• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, July 27, 2022

In the midst of earnings reports, Microsoft’s business-to-business site, LinkedIn, on Tuesday launched a community for B2B marketers, giving them a place of their own.

Jim Habig, vice president of marketing at LinkedIn Marketing solutions, introduced the site on Tuesday, pointing to the results as the grain that fueled the addition.

“B2B is having its day in the sun – we saw it firsthand at Cannes last month when we celebrated the first-ever Creative B2B Lions,” Habig explains. 

LinkedIn commissioned a YouGov survey of 1,600 senior B2B marketing decision makers online in the U.S., UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, UAE, KSA, Brazil, Australia, India, and Singapore from April 28, to May 25, 2022.

The findings suggest 82% of B2B marketers globally believing creative confidence is growing, but this is only just the beginning, Habig writes.

Microsoft during the earnings call on Tuesday shared that LinkedIn Marketing Solutions surpassed $5 billion dollars in annual revenue. In the Q2 2022 calendar quarter ended June 30, revenue  rose 26% year-over-year, 29% in constant currency.

The platform also is experiencing record engagement among its more than 850 million members, as it builds out tools for creators to lead across the platform. Believe it or not, LinkedIn has an official page to support creators.

Last week, the company introduced a Creator Accelerator Program focused on U.S. creators who are passionate about technology and innovation. This is a six-week program to support creators who discuss a variety of topics.

The Creator Accelerator Program aims to amplify voices across the platform and grow a community through coaching. It also includes opportunities for LinkedIn to feature specific channels, and earn a financial grant of up to $12,000.

About a year ago, LinkedIn announced a $25 million investment in creators with the launch of a U.S. Creator Accelerator Program, and have since expanded to India, Brazil and the U.K. 

Colin Rosenblum, Samir Chaudry and Sherrell Dorsey have been brought into the program as mentors to help connect participants to opportunity throughout the program. 

Colin & Samir, hosts of the LinkedIn Podcast Network’s "The Colin and Samir Show,” have a reputation for helping creators make their best work, build successful businesses, and navigate the creative challenges that come with making content for a living. Sherrell is the Founder and CEO of The Plug – a tech newsletter and media site reporting across Black tech trends, stories, and breaking news. She’s also the author of “Upper Hand: The Future of Work for the Rest of Us” and was featured in LinkedIn’s Top Voices: Technology in 2020. 

Anyone driving professional conversations about the world of work can become a creator on LinkedIn. LinkedIn members in the U.S., 18 years of age or older can join.