Best Small LinkedIn Accounts to Follow (2026)

What changed in the top 20 small LinkedIn accounts since our last ranking

The pool is larger this time: 5,890 active accounts between 5,000 and 50,000 followers, against 4,983 in our previous edition, even with the new 60-day rule. The top 20 has turned over almost completely.

Fifteen names are new in this top 20, all of them new to the ranking. Raheel Khawaja enters straight at #1, Sander Janca-Jensen at #3 and Dr. Charlotte Beissel at #6.

Five creators return. Nick Pattison climbs from #3 to #2, Jyothish Nair from #7 to #5, and Jordan Lee holds #4.

Fifteen creators from our previous top 20 are no longer in it.

#20 · Katharine Gordon, 3.15% engagement rate

Katharine Gordon is a senior content writer at LeverBrands who has written more than 1,500 posts for CEOs and founders, by her own count. She is new in this edition, and #8 in our ranking of LinkedIn ghostwriters.

Her AI Ethics posts earn a 446 median, above her overall figure and ahead of her Copywriting posts (351).

"Your brain is a lot simpler than you think. Overthinking and underthinking have easy fixes..." Her most liked post of the year: 4,478 likes, 13 times her median, the second-widest gap in the top 20. Read it

#19 · Andrea Milutinović, 3.16% engagement rate

Andrea Milutinović, founder of WingScale, is a marketing strategist who works on personal branding and winning clients from LinkedIn. New in this edition, the account posts mostly on Content Marketing (17 posts, 242 median) and LinkedIn itself (14 posts, 226).

It is one of five German accounts in this top 20, and the only one of the five whose best post is in English.

"I’ve deleted more good posts than bad ones. Usually because I thought they were too obvious." The most liked post of the year: 635 likes, two and a half times the median. Read it

#18 · Felix Blume, 3.19% engagement rate

Felix Blume describes himself in his headline as a multi-platinum artist and speaker. He is new in this edition.

His four Psychology posts earn a 1,147 median, more than twice his overall figure. He posts in German, and sparingly: 37 posts analyzed.

"Immer mehr Menschen verlassen Deutschland und ich kann die Beweggründe dafür durchaus nachvollziehen." His most liked post of the year: 1,893 likes, almost 4 times his median. Read it

#17 · Dr. Astrid Deilmann, 3.22% engagement rate

Dr. Astrid Deilmann sits on the executive board of Campact, is a shareholder of HateAid and serves on the supervisory board of TAZ, according to her headline. She is new in this edition.

Public policy is her main subject, with 24 posts at a 376 median, and she writes in German.

Her most liked post of the year, 3,434 likes and 10 times her median, celebrates a press freedom and human rights prize awarded to HateAid.

#16 · Consolas Hodonou, 3.26% engagement rate

Consolas Hodonou is a data scientist from Benin with a master's degree in biostatistics and an ambassador of the Women IA & Data Academy. She is new in this edition and sits exactly on our 30-post floor.

She shares her 3.26% rate with Mireille Bergraaf and Dr. Selina Hehl; median likes set the order. Her 7 median comments are the fewest in the top 20.

Her most liked post of the year, in French, announces a double first prize at the DSI Awards 2025: 1,388 likes, almost 6 times her median. See it

#15 · Mireille Bergraaf, 3.26% engagement rate

Mireille Bergraaf is a Master Certified Coach who coaches and trains CEOs, executives and managers to lead with more empathy. New in this edition, she is #2 in our Netherlands ranking.

Leadership is almost her whole feed: 44 of her 55 posts analyzed, at a 646 median. Her 415 median comments are the third-most in the top 20.

"You grab your laptop and walk into the next meeting. By the time you come out, lunch is over." Her most liked post of the year: 790 likes, barely above her median. Read it

#14 · Dr. Selina Hehl, 3.26% engagement rate

Dr. Selina Hehl, a psychologist and keynote speaker based in Austria, is new in this edition. On 33k followers she posts a 1,079 median, the second-highest in the top 20 after Liz Nova's.

Psychology is her main theme, with 23 posts at an 827 median. Her best post, in German, is the biggest single post on this page.

"IKEA zeigt, warum Menschen durch KI nicht überflüssig werden." Her most liked post of the year: 11,042 likes, 10 times her median. Read it

#13 · Jonathan Otafia, 3.39% engagement rate

Jonathan Otafia helps founders and coaches turn their expertise into clients on LinkedIn. He is new in this edition, and the only creator in the top 20 with more median comments than likes: 347 against 338.

He ties Liz Nova on rate (3.39%) and ranks behind her on median likes. With 134 posts analyzed he is the second most prolific here, and his Personal Branding posts earn a 621 median, nearly twice his overall figure.

His most liked post of the year, a three-word caption: 1,588 likes and 768 comments. See it

#12 · Liz Nova, 3.39% engagement rate

Liz Nova, an author and speaker who writes about faith, is #12, down from #11 in our previous edition. She also tops our Australia ranking.

Three records in the top 20 are hers: the biggest audience (35k followers), the highest median (1,183 likes) and the most posts (220 analyzed). Her median rose from 1,140 in 2025 to 1,234 so far in 2026.

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Her most liked post of the year, which opens on a verse from 1 Thessalonians: 6,680 likes. Read it

#11 · Samuel Idu, 3.51% engagement rate

Samuel Idu, a LinkedIn brand strategist for founders, CEOs and startups based in Nigeria, is new in this edition. His 688 median comments per post are the most in the top 20, close to one comment for every like.

His median jumped from 206 in 2025 to 939 so far in 2026, and he is #5 in our fastest-rising ranking. He also leads the 20k-plus cut below.

His most liked post of the year, a one-line caption and an emoji: 2,104 likes and 896 comments. See it

#10 · Teodora Vukasinovic, 3.68% engagement rate

Teodora Vukasinovic helps founders sign high-ticket clients on LinkedIn, and she is new in this edition. She posts sparingly, 34 posts analyzed, and her best post earned under twice her median: the rank rests on the typical post, not on a hit.

"LinkedIn HAS BECOME WAY TOO COMPLICATED" Her most liked post of the year, a list of everything the platform now asks of a creator: 481 likes. Read it

#9 · Perfect Nkani, 3.69% engagement rate

Perfect Nkani, a social media manager from Nigeria, is #9, down from #5 in our previous edition. Comments still run high on her feed: 322 per post at the median, about 7 for every 10 likes.

Her median went from 688 in 2025 to 386 so far in 2026.

"Before changing how my brand looks, I changed how good I am at what I do." Her most liked post of the year: 1,105 likes and 786 comments. Read it

#8 · Peter Leibinger, 4.05% engagement rate

Peter Leibinger lists himself as BDI President and Chairman in his headline. He is new in this edition.

He posts in German, 43 posts analyzed, and public policy is his recurring theme. His median stands at 450 so far in 2026.

"Eine besondere Ehre: Gestern wurde ich von Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz in den #Strategiekreis für Technologie und Innovation berufen." His most liked post of the year: 1,882 likes, almost 4 times his median. Read it

#7 · Trisha Paul, 4.41% engagement rate

Trisha Paul, from India, builds LinkedIn personal brands for founders, CEOs and coaches. She is new in this edition, #1 in the same ghostwriter ranking as Katharine Gordon and #10 in our LinkedIn growth ranking.

LinkedIn itself is her main subject: 28 posts at a 718 median.

"A $10,000 client and a $500 client can look at the exact same LinkedIn profile… And walk away with two completely different opinions." Her most liked post of the year: 1,265 likes. Read it

#6 · Dr. Charlotte Beissel, 4.49% engagement rate

Dr. Charlotte Beissel is a board member at Stadtwerke Düsseldorf, in charge of sales, HR and group IT, according to her headline. She is new in this edition and has the smallest audience in the top 20: 6,703 followers.

She posts in German, and her median stands at 322 so far in 2026.

"Ab Juli werde ich im Vorstand der EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG neue Verantwortung übernehmen." Her most liked post of the year, an executive move: 2,510 likes, 8 times her median. Read it

#5 · Jyothish Nair, 4.52% engagement rate

Jyothish Nair, a technical delivery manager at Openreach and a doctoral candidate in AI and the future of work, climbs from #7 in our previous edition to #5. He is also #10 in our UK ranking and #8 in our AI ethics ranking.

His AI Ethics posts earn an 834 median, his AI posts 776. His median rose from 582 in 2025 to 838 so far in 2026.

"Plugging a high-performance AI system into a broken corporate workflow is like dropping a Ferrari engine into a car with flat tyres." His most liked post of the year: 1,009 likes, barely above his median. Read it

#4 · Jordan Lee, 4.72% engagement rate

Jordan Lee left a corporate career and now sells AI to businesses, and his headline offers to help corporate workers take advantage of AI. He holds #4, the same rank as in our previous edition.

He is also #3 in our fastest-rising ranking, #12 in our UK ranking and #6 in our business development ranking. Business development carries his feed, 19 posts at an 894 median, and he writes long: 357 words a post on average.

"Laid off after 5 years working 80 hour weeks for a company that sees me as just another number." His most liked post of the year: 1,326 likes. Read it

#3 · Sander Janca-Jensen, 5.30% engagement rate

Sander Janca-Jensen, CEO and founder of Flatpay, enters this edition at #3, the highest new entry after our #1. He is #5 in our Denmark ranking.

He posts little, 33 posts analyzed, and his audience reacts far more than it replies: 20 median comments against 566 median likes.

"Flatpay is officially the next (and fastest) unicorn out of Denmark." His most liked post of the year: 3,252 likes and 502 comments, nearly 6 times his median. The rest of the post announces a 170 million USD raise at a 1.7 billion USD valuation. Read it

#2 · Nick Pattison, 5.56% engagement rate

Nick Pattison, founder of the brand sprint studio Primary, climbs from #3 in our previous edition to #2. He holds a 5.56% rate on 7,350 followers.

Design runs through his feed: his Graphic Design posts earn a 679 median and his Content Marketing posts 654. His median eased from 436 in 2025 to 314 so far in 2026.

"Early exploration that isn't making the cut for feeling a little too retro" His most liked post of the year, a piece of design work rather than a take: 8,402 likes, 20 times his median, the widest gap in the top 20. Read it

#1 · Raheel Khawaja, 7.84% engagement rate

Raheel Khawaja, who works in commercial real estate and insurance in the US, is new in this edition and goes straight to #1. His 7.84% engagement rate means a like on his median post from about one follower in 13, on 9,669 followers.

His feed is also the steadiest on this page. His best post earned 880 likes, 1.2 times his median, the narrowest gap in the top 20, and his 419 median comments are second only to Samuel Idu's.

He writes on Entrepreneurship (18 posts, 770 median) and FP&A (13 posts, 782), and he is #19 in our entrepreneurship ranking.

"You do not need to be wealthy to make an impact. You just need intention." His most liked post of the year: 880 likes. Read it

Which small LinkedIn accounts just missed the top 20?

Five accounts sit right behind #20, all within a tenth of a point of its 3.15% rate:

Two of them also feature in our country rankings. Frederico Trajano, CEO of Magalu, is #4 in our Brazil ranking. Aleksander Małachowski tops our Poland ranking and draws the highest median of the five, 1,357 likes, on 44k followers.

Where do these cards come from? We computed every figure on this page from public posts with MagicPost's LinkedIn analytics: engagement rate, median engagement, comment ratios, themes and trajectories, across 5,890 small accounts in our dataset. It works on your profile too, including a side-by-side with anyone on this list.

Which small LinkedIn accounts over 20,000 followers have the highest engagement rate?

A high rate gets harder to hold as an audience grows, so here is the cut for the larger accounts of the pool: 20,000 to 50,000 followers, under the same 8% ceiling as the ranking.

Samuel Idu leads at 3.51%. Three of the five are in the top 20 above, and the other two just missed it: Frederico Trajano at #21 and Chad Janis at #24.

For how these rates compare with ordinary accounts, see our guide to the average LinkedIn engagement rate, and for the picture by market, engagement rates by country.

Which small LinkedIn accounts earn the most likes over a year?

Engagement rate rewards an audience that reacts; total likes over 12 months reward volume. A total does not depend on the follower count, so this cut runs on the whole pool of 5,890, with no rate ceiling:

Susan Chen leads with 499,295 likes on 190 posts. Liz Nova, third, is the only creator in both this table and the top 20. Michael Erhard reaches his 255,624 on the most posts here, 470.

Which small LinkedIn account gets the most comments per post?

The comment-to-like ratio is the cut that rarely shows up in these lists. The record in our small pool belongs to Ewan Mcallister, who builds LinkedIn sales systems for B2B founders in the UK: 583 median comments against 116 median likes, about 5 comments for every like.

Behind him come Eric Djavid, a SaaS and app builder in France (2.3 comments per like), and Jitendra Sheth, a digital marketing architect in India (1.6), counting accounts with 100+ median likes.

The same three hold the comment record of our worldwide ranking: the most talkative feeds we measured all sit under 50,000 followers. The typical top-20 account here gets one comment per 6 likes.

Where are the best small LinkedIn accounts based?

Ten countries share this top 20, and Germany leads with five: Dr. Charlotte Beissel, Peter Leibinger, Dr. Astrid Deilmann, Felix Blume and Andrea Milutinović. None of the five makes our Germany ranking, which sorts by raw median likes.

The United Kingdom places four, Nigeria three and the United States two. Denmark, India, Australia, Austria, the Netherlands and Benin have one each.

Where are the LinkedIn-native creators among the best small accounts?

The top of our worldwide ranking belongs to CEOs, authors and academics. This top 20 looks different: seven of the twenty work on LinkedIn content for a living, as brand strategists, ghostwriters or social media managers.

They are Trisha Paul, Samuel Idu, Perfect Nkani, Teodora Vukasinovic, Jonathan Otafia, Andrea Milutinović and Katharine Gordon. The other thirteen include executives, founders, an author, a psychologist, a coach, a data scientist and an artist.

We studied the platform's natives one data biography at a time in our guide to the top LinkedIn creators to study.

And if your plan is to grow a small audience that reacts, showing up in the right comment sections is part of it: an engagement feed keeps that to a five-minute daily habit.

Why do small LinkedIn accounts out-engage the big ones?

The arithmetic is simple. A like counts once, whether it comes from an 8,000-follower account or an 8-million one, but the rate divides by reach: 300 likes on 8,000 followers is a 3.75% rate, and the same 300 likes on 8 million followers is 0.004%.

A big audience needs proportionally more likes to post the same rate. Our data shows the result, not why a given follower stops reacting: this top 20 runs from 3.15% to 7.84%, while 16 of the top 20 in our worldwide ranking stay below 1%.

How we ranked the best small LinkedIn accounts

All of this is MagicPost's own research. We took every personal profile in our dataset (no company pages) between 5,000 and 50,000 followers with at least 30 posts in the last 12 months: 5,890 accounts.

Only creators with at least one post in the last 60 days are ranked, a rule new in this edition. The method:

• Ranking: engagement rate, median likes per post divided by followers; ties go to the higher median.

• Floor: a median of 100+ likes, which leaves 817 ranked accounts.

• 8% ceiling: rates above 8% are left out as likely stale follower counts (3 accounts).

• Known errors: profiles with an evident follower-count error are left out.

• Median rather than average: no single viral post can buy a place.

• Posts analyzed: the posts our dataset holds per creator, deleted posts excluded, sometimes fewer than they published.

Rankings refresh as the data does. No placement here was sponsored; every rank comes straight from the rate.

Study them, then study yourself. With MagicPost you can analyze any account on this page the way we just did (engagement rate, median engagement, comment ratios, trajectory) and benchmark your own profile against them. The data on this page is the product.