Why Do Celebrities Have LinkedIn Pages?
A marketing ploy or business move?
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Celebrities are…like us? They eat at fast food restaurants, pay bills, and pick up their kids from school. Who knew?
Turns out, celebrities also like to network on LinkedIn — but do they really need it? I’m sure they have agents who can schedule a meeting with some important figure at the snap of a finger.
Over the last two years, I noticed celebrities starting to pop up on LinkedIn. Was this some sort of marketing ploy or real-world use? Do they run their own pages? What is the deal?
I went through a rabbit hole of celebrity pages. I expected the likes of Bill Gates and Tony Robbins to be on the site because they are business figures. I also expect actors-turned-entrepreneurs like Jessica Alba, founder of The Honest Company, and Ashton Kutcher, a notable investor. What I did not expect is NBA player Kevin Durant and singer Selena Gomez to be profiled.
So the main question is this. Why do celebrities have LinkedIn pages?
Some genuinely use LinkedIn
LinkedIn VP and editor-in-chief Dan Roth states most celebrity profiles are authentic. In certain instances, LinkedIn contacted them to collaborate with the website. In other cases, they signed up on their own.
LinkedIn helps celebrities highlight their interests in the same way everyday people do. If you wanted to work in a new field, you’d likely start networking with those in that industry. Celebrities looking for new opportunities can do the same. An example is an athlete planning ahead of retirement or an actress in between roles.
It’s a smart move. Those thinking long-term will try their hand at other ventures to make sure they expand their brand outside of their notable fields.
With some LinkedIn profiles, you have to enter their email address to verify that you know them. It’s a good way to keep the spammers and random fans out of the inbox.
Celebs are really just like us
If you look at Ryan Reynold’s LinkedIn, you’d read a story of an aspiring actor achieving his dream. His first job out of high school was as a forklift driver for Safeway. While it lasted only 5 months, he had no worries as his acting career was quickly taking off.
Reddit Co-founder Alexis Ohanian, Sr’s LinkedIn mirrors the trajectory of a typical startup founder. From serving pizza to Reddit, he’s built a name for himself by being a student of the game, which has paid off greatly to a net worth of $70 million.
Once upon a time, celebrities were everyday people chasing a dream. Now, they’re living the dream. With LinkedIn, you don’t have to be famous. If you have a strong network, you can build a brand from the comfort of your home.
You can do the same on other websites if you are more casual.
Do you follow any celebrities on LinkedIn? I’m interested to hear some names below!
