LinkedIn’s BrandLink: The Beginning of a Creator Economy
BeerBiceps SkillHouse
June 12, 2025

LinkedIn is making a definitive move toward supporting creator monetization with the introduction of BrandLink, a new ad solution under its expanding Wire program. This development represents a significant shift in how professional content and creator influence are being leveraged within the platform.

BrandLink allows marketers to place video advertisements not only alongside content from top-tier publishers like Bloomberg, Forbes, and Business Insider, but now also directly in front of videos from leading LinkedIn creators. This dual alignment of branded messaging with both authoritative media and creator-led content increases contextual relevance and boosts ad performance.

The inclusion of creator videos into this ad framework is a critical step. It signals that LinkedIn is no longer viewing creators as passive contributors but as partners in shaping brand narratives. This integration enables selected creators to receive a share of the ad revenue, a clear step toward building a monetization system similar to what platforms like YouTube and Instagram offer.

Notable creators currently included in the program are Steven Bartlett, Gary Vaynerchuk, Allie K. Miller, Rebecca Minkoff, and other influential voices across business, technology, leadership, and innovation. While the rollout is limited to selected partners and advertisers at this stage, the implications are broad.

Video consumption on LinkedIn is on a sharp rise. The platform has reported a 36 percent year-over-year increase in video watch time, and video posts generate 1.4 times more engagement than other formats. These trends highlight a clear transformation: LinkedIn is becoming a serious hub for video discovery, professional storytelling, and thought leadership.

For brands, BrandLink offers a premium placement option in a trusted, professional environment, an alternative to noisy, less-targeted social platforms. For creators, it is a strong incentive to develop high-quality, insight-driven video content tailored to a professional audience.

BrandLink is not merely a feature update. It represents a strategic pivot toward enabling the LinkedIn creator economy, aligning business influence with creator credibility to drive deeper engagement and more meaningful marketing outcomes.