Key Moments
how to BEAT the new LinkedIn algorithm in 16 minutes
Key Moments
LinkedIn creators can gain millions of followers with a strategic approach, but most fail by treating it like a resume instead of a sales engine. The key is a profitable profile, an engagement machine, and a content system that goes beyond vanity metrics.
Key Insights
Matt Gray grew his LinkedIn presence to over 846,000 followers in 36 months without spending on ads, achieving up to 102,000 followers per month.
His content generates over 59 million organic views per month, driven by a strategy focused on reposts as a key metric for hijacking the algorithm.
A viral post with a value-dense, hand-drawn image visualizing the content achieved over 24 million organic views.
The first three lines of a LinkedIn post are critical, using curiosity (e.g., citing a study) and promising immediate value to stop the scroll.
Engagement within 45 minutes of posting, aiming for 30+ engagements, is crucial for the algorithm to push content to more users.
Matt Gray reviews his and others' top-performing content monthly to refine his strategy, emphasizing learning from the best performers on the platform.
The underestimated power of LinkedIn for business growth
LinkedIn is posited as a significantly underestimated platform for exponential growth, with Matt Gray himself demonstrating this by amassing over 846,000 followers in 36 months without any advertising spend. This impressive organic reach translates to over 59 million views monthly, highlighting the platform's potential when navigated strategically. The core message is that LinkedIn should be viewed as a powerful sales engine, not merely a digital resume or a place for random content posting. Many users miss this fundamental distinction, leading to a lack of engagement and failure to capitalize on the algorithm's capabilities. To succeed, a three-pronged approach is necessary: a profitable profile, an engagement machine, and a robust content system that prioritizes tangible results over vanity metrics.
Optimizing your profile to convert attention
The first step to scaling on LinkedIn is creating a 'profitable profile.' This involves more than just listing experience; it's about designing your profile to convert visitors into followers and, subsequently, into customers. Key elements include a clean, attention-grabbing cover photo and a memorable oneliner that embeds a specific keyword or concept into the visitor's mind (e.g., 'systems'). This is akin to branding strategies used by successful figures like Ryan Holiday or James Clear. Crucially, a clear value proposition should immediately inform visitors what you do and why they should follow you. The featured section should strategically guide users towards valuable resources like newsletters or offers. Think of your LinkedIn profile as a 24/7 storefront, designed to capture immediate interest and direct potential clients towards your products or services.
The algorithm's secret sauce: value-dense images and reposts
Content on LinkedIn gets amplified by the algorithm when it includes 'value-dense images.' These images function much like YouTube thumbnails, acting as an initial hook that significantly increases visibility. One example cited is an image that visualized and handwritten key points from a post, leading to over 24 million organic views. This visual approach makes the content highly sharable and memorable, with some users even printing it out. Furthermore, directly prompting users to 'repost' your content is identified as a powerful strategy. Reposts are a leading indicator for LinkedIn's algorithm, signaling that the content is valuable enough to be distributed to a wider audience, thereby driving significantly more views.
Four potent content types for follower growth
To consistently feed the engagement machine, four primary content types are recommended: First, 'behind-the-scenes' content that shares authentic stories, trials, and tribulations from one's business-building journey. This vulnerability helps establish trust and differentiates human creators from AI. Second, 'value-packed images,' as detailed previously, which serve as visual extensions of the content. Third, 'deep work systems' where creators go into the granular details of 'how' they accomplish tasks, providing actionable insights. Finally, 'personal stories' that leverage unique backgrounds, lessons learned, and candid reflections on aspects like hiring, selling, or marketing. These personal narratives lend authenticity and prevent content from falling into the 'cringe' category often associated with the platform.
Crafting compelling calls to action (CTAs)
Effective CTAs are essential for guiding post-performance. Firstly, explicitly ask for reposts to leverage the algorithm's amplification effect. Secondly, encourage follows by prompting users to click on your profile. The most overlooked CTA, however, is offering a relevant lead magnet. This means tightly coupling the offer (e.g., a checklist, a tool list, a guide) to the specific subject matter of the post. For instance, a post about deep work could offer a 'deep work checklist.' This strategy is critical for increasing click-through rates and acquiring high-quality leads directly from the content.
Hooking readers in the first three lines
The initial three lines of any LinkedIn post are make-or-break for capturing attention and preventing users from scrolling past. To achieve this, creators should focus on generating curiosity, for example, by referencing an intriguing study or an untold story. This initial hook should be followed by a line that drives action or reveals a compelling piece of information, such as citing credible sources like Harvard or using identity-based call-outs ('Introverts are more effective leaders'). The third element involves promising immediate value, often by presenting a counter-intuitive idea or a statement that is highly relatable and likely to spark agreement or disagreement, making the content inherently shareable.
The nine elements of viral content and continuous study
Beyond the initial hook, nine elements contribute to viral content: personal stories that offer vulnerability and shared experience, proven systems and blueprints that provide actionable knowledge, 'valuebombing' to maximize value per second of engagement, tasteful presentation and elevated design that creates a competitive advantage against 'cringey' content, and strategic use of powerful keywords like 'when,' 'what,' 'I,' and 'how' to frame unique value propositions. Matt Gray emphasizes a disciplined practice of reviewing his own top 10% content and studying other high-performing creators monthly. This involves analyzing successful formats and copywriting, and actively seeking mentorship and community with other fast-growing creators to continuously refine strategy and stay ahead of platform trends.
Building an engagement machine and scaling strategy
A critical component of LinkedIn success is an 'engagement machine,' ensuring at least 30 people engage with a post within the first 45 minutes of it going live. This rapid engagement signals to the algorithm to boost visibility. To foster this, creators should consistently target a specific audience subset with relevant content categories. For example, focusing on founders seeking scalable, peaceful systems who aim to exit operations. Key checklist items for growth include updating banners with clear CTAs, crafting value-driven headlines, strategically using the featured section, following relevant creators, and cultivating off-platform relationships. This process is a 'multiplayer game,' emphasizing community and support. Monthly analytics review and consistent learning are vital; improving 10% with each post can lead to exponential growth, making the velocity of learning a leading indicator of success on the platform.
Mentioned in This Episode
●Software & Apps
●People Referenced
LinkedIn Growth Cheat Sheet
Practical takeaways from this episode
Do This
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Common Questions
Focus on creating a profitable profile, building an engagement machine with reposts and comments, and implementing a consistent content system with value-dense posts and clear CTAs. Regularly analyzing your performance and learning from top creators is key.
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