Reader Request: How do I create a LinkedIn social strategy?
Hi Readers!
I am gearing up for a snowstorm in Baltimore and may be the only person I know excited for it. The snowfall brings peace and quiet to an otherwise noisy city. Plus I just had a traditional sauna installed in my backyard and plan to basically move in full time, or at least watch the snow from the warm inside this weekend.
2026 for me is all about abundance and a health focus, so this is one investment I’m making toward my wellness. We are not compromising on sleep, energy, or wellness this year!
Just for Fun
Reader Request: How do I create a LinkedIn social strategy?
This week’s edition was reader-requested by Gary Thorn, who asked about setting up a social content strategy. Let’s talk about it.
I really don't use my socials as I should. Do you have any coursework or recommended places to help develop a content strategy? Because I don't have much of one, every post I make feels like shouting into the void, and it's very top-of-funnel, so I understand it's a long-tail strategy I'm just underskilled for.
Social selling matters because the way people evaluate credibility, expertise, and trust has changed faster than most teams realized. Reach is down across the board, but it’s intentional; what has changed is how reach is earned. Platforms like LinkedIn no longer distribute content primarily through who you know, or that “how many engagements do you get in the first 90 minutes” rule. They are now distributing your content based on what you’re consistently known for.
That means visibility now compounds around specific, repeated subject matter. So if you’re writing about multiple topics that don’t overlap, the algo kinda doesn’t know what to do with you. But when your voice is legible, your content becomes a powerful form of social selling: not pitching, not posting for vanity, but staying present in the moments people are deciding who they trust.
Here’s what I do with my clients:
Choose the reader or one, not the whole audience. Stop thinking in demographics or job titles. Pick one person in one moment of pressure and write directly them. Picture where they’re stuck or what decision they’re avoiding to get hyper specific, this is what gives that “oh this is so me” vibe to readers.
Define that reader’s recurring questions/tensions. Strong strategies rely on a small set of questions you’re willing to answer in public again and again. Different stories, same underlying tension but you have to repeat it like a hammer pounding on people’s brains. It will feel repetitive to you, not to them.
Define your point of view before your topics. Your POV isn’t “what you do.” It’s what you believe is being misunderstood, oversimplified, or mishandled in that moment. How are you addressing those tensions in ways that other solutions / creators can’t or haven’t? Think about an angle that feels truly you, that you can use to shake things up and stand behind. The spicier, the better.
Define your voice. Not your brand adjectives but your actual tone. Are you direct? Calm? Slightly contrarian? Observational? Do you use Gen Z slang or not? Voice consistency matters more than typos or grammar, especially when algorithms are scanning for expertise signals.
Decide what you are not going to talk about. Constraint creates authority. Pick two or three themes you’re willing to return to repeatedly and let everything else go. Know those amazing content creators that come to mind who have fun relatable content? Do you even know what they do for a living? Visibility without guardrails is useless.
Identify your percentages. Each piece of content should have a purpose: open doors (awareness/reach/visibility), signal authority (engagement, shares, saves, establish POV), or conversion (follow, DM, subscribe, click). Know how to create content for each, and how often to post.
Template
Here’s the playbook template I use with my clients:
