Andy Burnham and lessons for leadership comms

So, Andy Burnham has now followed other political leaders, CEOs and entrepreneurs by joining LinkedIn. He published his first introductory post on July 3rd.  Whatever you make of his politics, his instincts for this platform are hard to argue with. No stranger to social media with a burgeoning Instagram following, his first LinkedIn post opened with humour before moving straight into his own account of what he built in Greater Manchester, explaining himself in his own words. 

As LinkedIn has evolved into more of an editorial platform in recent years, it has become an important part of a strategic communications strategy, to reach key audiences. In short, CEOs or politicians can be deployed as credible ‘narrators-in-chief’ but that credibility can also be hard won – it requires authenticity and sometimes a willingness to display a vulnerability, or lack of polish, that makes some leaders uncomfortable. 

In political terms, Zohran Mamdani makes a good comparison. As New York’s mayor, he has built a huge following through his own channels, yet on LinkedIn specifically he’s still someone people are getting used to. Being newsworthy and building a strong presence on a specific platform are two different skills, and it takes time and consistency to close that gap.

Leadership communications on LinkedIn is also entering a new phase, with the rise of AI tools giving more emphasis to why the platform matters. LinkedIn is increasingly the first point of contact between a company and the people researching it, as they draw heavily on what’s publicly available and attributable to a named person. The platform also allows multiple formats from articles to commentary to video.  A leader who shows up clearly and consistently is more likely to be represented accurately by the AI tools that are now shaping perception.  

Technology is now offering organisations (and their advisers) more possibilities. Platforms consistently favour personal accounts over company pages (LinkedIn recently updated their AI discovery algorithm to 360Brew), and research shows that audiences trust individuals more than logos anyway. A single well-written post from the right person can land in front of clients, customers, journalists and investors more effectively than anything from a brand account.

I’ll be watching Andy Burnham’s presence on LinkedIn with interest and tracking whether his easy, relaxed style translates to positive perception when it comes to his political leadership.