Struggling With LinkedIn Growth? Top Experts Share What Works in 2024

Short attention spans.

More competition.

More posting.

Less reach.

Even on LinkedIn – the largest professional networking platform with over 900 million members globally – it’s easy to feel invisible and get yourself heard.

So, how do you cut through the noise when you're a team of one?

You find the right levers and pull them.

Too busy to read? Skip to the TL;DR at the end!

Your Time is Now

Ask marketing experts which network is most vital to business leaders who want to build a strong pipeline of sales and brand-building opportunities, and you may be surprised to hear them choose LinkedIn over Instagram and YouTube.

This year, SproutSocial reported that 4 out of 5 LinkedIn members drive business decisions, you've got to get beyond that stale corporate bio or boring job post if you want to be seen.

Standing out now requires standing up as a personal brand. Recent statistics reveal an enormous yet hidden potential reach for those who master tapping into the right conversations and networks.

Consider that:

• 137 million members check their LinkedIn daily (SproutSocial)
• 92% of B2B buyers are more likely to engage with brands that have an authoritative presence on LinkedIn (Addlium)
• Thought leadership content attracts 3x more leads and conversions than traditional sales/marketing efforts (Digital Silk)

Gary Vaynerchuk and other marketing leaders have repeatedly stated that LinkedIn's reach and network growth are experiencing the same 'boom' that occurred on Facebook and Instagram over a decade ago.

If your expertise and insightful perspectives are worthy of reaching a slice of this large, global audience, now is the time to start unlocking LinkedIn’s potential.

How to Be Seen & Heard On LinkedIn

Growing authority and reach online is an ongoing struggle for many professionals. Solopreneurs and founders overlook the basics to expand their network and reach on LinkedIn, choosing to stick to the same dated activities week after week with zero impact.

The result? Their content remains invisible and unread in the feed.

Frustrated, they churn out post after post with no real engagement. They plod on, hoping the 'more content' will eventually get them seen. Meanwhile, they miss out on opportunities to create conversation and get radio silence from meaningful new prospects.

Although it's challenging to compete with algorithm changes, that doesn't mean you can't get ahead. Here are 5 levers you can use to increase your personal brand influence and tap into exponential growth on LinkedIn in 2024.

How to Grow on LinkedIn: The Lever Method

In real life, a lever is a simple machine that allows you to exert greater force and lift or move a heavier load using less effort. A playground seesaw, a crowbar, scissors, a bottle opener, even a fishing rod - these are all versions of 'levers' that most of us have used before.

This advantage is very useful for physical work, but it also exists on social networks-including platforms like LinkedIn.

More than a static directory, LinkedIn contains a vast array of powerful features and strategies that you can use to accelerate growth and visibility.

When activated correctly, they compound your efforts, unlocking exponential reach and conversion results compared to just posting casually.

Pull the right ones, and you'll get bigger, faster results.

Lever #1 - 'Spotlighting' Your Niche Through Commenting

Are you laser-clear on your niche areas of expertise? Even if you struggle with creating content, you can show your zone of genius through commenting. This can help you be seen and heard as an expert, starting in your niche.

Expert content creator and commenter extraordinaire Craig Davis uses comments as part of his personal branding strategy, including the hashtag #CraigNotes, so that followers can continue to easily find his future content and articles.

It's important that you're specific with your topics, however, so there’s zero doubt about what conversations and communities you can contribute value to. This clarifies both your authority position and also attracts a right-fit audience you want to reach.

Davis recommends commenting for at least 30 minutes before publishing a post and says this approach led him to over 18,000 followers on the platform.

Lever #2 - Launch Educational Short and Long-Form Video

If you haven't done video yet, this is the year to move beyond tiny posts and likes. LinkedIn now heavily favors educational short and long-form content in video, showing it to wider audiences within your network.

You can share tips in 1-minute or less like Mastertalk's Brenden Kumarasamy , or go big and create a mini video course teaching your framework or the tactics related to your niche.

For example, an HR consultant might offer a masterclass on leadership communication techniques or how to land a higher-paying position. If you're a health coach, you could offer to guide viewers through a series of tips on weight management or gut health protocols.

LinkedIn video coach and content strategist Danny DelVecchio says, "Like it or not, video will be king on LinkedIn in 2024." In a late 2023 poll, 91% of his participants said they were jumping into LinkedIn videos in the coming year.

Why should you use video? Because video builds trust and establishes authority more rapidly than other content types, and can position your personal brand as a leading educator and authority by showcasing knowledge and experience in a way that only you can offer. This gives your audience a taste of your personality and creates stronger credibility for your brand.

Lever #3 - Map Out a Community-Driven Authority+Growth Strategy

Once you hook your followers' attention with long-form videos, encourage viewers to 'upgrade' into your wider ecosystem of education and mentorship. This positions you firmly as an authority to follow if they want coveted access and insights that only you can offer.

This can be done through regular posts, comments on other relevant posts or articles within your network, as well as co-branded content on LinkedIn Lives and LinkedIn Audio.

Career Strategist and LinkedIn Top Executive Coaching Voice April Little says, "One of the things I learned as I built my brand is to be open to commenting on adjacent spaces, not just your niche. If you focus on building relationships (and you should be), this will help you build your authority, stand out in a sea of same, and become the trusted expert in what you do."

Your aim should be to stay on your followers' radar regularly and have them look to you as a trusted source on your topics of expertise.

Lever #4 - Optimize for Hybrid Content that Converts

While educational content establishes your concrete business value on LinkedIn, don’t shy away from infusing more emotion and personal stories into your articles and posts, as well. After all, LinkedIn members are still humans who buy based on feelings over logic in many cases.

Public speaking coach and 3-time TEDx speaker Nausheen I. Chen shared, "My first ever viral post was a story of my quarter-life crisis when I broke away from my job, my country, and my 'traditions'. I not only got a lot of interest in my work from that one post but also had hundreds of people reaching out and sharing their own stories. A year and a half later, I still have people who remember that story, which shows the power and stickiness of sharing your life with the community."

If sharing personal or family experiences appeals to you, ask yourself, "What hopes, frustrations, anxieties, and aspirations can my experiences speak to? What emotions can I incorporate subtly in my frameworks and teaching style to make my content more interesting? How can I do this in a way that relates to both the challenges my audience feels, as well as the outcome my offer can provide?"

When crafted effectively, these human-centric posts can draw in exponentially bigger reach and engagement. The key is to be crystal clear with your message and ensure all content aligns with your personal brand.

Creator Science founder Jay Clouse wrote, "Everything you publish impacts your relationship with the viewer. [Your] standard should be to publish things that make the viewer more likely to continue paying attention. If you don’t think you’re hitting that standard, don’t publish the thing!"

#5 Obsess Over Analytics and Content Optimization

Growth accelerates when you let the data guide your ongoing content and personal brand optimization over months of consistency.

Ruthlessly analyze your LinkedIn post metrics to determine what content lengths, media types, and messaging trigger maximum visibility and conversions for your audience. Study content from larger creators in your niche. Then double down your efforts to create content that resonates with the audience and followers you're seeking to attract.

Sam Browne , LinkedIn Coach and Top Entrepreneurship Voice says, "Aim for clarity with each post. Have a particular point to make, and make it with simple, accessible language. You’re writing social media posts, not textbooks."

"In the beginning," Browne says, "It’s purely about getting reps in: write, publish, repeat. You will get better with every post. And the good news is, almost no one will read your early stuff so don’t worry about it too much!"

Women’s business coach and mental health advocate Ashley Pereira says, "I max out almost all of my character limits on my posts, and it consistently drives the engagement > inbox > calls > clients I'm looking for. But you can't stop at the DMs. It's all about the offline experience and getting face-to-face to create relationships!"

With time and consistency, inviting engagement and interaction, as Pereira says, will drive real network and business growth.

In 2011, our company actively began to focus on LinkedIn as a business and personal brand strategy, and it was one of the best bets we ever made.

For over a decade, it's driven clients and built our authority, making us sought-out experts in our space.

What's Next for You on LinkedIn?

Are you ready for the ripple effects of next-level authority and hyper-visibility? Then leap into LinkedIn in 2024, pull those levers, and start building your personal brand and voice in the community. Your dream client and opportunity are waiting for you!

Too busy to read? Here's the TL;DR:

How to Unlock Exponential Personal Brand Growth on LinkedIn - The 'Lever Method'

• Lever 1: Spotlight niche expertise by consistently commenting on relevant posts using hashtags and niche keywords.
• Lever 2: Create short and long-form educational videos to establish thought leadership and credibility.
• Lever 3: Map out a community-driven authority + growth strategy through posts, comments, and co-branded content to build relationships and be seen as a trusted expert.
• Lever 4: Optimize posts with hybrid personal+business content that provides value while making an emotional connection.
• Lever 5: Analyze post metrics daily to determine which content performs best, then double down on that.

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