As soon as Gwen Stefani became a published writer on LinkedIn, the negative feedback started rolling in. I saw comments that said “RIP LinkedIn,” as if the social network is suddenly doomed to fail. I can support someone who complains about seeing too many personal updates on the platform, but I don’t think celebrities are to blame for the site’s potential demise.
I’m in favour of Gwen sharing business-oriented content with her fans because it allows the world to see an intelligent side of the entrepreneur. If Lauren Conrad signed up for LinkedIn, I’d probably want to read her posts too. I’m not saying they represent the world’s best writers, but I do think they have valuable insights to offer.
Becoming an Influencer is a smart move that allows celebrities to connect with new audiences in a professional context. They’ve built empires that most of us can only dream of creating and strategically hired teams of experts to help them achieve success.
However, I think if celebrities decide to jump on the LinkedIn bandwagon, then they should consider it a commitment. I look at someone like Conan O’Brien who hasn’t published any posts since May, even though his last post garnered over 250,000 views. Has he become just another writer who abandoned his blog?
If adding famous Influencers to LinkedIn’s roster is an effective way to attract millennial professionals, then so be it. I’m more concerned about celebrities hiring ghostwriters to share self-promotional advice on their behalf than I am about the future of LinkedIn. I’m convinced it’s here to stay and I’m grateful for how it’s helped me connect with people. If celebrities can benefit from LinkedIn too, then I say welcome to the club!