How to Build a Feed Like LinkedIn

Building a successful LinkedIn feed isn't just about listing your accomplishments, it's about becoming a go-to resource in your industry. A strategic feed attracts followers, generates leads, and opens doors to new opportunities by consistently delivering professional value. This guide will walk you through the mindset, content strategy, and engagement tactics required to transform your profile from a static resume into a dynamic content hub.

Start with a Mindset Shift: From Resume to Content Hub

The biggest mistake most professionals make on LinkedIn is treating it like a digital resume - a place to visit only when looking for a new job. An effective feed, however, operates like a media platform or a focused industry publication with you as the editor-in-chief. Your goal is to give more value than you take. Instead of posting about your achievements, shift your focus to what your target audience finds helpful, interesting, or inspiring.

Think about the professionals you follow and admire. They probably don't just post "I hit my sales quota this quarter!" Instead, they share how they did it, the challenges they faced, or the lessons they learned along the way. Your audience - whether they are potential clients, employers, or peers - is looking for insights that can help them get better at their own jobs. Embrace the role of a teacher, a guide, and a knowledgeable peer. This shift from "me-focused" to "audience-focused" is the foundation of every great personal brand on the platform.

Define Your Content Pillars: The Core of Your Strategy

You can't be everything to everyone. To build a memorable brand, you need to be known for something specific. This is where content pillars come in. Content pillars are 3-5 high-level topics or themes that you will consistently create content about. They form the backbone of your content strategy, signaling to your audience what they can expect from you and establishing your focused expertise.

A solid set of pillars should sit at the intersection of three things:

• Your Expertise: What do you know deeply?
• Your Audience's Interests: What pain points, questions, or goals do they have?
• Your Goals: Are you trying to find a new job, attract clients, or build an industry network?

For example:

• A UX Designer's pillars could be: 1. Accessibility in Design, 2. Design Thinking Methodologies, and 3. Career Advancement for Designers.
• A Founder's pillars might be: 1. Bootstrapping a SaaS Business, 2. Remote Team Culture, and 3. Lean Marketing Strategies.
• A Sales Leader's pillars could be: 1. Enterprise Sales Tactics, 2. Building High-Performing Teams, and 3. Navigating Complex Negotiations.

Sticking to your pillars makes content creation easier because it narrows your focus, and it makes your feed more attractive to new followers who are interested in those specific topics. They know what to expect and why they should follow you.

Master the High-Value Post Formats That Win on LinkedIn

Not all posts are created equal. Different formats serve different purposes, and mastering a few of them will give your content variety and keep your audience engaged. Here are five powerful formats you can use to bring your content pillars to life.

1. The Storytelling Post (Connect on a Human Level)

Facts tell, but stories sell (and connect). Sharing a personal story that ties back to a professional lesson is one of the most effective ways to build rapport with your audience. People remember stories far more than they remember abstract advice.

The Structure:

• Strong Hook: Start with an attention-grabbing first line.
• The Challenge: Describe a problem, failure, or tricky situation you faced.
• Discovery &, Lesson: Explain the key moment or realization that led to a solution.
• The Takeaway: Summarize the core message in a clear, actionable statement for your reader.

Example: "I bombed a major presentation in front of the entire leadership team. My hands were shaking. My voice cracked. Here’s the one thing that failure taught me about preparation..."

2. The Actionable Tip / How-To Post (Provide Instant Value)

This format is all about providing direct, tactical advice that your audience can use immediately. It's concise, valuable, and easily shareable. Breaking complex ideas down into simple steps makes people feel empowered and positions you as a helpful expert.

The Structure:

• Problem-Focused Hook: State a common pain point. ("Struggling to get replies to your cold emails?")
• Listed Solution: Use bullet points or a numbered list to present clear, step-by-step solutions or tips.
• Actionable Conclusion: End with a prompt or a final tip that encourages the reader to try it out.

Example: "Your website's bounce rate is too high? Try these 3 small changes today:
1. Shorten your opening paragraph.
2. Add a clear Call-To-Action above the fold.
3. Optimize your images to reduce load time."

3. The Contrarian Take (Start a Conversation)

Challenging a commonly held belief in your industry is a fantastic way to generate discussion and show that you're a critical thinker. The key is to be insightful and respectful, not just controversial for the sake of it. Back up your take with logic, experience, or data.

The Structure:

• Provocative Hook: State the unpopular opinion clearly.
• Justification: Explain why you hold this belief. Break down the conventional wisdom and offer your alternative perspective.
• Question to the Audience: End by asking for others' opinions to encourage debate in the comments.

Example: "Unpopular opinion: The 9-to-5 workday is obsolete for creative roles. Here’s why asynchronous work delivers better results..."

4. The Interactive Post (Boost Engagement)

LinkedIn's algorithm loves engagement - comments, shares, and reactions. Interactive posts are designed specifically to get people involved. This can be as simple as asking a question or running a poll.

Types to Try:

• Polls: Ask about industry trends, tool preferences, or work habits. They're low-friction and easy for people to participate in.
• Open-Ended Questions: Ask a question that invites thoughtful or personal responses. Make it easy to answer.

Example: "Managers: what's one simple thing you do that has the biggest positive impact on your team's morale?"

5. The Behind-the-Scenes Post (Build Authenticity)

Pulling back the curtain builds trust. Show the process, not just the polished final product. This could be a photo of your team brainstorming, a write-up of a project that "almost" failed, or the unglamorous reality of building a business. Authenticity helps your audience feel more connected to you and your work.

Example: "Here’s what our project whiteboard for the Q3 campaign actually looks like. It’s messy, full of crossed-out ideas, and a long way from the polished launch. But this is where the real work happens."

Write Scroll-Stopping Hooks

On a busy feed, you have less than two seconds to earn someone's attention. The first two lines of your post are the most important words you'll write. If they don't intrigue a reader enough to click "...see more," the rest of your brilliant post doesn't exist.

Here are some proven hook formulas to get you started:

• The "Mistake" Hook: "I made a $15,000 mistake that you can avoid."
• The "Unpopular Opinion" Hook: "My most controversial opinion on marketing is..."
• The "Stop/Start" Hook: "Stop counting calories. Start counting chemicals."
• The "Blueprint" Hook: "The 3-step blueprint for a perfect client kickoff call."
• The "Number &, Outcome" Hook: "90% of startups fail. Here's what the other 10% do differently."

Consistency &, Cadence: How to Feed the Algorithm

A great LinkedIn presence is a marathon, not a sprint. The algorithm rewards consistency. You don't need to post every day, but aiming for 3-4 high-quality posts per week is a solid goal. What matters more than frequency, however, is showing up regularly over a long period. Posting twice a week for six months is far better than posting twice a day for one week and then disappearing.

Plan your content ahead of time. Use a content calendar to map out your posts based on your content pillars. You can batch-create your content - for example, spend two hours on a Sunday afternoon writing out all your posts for the coming week. This method helps you stay consistent even on your busiest days.

Foster Your Community (Because It's A *Social* Network)

Your work isn't done after you hit "post." The real magic happens in the comments. Building a strong LinkedIn feed is as much about engaging as it is about broadcasting.

Make these two habits non-negotiable:

1. Respond to Every Comment on Your Posts. When someone takes the time to comment, acknowledge them. Answer their questions. Thank them for their input. This encourages more people to join the conversation and signals to the algorithm that your post is worth showing to more people.
2. Meaningfully Engage on Others' Posts. Spend 15-20 minutes each day leaving thoughtful comments on posts from other people in your industry. Don't just post "Great post!" Add to the conversation with your own perspective, question, or compliment. This builds relationships and brings visibility back to your profile from a relevant audience.

Final Thoughts

Building a valuable LinkedIn feed revolves around a core commitment to generosity. It's about consistently sharing your knowledge, showing up for your community, and framing your expertise in ways that help others improve. By defining your content pillars and mastering different post formats, you turn your profile into a powerful engine for professional growth.

I know this can sound like a lot to manage, especially when you're also busy running a business or building a career. Instead of wrestling with outdated tools that make content planning a headache, we built Postbase to streamline this entire process. You can use our visual calendar to plan your LinkedIn strategy weeks in advance, reliably schedule everything from text posts to videos, and manage all your comments in one inbox, helping you stay consistent and build that high-value feed without the burnout.

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