Building a LinkedIn Audience: Tips for Founder-Led Growth

1. Start with a strong profile: Optimize your headline, photo, and bio. Use a professional photo, craft a value-focused headline, and write a bio that highlights your expertise and achievements.
2. Create engaging content: Mix professional insights with personal stories. Use formats like text posts, images, and videos to keep your audience interested.
3. Know your audience: Tailor your posts to specific industries, job titles, and regions. Use LinkedIn analytics to refine your strategy.
4. Engage meaningfully: Spend 80% of your time interacting with others’ content and 20% creating your own. Comment, share, and join discussions to build relationships.
5. Leverage LinkedIn tools: Use analytics, live sessions, and ads to boost visibility and track performance.

Key takeaway: LinkedIn is a powerful platform for founders to build their personal brand, connect with decision-makers, and drive business growth. Focus on authentic engagement, meaningful content, and consistent activity to see results.

LinkedIn Growth Tips Every B2B CEO and Founder Needs to …

Setting Up Your LinkedIn Profile

Your LinkedIn profile is more than just a digital resume – it’s your online business card. Did you know that 48% of a company’s reputation is tied to its CEO’s online presence? This makes optimizing your profile a critical step in building your personal brand.

Writing Your Headline and Choosing a Photo

Your headline should immediately communicate your value. Avoid generic phrases like "CEO at [Company Name]." Instead, craft a headline that highlights your expertise and the unique value you bring.

"Your headline should scream your client value and why people need to know you." – Gerry Moran, Marketingthink Consulting

For your profile photo, choose a professional headshot where your face takes up at least 60% of the frame. Direct eye contact is key. Make sure the photo is:

• Clear and well-lit
• Recent
• Professionally styled
• Taken against a neutral background

Creating Your Bio

Your bio needs to grab attention from the start. Here’s how to structure it effectively:

• Begin with a strong opening to hook readers.
• Share your professional journey and accomplishments.
• Highlight your company’s mission and the impact it creates.
• Include insights that showcase your industry expertise.
• End with a clear call-to-action.

Use bullet points and plenty of white space to make it easy to read. Writing in the first person adds a personal touch and fosters connection.

Highlighting Key Content

The Featured section is your opportunity to showcase your best work. Profiles with media content get 4x more engagement. Include items like:

Keep this section updated with new content that reflects your achievements. Profiles of CEOs with active LinkedIn presences inspire 77% more trust from consumers.

Once your profile is polished, you’re ready to dive into creating content that drives engagement.

Making Content That Works

Once your LinkedIn profile is optimized, the next step is creating content that sparks engagement. Great LinkedIn content combines professional expertise with personal storytelling to connect with your audience.

Finding Your Target Readers

To create content that resonates, you need to know your audience. Here’s how to identify them:

Use LinkedIn’s insight tag and analytics to monitor who engages with your posts and refine your strategy accordingly.

Mixing Business and Personal Posts

Senior executives who mix professional and personal content tend to see higher engagement. Here’s a suggested breakdown for your posts:

• 25%: Company updates and achievements
• 25%: Product insights and customer success stories
• 25%: Professional activities and industry events
• 15%: Highlights of your company culture
• 10%: Personal stories and values

This mix allows you to showcase your leadership, vision, and personality while keeping your audience engaged with a variety of topics.

Using Different Content Types

Diversifying your content is key to maintaining interest and leveraging LinkedIn’s algorithm. Here are some formats to consider:

• Text Posts: Write concise paragraphs and use bullet points for clarity. Hook readers with a strong opening line.
• Visual Content: Posts with images get twice as many comments as text-only updates. Use high-quality images sized at 1200 x 628 pixels for the best results.
• Video Content: Video posts generate five times more engagement than standard posts. Make your main point in the first few seconds to grab attention.

For the best results, post between 10 AM and 12 PM, Tuesday through Thursday, to maximize engagement.

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Growing Your LinkedIn Network

Once your content is performing well, it’s time to expand your reach by growing your LinkedIn network strategically. Building valuable connections requires a thoughtful approach.

Making Good Connection Requests

Personalization is the secret to effective connection requests. With LinkedIn’s 300-character limit for connection messages, every word matters. Here’s a simple structure to craft a strong request:

"When you want to connect with someone professionally, especially someone who doesn’t really know you, you need to introduce yourself and explain why you’d like to connect with them." – Lindsay Kolowich Cox

After sending personalized requests, build on these connections by engaging with their content regularly.

Interacting With Your Network

Focus on engagement using the 80-20 rule: spend 80% of your time interacting with others’ content and 20% creating your own. This balance keeps you visible and fosters genuine relationships.

Samantha Russell, who grew her LinkedIn following to nearly 30,000 in just two years, suggests setting aside 15-20 minutes each morning to:

• Comment on posts relevant to your industry.
• Celebrate professional milestones of your connections.
• Share your thoughts on trending topics in your field.
• Respond quickly to comments on your own posts.

For deeper connections, consider joining and contributing to LinkedIn Groups.

Participating in LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn Groups are a great way to connect with specific audiences in your industry. When choosing groups, focus on quality over quantity. Look for groups that have:

• Active discussions.
• Clear posting guidelines.
• Engaged and responsive moderators.
• A focus on your industry or niche.
• Professional and respectful interactions.

When contributing to groups, aim to add value by sharing insights, answering questions, and participating in discussions. Avoid self-promotion and let your expertise speak for itself. This approach naturally helps you build credibility and strengthen your network.

LinkedIn Tools for Growth

LinkedIn offers several tools to help boost your visibility and engagement.

Using LinkedIn Analytics

LinkedIn’s analytics dashboard is a powerful resource to understand how your content is performing and who’s engaging with it. Focus on these key metrics:

"Data is one of the most valuable resources a B2B marketer has. It is the key to uncovering insights into how well your campaigns – and your company – are performing." – Alexandra Rynne, Award-Winning Content Strategy Lead @ LinkedIn Ads

Monitor these metrics weekly to fine-tune your strategy. Posts with high engagement can be considered for additional promotion. Use these insights to experiment with various formats, like videos, to keep your content fresh.

Creating Videos and Live Sessions

Video content is a game-changer on LinkedIn. In fact, videos are shared 20 times more often than other types of posts. To make the most of it:

• Video Content Strategy: Keep videos short and mobile-friendly, as 91% of LinkedIn users watch on mobile devices. Since 79% of viewers watch videos on mute, always include captions for accessibility.
• Live Sessions: Host live events to connect directly with your audience. Popular ideas include:
  • Industry updates or trends
  • Behind-the-scenes company content
  • Q&A sessions with your team
  • Product walkthroughs
  • Expert interviews
• Technical Optimization: Keep videos under 30 seconds when possible, grab attention within the first 6 seconds, use good lighting and sound, and include clear calls-to-action.

Running LinkedIn Ads

LinkedIn’s ad options can help you reach the right audience more effectively. Here are some standout features:

• Thought Leader Ads: Sponsor posts directly from your personal LinkedIn profile to maintain a relatable tone while targeting specific audiences.
• Event Promotion: LinkedIn event ads often outperform traditional image ads, making them a strong choice for webinars or virtual events.
• Lead Generation Forms: These forms auto-fill with user data, making it easy for prospects to submit their information. For example, using a free template in lead gen ads boosted form completions.

When running ads, make sure to:

• Set clear campaign goals
• Experiment with different content lengths and formats
• Target your audience precisely
• Check performance metrics daily
• Adjust budgets based on how well your ads are doing

Tracking Results and Improving

Once you’ve started building your content and growing your network, it’s important to measure how well you’re doing and make adjustments to your strategy.

Setting Growth Goals

Define clear, measurable goals to track your LinkedIn progress. Here’s a breakdown:

Use LinkedIn Analytics to monitor these metrics and tweak your approach as needed.

Reviewing Content Performance

Keep an eye on engagement rates for different types of posts. For instance, videos are currently the most shared content on LinkedIn in 2024. Evaluate factors like post timing, frequency, themes, formats, and the depth of comments to see what resonates most with your audience.

Dive into demographic data to ensure your content aligns with the preferences of your target audience. These insights can help you turn engagement into measurable business outcomes.

Measuring Business Results

Focus on indicators such as website traffic, lead quality, conversion rates, meeting requests, and sales opportunities to translate LinkedIn activity into tangible results.

For example, Nicole Ramirez managed to grow her LinkedIn following from 2,400 to over 11,000 in just six months by concentrating on specific content pillars.

Combine LinkedIn’s analytics tools with your business tracking systems to get a full picture of your return on investment.

Conclusion

Building a strong LinkedIn presence takes deliberate effort and consistent activity. The platform is a powerhouse for B2B growth, with 80% of its members influencing decisions and conversion rates that are six times higher than other platforms.

Take cues from founders like Brandon Arvanaghi of Meow (52,470 followers) and Wes Kao of Maven (69,080 followers). Their success shows how sharing real company metrics, personal insights, and practical solutions can resonate with LinkedIn’s professional audience. To make the most of your presence, focus on these core strategies:

• Share meaningful content: Post company stories, growth data, and industry insights that address your audience’s needs directly.
• Engage with purpose: Spend 30 minutes daily interacting in a meaningful way, treating LinkedIn as a key business channel.
• Use LinkedIn tools effectively: Take advantage of free features like polls and events, and consider boosting visibility with Thought Leader Ads, even with budgets as low as $10–15 per day.

Remember, LinkedIn growth is a long-term commitment. Consistent, thoughtful engagement builds a loyal following that strengthens your brand and drives business results. Keep an eye on your metrics and tweak your strategy based on what resonates most with your audience.

With its professional focus and organic reach, LinkedIn is a vital tool for founder-led growth. Start using these strategies today to create genuine connections that lead to meaningful business opportunities.

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