Stop Your Content Struggle By Truly Understanding Your Ideal Client

If you’re struggling to get traction on LinkedIn, chances are, it’s not the algorithm working against you, your messaging is not reaching your ideal client. Many business owners and thought leaders make the mistake of writing what they want to say rather than what their audience actually needs to hear. What is the key to effective LinkedIn content? Understanding your ideal client so well that your posts feel like they were written just for them.

Why Audience Research is Essential for LinkedIn Success

Richard van der Blom’s studies on LinkedIn’s algorithm and engagement trends consistently highlight one truth: content that profoundly resonates with the right audience gets the most visibility and interaction. But before writing content that connects, you must define, understand, and analyze your ideal client.

When you deeply understand your audience’s pain points, desires, and decision-making processes, you can:

• Write copy that speaks directly to their challenges and aspirations.
• Position yourself as a trusted authority who gets them.
• Increase engagement because your content feels relevant and valuable.
• Convert connections into clients because they see you as the solution they’ve sought.

Step 1: Define Your Ideal Client

Start by being crystal clear about who you want to reach. While a broad audience might seem appealing, specificity attracts the right people.

Ask yourself:

• Who benefits most from my services?
• What industry are they in?
• What’s their job title or role?
• What are their biggest frustrations, fears, and challenges?
• What goals are they trying to achieve?
• What objections might they have about investing in a solution?

You aim to develop a detailed client persona that acts as your guiding star when creating content.

Step 2: Listen and Research

Once you’ve defined your ideal client, it’s time to do some detective work. Here’s where you listen before you start writing.

Where to find insights:

• LinkedIn Comments & Posts: Read the comments on thought leaders’ posts in your industry. What questions do people ask? What frustrations do they share?
• Polls & Surveys: Conduct a quick LinkedIn poll or a simple survey to learn about your audience’s most significant pain points.
• Competitor Content: What topics are engaging their audience? Look at what’s resonating and find ways to add your unique perspective.
• LinkedIn Messages & Calls: Pay attention to the questions people ask you in DMs or discovery calls—these are direct indicators of your audience's wants.
• Industry Reports & Forums: Platforms like Reddit, Quora, and niche Facebook groups can reveal common industry pain points.

Step 3: Use Audience Language in Your Copy

Your messaging should mirror the words and phrases your ideal client uses. People feel seen and understood when reading something that sounds like their thoughts.

How to implement this:

• Weave direct quotes from comments, surveys, and conversations into your posts.
• Use phrases like “If you’ve ever felt…” or “You’re not alone if…” to create an instant connection.
• Shift from industry jargon to conversational language that feels accessible.

Step 4: Create Content That Feels Tailor-Made

Now that you know your audience inside and out, you can craft content that speaks to them.

Try these LinkedIn content ideas:

• Pain Point Posts: Highlight a common frustration and provide a solution.
• Myth-Busting Posts: Challenge industry misconceptions that are holding your audience back.
• Storytelling Posts: Share a relatable experience that connects with your audience’s struggles.
• How-To Guides: Give step-by-step insights that solve a key problem.

Step 5: Test, Analyze, and Refine

Your first few posts might not hit the mark—that’s okay! Use LinkedIn analytics to track what’s resonating. Look at:

• Which posts get the most engagement.
• What topics spark the most comments.
• Where people drop off in long-form content.

Refine your messaging based on accurate data, and over time, you’ll develop a LinkedIn strategy that consistently attracts and converts the right people.

Final Thoughts

Audience research isn’t a one-time task—it’s an ongoing process. The more you listen, analyze, and adjust, the better your content will perform. Writing high-impact LinkedIn posts becomes effortless when you truly understand your ideal client.

Want to dive deeper into crafting LinkedIn content that builds authority and visibility? Download my free guide, Guide to Creating LinkedIn Content for Authority and Visibility, and start making a real impact today!