Last week, Bollywood star Shraddha Kapoor found herself on a new stage, not the big screen, but LinkedIn. Within just 24 hours of joining the professional networking platform, she attracted nearly 25,000 followers, greeted with witty welcomes and warm appreciation from users.
True to her entrepreneurial spirit, Shraddha’s bio reads: “Why be fine, when you can be demi fine?”, a playful nod to Palmonas, the demi-fine jewellery label she co-founded in 2022. The brand, which made waves on Shark Tank India, secured Rs 1.26 crore in funding from Namita Thapar and Ritesh Agarwal.
She’s not alone. Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Deepika Padukone, Tisca Chopra, Suniel Shetty, Rishabh Pant, and several other celebrities have also joined LinkedIn. Once seen primarily as a job-hunting site, the platform is now drawing high-profile names. But what’s really behind this shift? Are celebrities turning to LinkedIn because their careers are slowing down or to look for jobs?
Not quite. The reality is that many celebrities have increasingly stepped into the entrepreneurial and investor space, a trend that accelerated after the pandemic. For them, LinkedIn isn’t about job-seeking; it’s about building networks, showcasing their ventures, and engaging with the business community. It’s why you would often spot familiar Bollywood faces at industry events, speaking about the brands they’ve built or backed.
At the same time, LinkedIn’s own positioning has evolved. No longer just a recruitment platform, it has transformed into a social network where people share everything from corporate humour and sharp opinions to thought leadership and social commentary. Celebrities are simply riding that wave, bringing star power to a platform that’s become as much about culture and community as it is about careers.
According to NapoleonCat, as of May 2025, India had 161.5 million LinkedIn users, accounting for approximately 11% of the country’s population. The platform is dominated by the 25–34 age group, which accounts for 46.4% of its users.
In comparison, DataReportal estimates that Instagram has ~414 million users in India, representing 28.4% of the population, while X (formerly Twitter) has about 24 million active users, just 1.7% of the population.
Viraj Sheth, Co-founder and CEO of Monk Entertainment, calls LinkedIn one of the most underrated platforms in India. According to him, the space allows celebrities to express their ideas and values in ways Instagram often can’t. “When Deepika Padukone talks about mental health on LinkedIn, it comes across as a genuine conversation rather than just another campaign,” he points out.
He further adds that LinkedIn is built on credibility and depth. Giving an example, he says, “When Suniel Shetty writes about entrepreneurship on LinkedIn, it resonates more deeply because the audience here is already primed for those conversations,” he explains.
Harish Bijoor, Brand Guru & Founder of Harish Bijoor Consults Inc., says LinkedIn has become the network for business-oriented visibility. “Bollywood stars, cricketers, and other celebrities are increasingly turning to LinkedIn because it strengthens their image among business audiences. The platform is populated with brand managers, marketing heads, VPs, and CEOs. When a celebrity builds their presence here, these decision-makers are far more likely to notice them,” he explains.
Bijoor adds, “If Instagram is for quick clicks and casual scrolling, LinkedIn is where people linger longer. Twitter sits somewhere in between. LinkedIn offers celebrities a firmer platform, because the audience here is more serious and engaged,” he mentions.
From a celebrity management perspective, Darshana Bhalla, Founder & CEO of D’Artist Talent Ventures, says, “At its core, LinkedIn is a social media platform but one designed for the business community. The objectives are very different: hiring, building networks, showcasing achievements, or sharing professional stories.
She further adds, “Unlike Instagram, LinkedIn runs on an unspoken code of business etiquette, conversations stay respectful, and content is expected to have depth. Will it ever become another Instagram? No, because people come here with intent. Influencers and brand collaborations will exist, but the audience is far more discerning. They can spot advertising versus authenticity in an instant, which means brands need to communicate in ways that feel subtle, credible, and genuinely valuable.”
Sonu Tyagi, Founder of Approach Entertainment Group, believes that celebrities are recognising LinkedIn as a powerful platform to showcase their professional identities beyond their on-screen personas. “It allows them to highlight their entrepreneurial ventures, philanthropy, and thought leadership in areas like mental health, fitness, or business. Unlike Instagram or Facebook, which are primarily visual and lifestyle-driven, LinkedIn is a professional networking hub focused on meaningful engagement. It enables celebrities to position themselves as multifaceted professionals: actors, producers, investors, or advocates, rather than just entertainers,” he highlights.
LinkedInfluencers: The new players
LinkedIn influencers have carved out a unique space on the platform. From corporate leaders and startup founders to creators who specialise in workplace humour or career advice, these voices command massive followings. Unlike traditional influencers on Instagram or YouTube, their currency is credibility and expertise, whether it’s breaking down industry trends, offering sharp commentary on workplace culture, or simply sharing relatable ‘9-to-5’ moments.
For brands, collaborating with LinkedIn influencers offers access to a high-intent, professional audience that values insight as much as entertainment.
Sheth mentions that LinkedIn is fast becoming a space for genuine influence and brand associations. “A fitness post by Varun Dhawan here wouldn’t just feel like celebrity content; it would be received as expertise. For brands in finance, tech, or wellness, that creates a very different kind of partnership opportunity.”
Tyagi states that LinkedIn is quickly becoming a platform where celebrities secure endorsements, forge partnerships, and build thought leadership. By sharing industry insights or social impact initiatives like Deepika’s mental health advocacy or Suniel’s focus on fitness startups, they gain trust, authority, and valuable collaborations.
Bijoor also believes that this trend is here to stay. He says that celebrities nowadays need to build a consistent persona across platforms; they must have a presence everywhere, and LinkedIn is one of the key mediums.
Bhalla believes differently—that brands are not able to use it as blatant advertising potential. “Instagram is a D2C platform built around user-generated content, but LinkedIn is fundamentally a B2B space. People don’t come here for timepass, they come with a purpose. That’s why even celebrities on LinkedIn aim to project themselves as serious professionals and engage with the business community, not just push B2C promotions.”
It is clear that LinkedIn isn’t where celebrities go when the spotlight fades; it’s where they build new ones. The red carpet may roll out in theatres and stadiums, but on LinkedIn, the applause comes in the form of credibility, connections, and conversations that last longer than a scroll.
