The simple change that can transform your post performance
Read time: 4 minutes
This time last year I’d never posted on social media.
Today, my LinkedIn following is about to reach 50,000 people.
The question I get asked the most?
“How did you do it?”
Well, the journey started (very) slowly.
As a founder, I knew I needed to become more visible online and build my personal brand.
The problem was, I didn’t know where or how to start.
When I finally began, my posts were irregular, haphazard, and not particularly well written. As a result I had comparatively little engagement.
Through trial and error, learning and coaching, I learned how to write better on LinkedIn. It paid off: gradually I started seeing results.
I’ve been reflecting on the key levers for growing an audience and, first and foremost, it's about reaching people.
And the best way to reach people? Create a content strategy, write with clarity, and follow a few very simple tactics to maximise engagement...
7 ways to increase engagement on LinkedIn
1. Leverage the first two lines
In my opinion, the first two lines are the most important part of the post. Why?
They determine whether someone clicks “see more” or scrolls past. If they scroll past, the post will go nowhere.
Make the first line compelling. Hook the reader with curiosity, a bold statement, a surprising fact, or a relatable pain point.
2. Make it easy to read
No one likes a wall of text. I tend to keep scrolling when text looks and feels overwhelming to read or understand.
Use white space, line breaks, and formatting (e.g. bullet points, emojis) to increase readability. Keep sentences concise and use short paragraphs to make the post skimmable.
People’s attention is low and they scroll fast—so it has to be easy for them to absorb your message.
3. Size matters: more value = more engagement
LinkedIn favours posts where readers stay engaged longer.
I’ve seen short posts work, but there’s no doubt that longer, high-value content, such as in-depth insights, personal stories, or education, tends to perform better.
The more time someone spends on the post, the better it seems to rank in the algorithm.
4. Ask thought-provoking questions
Engagement is a two-way street. The aim is to create conversation. Invite interaction by asking questions in the post that spark discussion.
Don’t just share a statement, turn it into a conversation starter. People love sharing their opinions and experiences!
5. Don’t post & ghost—engage!
I realised early on that posting isn’t enough; engagement drives visibility.
Think of social media as a two-way conversation: after publishing a post, stick around to reply to comments, ask follow-up questions, and create conversation.
LinkedIn favours posts with active discussions, so more early engagement = wider reach. Also, when you engage with people they feel seen and heard, and invest more time in you.
6. Be consistent—train your audience to expect you
Posting at random times makes it more difficult to build momentum.
What worked best for me was establishing a predictable schedule so my audience knows when to expect my content. This builds familiarity and increases the chances of your posts being seen and engaged with regularly.
7. Engage beyond your own posts
The more you engage on other people’s posts, the more visibility you gain.
Thoughtful comments can drive profile visits and new followers. Plus, engaging with others increases the likelihood that they’ll return the favour on your posts.
These are the strategies that have worked well for me, and I hope they do for you too!
Speak soon!
Dupé
PS: whenever you're ready, feel free to enquire about working together: Get guidance on how to be more visible and grow your brand. Whether you’re looking for ready-to-post content or 1:1 coaching, hit reply and let’s chat!
