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LinkedIn’s Most Engaged Marketers 2013: Reckitt Benckiser, BT and Lloyds top the list

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By Ishbel Macleod, PR and social media consultant

November 7, 2013 | 6 min read

LinkedIn has today unveiled research into the most engaging FTSE 100 marketers on LinkedIn, ranging from sectors from finance to hotel groups.

LinkedIn’s Most Engaged Marketer 2013 highlighted the UK marketers that are using the platform to their best advantage, not only for their personal brand, but also being advocates for the company they work for.

Marco Augugliaro, digital media, Reckitt Benckiser reached the top spot on the list. Speaking to The Drum, he said the accolade was ‘no surprise’, as he was also on the list last year, when it was first created by LinkedIn.

Augugliaro said that he has a vast use of LinkedIn on a daily basis as part of his work routine, and added that LinkedIn was useful for marketers on three levels: firstly, as an ‘unmatched aggregator of marketing/business/social knowledge and news’.

The second use was as a potential lead generator for suppliers (in marketing, for agencies to name as example), and thirdly, as a job searcher in marketing, providing an opportunity to review employer and interviewers profiling for better search strategy.

Paul Hudson, global marketing consultant at RSA, came second on the list. He told The Drum: “I'm delighted to be named in the top ten in LinkedIn’s most engaged FTSE 100 marketers, it's the first place I go to find new insights, look for inspiration, learn from experts, check up on competitors or just maintain contact with my colleagues, peers and friends.

“I have a fairly widespread role, working across Europe, The Americas and Asia, so LinkedIn, being a genuinely global resource, is a fantastic business tool giving me an understanding of what's happening in other markets and what people really care about - where else can you go to get that worldwide view?”

Craig Chadburn, the social media marketer at BT, came forth on the list. He said: “It’s always good to be recognised for the work you do, to be recognised by LinkedIn as one of the most engaged marketers within the biggest organisations in the UK is a great feeling. LinkedIn has a huge role to play for marketing, it provides a great vehicle to push out messages to both my customers and my sales colleagues and allows me to identify best practice with my peers. With such a large membership it is something that can’t be ignored.”

Marghaid Howie, content and social media manager for Capita, came in fifth. She told The Drum: “I’m delighted to be on the list. Being named fifth has made me realise just how much I use LinkedIn: I have it open all day at work, I check the mobile app on the train in the morning and often browse the iPad app in the evening for any news I missed during the day.

“I think LinkedIn needs to be included in marketers’ brand management plans to ensure that employees represent their business accurately and consistently, which is why we’ve been running a training project for employees over the last year.”

To create the rating for the top 10, LinkedIn studied the more than 10,000 LinkedIn members in the marketing function at FTSE 100 companies, and looked at a range of indicators of how engaged they are on LinkedIn, beyond simply number of connections.

Vinne Schifferstein Vidal, market development director for Pearson, came seventh in the list, a fact that surprised her. Speaking to The Drum, she said: “I use LinkedIn a lot as part of my work tools. I don’t have any business cards: any time I meet someone I just link up through LinkedIn.”

She added that LinkedIn is a good marketing tool to help build and engage communities, and also suggested that the platform is useful for recruitment and new business: “most of the time you know someone who knows someone on LinkedIn”.

George Cairns, acting head of digital marketing strategy at Lloyds, came in eight on the list. He said: “I was both surprised and excited by the announcement that I’d made the shortlist of LinkedIn’s 10 most engaged FTSE 100 marketers in the UK. I use LinkedIn on a daily basis and find it an incredibly useful and engaging platform. It’s an ideal environment for brands to talk directly with professionals and businesses to drive awareness and brand engagement.”

Like Augugliaro, Cairns also suggested that there are three major ways that LinkedIn can be used for marketers: as a useful recruitment platform for finding marketing talent; as a gateway to networking with like-minded marketers all over the world; and to engage with new and existing customers, clients or businesses.

Rebecca Heptinstall, social media manager at the Financial Times, came tenth on the list. Hepinstall said: "I'm delighted to feature in LinkedIn's top 10 most engaged FTSE marketers. The network offers the perfect opportunity to engage a business-minded audience on topics of relevance."

Claire Whitehead, the former head of global brand strategy and marketing at InterContinental Hotel Groups; Americo Campos Silva, global media manager for Shell; and Jon Coulson, marketing consultant for B&Q also made the list.

The 10 Most Engaged FTSE 100 Marketers on LinkedIn

1. Marco Augugliaro, Digital Media, Reckitt Benckiser

2. Paul Hudson, Global Marketing Consultant, RSA

3. Claire Whitehead, former Head of Global Brand Strategy & Marketing, InterContinental Hotel Groups

4. Craig Chadburn, Social Media Manager, BT

5. Marghaid Howie, Chartered Marketer, Capita

6. Americo Campos Silva, Global Media Manager, Shell

7. Vinne Schifferstein Vidal, Market Development Director, Pearson plc.

8. George Cairns, Acting Head of Digital Marketing Strategy, Lloyds

9. Jon Coulson, Marketing Consultant, B&Q

10. Rebecca Heptinstall, Social Media Manager, Financial Times

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