Company Profile vs. Corporate Influencer – Who wins the Game of Reach, Relevance, and Resonance on LinkedIn?

“Social media is not a place to shout, but a place to tell stories.”

says Jennifer Nürnberger, senior consultant for storytelling on social media and in PR at Mashup Communications.

Nowhere is this more evident than on LinkedIn — the digital stage where brands and people dance for attention.

But who is really in charge? Are company profiles with corporate branding, CI-compliant graphics, and hashtag strategies still necessary? Or are corporate influencers, with coffee in hand, earnest expressions, and “Let me be honest…” posts, winning over the algorithm?

Clear the Stage: Company or Person?

Both are part of the show, but they play very different roles in the big LinkedIn circus.

The company profile is the experienced animal trainer: disciplined, confident, trained to deliver clear messages. It keeps brand values firmly under control, juggles KPIs, and ensures the perfect appearance with flags flying in corporate colors. Performance is predictable, professional —b ut sometimes also predictable.

Corporate influencers, on the other hand, are artists walking a tightrope: a little daring, sometimes improvising, but always genuine. They show attitude, personality, and emotion. In doing so, they also risk stumbling at times. That takes courage and makes them human. While the company profile builds reach through campaigns and content strategy, influencers gain trust through personal insights, relatable stories, and their expertise in a specific topic or industry. In short, the company profile provides the framework for the show, while corporate influencers make sure the audience really applauds.

“Companies provide the structure, people provide the soul. Together, they make the perfect mix.”

– Jennifer Nürnberger, Senior Consultant for Storytelling on Social Media and in PR at Mashup Communications

Fact Check: Who can do What?

Criterion	Company Profile	Corporate Influencer
Reach	algorithmically rather limited	strong through personal networks
credibility	“official,” but distant	authentic, emotional, approachable
Range of Topics	focused on brand messages	flexible, sometimes even “off-topic”
Tonality	Corporate, coordinated	individual, often spontaneous
Crisis Communication	safe, controlled	riskier but more effective

Successful Examples from the LinkedIn Universe

Storytelling at its best: the nu company

The nu company — the Leipzig-based startup behind nucao —s hows how good LinkedIn storytelling works. Instead of mere product PR, they serve up attitude, humor, and chocolate all in one.

Your content doesn’t tell an advertising story, but rather a movement: against single-use packaging, for fair cocoa prices, and genuine enjoyment with a clear conscience. Every post is part of a larger narrative – “We are changing the chocolate industry” – and that is precisely what makes the brand recognizable.

What makes them particularly strong is that they combine social issues with everyday moments. When the team welcomes a new CMO, it doesn’t result in a press release, but rather a little scene from the office with insider humor and genuine enthusiasm. This comes across as friendly and approachable, and is also excellent for employer branding.

This is how the nu company manages to communicate what many brands forget: not what they do, but why they do it.

They also always have their finger on the pulse:

Storytelling with system and attitude: Google

Google shows how tech and emotion go hand in hand on LinkedIn. Instead of bombarding users with buzzwords and product updates, the company tells stories about people, ideas, and occasionally particularly photogenic office dogs, such as on Halloween 2023. And we all know that cute dog pictures always work.

Their content does not aim for reach through features, but for impact through attitude. Whether AI, education, or accessibility — every post ties into an overarching narrative: “Technology that makes life better.” Google combines progress with empathy — a balancing act that succeeds thanks to storytelling.

What’s particularly powerful is that they show that technology is not an end in itself, but a tool for change. Developers, teachers, and small businesses become the heroes of these stories. This creates a sense of closeness — even in a global corporation with an audience of billions.

If you would like to learn more about successful employer branding on LinkedIn, here are 5 success factors for employer branding on LinkedIn.

Corporate Influencers at their Best: Authentic Insights from Julia Beyer

Our Head of Onboarding & Culture, Julia Beyer, demonstrates how personal LinkedIn storytelling works. Instead of the classic “I’m an expert” announcement in LinkedIn style, she provides insights, value, and personality.

Your content tells a continuous story and takes us along on your everyday life as a working mom at MashupCommunications.

Particularly impressive: Julia combines professional expertise with personal stories. When she shares insights into her everyday life, it doesn’t come across as a dry report, but rather as a short story about values, team spirit, and sometimes even digital transformation. This comes across as authentic, approachable, and excellent for employer branding.

CEO with a Mission: Caroline Renée Kroll

Caroline Renée Kroll demonstrates how corporate influencing can be personal and powerful despite her role as CEO. Her posts are not self-congratulatory, but part of a much larger narrative: a brand with attitude — and a founder who makes visible what lies behind it.

Your content doesn’t just say “We’re growing,” it says “We’re changing the cosmetics industry” – with a focus on community, sustainability, and transparency. Every post serves the narrative: “Beauty with purpose – and we’re part of it.”

Caroline talks about challenges (as a young entrepreneur in the drugstore industry), values (gender-neutral branding, sustainable packaging), and shares moments from her everyday life. In doing so, she not only shows what she has founded, but who she is—and connects her brand with her personality in an impressive way.

While No Cosmetics’ corporate profile focuses on new products and company news, Caroline shares behind-the-scenes insights on her corporate influencer profile.

Between Authenticity and Algorithm

Corporate influencers are not a substitute for corporate communications; they are its amplifiers. At the same time, corporate profiles are not relics from a bygone era, but rather a stable anchor in a sea of personal brands. While brand accounts often fail due to algorithmic limitations, personal profiles effortlessly fly above them.

LinkedIn loves faces, emotions, and real stories. That’s exactly what corporate influencers bring to the table. They give a glimpse behind the scenes, talk about everyday work life, successes, hurdles, and little moments that no press release could ever convey. This creates a sense of closeness — not only to potential customers, but also to future colleagues. Authentic voices from within the company act as living testimonials and make employer branding tangible. Skilful use of the various communication channels is the key to success here.

When which Profile shines

Use Company Profile to …

• Positioning brand messages for the long term
• Manage campaigns across the board
• Strengthen consistent CI, corporate tone, and KPIs
• Strategically leveraging employer branding and recruiting

Use corporate influencers when …

• the brand wants to build trust, personality, and closeness.
• Topics related to attitude, values, or culture
• the company wants to initiate discussions and use feedback
• it’s about who is behind the brand

Conclusion: And the Oscar goes to… a clear “both/and.”

On LinkedIn, the focus has long been on people rather than brands. But anyone who communicates wisely knows that one cannot function without the other. The company profile provides the basis on which values, visions, and strategies find their place. Corporate influencers, on the other hand, bring life, movement, and credibility to the table. They transform statements into stories and give brands a face.

The most successful companies don’t see LinkedIn as a competition between corporate brands and personal brands, but rather as a symbiosis. When the message is right, the tone remains personal, and both sides work together instead of against each other, genuine resonance is created.

Or: The animal trainer cannot put on a show without an artist—and the artist needs the circus tent to welcome their audience.

In the end, no one wins alone. Instead, everyone who manages to combine attitude with heart and strategy with storytelling wins.

TL;DR – Too Long, Didn’t Read

• Company Profiles = Structure, Strategy, Brand Message
• Corporate Influencer = emotion, approachability, reach
• Best Effect: When both parties pull together
• Mnemonic: Authenticity attracts, but without a plan, it is wasted.