How to get a LinkedIn "Top Voice" badge
There are actually two different "Top Voice" badges
LinkedIn has recently introduced a new way to recognize and verify expertise on its platform in the form of two badge designations - the gold "Top Community Voice" badge and the blue "Top Voice" badge. However, there are some key distinctions between the two.
More on the Top Community Badge - which is surprisingly easy to get
[Update October 2024: LinkedIn announced they would sunset the Community Top Voices Badge on October 8th 2024 - see more about this announcement here, you can still rush to try and get a badge before October 8th following this guide, and it will expire after 60 days]
This badge aims to highlight creators who make valuable contributions to LinkedIn's Collaborative Articles by sharing insightful comments and perspectives in specific topic areas like marketing, sales, HR, etc.
Earning a "Top Community Voice" badge is a relatively straightforward process:
- Gain commenting access by consistently upvoting posts in the Collaborative Articles feed
- Pick your target topic categories
- Leave a handful of high-quality comments showcasing your expertise in those categories
More on this on our article How to get a LinkedIn Top Community Voice badge.
Do this, and LinkedIn will award you the relevant "Top Voice" badge for that niche, such as "Top Marketing Voice." It's a nice credential to display on your profile, though the badges do expire every 60 days if you don't keep contributing.
The Blue "Top Voice" Badge is a different story
This blue badge represents a much higher level of recognition from LinkedIn. For those unfamiliar, the LinkedIn Top Voice program is an invitation-only group of around 300 experts each year handpicked by LinkedIn as the top professionals across various industries.
The "Top Voice" badge denotes you as one of these elite, senior-level thought leaders selected by LinkedIn's editorial team as a go-to global expert and influencer on the entire platform.
There is no defined process or criteria for attaining this badge. It is an invitation-only honor that LinkedIn subjectively awards at its discretion to creators who have demonstrated:
- Consistent creation of exceptionally engaging, high-quality content over an extended period
- Becoming an authoritative, renowned voice in their professional niche with a large, loyal audience
- An elite mastery of the LinkedIn platform and its tools for facilitating impactful discourse
Conclusion
So in essence, the gold "Top Community Voice" badges showcase niche topic expertise and can be pursued through a simple process. But the blue "Top Voice" badge is LinkedIn's highest mark of elite, platform-wide authority and influence - an exclusive status extended to only around 300 professionals yearly.
For creators looking to elevate their positioning on LinkedIn, understanding and pursuing these badge types represents two distinct achievement paths and levels of credibility to aspire toward.