Before committing to a large content project like a 2,000-word article or a webinar, validate the core idea with a short LinkedIn post. Strong engagement serves as a reliable leading indicator of audience interest, allowing you to focus resources on topics that are proven to resonate.
The primary reason new LinkedIn content gets no traction isn't poor quality, but a lack of an initial audience. Before focusing on content creation, prioritize building a relevant network through connection requests and engagement to ensure people actually see your posts.
Use X's (Twitter's) short-form, high-feedback environment as a low-cost testing ground for content ideas. Once a concept gains traction and high engagement, expand it into longer-form content like a newsletter or YouTube video. This workflow ensures you only invest significant effort in pre-validated topics.
Don't wait for large corporate campaigns to get audience feedback. Marketers should be "religiously" creating content on their personal social channels to micro-test messaging, language, and program ideas. This provides a direct, rapid feedback loop on what the audience actually cares about, enabling content-led innovation.
Instead of maintaining a constant high volume, use it strategically in bursts to quickly acquire data on audience preferences. This “accordion method” allows you to discover what resonates, then contract your efforts into fewer, more in-depth pieces. This balances rapid learning with high-quality production for greater impact.
Sellers need not create all content from scratch. You can leverage existing assets like company white papers or reports from industry associations. By extracting key data points and trends and sharing them, you provide immediate value, validate your audience's own observations, and position yourself as an insightful expert with minimal effort.
Before posting, dedicate a month to actively consuming content on LinkedIn. Every time you like, comment, or save a post, analyze its topic, angle, and tone. This builds the 'taste' necessary to create resonant content.
To convert followers, LinkedIn posts must provide a self-contained, valuable thought rather than just teasing content. By giving away the core insight (e.g., "the 3 most important things"), you build authority and earn shares. The call-to-action can then offer deeper context and personal stories from the main article.
Commenting on others' posts provides a low-stakes environment to experiment with new content formats or tones that might not fit strict brand guidelines. It's an effective way to test edgier or funnier ideas before committing them to your official company page.
Building an audience on platforms like X (Twitter) is incredibly difficult because you're competing with world-class writers. In contrast, the standard for content on LinkedIn is much lower, making it significantly easier for founders and marketers to stand out, be authentic, and build a following.
Use comments on others' LinkedIn posts as a low-risk testing ground for new content formats or edgier ideas. If a comment flops, the impact is minimal. If it succeeds, it validates the idea for a future post on your company's page, bypassing initial brand guardrails.