LinkedIn enables third-party analytics access with new Member Post API

LinkedIn announced on July 8, 2025 the launch of its Member Post Analytics application programming interface (API), marking the first time creators can plug LinkedIn performance metrics directly into third-party tools they already use to manage and track content. The new API provides access to key performance metrics including follower growth, post impressions and video views through external platforms.

According to LinkedIn director of creator products Sam Corrao Clanon, the API is now available to creators using 11 third-party tools and platforms, with more integrations planned in the coming year. The current vendor list includes Hootsuite, Buffer, Sprinklr, Metricool, Oktopost, Zoho, mLabs, Social Pilot, Later, Publer and Vista Social. Third-party vendors do not have to pay LinkedIn for access to the new API, with a free approval form available on LinkedIn's website.

"What this will do on the creator side, and specifically with regard to their relationship with advertisers, is give a more complete picture of what their reach looks like across platforms, from whatever tool they use," Clanon said.

Summary

Who: LinkedIn creators, third-party social media management platforms (Hootsuite, Buffer, Sprinklr, Metricool, Oktopost, Zoho, mLabs, Social Pilot, Later, Publer, Vista Social), and advertisers seeking creator partnership data.

What: LinkedIn's new Member Post Analytics API enables creators to access performance metrics including follower growth, post impressions, and video views directly through third-party tools, eliminating manual data retrieval requirements.

When: Announced July 8, 2025, with immediate availability for approved third-party vendors and creators using supported platforms.

Where: Available globally through LinkedIn's approved third-party vendor ecosystem, with free API access for qualifying platforms and creators.

Why: LinkedIn aims to reduce friction in creator-advertiser relationships by streamlining campaign reporting, positioning itself competitively against Instagram and TikTok in the creator economy, and making LinkedIn performance data more accessible within existing creator workflows.

API eliminates manual reporting requirements

The API addresses a longstanding friction point for creators who previously had to navigate through their personal LinkedIn dashboard to access performance data. Instead of this manual process, creators can now access metrics directly through scheduling and automation tools like Hootsuite, as well as influencer management platforms like Later.

Later CEO Scott Sutton explained how the integration streamlines creator workflows. "Later leverages integrations with all major social networks to ingest that content performance data and summarize it for the brands creators partner with," Sutton said. "Once integrated with Later, LinkedIn's Member Post Analytics API will enable creators to have performance metrics automatically ingested in the same way they can for any other social network."

Later's platform automatically compiles performance data from brand partnership content, eliminating the need for creators to manually report the success metrics of their posts. This automation particularly benefits creators managing multiple brand partnerships across different social platforms.

Strategic positioning in creator economy

The API launch represents LinkedIn's strategic move to position itself more firmly in the creator economy and make the platform more attractive to advertisers investing in creator partnerships. By allowing creators to integrate performance data into third-party tools, LinkedIn reduces friction in campaign reporting and makes it easier for brand partners to assess return on investment.

"Our goal is to make the value of LinkedIn as accessible as possible for people who are contributing their knowledge and their expertise and their network," Clanon said. The move signals that LinkedIn wants to compete more directly with platforms like Instagram and TikTok for creator attention and advertising dollars.

Ogilvy senior director of social Jennifer Winberg told Digiday that LinkedIn's new API was a positive sign for advertisers because it brings LinkedIn creator metrics more in line with the workflows they use on other platforms. "When you look at a 360 social campaign, you get a lot of data from the platforms; for LinkedIn, you don't, because it's a little bit more behind private walls and things like that," Winberg said.

Data accuracy considerations

However, Winberg cautioned that regardless of the platform, her clients broadly trust creator metrics shared directly by creators more than metrics pulled from third-party platforms. Although third-party platforms can glean accurate data by plugging into official APIs, the rate at which they refresh their data varies, meaning different platforms can display different figures depending on when and how one accesses a creator's metrics.

"There might also be things that you want to dive deeper into, like demographics or locations," Winberg said, noting limitations in third-party data compared to native platform analytics.

Creator response and expectations

LinkedIn creator Gigi Robinson, who uses Later to manage her posts across personal and business accounts on different platforms, welcomed the new API as continued evidence that LinkedIn is focused on improving creators' experience. However, she was skeptical that the expanded API would help her sign more brand partnerships on LinkedIn.

The overwhelming majority of Robinson's LinkedIn sponsorships have resulted from direct relationships, rather than the partnership marketplaces operated by companies such as Later. "If anything, it would just help with the sourcing for these brands — or, potentially, identifying which creators to use as a creator agent myself," Robinson said.

Algorithm considerations for scheduling

Some creators expressed hope that the API expansion might address perceived algorithm preferences for live posting versus scheduled content. Creator April Little, who has used tools such as Buffer to schedule her posts, said she was hopeful that the expansion of an official data API to third-party scheduling tools indicated that LinkedIn might start rewarding creators for scheduling posts instead.

"You can schedule stories and posts on Instagram — but with LinkedIn, the common consensus has been that it feels like, if there's something you really want to perform well, you want to be online for that," Little said.

A LinkedIn representative denied that the platform prioritizes posts based on where they were published, saying the company's focus is matching content and conversations to relevant viewers.

Third-party app enforcement

The API launch coincides with LinkedIn's crackdown on some third-party apps that tap into the platform's data to analyze creators' top content or schedule posts. Recent weeks saw LinkedIn take action against applications such as Kleo, whose founder Jake Ward wrote that he had sunsetted the application after "LinkedIn came knocking."

A LinkedIn representative denied that there was a connection between the timing of the decisions, saying the shutdown of Kleo and Taplio resulted from company policies against third-party scraping of users' data. "Our teams at LinkedIn invest in technology and take action when necessary to detect and prevent our members' information from being scraped and used without their consent," said a LinkedIn spokesperson.

Industry implications for B2B marketing

Both influencer marketers and LinkedIn creators view the company's crackdown on unauthorized third-party apps and its ensuing embrace of some third-party platforms through its new API as a sign that LinkedIn is formalizing the presence and quality of third-party apps on the platform.

Brendan Gahan, CEO of the B2B influencer marketing agency Creator Authority, sees the API as part of a broader ecosystem support strategy. "From a macro perspective, they're clearly doing a lot more to support the ecosystem, encouraging people to create and participate, and they're trying to streamline that as much as possible," Gahan said. "To me, this is just one of these many, many things that they're doing to help creators."

The new API becomes particularly significant in the context of LinkedIn's broader creator-focused initiatives, including BrandLink, which integrates pre-roll ads with contextual content in the feed. These developments collectively position LinkedIn as a more serious competitor in the professional creator space.

This development contrasts with Meta's recent API changes, where the company has been deprecating numerous metricsfrom its Ads Insights API, affecting data retrieval for advertisers. LinkedIn's approach of expanding API access while maintaining data quality represents a different strategic direction in the evolving social media analytics landscape.

The Member Post Analytics API launch reflects broader trends in social media platform development, where companies are increasingly providing tools to help creators manage their presence across multiple platforms while maintaining platform-specific engagement strategies.

Timeline

July 6, 2021: LinkedIn creates an Audience Engagement API with limited partner access including Hootsuite and Sprinklr

November 28, 2023: LinkedIn introduces retargeting and LAN distribution on Document Ads with new advertiser audience capabilities

February 4, 2024: LinkedIn introduces Website Actions for simplified B2B website tracking

February 5, 2024: LinkedIn launches a Media Planning API empowering B2B agencies with audience insights

May 1, 2025: LinkedIn debuts BrandLink integrating pre-roll ads with contextual content

July 8, 2025: LinkedIn announces Member Post Analytics API launch with 11 third-party platform integrations