7 Things LinkedIn Influencers Don’t Tell You About Growing On LinkedIn

By Jodie Cook

LinkedIn influencers love showing off their follower counts but never tell you what it really takes to get there. They post screenshots of milestone celebrations and sell their "secrets" in masterclasses. The truth? There's a massive gap between what they showcase and what happens behind the scenes. LinkedIn growth demands more grit, time, and hard work than anyone admits. Their highlight reels hide the daily grind that actually creates results.

I quadrupled my LinkedIn following in 2024. From 7k to 30k followers in one year, with consistent action and repeatable moves. Here’s what those LinkedIn gurus aren't telling you.

The uncomfortable truth about LinkedIn success

Only 1% of LinkedIn users create content regularly. This tiny fraction claims nearly all the attention, opportunities, and business. People sign up, post sporadically, then wonder why nothing happens. But building influence takes deliberate effort sustained over months; not casual posting whenever inspiration strikes.

1) Real growth means serious time investment

LinkedIn influencers claim they built their following with "just 20 minutes a day." Pure fantasy. During growth phases, they spent hours daily on the platform. No one accidentally becomes a LinkedIn master.

Accounts with massive followers work harder than they admit. They study engagement patterns. They test different content types. They track what performs and double down on winners. They respond to comments immediately and nurture relationships through DMs. Success comes from treating LinkedIn as a serious business asset, not a casual social network.

4) You have to love the game

People winning on LinkedIn genuinely enjoy the platform. Their enthusiasm shines through in every post. If you secretly hate LinkedIn, your audience will sense it. Your reluctance seeps into your writing and dampens your impact.

Find aspects of LinkedIn that appeal to you. Maybe you enjoy writing powerful hooks. Perhaps you love connecting with like-minded professionals. You might get satisfaction from tracking your growth metrics. Lean into whatever sparks your interest rather than forcing yourself through a process you dread.

5) It can get weird sometimes

Growing your account comes with unexpected side effects. Strangers slide into your DMs with bizarre requests. Former colleagues suddenly watch your every move. Random people from high school resurface to champion you.

As your visibility increases, boundaries become non-negotiable. Learn which messages deserve responses and which connections warrant your time. Success demands selectivity. Your growing influence makes your attention increasingly valuable. Guard it carefully and direct it intentionally.

All 7 things and the complete Forbes article

 

 

 

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10 Proven Ways to Get Recruiters to Find You on LinkedIn

Imagine a recruiter scrolling through LinkedIn, searching for the perfect candidate. How do you ensure your profile grabs their attention and stands out among millions? In today’s competitive job market, being visible to recruiters on LinkedIn isn’t just an advantage—it’s essential.

LinkedIn isn’t just a platform for posting resumes; it’s a dynamic career hub that lets you showcase your skills, share your achievements, and connect with opportunities. This article will guide you through ten proven strategies to make your profile recruiter-friendly and help you shine in the digital professional world.

Why LinkedIn is Crucial for Job Seekers

In today’s hyper-connected professional world, LinkedIn isn’t just an optional tool for job seekers—it’s the cornerstone of a successful career strategy. The platform connects over one billion LinkedIn members globally, making it the most comprehensive networking and career-building resource available. Whether you’re actively in a job hunt and seeking a new role or passively open to opportunities, LinkedIn ensures you’re visible to potential employers and recruiters.

Why Recruiters Use LinkedIn

Recruiters rely on LinkedIn to source job candidates for one primary reason: it works. With its advanced search capabilities and robust candidate profiles, especially using the special capabilities of premium LinkedIn Recruiter accounts, LinkedIn allows recruiters to identify and evaluate potential candidates with unmatched efficiency. Here are some statistics that underline its importance:

  • 87% of recruiters regularly use LinkedIn for their work

  • Over 55 million companies are listed on LinkedIn, and 14 million available jobs.

  • 41% of recruiters rank LinkedIn as their top source for quality hires.

  • 67% of recruiters believe that professionals hired through LinkedIn are of higher quality compared to those found through other methods

  • 6 people are hired every minute through LinkedIn, translating to over 3 million new hires annually through the platform.

  • 77 job applications are submitted every second on LinkedIn, resulting in more than 6.6 million applications daily.

  • 75% of people who recently changed jobs used LinkedIn to find new job opportunities.

Sources: Finances Online, Hootsuite, Skrapp, Social Shepherd, LinkedIn

Beyond a Digital Resume

Unlike a traditional resume, which offers a static snapshot of your career and past job title, LinkedIn is a dynamic platform where you can:

A Platform for Strategic Career Growth

LinkedIn isn’t just about finding jobs—it’s about building your personal brand, staying visible in your industry, and aligning yourself with opportunities. For professionals aiming to stay competitive, LinkedIn provides the tools to:

If your goal is to secure your dream job or simply to remain an active and engaged professional, optimizing your LinkedIn presence is a must. It’s not just a career tool—it’s a career advantage.

10 Proven Strategies to Attract Recruiters on LinkedIn

Complete and Optimize Your Profile

Having a complete and optimized LinkedIn profile is the foundation for being discovered by recruiters. LinkedIn’s algorithm prioritizes complete profiles in LinkedIn search results, so taking the time to fill out every section pays off significantly. Here’s how to create a standout profile:

 


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5 Personal Branding Musts for 2025

These expert-backed tips will help you stand out, inspire trust, and amplify your impact in a noisy digital world. 

BY MARLI GUZZETTA, CONSULTING EDITOR, INC.

In this era of endless content, executives have never had more opportunities to establish a personal brand. 

And it’s not just beneficial for those leaders — employees and customers alike have come to rely on these executives to inform their perspective on business. According to a study by FTI Consulting, 92 percent of professionals reported being more likely to trust a company whose senior executives are using social media. And Brunswick Advisory Group found that 82 percent of readers consuming financial content expect leaders to communicate mission, vision, and values via social platforms. 

But the vastness of messaging possibilities can be overwhelming for busy executives looking to build their personal brands.

That’s why the Inc. 5000 Community hosted a week of personal branding workshops for all past and present Inc. 5000 honorees. Each session showcased the advice of an industry expert fluent in a particular platform. Whether discussing thought leadership articles, podcasts, or public speaking, everyone stressed a common theme: a strong personal brand isn’t about self-promotion — it’s about sharing value, solving problems, and inspiring action.

The following are a few of the expert insights and practical strategies offered for building and refining a personal brand.

1. Consistent posting — but with varying formats

LinkedIn has emerged as the most reliable platform for executive thought leadership, and on LinkedIn, consistency is key. It builds authority and keeps you visible, according to Jen Rotner, founder and CEO of Elite Creative, which includes a thought leadership arm.

Rotner emphasized the 99/1 rule: 99 percent of people consume content on LinkedIn, but only 1 percent are actively creating it. In other words, fortune favors regular creators.

“The algorithm rewards creators who show up often, authentically, and with variety,” said Rotner, who also advised that LinkedIn advantages posts from personal accounts, as opposed to business accounts.

By posting weekly and mixing formats — articles, personal stories, industry insights, and BTS content — you earn even more visibility from LinkedIn’s algorithm. Rotner added that features like Creator Mode, strategic use of novel hashtags, and consistent engagement (such as tagging and commenting) can significantly expand your reach and reinforce your authority.

2. Leading with your storytelling chops

Every effective personal brand exercise begins with a good story, and that includes public speaking. Ashley Stahl is the founder of Wise Whisper Agency, a speaker advisory firm that’s helped more than 100 clients craft signature talks and land a spot on large stages like TEDx.

She recommended beginning any speaking engagement with an emotional hook — a relatable, personal anecdote that captures attention and creates connection. “The opening story is 20-25 percent of your talk,” Stahl said. “It moves people before it teaches them.”

This story doesn’t have to tie directly to the topic; its job is to build trust and inspire emotion among audience members. From there, you layer in the big idea: a perspective or insight unique to your vantage, one the world needs.

But making that emotional connection up front is key to getting people to care — a practice that can scale to any other aspect of your personal platform.

Read all 5 Branding Musts And The Complete Inc. Article

 

 

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Top 10 Changes to Make to Your LinkedIn Profile for 2025

LinkedIn remains the go-to platform for professionals looking to network, find opportunities, and showcase their expertise. As we step into 2025, the platform has evolved, and so have the expectations for a compelling profile. Here are the top 10 changes you can make to ensure your LinkedIn profile is current, impactful, and future-ready:

1. Update Your Profile Picture

Your profile picture is the first impression you make. For 2025, invest in a high-quality, professional headshot with good lighting and a neutral background. Consider using AI tools to ensure your photo aligns with current professional trends without over-editing.

2. Leverage the Headline for Impact

Gone are the days of simply listing your job title in the headline. Use this space to succinctly describe your value proposition. For example: "Driving Growth Through Data-Driven Marketing | AI Enthusiast | Public Speaker."

3. Optimize Your About Section

Rewrite your "About" section to reflect your career highlights, skills, and goals. Use a conversational tone to make it engaging. Include metrics, such as "Increased sales by 40% through targeted campaigns," to showcase your achievements.

4. Showcase AI and Tech Skills

AI is transforming industries, so highlighting your familiarity with relevant tools or concepts can make your profile stand out. Whether you’re in tech, marketing, or another field, emphasize how you’ve used AI or are prepared to adapt to this technological shift.

5. Enhance the Featured Section

Use the "Featured" section to highlight articles, presentations, or projects you’ve worked on. This area is a prime spot to showcase work samples, thought leadership pieces, or case studies that demonstrate your expertise.

6. Update Work Experience with Context

Don’t just list your roles and responsibilities—contextualize them. Include the impact you’ve made in each position. Use bullet points and metrics to make your accomplishments easy to scan.

7. Add Certifications and Courses

Continuous learning is essential. Add any recent certifications or courses, especially those related to emerging skills like AI, sustainability, or remote work strategies. LinkedIn’s integration with learning platforms makes it easy to showcase your growth.

8. Expand Your Skills Section

Regularly update your skills to include in-demand competencies for 2025. Use LinkedIn’s Skills Assessment feature to validate your expertise and improve your profile’s visibility.

9. Engage More Actively

LinkedIn rewards activity. Post regularly, share industry insights, comment on others’ posts, and participate in group discussions. This increases your visibility and positions you as a thought leader.

10. Ask for Recommendations

Recommendations add credibility. Request testimonials from colleagues, managers, or clients who can vouch for your skills and contributions. Be specific when asking for feedback to ensure the recommendation is tailored to your strengths.

By implementing these changes, your LinkedIn profile can become a powerful tool to attract opportunities and expand your professional network. As we navigate 2025, staying proactive and adaptive is the key to thriving in a dynamic professional landscape.

by Tim Esse

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