How to Make Money on LinkedIn: 16 Proven Methods (2026)
LinkedIn has 1.2 billion members and generates 80% of all B2B social leads. From ghostwriting to BrandLink revenue sharing, here are 16 ways to monetize LinkedIn in 2026.
LinkedIn has 1.2 billion members — and unlike any other social platform, 53% of its users earn over $100,000 per year. That makes LinkedIn the highest-income social network in the world, and the most lucrative for B2B monetization.
LinkedIn generates $17.81 billion in annual revenue, 80% of all B2B social media leads come from the platform, and its visitor-to-lead conversion rate of 2.74% is nearly 3x higher than Facebook or X.
The platform is also undergoing a creator economy transformation. LinkedIn's first official revenue sharing program — BrandLink — launched in 2025, and sponsored newsletters are becoming a significant income source. Here are 16 ways to monetize LinkedIn in 2026.
1. Freelancing and Consulting Lead Generation
LinkedIn is the most effective platform for attracting high-value freelance and consulting clients.
Why LinkedIn works: 4 out of 5 LinkedIn members drive business decisions. 89% of B2B marketers say LinkedIn generates high-quality leads. Salespeople who engage on LinkedIn are 51% more likely to hit their sales quotas.
Earnings potential: Marketing consultants charge $65-$150/hour. The average freelance consultant salary in the US is $120,528/year. Top performers using LinkedIn strategically report $50K-$500K+ annually.
Strategy: Publish content that demonstrates expertise. Engage meaningfully in comments. Use LinkedIn's built-in tools (DMs, connection requests) to nurture relationships into paid engagements.
2. LinkedIn Ghostwriting for Executives
This is one of LinkedIn's most lucrative hidden opportunities. Executives want a strong personal brand but lack the time to create content.
Earnings:
- Entry-level: $300-$800/month per client
- Premium/executive: $3,000-$5,000+/month per client
- With 5 high-paying clients: $10,000+/month
What's included: Writing LinkedIn posts, articles, and comments. Some ghostwriters also manage engagement (replying to comments, starting conversations).
How to start: Build your own strong LinkedIn presence first as proof of concept. Then pitch services to busy founders, CEOs, and executives in your network.
3. LinkedIn BrandLink (Revenue Sharing)
LinkedIn's first official creator monetization program, where brands place video ads alongside creator content and creators receive a revenue share.
Revenue split: Creators reportedly get close to a 50% cut of ad revenue.
Performance: Video ads running alongside creator content see 130% higher video completion rate and 23% higher view rate versus traditional video ads. BrandLink revenues grew nearly 200% quarter-over-quarter since rebranding in May 2025.
Current scale: Initial cohort of 30 creators in the business category, including Steven Bartlett and Gary Vaynerchuk. Expanding to more creators over time.
This is LinkedIn's signal that creator monetization is a priority for the platform.
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4. LinkedIn Newsletter Monetization
LinkedIn newsletters have become a powerful monetization tool with built-in distribution.
Scale: LinkedIn newsletters reached 4 million+ subscribers in 2024.
Revenue streams: Sponsorships (77% of newsletter publishers seek advertising partnerships), affiliate commissions, promoting your own paid products.
Key stat: LinkedIn newsletters see 35-40% open rates — far higher than typical email newsletters. 30% of creators earning six figures place LinkedIn among their top platform priorities.
Sponsored newsletters: LinkedIn rolled out sponsored newsletter capability in July 2024, enabling direct advertising partnerships.
5. Brand Partnerships and Sponsored Posts
LinkedIn's professional audience makes sponsored content especially valuable for B2B brands.
Rates: Mid-tier creators (15,000-30,000 followers) command $1,500-$3,000 per sponsored post. Pricing varies widely — some charge $200, others $2,000+ for similar follower counts, depending on engagement and niche authority.
Key advantage: LinkedIn doesn't have a standardized creator marketplace yet, which means savvy creators can negotiate premium rates.
For tips on creating compelling LinkedIn content, see our best AI tools for LinkedIn.
6. LinkedIn Learning Instructor
Create and publish courses on LinkedIn Learning.
Earnings: New instructors receive ~$1,500 upfront + ~$1,200/year in royalties. Trending topic experts can earn $5,000 upfront + $10,000+ annually per top course. Popular courses with thousands of monthly viewers can generate $100K+ annually.
In-demand topics: AI, data science, project management, leadership, communication skills.
7. Coaching and Mentoring
LinkedIn's professional audience has high willingness to pay for career and business coaching.
Rates: $500-$2,000+ per hour for 1:1 coaching. Group coaching programs scale to $5K-$25K per cohort.
Strategy: Share insights, frameworks, and results on LinkedIn to attract inbound coaching requests. Use Calendly or Stan Store links in your profile for booking.
8. Affiliate Marketing
Promote B2B/SaaS products through affiliate links in posts, articles, and newsletters.
Typical commissions: 10-30% per conversion. B2B SaaS affiliate programs often pay $50-$500+ per referral.
Why LinkedIn works: 60% of households earning $100K+ use LinkedIn — making it ideal for high-ticket affiliate offers in finance, SaaS, and professional services.
9. Selling Digital Products
Create and sell eBooks, Notion templates, course materials, checklists, and swipe files to your LinkedIn audience.
Strategy: Use LinkedIn content to demonstrate expertise and build trust. Direct followers to landing pages or email lists for product launches.
What works best: Templates and frameworks that solve specific professional problems. LinkedIn's audience values practical, actionable tools.
Create content that sells. PostEverywhere's AI content generator helps you write LinkedIn posts, brainstorm content ideas, and maintain a consistent posting schedule. See plans →
10. LinkedIn Live Events and Webinars
LinkedIn Live content generates 7x more reactions and 24x more comments than regular video.
Revenue models: Lead generation (sell services on the back end), sponsored events, paid access.
Event Ads: Increase viewership by 31x according to LinkedIn Marketing Solutions.
LinkedIn is reportedly developing event ticketing and paid access features, which would add a direct revenue stream.
11. Recruiting and Headhunting Commissions
Use LinkedIn to place candidates and earn placement fees.
Commission structure: 15-25% of the placed candidate's first-year salary. Executive search: 20-33%.
Example: A single executive placement at $200K salary = $40K-$66K commission.
LinkedIn Recruiter costs: Recruiter Corporate: $10,800/year per seat. Recruiter Lite: $170/month.
12. B2B Lead Generation Services
Offer LinkedIn lead generation as a service to businesses.
Key stats: LinkedIn delivers 28% lower cost per lead than Google Ads. LinkedIn leads convert at 2.74% — nearly 3x higher than Facebook or X. 40% of B2B marketers say LinkedIn is their most effective channel.
Service models: Done-for-you lead gen ($2,000-$10,000+/month per client), LinkedIn Ads management, Sales Navigator consulting.
13. LinkedIn Ads for Your Business
Run targeted ads to reach LinkedIn's premium professional audience.
Cost benchmarks: CPC: $5-$15. CPL: $60-$120 (can exceed $200 in competitive B2B SaaS niches). Minimum daily budget: $10.
ROI: LinkedIn's average ROAS for B2B SaaS is about 113% ($1.13 return per $1 spent). Strategic retargeting can reduce CPL by 40-60%.
14. Speaking Engagements
Use LinkedIn thought leadership to attract invitations to speak at conferences and corporate events.
Rates: Corporate keynotes: $5,000-$50,000+ per engagement. Virtual events: $1,000-$10,000.
Strategy: Creators who share video content and thought leadership on LinkedIn report receiving 5x more speaking invitations than those who don't.
15. Building and Selling LinkedIn Tools
Create tools, Chrome extensions, or templates specifically for LinkedIn users.
Examples: Post templates, carousel templates, headline analyzers, SSI improvement guides, outreach script bundles.
Revenue model: One-time sales or SaaS subscriptions. The LinkedIn ecosystem supports a growing cottage industry of creator tools.
16. LinkedIn Premium Referral and Content
Use LinkedIn's premium features strategically to generate business opportunities.
LinkedIn Premium recently surpassed $2 billion in annual revenue with 50% subscriber growth over two years. This indicates growing investment in the platform, creating more opportunities for creators and businesses.
LinkedIn by the Numbers
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Total members | 1.2 billion |
| Monthly active users | ~310 million |
| FY2025 revenue | $17.81 billion |
| Users earning $100K+ | 53% |
| Senior-level influencers | 180 million |
| Decision-makers | 63 million |
| C-level executives | 10 million |
| B2B leads from social | 80% from LinkedIn |
| Average engagement rate | 5.20% |
FAQ
Can you make money directly on LinkedIn?
Yes. LinkedIn's BrandLink program offers revenue sharing for creator content. You can also earn through sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, digital product sales, coaching, and LinkedIn Learning courses. Most LinkedIn income comes from lead generation and service sales rather than platform payouts.
How many followers do you need to make money on LinkedIn?
No minimum for most methods. Freelancing, consulting, and coaching can start with a few hundred connections. Brand partnerships typically require 5,000-15,000+ followers. LinkedIn BrandLink is invitation-only for established creators.
Is LinkedIn better than other platforms for making money?
For B2B services, consulting, and high-ticket offerings — yes. LinkedIn's audience has the highest average income of any social platform (53% earn $100K+), and its leads convert at 3x the rate of Facebook or X. For consumer products or entertainment content, other platforms may be better.
How much do LinkedIn ghostwriters make?
Entry-level ghostwriters earn $300-$800/month per client. Premium executive ghostwriters earn $3,000-$5,000+/month per client. With 3-5 clients, monthly income ranges from $5,000-$25,000.
What type of LinkedIn content performs best?
Multi-image posts have the highest engagement rate (6.60%), followed by native documents (5.85%), video (5.60%), and single images (4.85%). LinkedIn Live content generates 7x more reactions and 24x more comments than regular video.
Start Monetizing Your LinkedIn
LinkedIn's professional audience, high income demographics, and growing creator monetization tools make it one of the most valuable platforms for earning — especially for B2B services, consulting, and high-ticket products.
Use PostEverywhere to schedule LinkedIn content at the best times, manage LinkedIn carousels, and handle all your social accounts from one dashboard.
Related reading:
Jamie Partridge
Founder & CEO of PostEverywhere
Jamie Partridge is the Founder & CEO of PostEverywhere. He writes about social media strategy, publishing workflows, and analytics that help brands grow faster with less effort.