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TikTok’s future is uncertain. Twitter is in a period of turmoil. Instagram engagement dropped. So which social platform is best for entrepreneurs to focus on? Consider the ever-robust LinkedIn.
By building a strong network on LinkedIn, entrepreneurs can make valuable connections, share insights and thought leadership, and establish themselves as industry experts.
I asked the people who are making the biggest waves on LinkedIn what they’re doing right. Here are your tips.
Related: 5 LinkedIn Content Ideas for Entrepreneurs to Increase Growth and Visibility in 2023
1. Share your true self
Gone are the days when LinkedIn was all about buttoned-up, conservative posts meant to show off how professional you are. My best performing post was the one where I included my first rejection letter – from when I was 12 – adding my thoughts on staying determined.
Honestly, I owe most of my success on Linked to Justin Welsh, the founder of The Diversified Solopreneur and creator of one of the most popular courses on LinkedIn (has helped over 10,000 students – including myself – rack up over 3,497,000,000 impressions on LinkedIn).
According to Welsh, generic “Here’s How to Be a Better Leader” content may have worked in the past. Still, now that entrepreneurs have started to flood LinkedIn, it takes a lot more than general stuff to get the right kind of following.
“Everyone will share things like ‘The ten steps to this or that,'” he says. “But the person who writes things that show their unique journey will stand out and attract a sticky type of following that goes on that journey with them.”
LinkedIn Trainer and Executive Consultant Tara Horstmeyer believes the rise of AI means video, and going “live” will become more critical as video increases the authenticity angle.
“Anytime you can show your face, your words, your voice, just your personality visually, that helps,” she says.
On the other hand, Welsh shuns video and instead emphasizes writing posts that go against the grain.
“It’s not just what you write about, it’s also what you’re against,” he says. “I write a lot about building your own business as an entrepreneur, but I also write about the opposite of that, which is how I’m against the traditional nine-to-five hour. In a world of 4.9 billion people connected to the Internet, opposing views help you stand out.”
2. Remember it’s human psychology first, algorithm second
As LinkedIn consistently releases new features, it can be easy to be swayed by people who swear that the algorithm favors newsletters or that content posted through scheduling platforms won’t be seen as widely. Ultimately, no algorithm can overcome a basic understanding of what motivates people.
“Humans have worked the same way for hundreds of years,” says Welsh. “The person who grows the most in 2023 will surf the wave of trends, but also get the basics right by knowing their audience and their ideal customer profile, telling stories, being empathetic, learning copywriting and understanding the customer journey.”
3. Engagement is the name of the game
While success on any social media platform involves interaction, on LinkedIn it’s crucial. This means looking for people like you and commenting on their posts, rather than just replying to comments people make on your posts.
Still, it’s not just a matter of giving a thumbs up or writing “Great post” and walking away. It’s about reading posts (sometimes quite long) and providing thoughtful responses.
One benefit of commenting on other people’s posts is that, according to Horstmeyer, “you find your voice, you discover how you like to write, and you find your people.” LinkedIn’s currency is, she says, support and reciprocity. “That generosity you’re already giving will come back to you when people start supporting your content,” she says.
Welsh agrees. “If you come in, put out some really high-quality content and walk away, you can still reap the rewards of publishing quality content, but you won’t grow as fast or grow your audience as if you interacted on a regular basis,” he says.
4. Embrace the journey
Unlike TikTok, where a well-timed post can send you on the way to virality, there are no quick-growth schemes on LinkedIn. Welsh, who has over 340,000 followers and can attract thousands of comments and likes on her posts, has consistently appeared for over four years.
Welsh and Horstmeyer estimate that they spend between 45 minutes and an hour a day on LinkedIn, with their time divided into posting, replying to comments, and interacting with other people’s posts.
In the end, just like anything worthwhile, the unsexy act of showing up day after day is what will be effective in 2023.
“I always tell people, ‘Removing friction from consistency is the most important thing,'” says Welsh. “So, for example, I like to write, so I write – every day.”