The most viewed and influential LinkedIn profiles have been revealed, with several members of the Australian startup community leading the way.
LinkedIn now has over 8 million users in Australia, and the 2016 Power Profiles use member data from the last year to find the most viewed profiles in Australia, split into several categories.
“These members are not only great at what they do, but have also invested in their professional identity on LinkedIn, to become the most viewed professionals in their respective fields,” LinkedIn Australia managing director Cliff Rosenberg says.
In the “tech startup” category, Redbubble co-founder and CEO Martin Hosking was the most viewed profile, followed by 99designs co-founder Mark Harbottle and Tyro CEO Jost Stollman.
Rosenberg says these people have effectively built a personal brand through the platform.
“Investing in your personal brand helps grow your business brand,” he says
“These Power Profiles are spending time nurturing their professional network by sharing insights and their perspective on areas that they are passionate about.”
Rounding out the startup list is Prospa CEO Beau Bertoli and Fishburners CEO Murray Hurps.
In the “internet” category, Atlassian founder Scott Farquhar was the most viewed profile, followed by Freelancer CEO Matt Barrie and Internet Australia CEO Laurie Patton.
In terms of CEOs of larger corporations, Qantas’ Alan Joyce, Westpac’s Brian Hartzer and Telstra’s Andrew Penn were the most popular profiles.
For startup founders and entrepreneurs looking to build a brand and following on LinkedIn, Rosenberg has three tips.
Tell your professional story: Illustrate your expertise and skills by highlighting your key professional achievements.
Share your views: If you are passionate about topics that matter to you, share your perspective by publishing long-form posts.
Nurture your network: Connect with people who can connect you to opportunities and add value by sharing insightful information through status updates.
Denham Sadler is a former editor of StartupSmart. He was previously a journalist at the publication and has worked as a freelancer for the Guardian, the Saturday Paper and the ABC. In his spare time he likes puns and jaffles.
