Broker Knakal beats Savills, Matthews rivals for top social media ranking

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Bob Knakal, Principal of BK Real Estate Advisors, has been named the top LinkedIn influencer in commercial real estate for 2025, according to the highly regarded CREi LinkedIn Rankings. With over 2,300 properties sold and a career spanning four decades, Knakal continues to set the standard in leveraging social media to grow brand visibility, deal flow, and industry influence.

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Key Highlights:

• #1 Influencer Ranking: Bob Knakal secured the top position in the 2025 CREi LinkedIn Influencers list, outperforming executives from Savills and Matthews.
  
  
• Platform of Choice – LinkedIn: His consistent, thoughtful, and strategic use of LinkedIn has been instrumental in amplifying his voice and building an engaged CRE audience.
  
  
• Multi-Channel Presence: Beyond LinkedIn, Knakal actively uses X (formerly Twitter) to communicate market insights, property updates, and industry trends.
  
  
• Founder's Commitment to Networking: While strong online engagement is key, Knakal emphasizes face-to-face interaction—he attends 261 networking events a year, one for every workday.
  
  
• Recognition by Industry Experts: Rankings were compiled by CREi founder Ken Ashley and sales coach Nicholas Luczyszyn using data-based metrics of social influence.
  
  
• BKREA’s Growing Impact: Faraz Cheema, a Managing Director at BKREA, also made the top 10, highlighting the firm's wider impact in the digital real estate space.
  
  

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: What is the CREi LinkedIn Influencers List?

‍ A: It’s an annual ranking of the most influential commercial real estate professionals on LinkedIn, curated by CREi, based on measurable engagement and reach metrics.

Q: Who founded CREi?

‍ A: CREi was launched in 2020 by Ken Ashley of Cushman & Wakefield as a platform to help CRE professionals optimize their social media strategy.

Q: How is influence measured for the list?

‍ A: Influence is determined using data analytics related to follower count, content engagement, consistency, and impact across LinkedIn.

Q: Why does Bob Knakal prioritize social media?

‍ A: Knakal uses social media to expand his reach, educate the market, and stay top-of-mind with peers and potential clients.

Q: Does in-person networking still matter to Knakal?

‍ A: Absolutely—he attends a networking event every working day to complement his digital outreach with real-world connections.

Q: Who else from BKREA made the list?

‍ A: Faraz Cheema, Managing Director of Manhattan Office Capital Markets, was also ranked in the top 10.

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