Most coaches write LinkedIn posts that sound like everyone else's. Here's a practical framework for writing posts that sound like you and actually get read.
TL;DR
- The first two lines (the hook) determine whether anyone reads the rest. Write the hook last, after you know what you're saying.
- Short paragraphs and white space are more important on LinkedIn than on any other platform.
- Your posts should sound like you, not like a corporate newsletter. Voice is what builds followers.
- End with a question or a clear takeaway, not with "what do you think?" which feels lazy.
- Don't overthink length. Most posts should be 150-400 words. Depth beats padding.
Writing LinkedIn posts consistently is one of those skills that sounds easy and isn't.
Not because the mechanics are complex, but because most coaches are trying to write posts that sound professional and end up writing posts that sound like nobody in particular. Generic authority content. Correct but inert.
Here's how to write posts that actually build relationships with the right people.
The Anatomy of a LinkedIn Post
LinkedIn posts have a structure that differs from blog posts or emails. Understanding it makes writing easier.
Lines 1-2: The hook. LinkedIn shows the first two lines (roughly 200-280 characters) before the "see more" truncation. These lines decide whether the post gets read. Write the hook after you know what the post is about. It's easier to hook something you've already written.
Lines 3-8: The setup or story. Context, situation, or the beginning of your argument. Keep this tight. Don't explain everything here. You're setting up the main content.
The body. Your core content. The framework, the story, the list, the argument. This is where the value lives.
The close. A takeaway, a question, or a call to reflection. Not "what do you think?" but something specific: "What's the thing in your career that's never quite made sense until you had this context?"
Formatting Rules for LinkedIn
LinkedIn formatting is different from every other platform. A few things that matter specifically here:
Short paragraphs. LinkedIn's feed compresses text. A three-sentence paragraph on a blog looks like a wall of text on LinkedIn. Two sentences per paragraph is often enough. One-sentence paragraphs for emphasis are great.
Line breaks between paragraphs. Always. No exceptions. Dense text blocks on LinkedIn don't get read.
No markdown headers. LinkedIn doesn't render markdown. Using # before a section title just shows up as #. It looks broken. Use ALL CAPS or bold (where supported) for emphasis instead.
Emojis sparingly. Some coaches use emojis as visual bullet points or section breaks. Used rarely, they add rhythm. Used heavily, they look unprofessional. Know your audience.
Links in comments, not the post body. LinkedIn's algorithm deprioritizes posts with external links in the body. If you want to share a link, put it in the first comment and mention in the post body "link in the comments."
Writing in Your Voice
This is the part most coaches get wrong. They write LinkedIn posts the way they think LinkedIn posts should sound, which produces content that sounds like LinkedIn posts and not like a person.
Your voice is the thing that makes people follow you specifically and not just anyone in your niche.
A few questions that help locate your voice:
How do you actually talk to clients? What's the register: formal, direct, warm? Write that way.
What words do you use that your clients recognize as distinctly you? If clients quote something back to you, that's your vocabulary.
What topics do you have genuinely strong opinions about? Posts with a clear perspective and a genuine point of view outperform balanced neutral analysis almost every time.
The easiest way to write in your voice: draft the post as if you're explaining something to a client in a message. Don't edit for polish. Edit for clarity. The raw version is usually closer to your voice than the version you've cleaned up five times.
Post Types and How to Write Each One
The Educational Post
Structure: observation or problem, then explanation, then the one practical takeaway.
What to avoid: explaining everything you know about the topic. Pick one insight and go deep on that. A post about "the one thing that changes how leaders handle feedback conversations" will outperform a post about "seven things to know about feedback conversations."
Example opening that works: "Most feedback conversations fail for one reason that nobody talks about. It's not the delivery. It's not the relationship. It's the timing."