The LinkedIn Dispatch #3

Happy Sunday, marketers and LinkedIn-ers!

Welcome to The LinkedIn Dispatch, where I pick the 3 best posts of the week.

Today's topics:

1. Engagement pods
2. Engagement tips and tactics
3. And the greased chute copywriting framework

Let's roll.

— Dennis

1. What’s your take on engagement pods?

Via Tommy Walker

IYDK engagement pods are mutual support groups where LinkedIn-ers engage with each other's content through likes and comments to boost visibility.

Engagement farms, essentially. It’s a divisive issue:

• Proponents view pods as valuable support networks that offer motivation and a sense of community for content creators.
• Others criticize pods for encouraging superficial engagement that skews the perception of an account's true reach and value.

Here’s my $0.02, as someone who's participated in engagement pods:

Ghost followers are dead weight. And fake engagement is a circle jerk.

It’s all optics to give people the impression you’re hot s*** when you're not.

If you want to build a real audience, you have to do the work:

1. Share good content

• Hacking engagement can't compensate for shitty content.
• If nobody cares, you're just scaling irrelevance

2. Network sincerely

• Engage with your network by participating in meaningful convos
• This not only boosts your visibility but also builds relationships

3. Prioritize quality AND quantity

• Quality vs quantity is a false dichotomy.
• You can and must do both
• No shortcuts

4. Engage with stuff you like

• Building an audience on LinkedIn is a grind
• Make it easier by curating your feed with content that inspires you

2. Engagement Tips Starter Pack

Via Will Baumann and Ethan Smith

What are the best ways to maximize engagement on LinkedIn right now?

Lots of helpful tips in the comments, but Ethan Smith (big brain SEO super wizard) brings the heat with these actionable insights:

Honestly, all good advice you should probably follow.

3. Write your copy like a greased chute

Via Dave Gerhardt

Your job as a copywriter is to grab the reader’s attention and transmit meaning to their brains as quickly and efficiently as possible.

An intuitive way to go about it: Structure your copy like a greased chute.

1. The first line’s job is to move reader’s to the second line.
2. The second line’s job is to move reader’s to the third.
3. And downward smoothly until the end.

Each line sells the reader on the next. Hence, greased chute.

Dave reminded me that digital writing is different than other types of writing:

// Fin //

About Dennis Buckley

After 8 years of working in startups, I struck out on my own to build a new life doing the work I love. I started Founders Ink, my boutique content agency, to help growth-oriented founders and marketing leaders:

• Get attention
• Develop an audience
• Build industry authority
• Attract new customers

Previously, I led content marketing teams at both bootstrapped and venture-backed startups, taught founders and marketers how to grow companies at Demand Curve, and even ghostwrote for a New York Times bestseller.

How I can help you:

• Newsletter: Sign up for The LinkedIn Dispatch
• Follow me Dennis Buckley for tip on ghostwriting & organic content funnels.
• Need content help? I run a ghostwriting agency for ambitous founders.
• Want to chat? Schedule a call. Every week, I set aside time to talk to other founders and operators about their media strategy — at any stage — for free. Go ahead, you won't be sold anything on these calls.

See you next week.

— Dennis