While it's hard to say by just how much, given that LinkedIn doesn't share a lot of specifics, more and more people are using LinkedIn, as the professional social network is seeing rising activity, along with an ever more engaged audience, in sharing business-related updates.

This is partly driven by the shifts at Twitter (now X), which has seen many professionals talking outside of it. LinkedIn has been a significant beneficiary, and today LinkedIn has shared some new insight into just how much of that discussion is coming from C-suite execs.

 Reported by The Financial Times:

"There's been a 35% increase in C-suite professionals in the U.S. on LinkedIn in the past five years, and a 30% rise in the U.K. There's also been a 23% increase in posts from chief executives globally year on year, and their content gets four times more engagement than other content from LinkedIn members."

Which makes sense. CEOs are people who have both experience and influence and, therefore, LinkedIn members are going to pay attention to what they have to say in the app. Indeed, LinkedIn also reports that CEOs see an average 39% increase in followers after they start posting more.

But why the activity surge? CEOs have long pleaded that they are too busy to take to social media and yet find the time despite frequent prodding by PR leaders. Now, however, they seem to have more time, along with the motivation, to be more active.

So why the change of heart?

Part of that comes from the new generation of AI tools, and streamlined processes for automation of content creation. The busy CEO can now use generative AI to come up with more compelling and resonant content or distill his ideas into palatable copy-again, with the assistance of PR pros and editors to better their messaging.

This, in fact, makes it possible for CEOs to easily express their thoughts as the number of platforms that increasingly include AI tools into their posting systems increases (even LinkedIn). Not saying they let the AI tools present their ideas, but AI creation tools lighten up the process, which could be making more business leaders join the fray.
Or perhaps it is just that the conversation is expanding, and CEOs are just more interested to play their part. LinkedIn reported that active user sessions increased by 13% in the last quarter and have been constantly increasing with each reporting period.

Maybe then, business leaders are seeing that the conversation is ramping up and thus have more motivation to play a part.

And then, of course, there is the reality that people get way more engagement than brands on the app.

According to LinkedIn's COO Dan Shapero:

"It's often easier to build trust with people than corporate brands, so executives, as an extension of the corporate brand, are using LinkedIn as a way to build connection and trust with the audiences that they care about.".

Perhaps this message is really seeping up into the top levels in how that is seeing a change in communication strategy.

Either way, note a stronger increase in CEO activity in the app and the relative impact that could have for your LinkedIn strategy if you are trying to get this audience and connect with top decision makers, where more of them are now more active in the app than ever.