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Writer's pictureDouglas Kennedy

8 Mistakes Coaches and Founders Make In Their LinkedIn Content



LinkedIn ghostwriting and personal branding

Have you ever felt like your LinkedIn content is just... not clicking? Trust me, I've been there – more times than I'd like to admit. I remember days of endlessly refreshing my feed, hoping for more likes, comments, or any sign of engagement, only to be met with silence. It's frustrating, but it's also a learning curve. I've made all the classic mistakes, and through trial and error, I've discovered the secrets to turning it around.


1. The Jargon Trap


  • Mistake: Drowning your posts in technical jargon.

  • My Experience: In my early days, I thought using complex terms would impress my audience. Instead, it pushed them away.

  • Solution: Simplify your language. Make your content accessible and relatable. It's about connecting, not showcasing a thesaurus.

2. Storytelling: The Heart of Connection


  • Mistake: Dry stats and figures without a human touch.

  • My Experience: I once shared a post about a 20% sales increase. No engagement. It lacked a story, a personal touch.

  • Solution: Weave in stories. When I reshared it with our team's pandemic struggles and triumphs, the engagement soared. It's about humanizing your content.

3. Conciseness is Key


  • Mistake: Long-winded, unfocused posts.

  • My Experience: Guilty as charged. My posts used to be novels, packed with ideas but lacking clarity.

  • Solution: One idea, one message per post. Keep it crisp. I learned that the hard way, but it made all the difference.

4. A Clear Call to Action

  • Mistake: Ending posts abruptly, without direction.

  • My Experience: I missed opportunities for deeper engagement because I didn't guide my readers on what to do next.

  • Solution: Always include a call to action. It invites interaction and drives purposeful engagement.

5. Authenticity: Your Secret Weapon


  • Mistake: Hiding behind corporate news and buzz.

  • My Experience: I was the 'all business, no personal' guy. My content felt cold, distant.

  • Solution: Share your journey, your lessons. Vulnerability is magnetic. It draws people in and builds genuine connections.


6. Tailoring Content for LinkedIn


  • Mistake: Copy-pasting content across platforms.

  • My Experience: I learned the hard way that what works on Twitter doesn't necessarily fly on LinkedIn.

  • Solution: Craft your content specifically for LinkedIn’s audience. It’s a different ballgame here, more professional, more nuanced.


7. The Power of a Great Headline



  • Mistake: Bland, non-descriptive headlines.

  • My Experience: My headlines were once as exciting as watching paint dry.

  • Solution: Spend time crafting catchy, specific headlines. They're the gateway to your content. Entice your readers to want to know more.


8. The Pitfall of Generic Content


  • Mistake: Trying to appeal to everyone.

  • My Experience: I was the jack-of-all-trades, master of none. My content was too broad, too generic.

  • Solution: Find your niche, speak directly to them. When I focused my content, my engagement didn't just increase; it resonated.


Transforming your LinkedIn presence from overlooked to highly engaged isn't an overnight journey. It's about learning from mistakes – and believe me, I've made plenty. Each misstep is an opportunity to refine your strategy. It's about finding your voice, your story, and connecting with your audience in a way that's authentically you.


So, let's turn those question marks into exclamation points! What's your best tip for optimizing content for higher engagement on LinkedIn? Share your thoughts, and let's learn from each other. Every post is a new chance to connect, engage, and grow.

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