Yesterday, LinkedIn announced that you will be able to follow what it calls “the most influential thought leaders on LinkedIn” – people like Richard Branson, Arianna Huffington, President Obama, Gov. Mitt Romney and more (you can see the full list here) – in addition to the news you already follow through industry, companies and groups.

You’ll be able to add your two cents as well, with an ability to comment on their posts and engage the influencers in your area of expertise. You can even share insights you like with your own network.

Think you have what it takes to be an influencer on LinkedIn? You can submit a request to join LinkedIn’s thought leader group or, if they have already noticed you have a following already in groups, blogs and on social media, you may receive an invitation from LinkedIn to join.

LinkedIn is migrating from the simple act of connection to a deeper, richer way to connect and share information on their site – a welcome evolution for this leader in business-oriented social media.