There’s More Than Just Writing and Hitting “Send”
I’m officially back from Hawaii—with a bunch of new shirts.
They were all made in China… but purchased in Hawaii, so they’re official.
While I was on vacation, something funny happened:
my social media use was still very much my job.
So this week, I wanted to zoom in on one platform in particular:
LinkedIn
AKA Microsoft’s attempt at Facebook
AKA “How I Learned to Stop Worrying About FOMO and Instead Talk About Work All the Time.”
How to Post on LinkedIn (The Real Version)
Step 1: Go to LinkedIn
Step 2: Start writing
Step 3: Voilà
Just kidding. There’s a lot more to doing it right.
Let’s break it down.
1. How the LinkedIn Algorithm Actually Works
Most social platforms don’t need your content.
They already have plenty.
They just want to:
- keep you scrolling
- keep you active
- ideally convince you to spend money for reach
LinkedIn is different.
LinkedIn NEEDS your content.
Something like 99% of users don’t post consistently, which means:
- more eyeballs than content
- more incentive for LinkedIn to push what you post
But first… it tests you.
Here’s what happens:
- Your post is shown to a small group
- LinkedIn watches what they do (likes, comments, shares)
- The timing window used to be ~1 hour; now it’s more relaxed
After that, one of two things happens:
Either LinkedIn:
- douses your post in sardine oil and feeds it to the masses
Or:
- buries it quietly in the backyard
If your post passes the test, though—it can be shown for up to a week, which is incredible.
I regularly see posts getting thousands of views over 7 days.
Most platforms only care about your last post or two.
2. Types of Posts That Work on LinkedIn
Text Posts
The most common format.
You’ve seen them:
- short sentences
- lots of white space
- dramatic pauses
They work for a reason.
Polls
Text posts with built-in engagement.
LinkedIn still pushes polls, though not as aggressively as before.
At one point, my polls were getting:
- 500–1,000 votes
- 20,000+ impressions
And I had under 10k followers.
Wild.
Images / Graphics
Less common than Facebook, but effective.
Always write something with the image—even if it’s just a line or two.
Slide Decks / Carousels
Scrollable images (like a PowerPoint, but don’t call it that or people think you’re ancient).
These can perform very well when done right.
Video
Mixed results.
Some people crush it. I don’t see massive traction personally.
If you do video:
Captions are non-negotiable.
Most people scroll with sound off.
3. What Actually Makes a Good Post?
LinkedIn limits posts to 1,300 characters.
Shorter is usually better.
Yes, LinkedIn has an “article” feature.
No, it doesn’t get traction.
It’s like buying a brand-new car and never driving it.
If you want to write long-form:
- put it on your website or blog
- link it in the comments, not the post body
Now, focus on these three things:
A. The Hook
The first 1–3 lines.
That’s all LinkedIn shows before “See more.”
Your job is simple:
Make people click.
B. The Meat
The value.
What can someone:
- start doing today
- stop doing this week
- implement immediately
This is the hardest part.
The better you know your audience, the easier this gets.
C. The Call to Action
Engagement matters—even if you can’t fully control it.
Ask a question.
Start a conversation.
Invite opinions.
This alone can double or triple reach.
4. Tips & Tricks for Reach
DO:
- Tag people or companies when it makes sense
- Comment and like your own post (take the convo further)
- Engage back—every comment is fuel
- Mix post formats
DON’T:
- Hashtag companies (tag them instead)
- Post text-only forever
- Be 100% buttoned-up business with zero personality
- Post and disappear
Bonus Trick:
Create “fake” LinkedIn dark-mode posts:
- Take tweets or text
- Put them on a black background
- Repost as images
They stand out instantly.
5. What Should You Post About?
Find your niche.
For example:
- My marketing tactics posts? Meh.
- My marketing mindset posts? Crush.
I target:
- lawyers
- firm leaders
- people who care about leadership, branding, biz dev, sales
Not everyone. And that’s the point.
Ideas that work:
- Your story (why you do what you do)
- Your journey (wins, mistakes, lessons)
- Personal touches (hobbies, interests, life)
- Practical advice people can use today
- Motivation mixed with action
Think 24-hour impact.
A funny reminder for clients not to talk to police will outperform a technical breakdown of expungement law every time.
6. Seriously… Engage With Others
LinkedIn thrives on conversation.
Reply to comments.
Comment on other posts.
Tag people who would benefit (and ask them to engage quickly).
Add value to discussions that aren’t yours.
Take relationships off-platform:
- Zoom
- Google Meet
- Real conversations
Don’t keep all your eggs in one algorithm.
7. Connect With More People
Grow intentionally.
You can find people by:
- searching
- mutual connections
- commenters on posts
- relevant hashtags
- asking friends who to follow
You can even:
- ask people to follow you
- ask who you should be following
Carrier pigeons optional.
Final Thoughts
Will this work for everyone?
I think so.
Will it appeal to everyone?
Absolutely not—and that’s a good thing.
If your goal is to appeal to everyone, you’ll appeal to no one.
The more I take strong stances and “rock the boat,” the more engagement I get.
Yes, I’m a lawyer.
Yes, we’re good at pissing people off.
But the principle still holds.
So let me ask you:
- What did I miss?
- Who would benefit from this?
- Who should I be following on LinkedIn?
(See? I walk the walk.)
Bonus tip for getting this far:
Click that little bell on profiles you like and turn on notifications.
Do that today.
It helps more than you think.