Unpopular opinion by a CEO: Corporate influencers or just employees with a hashtag?

Petra Mc Cardle

Once upon a time, influencers were independent creators sharing their passions. Now? Your LinkedIn feed is flooded with company employees-turned-influencers, singing the praises of their workplace in carefully curated posts. Welcome to the rise of corporate influencers, the latest (and most calculated) form of brand advocacy.

Employees posting about their company sounds like a win-win, right? But here’s the problem: when does employee advocacy stop being organic and start becoming corporate propaganda?

The pros of corporate influencers

• More relatable than traditional ads: People trust real employees more than polished brand campaigns.

• Boosts employer branding: Attracts top talent by making the company look like an amazing place to work.

• Expands organic reach: Employees' LinkedIn posts can outperform official brand pages in engagement.

• Gives employees a voice: Allows individuals to build their own thought leadership while promoting their workplace.

The dark side of corporate influence

• Forced participation: Some companies pressure employees to post, making advocacy feel inauthentic.

• Scripted messaging: Many ‘personal’ posts follow brand-approved templates, killing real engagement.

• Blurred lines between authenticity and marketing: Are employees genuinely sharing, or subtly being ‘paid’ to influence?

• Backlash potential: If employees promote the company but later quit or speak out, it can damage credibility.

The controversy: Thought leadership or thinly veiled advertising?

Some argue that employee advocacy is a natural evolution of brand marketing, creating real voices inside the company. But critics call it manufactured authenticity, a new way for companies to game LinkedIn’s algorithm and boost their employer brand without transparency.

A 2024 LinkedIn study found that 72% of corporate influencers admitted feeling pressure to post positive content about their employer. Meanwhile, only 38% believed their content was genuinely original and not subtly dictated by corporate messaging.

The Brand War: Who’s Doing It Right—and Who’s Getting It Wrong?

• Amazon: Faced backlash when warehouse employees were reportedly coached to tweet positive experiences to counter bad press.

• Microsoft: Encourages employees to post thought leadership without requiring company mentions.

• Google: Accused of selectively promoting employee voices that align with its PR goals.

• Adobe: Supports employee-driven storytelling, letting workers shape their own narratives.

What social media is saying

Corporate influencers are a hot topic on LinkedIn, where the divide is clear:

• Some professionals embrace employee advocacy as a way to humanise brands.
  
• Others call it ‘forced enthusiasm’ – an extension of workplace culture that pressures employees into unpaid marketing.
  
• Twitter/X users often mock corporate influencers who post glowing reviews of their employer right before quitting.

The future: Will corporate influence replace traditional marketing?

If this trend continues, expect:

• More ‘personal branding’ workshops that subtly train employees on how to talk about the company online.
  
• AI-driven content suggestions for employees, making advocacy feel even more scripted.
  
• Companies tying employee performance reviews to social engagement metrics – rewarding those who post more.

Sound extreme? Some companies are already tracking employees’ LinkedIn engagement as part of their KPIs.

The big question: Are corporate influencers the future, or just another fad?

Are we moving toward a world where every employee is expected to be an unpaid brand ambassador? Or should companies let employees engage authentically, without pressure?

Let’s debate. Do corporate influencers create real conversations, or are they just brand ads in disguise?