Brendan Gahan

Creator Authority

Co-Founder / CEO

VidCon

Advisory Board Member  

Forbes

Forbes 30 Under 30: Marketing & Advertising

Mekanism

Partner / Chief Innovation Officer

Partner / Chief Social Officer

EpicSignal

Epic Signal Is A Social First Agency. Acquired by Mekanism in 2015.

Founder

Fullscreen, Inc

Vice President of Brand Strategy

Director of Social Media

Associate Director Of Social Media

Syndication Supervisor

BuderEngel and Friends

Account Executive

With over 18 years of experience, Brendan Gahan is a renowned leader in social media advertising, influencer marketing, and the creator economy. As a former Partner & Chief Social Officer at Mekanism, he significantly contributed to the agency’s growth and innovation, playing a key role in its acquisition by Plus Co in 2022.

Gahan has been a pioneer in influencer marketing, leading one of the first YouTube/influencer activations in 2006. He also founded Epic Signal, a prominent influencer marketing agency, which was acquired by Mekanism in 2015. 

He is an active investor/advisor in the creator economy and advertising sectors, contributing to companies such as Stan, Little Chonk, Orca, Glystn, and Trendpop (acquired). Additionally, he serves as a scout for Bessemer Venture Partners and Lunar X.

His industry involvement extends to his role as a VidCon Advisory Board member and as a co-host of the Creator Economy Live podcast. He was named to Forbes' 30 Under 30 list in 2012, and his agency was recognized as Digiday’s Digital Video Agency of the Year in 2017.

Recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice, Gahan's deep understanding of social media and influencer marketing has not only earned him a following of over 125k on TikTok but has also led to features in major publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, The Guardian, Ad Age, and CNBC.

Most social platforms are hemorrhaging trust. 

LinkedIn is the exception. 

I sat down with Jae O. at Advertising Week. He leads ads measurement, intent, and recommendations at LinkedIn.

He emphasized the quality of audience and trust that comes with LinkedIn. In the same way you wouldn't buy from an unknown marketplace when quality matters. You go to the trusted store. Even if it costs more.

LinkedIn works the same way. Verified profiles. Verified employers. Real professionals showing up.

𝟭) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿
LinkedIn has largely avoided the brand safety crises plaguing other platforms, and it shows:
• 63% of members trust what companies post on LinkedIn
• Members are 33% more likely to trust ads versus other platforms
• 77% would click on an ad if it was relevant
  
𝟮) 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
• 53% of US adults on LinkedIn earn $100,000 or more
• 72% are managers or above in the workplace
• 19% higher household income than other platforms
• 69% of high-value consumers purchased luxury items last year

𝟯) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗢𝗳 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀
In addition to the trust that LinkedIn has garnered as a platform, the impact of creators on the platform is growing.

B2B creator marketing will reach $7.7 billion by 2025 and 87% of B2B buyers prefer content from trusted industry voices. Within Linkedin:
• 70% of marketers report positive ROI
• Thought Leader Ads see 252% higher CTR than standard ads
• 82% of B2B buyers say creator content influences purchase decisions

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁:
Ultimately LinkedIn isn't competing on price. It's competing on quality, trust, and results.

As Jae put it: if you're looking for quality and efficacy, LinkedIn stands out.
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𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝟮𝗕 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. 

I sat down with Jae O. at Advertising Week NYC last month.

Jae leads ads measurement, intent, recommendations, and experimentation at LinkedIn.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺: 
Too many B2B marketers treat measurement like B2C.
Anyone can buy toothpaste. Click an ad, make a purchase, measure the conversion.

But who's buying million-dollar enterprise software? Not everyone who visits your website.

As Jae put it: "You should be measuring towards value."

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟵𝟱-𝟱 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲: 
Here's where most B2B brands fall short. They underestimate the importance of time in market.

Only 5% of B2B buyers are actively in-market at any given time.
That means 95% of your potential buyers aren't ready to purchase. They're researching. Building trust. Evaluating options.

You need an always-on approach that builds credibility during that 95% of the time they're not buying.

Patience is key. The brands that understand this long game win.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻'𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀:
𝟭) 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 (𝗥𝗔𝗥) 
Track ROI at the company level with a 365-day lookback window.

RAR connects employee engagement at target accounts with subsequent conversions and purchases over time.

This matters because B2B buying involves multiple stakeholders. The person who clicked your Thought Leader Ad six months ago might not be the person who signs the contract today.

RAR captures the full influence of creator content across the entire buying committee.

𝟮) 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗔𝗣𝗜 (𝗖𝗔𝗣𝗜) 
Stop chasing clicks. Start optimizing for business outcomes.

CAPI integrates your first-party data directly into LinkedIn's ad systems. CRM interactions. Website behavior. Offline sales. Lead qualification status.

LinkedIn uses this data to optimize campaigns for Marketing-Qualified Leads and Sales-Qualified Leads in real time.

The results: 31% more conversions, 20% lower cost per action, 39% drop in cost per qualified lead.

𝟯) 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 
Measure the incremental reach that creator content delivers beyond conventional advertising.

LinkedIn's demographic data reveals what content resonates with specific professional communities. You can track awareness lift and engagement patterns across that crucial 95% who aren't ready to buy yet.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲: 
70% of marketers report LinkedIn delivers positive ROI for their organization. This measurement infrastructure connects ad investment to actual revenue over extended time horizons.
B2B buying committees don't move fast. Your measurement shouldn't expect them to.

The smartest marketers are measuring what matters. Not what's easy.
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LinkedIn video isn't just growing. It's becoming the trust engine for B2B decisions.

I recently sat down with Jae O.. He leads Ads, Formats, Placements & Measurement at LinkedIn. He and his team builds the measurement products that help marketers optimize for revenue growth.

We explored a number of topics including the importance of LinkedIn video:

𝟭) 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗜𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 
Video is now the fastest-growing content format on the platform.
The numbers are staggering:
• Video uploads increased 34% YoY
• Video viewership surged 36% in 2024
• Video content sees 40% more engagement than any other format
  
This isn't a trend. It's a fundamental shift in how B2B buyers consume content.

𝟮) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 
Beyond adoption of video growing, it's also impactful.
• 63% of B2B buyers say video influences their buying decisions
• Gen Z users show 82% more video views than average LinkedIn users
• Members viewing BrandLink ads are 18% more likely to become leads
  
𝟯) 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 𝗜𝘀 𝗦𝗼 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲
Parasocial relationships are one-sided connections where audiences develop trust with creators they've never met.

Video accelerates this effect.

In B2B, people trust people. Not logos. Not features. Not case studies.

Video creates familiarity at scale. It builds trust through consistent value delivery. It makes complex decisions feel safer.

The data proves it:
• 59% of B2B buyers engage with influencer content on LinkedIn
• 67% use creator content during the consideration phase
• 39% say creator content reduces perceived risk in purchase decisions
• 87% prefer content from trusted industry voices
  
B2B creator content is taking on the role of traditional word-of-mouth.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 
LinkedIn is unique. At a time when more platforms are doubling down on the interest graph, LinkedIn is prioritizing meaningful connections over viral reach. This creates the perfect environment for parasocial relationships to flourish.

For B2B brands, video isn't just another content format. It's the most efficient way to build the trust that drives business decisions.

The question isn't whether to invest in LinkedIn video. 

It's how quickly you can build an effective creator video strategy before your competitors do.
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Several months ago LinkedIn surveyed 1,716 B2B buyers and compiled their findings in their report, "Working with B2B Creators: Collaborate with Confidence". 

The results?

A ton of insights into the seismic shift into how decisions get made and the role influencers are playing.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 
LinkedIn has transformed from a professional networking site into THE trusted B2B creator ecosystem. 

The platform's investment in creator tools. This combined with its position as the most trusted social platform has created conditions for B2B influencer marketing to thrive.

𝗕𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀:
• 82% of B2B buyers say creator content influences their decisions
• 91% rely on industry influencers throughout their purchase journey
•  59% prefer LinkedIn as their platform for creator content
• Thought Leader Ads deliver 252% higher CTR than conventional ads
• Video uploads increased 45% YoY, driving 63% of buying decisions

𝗪𝗵𝗼'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲?
• Industry Experts: 55%
• Analysts & Business Leaders: 43% each
• Customers: 33%
• Employees: 29% 

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝟮𝗕 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆:
1. Identify marketing objectives for creator collaboration
2. Map target communities to influence
3. Activate internal thought leaders
4. Build relationships with external creators
5. Develop amplification and measurement frameworks
6. Execute and optimize

As I noted in the report: "𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘥𝘐𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘛𝘶𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯 2010. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦. 𝘎𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳."

This isn't just another trend. This is a fundamental shift in how B2B buyers make decisions. 

They're seeking human connections and credible expertise in an increasingly AI-driven world. 

[Link to full report below 👇]
https://lnkd.in/gHUWV-7d



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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Brendan Gahan's LinkedIn Performance

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