In today’s hyper-connected world, a founder’s personal brand is just as important as the brand of their company. LinkedIn, with its professional focus and vast network of decision-makers, investors, and industry leaders, has become a critical platform for founders to establish their presence, build credibility, and grow their influence. Yet, many founders overlook the power of LinkedIn, either because they’re too busy running their business or they don’t see the immediate ROI.
Founder-led marketing isn’t necessarily “better” than traditional marketing—it’s different. It excels at building trust, creating emotional connections, and differentiating your brand in a crowded market.
The truth is, building a strong LinkedIn presence isn’t just a “nice-to-have”—it’s a strategic move that can open doors, attract opportunities, and amplify your company’s success. This takes time, and it’s not simply about the content strategy, but also how to ensure your content reaches the right audiences.
Here are steps to build and engage your LinkedIn audience effectively:
1. Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile: Your profile is your first impression. Make it compelling and professional to attract the right audience.
- Profile Photo: Use a high-quality, professional headshot where you look approachable and confident.
- Headline: Write a clear, engaging headline that reflects your role, expertise, and value proposition.
- Avoid generic titles like “Founder” or “CEO”—add context (e.g., “Founder of XYZ | Helping Businesses Scale with AI”).
- About Section: Tell your story. Share your mission, values, and what makes you unique. Include keywords relevant to your industry to improve discoverability.
- Experience: Highlight key achievements and responsibilities in your roles. Use metrics and results to demonstrate impact.
- Skills and Endorsements: List skills that align with your expertise and encourage colleagues to endorse you.
- Featured Section: Showcase your best work—articles, posts, videos, or media coverage.
2. Define Your Target Audience: Before you start posting, identify who you want to attract and begin to follow or connect with the right profiles. Your audience could include:
- Potential customers or clients
- Investors or partners
- Industry peers and thought leaders
- Job seekers or talent for your company
- Media or influencers in your space
Understanding your audience helps you tailor your content to their interests and needs. This is a longer game, connecting in advance with your target audience allows for a more authentic connection.
3. Create and Share Valuable Content: Content is the cornerstone of building an audience. Focus on providing value, not just promoting yourself or your business.
- Share Insights and Expertise: Post about industry trends, challenges, and solutions. Position yourself as a thought leader.
- Tell Stories: Share personal experiences, lessons learned, and behind-the-scenes moments. People connect with stories.
- Use Multimedia: Mix text posts with videos, infographics, and carousels to keep your content engaging.
- Be Consistent: Post regularly (2-3 times per week) to stay top-of-mind.
- Engage with Comments: Respond to comments on your posts to foster conversations and build relationships.
4. Engage with Your Network: Building an audience isn’t just about posting—it’s about engaging.
- Comment on Posts: Add thoughtful comments on posts from industry leaders, peers, and potential customers. This increases your visibility.
- Share Others’ Content: Repost or share valuable content from others in your network, adding your own perspective.
- Send Personalized Messages: Once you’ve been following folks for a bit, reach out connections with personalized messages. No one likes an immediate connection request followed by an ask.
- Join LinkedIn Groups: Participate in relevant LinkedIn groups to engage with like-minded professionals and expand your reach.
5. Collaborate with Others: Collaboration can help you tap into new audiences.
- Tag and Mention: Tag relevant people or companies in your posts to increase visibility.
- Co-Create Content: Partner with industry peers or influencers to create joint content, such as webinars, articles, or live sessions.
- Cross-Promote: Share each other’s content with your respective networks.
6. Use Hashtags and Keywords: Hashtags and keywords make your content discoverable.
- Research Relevant Hashtags: Use industry-specific hashtags (e.g., #Startups, #Leadership, #AI) to reach a broader audience.
- Incorporate Keywords: Use keywords in your posts, articles, and profile to improve searchability.
7. Be Patient and Authentic: Building a LinkedIn audience takes time. Focus on being authentic and providing value rather than chasing quick wins.
- Stay Consistent: Growth won’t happen overnight. Stick to your strategy and keep showing up.
- Be Genuine: People can sense when you’re being authentic versus when you’re just trying to sell. Share your true self and your real experiences.
8. Promote Your LinkedIn Presence: Don’t keep your LinkedIn activity siloed—promote it across other channels.
- Cross-Promote on Social Media: Share your LinkedIn posts on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
- Add a Link to Your Email Signature: Include a link to your LinkedIn profile in your email signature.
- Encourage Your Team: Ask your team to engage with your posts and share them with their networks.
