By Jodie Cook, Senior Contributor. Apr 17, 2025, 08:00am EDT
Your content could go viral tomorrow. But not if you keep posting company announcements that nobody wants to read. Your LinkedIn posts disappear without impact because they fail to grab attention in those critical first seconds. Creating content people actually want to share requires understanding what makes your audience stop scrolling, read every word, and hit that share button.
I quadrupled my LinkedIn following in 2024 by testing different approaches and doubling down on what worked. Through analyzing thousands of posts and tracking which ones resonated with my target audience, I developed a system that consistently delivers results.
Let’s cover the four steps that transform average updates into viral content that grows your account and business.
Why most LinkedIn posts fail to go viral
Growing on LinkedIn comes down to one simple truth: people share things that resonate and make them look good. But business owners typically focus on what they want to say rather than what their audience wants to read. They create content that lacks personality, rambles without direction, or buries the main point under too much text.
Your LinkedIn posts work harder when you understand basic psychology. People want content that makes them feel smart for finding it. Content they’re proud to pass along to their network. Content that positions them as someone with valuable insights to share.
Four steps to create viral LinkedIn posts
Hook with a personal insight
In the hook, create a “gather round” moment. Signal that you’re going to tell a personal insight or explain a compelling story. Open with a statement that makes someone stop and think “I need to know more about this.” Keep it under eight words for maximum impact. The first line determines if anyone reads the rest of your post.
Your first sentence must create curiosity or hint at valuable information to come. Think of it as the headline that sells the entire post. Test different hook styles to see which ones grab attention. Pay attention to which posts gain traction and study their opening lines.
Structure for immediate value
Give a quick lesson in the body of your text. Let someone get instant gratification from the knowledge you share. Listicles are your friend. Someone should be able to skim read your post and get value, then decide if they want to read every part in detail. Get to the point and don’t waste words.
Line your sentences up so they display nicely in the post. It’s a work of art that represents your brand. According to LinkedIn data, posts with five or fewer paragraphs get 60% more engagement than longer formats. Break complex ideas into digestible chunks that anyone can understand quickly.
Enhance visual presentation
The visual presentation of your post matters as much as the content itself. Posts with images receive 2x more engagement than text-only updates. Videos get 5x more engagement and shares than any other type of content on the platform.
Crank up your level of attention to detail and that includes proof reading. Check how your post looks on mobile before publishing. Test different formats, colors and styles until you find what resonates with your audience. The most successful LinkedIn posts apply advanced LinkedIn post psychology to maximize impact.
Invite audience participation
Finally, be more you. Talk directly to your audience and make them feel good. Train them to look out for your posts because they get a dopamine hit from reading them. Sensationalist content sounds like a good idea but people don’t like being put into fight or flight. Eventually they’ll stop looking out for your content.
End with a question and ask them to share their thoughts. Let your audience show off. The LinkedIn algorithm pushes content with active comment sections to more feeds. Posts with questions at the end receive 50% more comments on average. Give your audience a chance to demonstrate their expertise by responding to your prompt.
Create LinkedIn content that spreads naturally
Building a viral LinkedIn presence starts with these four simple steps. Hook your audience with personal insights that grab attention instantly. Structure your content for immediate value and easy consumption. Pay attention to visual presentation that enhances your message. Invite participation to build a community around your content.
Your expertise deserves attention and your stories contain lessons others need to hear. By writing LinkedIn posts your connections will save and share, you can build an engaged audience that grows your personal brand and business. The posts that get 100 likes every time follow this exact formula. Now it’s your turn to put it into practice.
Story originally featured on Forbes.com
Jodie Cook
Senior Contributor | Entrepreneurs
Founder of Coachvox AI – create an AI version of you. Forbes 30 under 30 class of 2017. Post-exit entrepreneur and author of Ten Year Career. Competitive powerlifter and digital nomad.
Follow me on LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
