Nothing stings like posting on LinkedIn and watching it sink. You spent hours on that post. You know it contains solid advice. But three likes and zero comments later, it’s clear something’s missing. Everyone else seems to know the secret formula for engagement except you.
I quadrupled my LinkedIn following in 2024, growing from 7k to 30k by applying psychological principles to my posts. Understanding exactly what makes people stop scrolling and hit that like button is critical to your success on LinkedIn.
Win at LinkedIn: apply advanced psychology principles
Hook your audience’s core fears
Every scroll stops at something that touches a nerve. Hit them right in the feels to resonate harder and get more likes. To do this, make the first line of your LinkedIn post speak directly to what keeps your audience awake at night. Not generic fears, but specific ones that match their world.
Open with a statement about being too busy in your business, limiting your earnings, considering raising prices, or wasting time figuring technology out. Make it sharp, make it punchy, keep it under 8 words. This is where 80% of your energy should go, because without a strong hook, nothing else matters.
Write ten different hooks before picking one. Test them as tweets if you’re unsure. The opening line is everything, so make it count. One strong hook will pull more people into your post than ten weak ones.
Give context that fuels dreams
After your hook stops the scroll, you need to keep them reading. The next line (the rehook) should paint a picture of what’s possible. For example, “let me break it down” or “here’s exactly how I overcame this” or “this is what I learned.” Speak to their ambitions and aspirations in a way that makes them think, “That’s exactly what I need.”
Show the contrast between where they are and where they could be. If you opened with a fear about working too much, follow with a glimpse of freedom. If you hooked with imposter syndrome, show what confidence looks like. Give them something to move toward, not just something to run from.
The context should bridge the gap between their current reality and their dream outcome. Paint that picture clearly so they stay with you through the rest of the post. Make them see themselves in the story you’re telling.
Add value that fills knowledge gaps
This section is where your expertise earns its place. Your audience wants solutions. Break down exactly how to solve the problem you highlighted in your hook, filling the knowledge gaps standing between them and success.
Keep advice specific and actionable. No vague tips or generic wisdom. Give them steps they can take today, methods you’ve personally tested, or frameworks that actually work. The value section is where you prove you’re worth following.
Format this section for easy reading. Use line breaks, bullet points, or numbered lists. Make your wisdom easy to digest and impossible to misunderstand. Your audience should finish this section thinking, “I never thought about it that way before.”
Deliver a zinger that reinforces beliefs
Every great post includes a single powerful line toward the end. This is the zinger. This statement should mirror back your audience’s core beliefs, showing you understand their values at a deeper level than most.
Make it something they already believe but haven’t seen written down. Maybe it’s that consistency beats talent, or that true success comes from helping others. The zinger validates what they already know to be true.
This moment of connection is what makes someone think, “This person gets me.” Place your zinger as the second-to-last line, before your call to action. Make it sharp, memorable, and aligned with what they already believe.
End with an engagement prompt
The final component that separates 10-like posts from 100-like posts is how you finish. Don’t drop value and disappear. Ask a question or provide a prompt that invites meaningful engagement; people are infinitely more likely to join the conversation if prompted.
Avoid generic “what do you think?” prompts. Ask about their experience with the specific issue you addressed. Make it something they’d be proud to answer, that lets them showcase their knowledge or share a win.
The engagement prompt should feel natural. It should flow from the rest of your post, giving your audience a clear next step. The comments become an extension of your content, getting more eyes on your message.
Use images that amplify your message
Posts with images get more engagement on LinkedIn. People are naturally drawn to others, especially you. But the image needs to support your message, showing either the problem you’re solving or the outcome you’re promising.
Make the image match. Include photos of yourself in your work environment, speaking on stage, or solving problems. Keep backgrounds plain and clean. No props required, focus on your expression.
An image should grab attention on its own, but work even better alongside your text. The combination creates more reasons to pause, giving your message more time to land. Make imagery part of your posting strategy, not an afterthought.
Exploit the power of comments
Comments extend your post’s reach. The first hour after posting is critical. Stay online and respond to every comment, keeping the conversation going with thoughtful replies. Show people you value them to keep them coming back. Train your audience to expect a reward for taking the time to comment.
Your responses should add new information, ask follow-up questions, or tag relevant people into the discussion. Turn each comment thread into its own valuable conversation. The algorithm rewards this kind of engagement, showing your post to more people.
Each thoughtful reply pulls more people into your post’s orbit. Be genuinely curious about what others have to say. Ask good questions. Treat comments as opportunities to deepen connections.
Use post-specific calls to action
The comment section is also your chance to extend the value of your post. Every post should include a secondary call to action in one of the first comments. This creates another layer of engagement and gives interested readers a clear next step. Finding easter eggs triggers dopamine hits. The post was great, but the comments give more.
Add extra resources, link to relevant articles (yours or others), or mention upcoming events. Create a reason for people to engage beyond just liking or commenting.
Use your comments to connect your post to everything else you’re doing on and off LinkedIn, taking another opportunity to strengthen connections with your ideal audience.
Turn LinkedIn psychology into consistent results
Your post doesn’t need to be perfect. Just understand human psychology and apply it consistently. Grab attention with fears, build connection through shared dreams, deliver genuine value, validate core beliefs, and invite thoughtful participation.
Speak directly to what moves your dream clients, so they stop scrolling and engage. Combine powerful hooks with relevant images. Transform comments into conversations. Use your first comment strategically.
Study your metrics without emotion. Lean into what works. Show up intentionally and see what happens.
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