How to write hit LinkedIn content using the Dave Grohl method

Let’s be honest. The LinkedIn feed can be a bit of a snoozefest. If you haven’t spent time curating your feed with meaningful content creators, you may find yourself staring at a stream of sanitized corporate posts, updates from 14th annual World Taxidermy Convention, confusing job updates, and random (mostly gated) news articles shared by someone you met in the snacketizer line at the 8th annual World Taxidermy Convention.?

Here’s the thing: boring content doesn’t build relationships. Corporate jargon and lifeless updates don’t showcase anyone’s talent or expertise. If you take the time to post some content (and with 830M people on the platform, it’s worth considering), make it worth your readers’ time.?

It’s ok to be professional, but it’s also ok to be a real person. We all have unique skills, experience and insights to share. Even those just getting started in their career have fresh and unique perspectives that are enlightening to us old-timers.??

So here’s your chance! Engage your audience with something meaningful.?

In other words, Write HITS!?

Now if we want to write hits, let’s take some notes from someone who knows how to crank ‘em out. Dave Grohl knows a few things about writing hits. His band Foo Fighters has had over 29 top-10 hits and 11 number-one hits on the Billboard charts.?

Respect, Dave.?

And give us the lessons already!

The first lesson in the Dave Grohl hit writing method??

1. Hook ‘em early

In other words, “don’t bore us, get to the chorus!”?

Make the point early. Provide context. Summarize. I remember two things from my Dale Carnegie sales training from the summer of 1622. The first is, “Tell ‘em what you’re gonna tell ‘em! And then tell ‘em. And then tell ‘em what you told ‘em.” Even in the old days Mr. Carnegie knew to start with the chorus, talk about the chorus, and end with the chorus. I don’t really remember what the other thing from that training was but I think it was something about friends. Doesn’t matter.?

Your post can be short, long, text, video, photo + text, whatever. In fact, mix it up! Keep it interesting. It’s ok to write longer form posts as long as you inform the audience early on what the bumper sticker is, or you may lose folks. To use the parlance of our time, TLDR.?

Which brings us to lesson two.

2. Bumper stickers

It’s not that people are simple or they can’t comprehend anything beyond a bumper sticker. Think about it this way: attention is a precious commodity. Someone is likely checking their LinkedIn in between meetings, while listening to the keynote speaker at a concrete convention or at an airport gate. I mean, 31% of us check LinkedIn while in the bathroom (real stat, folks). Think about that for a second.?

Actually, erase that from my thoughts immediately, please.

Hit content is digestible. It has energy. It’s something we can all nod our heads and lean into because there is truth and common experience wrapped up in it. Think about this from a music perspective. There are a gajillion (not a real stat) songs about heartbreak, but people still make new songs about it. And people still listen to new songs about it. And there are new hit songs about heartbreak trending every week.?

There are also some really weird songs about heartbreak that are not hit songs. Those will remain in the far-reaching corners of a subreddit thread. We’re not going to talk about those.?

The point is, can you sum up the main idea of your post in a bumper sticker? Can we all dance to it? Does it resonate? Can we read it in the bathroom and nod our heads while balancing a $1200 handheld device in precarious positions??

You have a lot of hits sitting in that big brain just waiting to make LinkedIn un-boring. I guarantee everyone has bumper sticker moments. Think about those “true-isms” about leadership, teams, your industry, or the way you do your work. An example might be the phrase, “we win or we learn.” (I tend to learn alot -sigh). There’s an opportunity for content there - in all those stories and examples about learning. Hooray!

Last Lesson:?

3. Know Your Audience

This may not be as apparent early on. If you have 23 LinkedIn connections, that sample size isn’t super reliable. As you build connections and continue to create content, you will better understand your audience. LinkedIn has analytics that parse out the industry, company size, titles, and geography of your audience. If the majority of your audience is in the education industry, that may inform the hooks you use to write your hits.?

Dave knows his audience loves the chorus. He gives it to them early. He gives it to them often. When you figure out the hit formula for your audience, use it!?That's how you keep writing hits.

Now if you want to hear Dave talk about writing hits in his own words, feel free to check out this video. He’s a rock musician, so fair warning -? it’s like, marginally safe for work. Choose your own adventure and definitely your personal device to view:?

I should state that I have nothing against taxidermy or adhesives or Weehawken, NJ. I hail from the upper Midwest where deer mounts are standard fare and my 5 year old’s recent “creative phase” has resulted in a 45,000% increase in the monthly scotch tape budget. And I’ve never been to Weekawken. But it is really fun to say and I’m sure it’s a lovely locale.?

If you enjoyed this newsletter, subscribe so we can stay connected. It’s always nice to make new friends. (maybe that was the other Carnegie training thing).?

Keep on ‘Truckin.

-MG