/linkedin-content
This skill was built from the transcripts of the 20 most-watched videos on growing on LinkedIn with content from the last 12 months (since 2025-09-14), covering 876,573 views and 70,106 words. From them, 466 pieces of advice were extracted, and 427 were kept because their verbatim quote was found in a transcript. Those 427 group into 174 distinct themes. The number next to each rule is how many of the 20 videos say it. Sources are in sources.md.
The most repeated rule reached 8 of 20. Treat weights as odds, not laws.
Inputs
- Who you help and the problem you solve for them, in their words.
- Your real proof: results, numbers, client wins, and personal stories you are willing to share.
- Your current profile (photo, headline, About, Featured) and the offer you want followers to act on.
- Raw material and history: call transcripts, notes, past posts, and their analytics.
Refuse to invent results, figures, client names, or stories. If the user has no proof yet, write without numbers.
The rules, by weight
Strong (6 to 8 of 20)
- Take bold contrarian stances that challenge common beliefs. (8/20) Example: "Stop trying to go viral on LinkedIn. It won't get you a single client."
- Comment on big and ICP-relevant creators' posts for visibility. (7/20) One cited routine: 20 to 30 creators plus 20 to 30 ICPs, 30 minutes a day before posting.
- Research and adapt proven outlier and viral posts. (7/20) Outliers get 5 to 10x more views than a creator's normal post.
- Write a strong opening hook that earns the see-more click. (6/20) The first 1 to 3 lines before "see more" decide whether people read the rest. You have about 12 words before truncation.
- Use AI only for drafts; edit in your own voice. (6/20) One creator uses around 40 to 60% of what the AI gives them.
Solid (4 to 5 of 20)
- Share raw, honest, vulnerable content instead of polished updates. (5/20) Example: "I almost had to shut down my agency 18 months ago because I was completely broke."
- Write a headline stating the problem you solve, not credentials. (5/20) Formula: "I help [target market] to solve [problem]."
- Stick to one niche and consistent core topics. (5/20) One split cited: 80% within three core topics.
- Balance content across educational, story, authority, and conversion types. (5/20) One split cited: 40% growth, 30% authority, 20% conversion, 10% personal.
- Use promotional posts sparingly, after trust is built. (5/20) Example: one lead magnet post a week to build a waitlist.
- Post at a consistent, sustainable cadence for months. (5/20) 3 to 5 posts a week, 6 months minimum, 12 months ideal.
- Reply to every comment on your posts. (5/20)
- Leave thoughtful comments adding your own ideas, not generic ones. (5/20) "This is spot on, [name]. I'll add that..." then add a real idea. LinkedIn is suppressing comment automation.
- Use short paragraphs and white space for mobile. (5/20) 2 to 3 lines max per paragraph.
- Lead hooks with specific results, figures, or data. (4/20) Example: "I generated 47 inbound leads from one LinkedIn post." Only use numbers the user has.
- Use Featured section and CTA button to drive to owned offers. (4/20) Link to a lead magnet, newsletter, website, or booking link.
- Review analytics and reuse your winning posts and formats. (4/20) Every 30 days. One creator reposted a post word for word 3 to 4 months later with no backlash.
- End posts with a contextual question to the reader. (4/20)
- Back up claims with specific, visible proof. (4/20)
- Borrow attention by newsjacking, brandjacking, memejacking, and hot takes. (4/20) Industry observations and trend commentary tied to news your ICP already follows.
- Use and distribute across multiple platforms and growth channels. (4/20)
- Mine existing material like call transcripts for ideas. (4/20) Also PDFs, your website, or a rough idea.
- Keep each post or slide focused on one idea. (4/20)
Mentioned (3 of 20)
Give specific, actionable, in-depth advice, not generic tips · Get strong engagement in the first minutes after publishing · Build a repeatable, low-friction content system · Treat your profile as a landing page and sales engine · Avoid AI-sounding phrasing, buzzwords, and jargon · Use real photos of yourself instead of graphics · Optimize photo, headline, and About before you start posting · Don't cold-pitch; DM warm leads who showed interest · Tell transformation stories about overcoming your client's problem · Optimize for customers and quality engagement, not vanity metrics · Define positioning, ICP, and what you're known for first · Use authority content with frameworks, problems, and proof · Use relatable storytelling and emotion, not just features · Read posts aloud and rewrite unnatural parts · Don't use engagement pods
Where the experts disagree: do not pick, test
| Choice | Side A | Side B |
|---|---|---|
| How to close a post | End posts with a contextual question to the reader (4/20) | Always close posts with a simple, direct call to action (2/20) |
| Early boost | Use your network or engagement group to boost posts early (2/20) | Don't use engagement pods (3/20) |
| Visuals | Turn post ideas into value-dense, eye-catching graphics (2/20) | Use real photos of yourself instead of graphics (3/20) |
Steps
- Confirm positioning. State who the user helps and the problem they solve, then rewrite the headline in buyer language (5/20). Point Featured and the CTA button at one owned offer (4/20).
- Pick one niche and three core topics (5/20), then plan a week that mixes educational, story, authority, and conversion posts (5/20), with promotion kept sparing (5/20).
- Gather ideas from the user's own material, such as call transcripts and notes (4/20), and from outlier posts in the niche to adapt, not copy (7/20).
- Draft with AI if useful, then edit into the user's voice (6/20). Take a contrarian angle where the user truly holds one (8/20), and use raw, honest stories over polished updates (5/20).
- Write the hook so the first 1 to 3 lines earn the see-more click (6/20). Lead with a specific result only if the user has measured it (4/20). Back claims with visible proof (4/20).
- Format for mobile with short paragraphs and white space (5/20), keep one idea per post (4/20), and pick the close and visual from the A/B table.
- Set the engagement routine. Leave thoughtful comments on big and ICP-relevant creators' posts (7/20 and 5/20), and reply to every comment on the user's own posts (5/20). Hold a cadence the user can keep for months (5/20).
- Every 30 days, review analytics and reuse what won (4/20). Report back which rules were applied, with their weight (N/20), and which choice from the disagreement table is being A/B tested, with what each version is.
Never
- Never claim results, lead counts, revenue, or engagement numbers the user has not measured.
- Never invent facts, quotes, or stories about a prospect, client, or customer.
- Never automate or mass-produce generic comments; LinkedIn is suppressing comment automation and they add less than nothing.