3 LinkedIn Trends Nonprofits Should Get Ahead of in 2023

Ariana Younai is the Head of LinkedIn for Nonprofits, the organization responsible for providing discounted talent, campaigning, fundraising, and learning solutions from LinkedIn to the nonprofit sector—an effort she helped build from the ground up over the past decade. She is responsible for the strategy behind LinkedIn for Nonprofits’ vision to drive nonprofit capacity in order to accelerate global social impact.

The start of the new year is an opportunity to reflect, re-evaluate, and plan for success. Of course, it’s impossible to know what 2023 will hold for your nonprofit, but we can make educated guesses by looking at new and emerging trends.

To help your organization get ahead of the curve, I asked my fellow LinkedIn for Nonprofits colleagues to share the LinkedIn trends they predict will impact the sector in 2023. Here are three trends they highlighted based on what they’re hearing directly from the nonprofits they work with:

Trend #1: Employer branding takes center stage

In a tight labor market, nonprofits have to work extra hard to attract and hire high-potential candidates. At the same time, the market is being flooded with tech talent that nonprofits wouldn’t typically have access to, presenting a major opportunity to bring new skills into their organizations.

Your nonprofit can rise to this challenge by elevating your employer branding efforts on LinkedIn and positioning your organization as a fulfilling place to work. That might include creating a LinkedIn Career Page that showcases your culture, values, and testimonials from employees, and posting eye-catching employer branding content from your nonprofit’s LinkedIn Page.

Focus on telling authentic stories about what it’s like to work at your organization, the impact of the work, and the tangible and intangible benefits you offer employees. This content isn’t just useful for attracting new candidates. It can also be sent to existing job candidates to boost their interest in your organization.

Trend #2: Executive thought leadership sets nonprofits apart

Nonprofits may not be able to compete with the big marketing budgets of corporate brands, but they have an ace up their sleeve: a mission that inspires.

Paired with their leadership team—including dedicated board members—who regularly engage with organizations’ content and share their insights and expertise on timely issues, the impact of nonprofit marketing can achieve an extremely far reach.

Encouraging executive leaders at your nonprofit to develop a thought leadership presence on LinkedIn can help get your organization noticed in 2023 and beyond. Plus, it can complement your employer branding efforts. After all, who doesn’t want to work for thoughtful, inspiring people?

Creating thought leadership content takes time, but it can also be a team effort. This content doesn’t just have to live on your leaders’ profiles, either. You can easily reshare it via your organization’s LinkedIn Page and pull out quotes to feature in future posts, newsletters, and articles.

Trend #3: Learning opportunities play a crucial role

The Great Resignation (or “Great Reshuffle” as we think of it at LinkedIn) of 2022 highlighted the critical importance of investing in employee retention efforts.

With 43% of U.S. social sector organizations reporting that a lack of opportunity for upward mobility, or career growth, is a primary reason for voluntary turnover, providing employee growth opportunities should be a priority for nonprofits in 2023. Given the current economic climate, developing your existing talent and hiring from within can be the most cost-effective strategy.

As more employees embrace remote work and nonprofit workforces become increasingly dispersed, on-demand learning resources like LinkedIn Learning can allow organizations to provide development opportunities equitably and at scale—while filling skills gaps.

Nonprofits that use LinkedIn Learning have noted that features like “Learner Challenges” foster engagement and connection among their employees, creating friendly competition that turns learning into a fun, communal experience.

Set Your Nonprofit Up for Success

Whatever 2023 brings, it’s worth strengthening your nonprofit’s presence on LinkedIn. With more than 875 million global professionals using the platform, the opportunities are endless.

Download the Complete LinkedIn Checklist for tips to help your organization build and maintain a powerful presence on LinkedIn. Visit nonprofit.linkedin.com for more LinkedIn resources and exclusive discounts on LinkedIn products.