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LinkedIn thrives on open dialogue, but accessibility can breed oversaturation. Not all voices on the professional networking platform hold equal weight – some offer valuable industry insights, while others may use the platform to promote personal beliefs disguised as professional pronouncements. How can one sort through this information chaos and identify the credible thought leaders?

To recognise  experts, LinkedIn offers two "Top Voice" badges: Blue and Gold. The Blue Badge identifies pre-vetted, senior-level leaders across various industries. The Gold Badge recognises community members who consistently contribute valuable insights to collaborative articles on specific skills. Earning either badge requires consistent engagement and high-quality contributions, demonstrating expertise within a particular field.

LinkedIn told Storyboard18, "We determine the top 5 percent of contributors by looking at a variety of factors, including quality, engagement, and quantity of contributions. Quality contributions contain, but are not limited to, personal examples, unique perspectives, and professional opinions. You can earn badges for multiple skills. One badge will be shown on your profile; you may choose which badge is displayed if you have multiple. There is no limit to the number of skills for which you can earn a badge. Maintaining this badge depends on our members' willingness to continually share relevant and valuable insights."

However, not everyone agrees with LinkedIn's recipe for a Top Voice. LinkedIn's Top Voice selection has its critics. 

According to Rammohan Sundaram, President - Integrated Media at DDB Mudra Group, LinkedIn's game requires constant performance, not genuine expertise.

He recently relinquished his "Top Brand Management Voice" badge on LinkedIn after noticing multiple profiles adorned with similar badges. In a LinkedIn post, Sundaram shared how it dawned on him that the system gamified engagement by playing on people’s desire for validation. 

LinkedIn cleverly tapped into the human need, but it wasn't aligning with his goals. Three months passed with Sundaram silent on LinkedIn, and then, just like that, the badge was gone. This disappearance confirmed his suspicions: maintaining the badge seemed to require a specific posting frequency, even if the topics themselves didn't resonate with him.

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Then there is Shitiz Dogra, Associate Director, Digital Marketing at Indigo who highlights that a wave of plagiarism, dubbed "CVWS" (Ctrl V Without Shame) by some, is sweeping across LinkedIn. This practice involves copying and pasting content from other sources without attribution. While plagiarism isn't new online, the current trend appears to involve even established influencers with large followings (over 50,000). Many users are reporting instances of their content being repurposed without credit, with some experiencing this up to four times in the past month," he states in a LinkedIn post.

According to Dogra, attempts to confront these plagiarizers often go unanswered, highlighting a lack of accountability. Dogra points out that while engagement is important, it shouldn't come at the expense of ethical behaviour. Proper attribution should be given to the original content creators.

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LinkedIn clarified to Storyboard18, "Over the past 10 years, LinkedIn has become a living body of knowledge – where anyone can contribute and everyone can benefit. It’s a place where anyone can share expertise and build a meaningful community. When our members talk, trade ideas and share insights, more people around the world connect to opportunity." 

The platform added, "Members on the platform have the ability to earn one of two versions of Top Voices badges on their profile, either as part of the LinkedIn Top Voices (Blue Badge) or the Community Top Voice (Gold Badge) programmes. The Community Top Voices programme is separate from the invitation-only Top Voices programme, which has different criteria."

The blue LinkedIn Top Voice badge is 'invite-only’ featuring a global group of senior-level experts and leaders covering a range of topics across the professional world, helping members uncover valuable knowledge relevant to them. These individuals are not only trusted and active but also among the most impactful voices in their fields, regularly vetted to ensure they continue to meet the high standards that align with the interests of our members, states LinkedIn.

As per LinkedIn, "The gold Community Top Voice badge recognises noteworthy contributors who share their expertise and experience in a specific skill or skills through contributions to collaborative articles (for example, Top Sales Voice). You can earn a Community Top Voice badge when members find you to be one of the most noteworthy contributors to collaborative articles for a particular skill. To earn a badge, you’re typically in the top 5 percent of contributors and one of the first 2,500 badge holders for a particular skill."

 



LinkedIn’s Top Voice – Badge of honour or mere hook?

In recent years, influencers representing diverse niches and demographics have reshaped not only the content consumption of the audience but also the purchasing power of consumers. 

This is more evident in India where people speak multiple languages and follow a myriad of traditions and customs across regions. 


Firstly, it's crucial to understand the socio-cultural fabric of India, where regional diversity is celebrated and languages, customs, and traditions vary widely from one state to another. This diversity is mirrored in the digital sphere, where content consumption habits differ significantly across regions. 

 
Local influencers, with their understanding of regional nuances and cultural sensitivities, hold a distinct advantage in effectively engaging with audiences on a more personal level. And this is one of the major reasons these influencers are gaining massive popularity. Local influencers, or influencers in general, have been able to build a dedicated following based on their niche expertise or unique personalities. This has paved the way for them to carve out their own niches and have engaged communities around them. They are perceived as more relatable primarily because their content resonates with the local audiences.

 
Brands are not only recognizing the power of their authenticity but can also tailor their messaging and promotions to specific geographic locations or communities. Brands are increasingly drawn to their micro-communities to drive targeted engagement and conversations. Whether it's promoting a new product launch or driving footfall to a local store, local influencers possess the influence and reach to make a significant impact at the grassroots level. 

 
What sets these influencers apart is their power to create highly efficient content that is centered around the interests of their audience. Their capability of tailoring the messaging based on their knowledge of local cultures, trends, and consumer preferences makes it easy for them to deliver high-impact brand exposure and engagement. With a strong community presence, they are able to garner a loyal audience and foster deeper engagement with them. This, in turn, can be beneficial for brands seeking long-term collaborations to establish lasting relationships and enhance brand loyalty. 


Another compelling factor driving the collaboration between brands and local influencers is cost-effectiveness. In today's competitive marketplace, budget allocation is a critical consideration for brands seeking to maximize their marketing impact. Partnering with local influencers often proves to be more budget-friendly for brands, especially those operating within niche or regional markets. This allows brands to allocate their marketing budgets more efficiently while still achieving the desired results.
 

In conclusion, the star power of local influencers is undeniably on the rise within the Indian demography, and for good reason.Their authenticity, relatability, cost-effectiveness, and ability to connect with hyper-local audiences make them indispensable allies for brands seeking to make meaningful inroads into diverse and dynamic regional markets


<strong><em>Mrunali Dedhia is vice president at Chtrbox, an influencer marketing platform and agency in India.</em></strong>

 


Local influencers harness regional insights to forge deeper, more personal bonds with audiences: Mrunali Dedhia

Despite reports of Threads losing some user base after an initial rush, digital marketers remain optimistic about the platform's potential as a new addition to their marketing strategies. In its early stages, Threads shows promise for monetisation.

Threads has the advantage of learning from a ready-made case study - Twitter. Digital experts believe they can rectify the mistakes made by Twitter, making Threads a platform with greater potential for revenue generation.


Ankit Oberoi, CEO and founder at ad tech company Zelto Inc., said that while there are many unexplored monetisation opportunities, some existing strategies hold great potential, which can be implemented on the platform. The most familiar one would be sponsored posts and subscriptions.


"The groundwork has already begun. This growing audience makes Threads a potentially remarkable platform for marketing and advertising. A lot of brands have joined the platform along with many content creators and influencers as well to build on the momentum," Oberoi said.


Sponsored threads and branded partnerships enable brands to collaborate directly with content creators. The engaging and exclusive content, along with collaborations with e-commerce platforms, can empower users with shoppable threads, allowing seamless product discovery and purchasing.


"This will also enable leveraging successful models from influencer marketing, such as partnerships and sponsored posts, which can effectively drive monetization in the Threads app. Another approach that stands out for the platform would be native advertising, seamlessly integrating sponsored content within threads to create an authentic user experience," Oberoi added. Native advertising is a paid advertising method where ads seamlessly blend with the appearance, style, and functionality of the media format in which they are placed.


Creator-driven monetization is also crucial to consider due to the difference in content format on Threads compared to Instagram. While many Instagram influencers already have a significant number of followers on Threads, this distinction will result in unique and differentiated content from them on the platform.


"Threads become a space for behind-the-scenes insights, authentic experiences, and genuine expressions, while Instagram remains the platform for showcasing polished, finished content," said Ramya Ramachandran, founder and CEO at influencer marketing agency, Whoppl.


Content creators and platforms can play a major role in acting as mediators between brands and users. Shradha Agarwal, co-founder, and CEO at integrated communication agency Grapes, explained a few ways creators can become valuable for the platform.


"To maintain a balance between a brand and cohort, content creators or influencers can act as valuable mediators. To steer organic and community-driven discussions, brands can collaborate with influencers, building conversations through trends. Organic conversations can only be driven by consistently staying abreast of the trends on the platform and in the industry at large," Agarwal said.


To avoid the monetization challenges faced by Twitter, Threads can learn valuable lessons. These include establishing a strong influencer community that goes beyond political discussions and opinion sharing, effectively capitalizing on advertising revenue, attracting and retaining advertisers, and converting the large user base into profitable revenue streams.


However, some experts share a different opinion. They believe that the audience is different on both platforms, which makes a significant difference in the monetization strategy.


"While most believe Threads to be a duplicate of Twitter, from a marketing perspective, both platforms are quite different. The core strategy for monetization is the audience that Threads caters to - it's a platform that allows brands to continue to target Instagram-led & more socially active young users, and its ability to drive 'chat-style' conversations is key for successful brand integrations," said Mrunali Dedhia, vice president at another influencer management agency, Chtrbox.


Experts also suggested that brands shouldn't take over the platform completely. Striking a balance between monetized and organic content while preserving transparency and user engagement is crucial for the platform's success, they said.


Threads: Optimistic outlook for monetisation with unique marketing strategies​

The new tax-deducted-at-source (TDS) rule for social media influencers is putting a check on gifts, trips and other perks from July 1.

The Union Budget has brought in the provision of TDS on benefits received from business or sales promotion activities, which would be applied to social media influencers and doctors. A TDS of 10% would be applied to such benefits.

<strong>Here are some of the highlights:</strong>

A TDS of 10% would be applied by that agency, company or person who is providing benefits or perquisites that exceed Rs 20,000 in a year to a resident, which arises from the profession or business of that resident.

As per the report, the deduction will also be made when the deductor’s gross sale or turnover from business exceeds Rs 1 crore. Further, it will also be applied if it exceeds Rs 50 lakh from the preceding financial year.

<strong>Why is it being applied?</strong>

The Finance Act 2022 introduced this provision in order to widen the tax base. This was also to ensure that those who benefited from such sales promotional activities highlight it in their tax returns and pay tax on what the product or benefit is worth.

<strong>On what would it be applied?</strong>

Some of the examples on which the 10% TDS would be applied are travel vouchers to commission agents for their family for achieving sales, a director of a company receiving a car, a flat to a real estate consultant.

When a person gives incentives in cash or kind such as television, mobile phone, gold chain, computers, etc. It will also be applied when a person sponsors a trip for a recipient and for his or her relatives when he has accomplished his targets. Further, when a free ticket to an event is provided and free medical samples are given to a medical practitioner, TDS would be applicable there.

<strong>On what grounds would it not apply?</strong>

In the case of social media influencers, if the benefits or freebies are retained by them, then only the TDS of 10% would be applied. But if they are returned to the person who provided the freebies, TDS would not be applied there.

To be sure, whether the equipment, freebies or products given are benefits or perquisites, would be dependent on the facts of each individual case.

In the case of doctors or medical practitioners who are employed with a hospital, free medical samples or medicines received by them would attract a TDS of 10% on free samples given to the hospital. Here, the TDS will be deducted by the company that has provided that benefit to the doctor.

<strong>Potential consequences and challenges</strong>

That rule would lead to social media influencers and doctors thinking twice before receiving or saying ‘Yes’ to such perquisites, freebies or benefits. On the announcement of this rule, social media influencers and influencer marketing agencies took to platforms to highlight what this decision meant for them.

One of the influencers via her Instagram handle mentioned that she hoped that now brands or agencies would seek consent before sending packages. She highlighted, in a way, this rule would lead to limited or minimal wastage whereby, “probably creators could refuse ‘NO’ to some PR instead of randomly receiving packages (sometimes irrelevant to the content we create) which is fantastic.”

Explained: What TDS on freebies for social media influencers and doctors means for brands

SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS