Seventy-two percent of Gen Z professionals feel disconnected from the people who could help their careers. Yet LinkedIn’s own research says they are becoming key business decision-makers. LinkedIn’s side hustle push, built around a new Network feed, is its answer. For brands, it changes how Gen Z B2B buyers discover expertise.
What did LinkedIn actually launch?
Three things, and only one is a feed. LinkedIn is testing a Network feed that shows posts only from a member’s connections and people they follow, not the broader algorithmic feed. The test is live in the U.S., India, the UK and Australia.
The second piece is a consolidated creator dashboard. It sits in the mobile profile menu and is rolling out globally. The third is monetization. In-Stream Ads pay eligible creators when pre-roll ads run beside their videos, but the test is limited to select U.S. creators and advertisers. Advice Sessions let eligible members sell 1:1 video consultations from their profile. That is available now to Business Premium subscribers in the U.S.
Why the side hustle framing? LinkedIn’s announcement says the number of founders on the platform is up 70%, and the share of members holding more than one ongoing position has risen 26% since 2019. The same announcement says more than 80% of LinkedIn creators build content alongside another role.
The people posting on LinkedIn increasingly have a day job, a side business and a personal brand at the same time. Your creator brief needs to account for all three.
Why Gen Z B2B buyers are the target
This is a demand-side story as much as a creator one. LinkedIn’s July survey of 18,000+ professionals and 6,000+ marketers found that nearly 9 in 10 (89%) B2B marketers say future growth depends on influencing Gen Z and Millennial decision-makers. That is a lot of budget pointed at a cohort that, by its own admission, struggles to network.
The same study explains why. In that LinkedIn study, Gen Z professionals cite fear of bothering people (37%), fear of being judged (37%) and worry about sounding inauthentic (34%). The same research reports that 53% aren’t sure how to get started and 52% don’t know how to turn contacts into real connections.
Read that as a brand strategist. A buyer who hesitates to message a stranger will happily follow, watch and learn quietly. A feed built around known connections and followed experts suits that behavior. It rewards lurking, then trust, then a conversation.
What earns attention with this cohort?
The LinkedIn research lists short-form immersive videos (49%) and content from expert voices (42%) as the top two ways to engage Gen Z buyers. Notice what is missing: polished brand posts. The related announcement on In-Stream Ads and the Creator Marketplace adds that, among marketers working with expert voices, 64% said that content is more effective than traditional campaigns at moving audiences from awareness to consideration.
Treat these as marketer-reported perceptions, not performance benchmarks. They tell you where peers are placing bets. They do not prove incremental pipeline.
The Network feed changes the distribution math
Here is the operational question. If a growing share of attention moves into a feed limited to connections and follows, what happens to paid reach and organic amplification?
Honestly, nobody outside LinkedIn knows yet. The feed is a test in four countries. But the logic points to a few implications:
- Follower quality beats follower count. A creator with a tight, relevant network may outperform a bigger, looser one inside a connection-only feed.
- Employee and partner advocacy gains weight. Your own staff’s posts reach their connections directly, without competing against the algorithmic firehose.
- Comment quality matters. Post authors can now pin comments to highlight contributions, which gives creators a way to surface a brand’s reply or a customer’s story.
- Relationship tools favor repeat contact. Premium members can keep private notes on how they met someone and when to reconnect. Sales and creator teams should expect more warm, slow-burn engagement.
One data point is worth keeping in mind for planning. According to LinkedIn data, members are almost 3x as likely to receive connection requests if they have interacted with their network’s posts. Interaction compounds. A creator program that earns comments, not just impressions, builds the network that the new feed rewards.
Buying creator reach on LinkedIn: where to start
Paid access is more structured than most teams realize. In-Stream Ads let advertisers run pre-roll across eligible creator and publisher content without negotiating individual deals. You pick a category such as Tech & AI, Finance, or Lifestyle & Entertainment, or run across all of them. LinkedIn decides placements and optimizes delivery. Setup happens in Campaign Manager by choosing Video as the ad type and toggling on In-Stream Ads.
The Creator Marketplace is the more strategic tool. Advertisers can filter creators by audience concentration in a specific industry, job function or seniority level, by Top Voices participation, by content format and by the creator’s own background. A search for “Founders” or “FinTech” returns self-described matches, not just category tags.
Two caveats matter. Both In-Stream Ads and the Marketplace are limited to select advertisers in North America, and the Marketplace is invite-only. If you are a global brand, you cannot plan around either yet. You can, however, prepare.
How should a brand prepare?
- Audit your audience targets. Define the industries, functions and seniority bands where Gen Z buyers sit in your account list. The Marketplace filters assume you know this.
- Move from bursts to rosters. Side hustle creators have limited time. A standing group, as covered in our piece on creator rosters, is easier for them to serve than a stream of one-off asks.
- Separate the test budget. Ring-fence a small allocation for In-Stream Ads and creator partnerships so results are not blended into general paid social.
- Write briefs for part-timers. Offer flexible timelines and clear usage terms. Someone with a full-time job will not turn around revisions in 24 hours.
Risks your legal and finance teams will raise
Start with the unknowns. Creator revenue splits on In-Stream Ads are not detailed in the announcement coverage I reviewed, and wider access is described only as planned for later. Building a program on features that are in test is how teams end up with stranded spend.
Then there is measurement. A connection-only feed makes organic reach harder to benchmark against past campaigns. Finance will ask what a view is worth. Our guide on attribution that survives CFO scrutiny is a useful starting point, and the media-style measurement framework helps you set comparable metrics before the first post goes live.
Governance is the third issue. Paid consultations and creator income raise disclosure questions when a creator sells advice to the same audience your brand is paying them to reach. Put disclosure language, category exclusivity and conflict-of-interest clauses into contracts. Standardization is still thin across the category, a gap explored in the analysis of missing creator standards.
Treat LinkedIn’s creator tools as a controlled experiment, not a channel shift. The features are in test, the geography is narrow, and the proof of pipeline impact does not exist yet.
Who owns this inside your team?
This is where programs stall. Creator, paid social, product marketing and sales all have a stake in a LinkedIn Gen Z play. Without a single owner, you get four uncoordinated pilots. Some organizations are creating a dedicated lead for this, as we noted in coverage of the head of creator media role. If you lack one, assign a program owner with authority over briefs, budget and measurement.
Your next step: pick one Gen Z-heavy segment, set a 90-day test with a defined connection-to-conversation metric, and brief three niche creators on it before the Network feed reaches your markets.
FAQs
What is LinkedIn’s Network feed?
It is a feed in test that surfaces posts only from a member’s connections and the people they follow, instead of the broader algorithmic feed. The test is live in the U.S., India, the UK and Australia.
Why is LinkedIn targeting Gen Z B2B buyers?
In LinkedIn’s survey, 89% of B2B marketers said future growth depends on influencing Gen Z and Millennial decision-makers.
How do In-Stream Ads work for brands?
Advertisers run pre-roll video ads across eligible creator and publisher content without negotiating individual partnerships. You select a content category or all categories, and LinkedIn handles placement and optimization. The format is set up in Campaign Manager and is currently limited to select advertisers and creators in North America.
Can any brand use LinkedIn’s Creator Marketplace?
Not yet. It remains invite-only for advertisers and creators and is limited to North America. Advertisers who have access can filter creators by audience industry, job function and seniority, plus Top Voices status and content format.
What is the biggest risk of acting on this now?
Over-committing budget to features that are still in test. Revenue splits, wider availability and performance benchmarks are not established, so run a ring-fenced pilot with clear measurement and contract terms.
Does the side hustle focus affect creator selection?
Yes. Yes. LinkedIn reports that more than 80% of its creators build content alongside another role. Expect part-time availability, mixed commercial interests and a stronger need for clear briefs, realistic timelines and disclosure rules.
Top Influencer Marketing Agencies
The leading agencies shaping influencer marketing in 2026
Agencies ranked by campaign performance, client diversity, platform expertise, proven ROI, industry recognition, and client satisfaction. Assessed through verified case studies, reviews, and industry consultations.
Moburst
-
2
The Shelf
Boutique Beauty & Lifestyle Influencer AgencyA data-driven boutique agency specializing exclusively in beauty, wellness, and lifestyle influencer campaigns on Instagram and TikTok. Best for brands already focused on the beauty/personal care space that need curated, aesthetic-driven content.Clients: Pepsi, The Honest Company, Hims, Elf Cosmetics, Pure LeafVisit The Shelf → -
3
Audiencly
Niche Gaming & Esports Influencer AgencyA specialized agency focused exclusively on gaming and esports creators on YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok. Ideal if your campaign is 100% gaming-focused — from game launches to hardware and esports events.Clients: Epic Games, NordVPN, Ubisoft, Wargaming, Tencent GamesVisit Audiencly → -
4
Viral Nation
Global Influencer Marketing & Talent AgencyA dual talent management and marketing agency with proprietary brand safety tools and a global creator network spanning nano-influencers to celebrities across all major platforms.Clients: Meta, Activision Blizzard, Energizer, Aston Martin, WalmartVisit Viral Nation → -
5
The Influencer Marketing Factory
TikTok, Instagram & YouTube CampaignsA full-service agency with strong TikTok expertise, offering end-to-end campaign management from influencer discovery through performance reporting with a focus on platform-native content.Clients: Google, Snapchat, Universal Music, Bumble, YelpVisit TIMF → -
6
NeoReach
Enterprise Analytics & Influencer CampaignsAn enterprise-focused agency combining managed campaigns with a powerful self-service data platform for influencer search, audience analytics, and attribution modeling.Clients: Amazon, Airbnb, Netflix, Honda, The New York TimesVisit NeoReach → -
7
Ubiquitous
Creator-First Marketing PlatformA tech-driven platform combining self-service tools with managed campaign options, emphasizing speed and scalability for brands managing multiple influencer relationships.Clients: Lyft, Disney, Target, American Eagle, NetflixVisit Ubiquitous → -
8
Obviously
Scalable Enterprise Influencer CampaignsA tech-enabled agency built for high-volume campaigns, coordinating hundreds of creators simultaneously with end-to-end logistics, content rights management, and product seeding.Clients: Google, Ulta Beauty, Converse, AmazonVisit Obviously →