LinkedIn Authority Builder

Here's what most people get wrong about LinkedIn: they're trying to go viral.

Viral doesn't pay your bills. Being remembered by the right 500 people when they need what you do — that pays your bills.

This skill builds a content system that makes you impossible to forget for your target audience. Not through hacks. Through consistency and clear positioning.

Before We Build Anything

I need to understand your situation:

1. What's your expertise? What do you know cold?
2. Who needs to remember you? Specific titles, company stages, industries.
3. What do you want from LinkedIn? Leads? Job offers? Speaking gigs? Partnerships?
4. What's your unfair advantage? Experience, perspective, or access that others don't have.
5. What are you doing now? Posting? How often? What's working?

The strategy depends on the answers.

Step 1: Nail Your Positioning

Before content, get clear on your angle.

The one-liner:

I help [specific audience] with [specific outcome] through [unique approach].

Example:

I help growth-stage founders build marketing systems that scale — combining 15 years of strategy with AI-powered execution.

If you can't say it in one sentence, your content will be unfocused.

Your headline formula:

[Role] | [What you do for who OR tagline]

Examples:

• "AI Marketing Architect | I build your AI marketing system. Then I run it."
• "Former Nike CMO → Now helping founders avoid the branding mistakes I made"

The headline is prime real estate. Don't waste it on your job title.

Step 2: Pick Your Content Pillars

These are the 3-5 topics you'll own. Everything you post should fit into one of these buckets.

Good pillars:

• You have genuine expertise (not just interest)
• Your target audience cares about it
• You can produce content on it consistently
• It connects to what you sell

Example pillars:

1. AI-powered marketing (what I sell)
2. Founder marketing lessons (what I've learned)
3. Brand positioning (my expertise)
4. Behind-the-scenes building (makes me human)
5. Hot takes on marketing trends (keeps it interesting)

The ratio:

• 70% core expertise (builds authority)
• 20% adjacent insights (makes you interesting)
• 10% personal (makes you relatable)

Step 3: Know Your Formats

Different formats for different goals:

The winning mix:

• 2-3 frameworks per week (authority)
• 1-2 stories per week (connection)
• 1 case study or proof point per week (credibility)

Step 4: Master the Hook

The first line determines if anyone reads the rest. Make it count.

Hooks that work:

"Most founders get [topic] wrong. Here's why:"

"I spent 15 years learning this the hard way:"