about your company. Start a conversation, not a pitch. Something like: "Hi [Name], I've been following your posts on [topic] for a while now and really valued your perspective on [specific point]. I'm working on a project in the same space and thought it might be interesting to connect."
• DON'T: Immediately ask for something. The goal of the first touchpoint is to build a relationship. Once they've connected and you've exchanged a few messages, you can then gently introduce your collaboration idea.

Final Thoughts

Finding the right influencers on LinkedIn is a methodical process of searching, listening, and vetting. By leveraging the platform's native tools, following industry hashtags, and participating in niche communities, you can build a targeted list of experts who have earned the trust of your ideal audience. The key is to prioritize authentic engagement and relevance over vanity metrics.

Once you've built these relationships and are ready to launch your influencer campaigns, managing all the content can feel like a job in itself. At Postbase, we built our visual planning calendar to solve this exact problem. It allows brands to see all their partner and owned content across every platform in one clean view, making it easy to schedule posts, spot gaps, and keep the strategy organized without getting lost in spreadsheets. When you and your influencer are ready to go live, a reliable planning tool ensures nothing slips through the cracks.