There’s no such thing as an overnight success.

Here’s the truth that most LinkedIn gurus don’t tell you because they’re too busy selling you snake oil…

They’ve over used Pods to get their huge following - Daniel Hall does an incredible job exposing everyone using pods btw.

Follow him here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielbhall/

There are some big well known creators in there and many more you will be connected to who use pods. Disconnect from them now. They’re lying toads.

They’re cheating you and they’re cheating themselves.

Or…like me they’ve been building on LinkedIn for years and take it very seriously.

Here’s your 2024 LinkedIn Growth Guide

5 things that have changed about LinkedIn in 2024. Most haven’t noticed or adapted fast enough to keep up.

1. Stop chasing ‘Likes’ - chase needs.

People make this mistake about LinkedIn.

They think personal brand and authenticity means just show up as you and people will flock to follow.

Yes, be yourself and write how you feel and think if you want it to resonate.

But that’s ultimately not a reason people come onto your profile to click ‘follow’.

Chase needs, problems, pain points and emotions.

You attract followers when you stop being selfish and turn your focus from yourself to other people’s needs.

Give first, take second.

Almost everything I write about or create for LinkedIn these days is about what people need to learn about.

Here’s my most successful post this year with 350,000 impressions:

YouTube is a University for Procurement

People need a curated list of the best YouTube content, I showed them how to find it. I did the work for them.

2. Forget ALMOST everything the LinkedIn gurus tell you.

The only truly trustworthy LinkedIn ‘trainer’ I’ve found on LinkedIn is Lea Turner.

The rest are selling you snake oil and/ or part of pods (per my intro).

Don’t bother with the following time sapping algorithm ‘tricks’ they’ll try to teach you…

• Find 10 big content creators in your niche and leave a comment on their posts every day (this is self-serving guff the big content creators love to tell you to do - it’s also how the rich get richer).

• ‘Warm up the algorithm’ by actively commenting 30mins before you post and 30mins after you post. Honestly? Do this if you want to but don’t do it because you feel it will somehow magically boost your reach. It really doesn’t. Good content = reach. It’s that simple.

• Litter your content with selfies. By all means use an image if it serves the post well but unless your writing hits point 1 (someone’s needs) all you’ll do is get the wrong type of person following you.

My second most successful post of the past 365 days has been this one I published last week, with 315,000 impressions (and counting)

Procurement focus on Opex 5x more than Capex

I did absolutely nothing to ‘tease’ the algorithm with this one, nor was there a selfie. In fact I was decidedly absent at posting hour and long after.

3. Stop asking a question in the opening line.

It’s crazy how many people make this mistake.

I don’t want to come across judgemental but it’s sooo frustrating when I see really good content lost in the feed because of this fundamental error.

People haven’t come on to LinkedIn to be ‘asked a question’ or to be ‘made to think’ or assessed for their opinions on something.

They want to know what YOU think.

They want to be given information for free.

They want their imagination to be sparked by an idea you have or a strong opinion YOU express.

The first three lines are all anyone sees on their feed. Nobody clicks to ‘see more’ when they’ve been asked a question?

Why?

Because it doesn’t serve a fundamental need. It doesn’t give them anything or indeed any reason to follow you.

This post I wrote was highly opinionated and evidently divisive too…

But do you know why it was my 4th most successful post this year with 310,000 impressions?

Because I stated my opinion.

I sparked a debate.

I didn’t hold back.

Winning a £100k contract and saving £100k on a contract are not the same.

Give people a reason to follow you or a reason to join the debate (aka reach!)

Stop being selfish though by asking for their opinion on something while not expressing yours.

Lead

and people will follow.

4. All my friends are dead

Okay, but let me explain…

My first post on LinkedIn was 2020.

I started posting regularly (3-5 times per week) early 2022.

I finally committed to posting every single day 1st Jan 2023.

But I really have been going that long, and only now do I have 100k followers within the realms of possibility.

Almost every single BIG content creator in the Procurement space in those early Covid years has now disappeared completely from the platform

or they post so infrequently it’s like an old school friend showing up with a profile pic change on Facebook…

I kind of end up thinking…oh there you are…see you again sometime (in 3 weeks time when your aunt Nellie tags you in a photo from 2006).

My commitment to posting everyday is partly because I take this LinkedIn game so seriously (not everyone should btw). For me growing on LinkedIn is an important part of my ambition.

But it’s also because I’ve formed an atomic habit.

Publishing a LinkedIn post is something that I do every day, without fail and it’s helped me grow steadily, incrementally and get 1% better every single week.

Most people?

They keep going for 3-6months. They’re consistent for that period of time, but then they give up.

Why?

Because they don’t push through the Valley of Disappointment.

They’re initial effort does not seem worth the reward, so they can’t be bothered to get to the breakthrough, which can take years.

5. Give most of what you know away for free.

People hold things back.

I don’t get it.

The best way to prove your value, is to help others by telling them everything you know.

This has not in any way diminished my value btw.

I’ve earned 4 x more through courses, sponsorship and Premium subscribers on here in 2024 year to date than I did in the whole of 2023.

How?

By giving as much as I can away for free (hint…people love free stuff too, it gives a pretty compelling way for people to want to follow you, don’t you think?)

The first 90 days are critical for any CPO

is my most successful cheat sheet ever, and this one post alone had 300,000+ impressions.

It follows the golden rule of number 1 - stop chasing ‘likes’ chase needs instead.

But it goes one step further.

It’s actually really helpful knowledge that many would try to put behind a paywall.

I’d rather give it for free and exceed expectations.

—-

Oh and one final thing…

Stop the hashtags and for goodness sake…stop tagging people (unless you’re specifically referring to them in the content).

I hope this has helped but please ask me any questions about LinkedIn growth and I’ll answer in the comments.