What did LinkedIn launch for creators in 2026?
Four things, across three announcements. LinkedIn announced Creator Marketplace on 10 June 2026. On 15 October 2026 its Pressroom announced a creator dashboard, an In-Stream Ads test and the US availability of Advice Sessions, paid consultations it first announced on 12 May 2026. In the same release, LinkedIn says more than 80% of its creators are building content alongside another role.
Here is each launch, who can use it and what it pays or costs, from LinkedIn's own posts, checked 20 October 2026:
| Launch | Date | Who can use it | What it pays or costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creator Marketplace | 10 Jun 2026 | Invited creators and advertisers in North America; brands search it in Campaign Manager | Brands and creators agree any fees and payments directly with each other |
| Creator dashboard | 15 Oct 2026 | Rolling out to all members globally | No price given; shows analytics, drafts, scheduled posts and ways to earn |
| In-Stream Ads (test) | 15 Oct 2026 | Select US creators and advertisers | Creators earn revenue when pre-roll ads run with their eligible videos; no rate published |
| Advice Sessions | 12 May 2026; in the 15 Oct 2026 release | Invited Premium Business subscribers in the US; hosts must be verified | Free or paid 1:1 consultations, with bookings, payments and video calls in LinkedIn |
MediaPost covered the October changes on 16 October 2026 as a redesign of LinkedIn's profile Dashboard. The table covers two roles. As a creator you might earn from brands, ads or clients. As a company you might pay creators to reach their audience. A founder of a small B2B company could be either, so the rest of this post covers both.
What is LinkedIn's Creator Marketplace, and who gets in?
Creator Marketplace is a directory of vetted creators that brands search inside Campaign Manager, LinkedIn's advertising tool. LinkedIn's June announcement says marketers can search by topic and content expertise, assess each creator's audience, performance and fit, and get their contact details to discuss a partnership. Brands can also find creator posts that feature them and boost those with Thought Leader Ads.
The rules for creators are in a 10 June post by Sam Corrao Clanon, who builds creator products at LinkedIn:
- Invite-only. Access is by invitation, and LinkedIn says it will expand over time. Corrao Clanon's 15 October post says it is still invite only.
- No follower minimum in the post. Eligibility is based on expertise, content quality, platform presence and topic alignment with advertiser demand.
- Opt in from a new tab. Invited creators get a new Monetization tab, where they opt in and manage programmes.
- You and the brand set the price. Brands and creators agree partnership details, including any fees and payments, directly with each other.
Social Media Today reported on 10 June 2026 that the marketplace would launch first for the US and Canada. LinkedIn's 15 October guide for advertisers says it is open to advertisers and creators by invitation only, in North America. On 15 October it reported new filters that let brands search creators by audience focus, expertise and preferred content formats. MediaPost reported on 29 September 2026 that a Creator Discovery beta with more search filters is expected to be globally available in early 2027.
LinkedIn's case to brands comes from its own 2026 survey. In that survey of 1,299 B2B marketers, run by YouGov between 14 January and 5 February 2026, 82% said creators increase credibility with decision-makers.
What do the creator dashboard and In-Stream Ads test change?
The dashboard puts your numbers and your earning options in one place. Sam Corrao Clanon's 15 October post says it shows your audience and content analytics together, lists drafts, scheduled posts and past posts, and shows new ways to earn. LinkedIn's release says it will roll out globally in the coming weeks, and that on mobile you open it by tapping your profile picture in the top left of the app.
In-Stream Ads pays creators from advertising, with no brand deal needed. LinkedIn says eligible creators can join from the dashboard and earn revenue when pre-roll video ads run alongside their eligible video content. It is being tested among select US creators and advertisers, with broader access planned over time, and Sam Corrao Clanon calls it an early test. Neither LinkedIn post gives a revenue share or a rate. Social Media Today adds that advertisers can place these ads next to topically relevant creator and publisher videos without an existing creator partnership.
Two smaller changes in the same release may matter more to most founders:
- A Network feed test. A separate feed of posts from your connections and the people you follow, starting in the US, India, the UK and Australia.
- Pinned comments. Authors can now pin helpful comments under their posts.
LinkedIn's release ties neither of these to Premium. Private profile notes, announced alongside them, are for Premium subscribers.
Can you charge for consultations on LinkedIn?
Yes, if LinkedIn has invited you, you are in the US and you pay for Premium Business: LinkedIn's help page says hosting is limited to invited Premium Business subscribers in the US. Advice Sessions lets you offer 1:1 consultations from your LinkedIn profile and manage bookings, payments and video calls in one place. LinkedIn announced it on 12 May 2026 for Premium Business subscribers in the US, and its 15 October release says it is now available to Business Premium subscribers in the US, with more markets coming soon. Sam Corrao Clanon's post names Premium Business and Premium All-in-One, and says sessions can be free or paid.
Three things to check before you set it up:
- Verification. LinkedIn's Oscar Rodriguez wrote on 15 October 2026 that LinkedIn requires anyone providing advice to be verified.
- The subscription. LinkedIn's Premium Business page lists it from US$69.99 a month billed monthly, or US$539.88 a year billed annually (about US$44.99 a month), checked 20 October 2026.
- Fees and payouts. LinkedIn's help page says payments run through Stripe, payouts are delayed by 30 days, and the host then receives the total session amount minus Stripe's platform fee. Bookers must have a verified profile and be in the US.
LinkedIn's Ora Levit said on 15 October that a top experts page will arrive over the coming weeks, to make experts easier to discover and help them reach people beyond their existing audience. For a consultant, fractional executive or agency owner who already sells hours, Advice Sessions is a booking page with payment attached. For a software founder, a free session could serve as a discovery call booked straight from your profile.
Should a B2B founder try to become a LinkedIn creator?
For most founders of small B2B companies: yes to posting like a creator, no to planning around creator income. As of 20 October 2026 the paid programmes above are invite-only, limited to the US, or have no published rate, while an audience of buyers helps your company whether or not LinkedIn ever pays you. This table is our advice, not LinkedIn's:
| Question | If yes | If no |
|---|---|---|
| Do your buyers use LinkedIn every week? | Post two or three times a week for them. | Spend the time where they are; see our LinkedIn vs X guide. |
| Do other brands pay to reach your audience (for example HR leaders or marketers)? | Keep your profile and posts on one topic, since brands search by topic and expertise. Wait for an invite. | Ignore Creator Marketplace. |
| Do you sell expertise by the hour? | Try Advice Sessions if you are in the US, on Business Premium and invited to host. | Keep your usual booking link. |
| Are you in the US and posting video every week? | Watch your dashboard for In-Stream Ads. | Skip In-Stream Ads for now. |
| Would a sponsored post for another company confuse your buyers? | Turn down brand deals, or take only ones that fit what you sell. | Relevant brand deals can be extra income. |
| Can you post every week for six months? | Treat posting as part of selling. | Start by commenting on buyers' posts instead. |
Mostly yes on the first, third and last rows: post as a founder and add Advice Sessions if it fits. A yes on the second row is the only one that makes Creator Marketplace worth waiting for. For the weekly posting routine itself, see our guide to LinkedIn personal branding for founders.
What to do this week
Five steps, about an hour in total:
Open the new dashboard
If it has reached your account, look at which recent posts grew your audience. On mobile, tap your profile picture at the top left.
Look for a Monetization tab
In June, LinkedIn said creators invited to Creator Marketplace would get this tab. Its posts describe no way to apply, so if you don't have it, there is nothing to do yet.
Name your topic in five words
Brands search the marketplace by topic and content expertise. Put the same few words in your headline and in most posts. For example: cash flow for agency owners.
Decide on Advice Sessions
If you sell hours, are in the US and LinkedIn has invited you to host, offer one session type for a month. Check verification and LinkedIn's fee terms first.
Plan four posts from your own work
One lesson, one customer story, one number and one opinion. Our 12 LinkedIn post templates give you structures. If you want help keeping the pace, Siela's LinkedIn Presence agent posts in your voice two, three or five times a week, and you can set it to show you every post first.
Frequently asked questions
What is the LinkedIn Creator Marketplace?
A directory of vetted LinkedIn creators that brands search inside Campaign Manager, announced on 10 June 2026. Marketers can search by topic and content expertise, check a creator's audience and performance, and contact them about a partnership. Brands and creators agree any fees directly. As of October 2026, access for creators is invite-only.
How do you get into LinkedIn's Creator Marketplace?
You need an invitation. LinkedIn says eligibility depends on expertise, content quality, platform presence and how well your topic matches advertiser demand, and its announcement gives no follower minimum. Invited creators opt in through a new Monetization tab. LinkedIn says it will expand access over time.
Does LinkedIn pay creators directly?
Yes, in some programmes. Sam Corrao Clanon of LinkedIn wrote in June 2026 that creators in BrandLink earn a share of ad revenue from pre-roll ads that run alongside their content. In the In-Stream Ads test announced on 15 October 2026, select US creators earn revenue when pre-roll ads run with their eligible videos; LinkedIn has not published a rate. Creator Marketplace fees are agreed directly between brands and creators.
What are LinkedIn Advice Sessions?
Free or paid 1:1 consultations offered from your LinkedIn profile, with bookings, payments and video calls handled in LinkedIn. LinkedIn announced them on 12 May 2026. LinkedIn's help page, checked 20 October 2026, says hosting is limited to invited Premium Business subscribers in the US, and bookers must be verified and in the US. LinkedIn also requires hosts to be verified.
Is the new LinkedIn creator dashboard available to everyone?
LinkedIn says the dashboard it announced on 15 October 2026 is rolling out to all members globally over the coming weeks. On mobile you open it by tapping your profile picture at the top left of the app. It shows audience and content analytics, drafts, scheduled posts and ways to earn in one place.
Sources
- LinkedIn Pressroom: New Ways to Build Meaningful Connections, Grow Your Side Hustle, and Earn on LinkedIn (published 15 Oct 2026)
- LinkedIn Pressroom: How B2B Brands Can Drive Impact with Creators and Stronger Creative on LinkedIn (published 10 Jun 2026)
- LinkedIn Pressroom: LinkedIn Tools to Help Small Businesses Scale Up (published 12 May 2026)
- Sam Corrao Clanon, LinkedIn: LinkedIn's Creator Marketplace, a new ecosystem for brand/creator connection (published 10 Jun 2026)
- Sam Corrao Clanon, LinkedIn: All-In-One Dashboard and New Ways for Creators to Earn (published 15 Oct 2026)
- Oscar Rodriguez, LinkedIn post on Advice Sessions verification (posted 15 Oct 2026)
- Ora Levit, LinkedIn post on Advice Sessions (posted 15 Oct 2026)
- Social Media Today: LinkedIn launches its own Creator Marketplace (published 10 Jun 2026)
- Social Media Today: LinkedIn adds new creator monetization options (published 15 Oct 2026)
- MediaPost: LinkedIn Redesigns Profile 'Dashboard,' Provides Creator Performance Insights (published 16 Oct 2026)
- MediaPost: LinkedIn Tests New Brand/Creator Matchmaking Beta (published 29 Sep 2026)
- Siela: 12 LinkedIn post templates (checked 20 Oct 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: Advice sessions for Premium subscribers (checked 20 Oct 2026)
- LinkedIn Premium: Premium Business pricing (pricing updated 20 Apr 2026; checked 20 Oct 2026)
- LinkedIn: Reach the Next Generation of Buyers Through Video and Creator-led Content (In-Stream Ads explainer) (published 15 Oct 2026)