Most Untapped Platform for Creators
Most Untapped Platform for Creators
Welcome to our newsletter, Karat Weekly. In this edition: 1) Building a profitable LinkedIn creator business, 2) How to build a cult following, and 3) Changed to Instagram and YouTube Shorts
LinkedIn Creator Playbook: Where Followers ≠ Income
A few months ago, LinkedIn creator Lloyd G. shared his rate per sponsored post—$1.5k to $2.4k with 8k followers. (He’s now grown to 10k followers, so we assume his rate is in the $3k+ range).
To command those rates on other platforms, you’d need around 50,000 followers. (Assuming the 2-4% brand deal pricing framework we proved here).
So why is LinkedIn such an untapped opportunity, and how can you get in on it? Let's break it down.
Why LinkedIn is a Creator Goldmine
LinkedIn has 3 major advantages over other platforms:
1. High-Value Audience // Attractive to B2B Markets
LinkedIn users have 2x the buying power of the average social media user. This is because the platform’s filled with decision-makers and professionals with corporate budgets.
For products like AI tools, business banking products, and software companies, influencer marketing on LinkedIn is where it’s at.
2. Less Creator Competition
LinkedIn has roughly 10M active creators, as where Instagram has over 200M. It’s kind of like TikTok back in 2020—fewer creators, less noise, more chances for visibility.
3. Closer to Brands
Key decision-makers are just one connection away. You can connect with the influencer marketing specialists at companies you’re interested in, start genuine conversations, and suddenly you’re in their mental rolodex for the next campaign.
Getting Started on LinkedIn
Like other social media platforms, your account needs to be optimized.
Here’s a quick checklist:
• Professional headshot (doesn’t need to be formal, but should be high-quality)
• Headline that includes “Creator"“ and your niche
• About section that highlights your expertise and content style (this is the place to slip in some searchable keywords)
• Featured section showing your best content
Note: Turn on Creator Mode in your profile settings. This gives you access to analytics and can help your content perform in the algorithm.
What the Heck Do I Post?
LinkedIn rewards text-first content with a combination of professional insights and personal narrative. Like other platforms, it also rewards consistency (although 2-2 posts per week is fine; you don’t need to post every day).
Tip: If you’re unsure exactly what to post, create a free account on Claude. Explain to Claude who you are and what your goals are on LinkedIn.
Then upload the scripts from your 10 best-performing short-form videos and plug them into Claude. This gives it an idea of your writing style.
From there, you can ask Claude for post ideas, full post copy, a 12-week content calendar, and more.
Brand Deal Pricing
Based on our research, LinkedIn creators charge around $200-$250 per 1,000 followers. However, you may see increases based on things like:
• Audience of business decision-makers: 1.5x base rate
• Specialized-technical niche: 1.3x base rate
• Previous campaign results: 1.2x base rate
Tip: Always frame your rate in terms for the audience’s purchasing power. For example, what percentage of your followers are senior-level professionals? These are the people who often make purchasing decisions.
An audience of 10k followers on LinkedIn with 40% having purchasing power is more valuable than 100k on IG but only 5% have purchasing power.
Quick Links
❌ IG removed this feature last week.
🫶🏼 How to build a cult following. (not a real cult…just a strong community ok)
🔄 YouTube changes how Shorts views are counted.
This Week in Creator Studio
This week in Creator Studio (our free Discord community) we’re interviewing Brett Dashevsky—founder of Creator Economy NYC. [last week’s session got moved to this week!]
His company is the industry’s leading network and knowledge hub, connecting thousands of content creators and industry professionals through in-person events and insightful media.
This is especially important for content creators who may face potential legal risks related to copyright infringement, defamation, or other intellectual property claims.
Are There Disadvantages of S Corps for Creators?
Designating yourself as an S corps can save you thousands of dollars in taxes—but there are a few tradeoffs to be aware of:
- An S corp typically costs more money to set up compared to a regular LLC
- You’ll have to fill out a good amount of paperwork to designate your S corp
- Since you’ll be receiving a salary, you have to set up and run payroll (or have a professional service manage payroll for you)
- S corps require you to file a separate business tax return (Form 1120-S)
Overall, the tax savings from electing S corp status outweigh the extra paperwork, especially if you work with a tax professional who can take some of that paperwork off your plate.
S Corp Eligibility Requirements