LinkedIn Thought Leadership: 90-Day Sprint to 1,000 Followers

We’ve talked about when and what to post on LinkedIn, but with all the noise and competition, you’re likely aware that it takes more than timing and a few clever posts.

As we’ve talked about elsewhere, there’s a clear difference between being a thought leader and content marketing. That is, you’re not going to build thought leadership on LinkedIn just because you’re posting a lot of content.

Do you need proof? Just look at the numbers.

There are over two million posts on LinkedIn daily. And nearly all of these posts get less than five reactions. 

These stats tell you one thing: 

It’s that you need the right content, at the right time, and written for the right people (YOUR followers).

Get this combination right, and you’ll be able to build a LinkedIn personal brand that entices a like, a reshare, and — most importantly — a follow. 

Day 0 to 14: Nail Your POV

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When you’re building a LinkedIn personal brand, the first step to getting more followers is knowing who you are as a founder. For clarity, perform this mini-founder exercise around thethree founder truths. 

Mini Exercise

Ask yourself: 

• What you’re an expert at
• Your ideal follower’s present needs and problems
• The brand you’re trying to build 
  
  

Answer these questions, and your POV, which is what separates you from others in your space. 

When you’re nailing your POV, the first step is to create a one-sentence stance. 

The stance should concisely say who you are, what value you provide, and what problems you solve. After all, who wouldn’t want to follow a thought leader who brings day-to-day solutions to a LinkedIn feed? 

An Example

Say you’re a B2B agency that provides sales coaching (like one of our clients) to sales team leaders who struggle with their sales teams. Your competition-crushing POV statement may look like this: 

“Providing easily adaptable sales training that empowers retail and automotive sales teams.”

Here, you’ve outlined what value you provide and what bottleneck you address. From here, you can optimize your profile and banner around this POV. 

Days 15 to 45: Pillar Content Engine

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Now that you’ve gotten your POV stance down, it’s time to craft some killer LinkedIn thought leadership content. 

When it comes to content, you’ll need four kinds — presented in mixed formats like doc posts, carousels, and short opinions for maximum engagement and reach.

Industry Insight

Think of industry insights as your take on what’s going on in your space. Whether you’re using a ghostwriter or doing the content yourself, your insights are essential to telling readers you’re part of the conversation — and this is the first step to visibility on LinkedIn. 

Founder Story

A piece of founder story content takes your reader on a journey into why your brand came to be. Whether it’s a desire to solve a problem your competitors can’t or a passion project, don’t be afraid to create content around your brand’s origin tale. 

Success Proof

Without case studies (like the ones we’ve got), your credibility will go to the dogs — and you don’t want this when you’re trying to build LinkedIn thought leadership. So, go ahead and show off those success stories. Your present and prospective audiences will always be excited to see what you’ve done with past clients. 

Contrarian Takes

Do you want to take your LinkedIn thought leadership to the next level? Have some contrarian takes as part of your LinkedIn content. By challenging commonly held assumptions in your niche, you’ll be able to distinguish your content and brand from others in your space. 

Days 46 to 75: The Engagement Loop

Your content speaks to readers, but there’s more to reach than posting — you also have to engage with your audiences. So, for the next 19 days or so, set aside about 15 minutes per day for: 

• Commenting on posts made by those who fit your ICP (ideal customer profile)
• DM-ing your value (or problems you can solve and how you solve them) and not sales
• Keeping tabs on how many shares your content gets and who reacts
• Engaging with those who react to your content
  
  

You’ll be amazed at how many followers you can get just doing these things!

Days 76 to 90: Amplify and Analyze

By now, you’ll likely have attracted newer followers. There’s also a chance that some pieces of content have gotten a lot of engagement. Whatever these pieces of content are, repurpose them into newsletters and other content formats. 

And don’t forget to check out who’s checking you out. Doing this gives you fresh leads with whom to engage. 

Last but not least, don’t be afraid to adjust your content pillars. After all, there may be some pieces of content that need tweaking or repurposing. 

Ghostwriting vs. DIY

Writing content isn’t the easiest part of LinkedIn thought leadership, and this is why many turn to ghostwriters. But there’s a stigma surrounding the use of ghostwriters, and a lot of it has to do with how “lazy” it seems. 

Sure, DIY LinkedIn thought leadership has its place, but so does ghostwriting, as you’ll see below:

Build Thought Leadership on LinkedIn: Not Solo, But With a Pro

LinkedIn thought leadership can seem tricky, but it doesn’t have to be — especially with a ghostwriter who knows what you’re going for and who you're targeting. 

Need a ghostwriter who sounds like you? Let’s talk.

FAQs

How often should I post? 

Regularly, and preferably between 9:00 and 11:00 AM and around noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Do hashtags still matter? 

They don’t matter as much on LinkedIn. What does matter is the quality, timing, and messaging of your content. 

Can a small following generate leads? 

The short answer is yes. A small following can generate leads, but only if followers share your content. 

If you’re building thought leadership on LinkedIn, your best bet would be to increase your reach. After all, the more followers you have, the more your content gets shared and engaged with.