8 Influential People Every PR Pro Should Be Following on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a late bloomer; where the social platform used to be a rather formal, colorless social platform - that rapidly changed in the months after Microsoft acquired the platform. LinkedIn has been booming for a while, and its popularity continues: in Q3 2020, LinkedIn reported a 26% growth in user sessions. And as long as LinkedIn won't roll out irrelevant features like their latest Story feature (I mean, come on, we have Instagram for that), we don't see that growth come to a stop anytime soon. 

While the platform is great for publishing and spreading your company news, many brands have been using it as a way to build up thought-leadership as well. Here are 8 PR pros that you can follow to make your LinkedIn addiction an educative one. 

1. Gini Dietrich: We cannot make a list of PR thought-leaders without including Gini Dietrich, author of the marketing and PR blog Spin Sucks, and the mastermind behind the PESO model. Her LinkedIn profile is dedicated to helping you build out your communications strategy with the PESO model. Sounds interesting? Gini recently posted a step-by-step guide on how to get started with the PESO model.
   We recently had the chance to sit down with Gini for a chat about the unstable future of PR. Read the full article here.

   
   

2. Sarah Evans: Sarah is Partner and Head of PR at Zen Media, where she helps brands earn Singular Source Authority—becoming the definitive answer in search, story, and strategy. With more than two decades of experience guiding companies through funding rounds, product launches, crises, and AI-driven reinvention, she is at the forefront of merging earned media with Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).

   
   

3. Parry Headrick: Parry is the founder of Crackle PR, an agency built on a simple principle: working with good companies only. With more than 20 years of experience leading marketing, communications, and new business at award-winning firms, Parry has become one of the most outspoken and refreshing voices in tech PR. Known for his transparency, bold ideas, and sharp writing, he advises startups and the C-Suite alike on how to connect stories to the audiences that matter. Want a taste of his no-nonsense approach to PR? Check out his latest insights on LinkedIn, where he’s built a community of thousands around fearless, founder-friendly communications.

   
   

4. Michal Pecánek: A strong communications strategy does not ignore search engines. If you’re looking to learn or perfect your SEO skills, you must follow Michal. As a content marketer at Ahrefs, he provides easy-to-follow tutorials and step-by-step guides on all things SEO. Whether you’re just starting out in the industry or you’re a PR pro, you’ll find yourself saving these guides to help you hone your skills.

   
   

5. Iliyana Stareva: The PR landscape is constantly changing. Some argue that sending email pitches to journalists will simply not work. Iliyana believes that successful media relations is done by pulling journalists in, instead of pushing messages out at them.  If you want to learn the science behind inbound PR, check out Iliyana’s posts on LinkedIn. Here you will find tips on marketing and productivity you wish you knew before you got started.

   We recently spoke to Iliyana about her inbound approach to media relations. Check out the full interview: How to do media relations the inbound way.

   
   

6. Cole Schafer: In his own words, Cole writes pretty words and sells things for a living. The words he writes are sure pretty. His bold and humorous approach to copywriting is remarkable; he’s a must-follow for everyone in the communications industry. Don’t believe us? Check out his posts for yourself.

   
   

7. Seth Godin: We all have that one mentor or professor who changed our life for the better. Chances are, if you follow Seth on LinkedIn, you might add him to that list. For more than 30 years, Seth has been inspiring people through his newsletter and challenging them to level up, both personally and professionally. His posts on LinkedIn include quick reads that are likely to give you some food for thought. 

   
   

8. Brené Brown: Although Brené is not necessarily in the PR industry, she is a master storyteller so she had to be included in this list. It’s no secret why she has amassed more than 2 million followers on LinkedIn. Besides being a research professor at the University of Houston, she is the author of five #1 New York Times bestsellers, host of a podcast and her Ted Talk is the 4th most-watched of all time. Plus she’s a mom. Talk about insight! Her LinkedIn posts and her research dig into the intricacies of human connection, which serves as great insight for any comms person. Besides learning from her knack for storytelling, you might just pick up some great quotes and lessons to continue growing on both a professional and personal level.