My 100-Day LinkedIn Experiment: My Growth Strategy

PodcastMarketing

Jul 15

Episode 971: Show Notes

I’m 28 days into a 100-working-day LinkedIn experiment, and I’ve already learned so much! In this episode, I break down exactly what I’ve done so far: how I updated my profile to attract the right audience, how I’m structuring my posts for engagement, what type of content is actually landing, and how I’m coming up with fresh ideas daily without burning out or overthinking.

I also share the unexpected wins that came from simply showing up, from weekly podcast invites to new genuine relationships, a 16.8% bump in followers, and over 21,000 impressions. I haven’t gone viral, but that’s kind of the point. This is about building sustainable visibility, not chasing quick hits.

If you’re curious about what’s really working on LinkedIn right now and want some practical ideas to try for yourself, this one’s for you!

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Starting a 100-Day LinkedIn Experiment Without Expectations

Going into this LinkedIn experiment, the goal was simple: post once every working day. I wasn’t aiming for a specific result. I just wanted to show up, create consistency, and see what would happen. The idea came from the book Tiny Experiments by Anne Laure Le Cunff, who was recently on the podcast (spoiler alert: it’s a great read!) I’ve always been a believer in experimenting in business, but this was a great reminder that the goal isn’t to have a goal. You’re not trying to pass or fail. You’re just gathering data and learning.

The Unexpected Benefits of LinkedIn Consistency

I’m one-third into this experiment, and so far I’ve had a 16.8% follower growth. I’m now at 2,349 followers, which is about ten times the size of my high school graduating class! I’ve posted 54 times and had 21,056 impressions. My top post reached 2,800 people. But beyond the numbers, what surprised me most is the relationships. I’ve averaged one podcast interview invitation per week just from posting more regularly. These opportunities weren’t something I was chasing, but they started happening because people knew I existed and saw that I was showing up.

The best part, though, is the community. I didn’t expect LinkedIn to be this warm and inviting! It feels a lot like early Instagram in the best way. People are genuinely kind and interested in building connections.

What Makes Content Perform on LinkedIn

My highest-impression post was actually one I wrote when I was mad. Someone hit on me in the DMs, and it wasn’t overly sexual or gross, but it made me uncomfortable. LinkedIn is supposed to be a professional network! I shared that experience, and it really resonated with some people. Not every post has to be a checklist or a strategy breakdown. Those perform too, but sometimes the off-the-cuff, real thoughts get the most traction. I almost didn’t post that story. I was worried it was too weird or personal. But here’s the thing: if a post doesn’t perform, that means nobody saw it. And if it does, it means it resonated. Either way, you’re learning.

I keep coming back to what someone said recently on LinkedIn: we often edit out the most interesting parts of ourselves. We’re afraid of missing opportunities by saying the wrong thing, but often, the best opportunities come when we say what’s really on our minds.

Optimizing My LinkedIn Profile for Real Growth

One of the first things I did was optimize my profile, and honestly, I think it’s something we should all pay more attention to! On LinkedIn, your headline, banner, and about section are key pieces of real estate. These are the first things people see when they visit your profile, and they show up all over the platform when you post.

Start with your headline. This is the text that appears next to your name and shows up on every post. I updated mine to prioritize credibility. Right now, it says, "Strategy Hour Podcast (4.5M+), Forbes and Inc named top podcast for entrepreneurs, CEO at Boss Project, Online Business Strategist.” I wanted to highlight the podcast and give people a reason to click.

Next, update your banner. Mine now says, "Helping creators and entrepreneurs build flexible, profitable online businesses that last." I also added logos from current and past sponsors and brand partners. If someone clicks your profile, they’ll see your banner immediately. It’s a great place to show who you help and how!

For your about section, one of the biggest shifts I’ve seen is people moving away from long blocks of text. It’s more about making the content easy to skim. Use bullet points, break things up, and include some personal details that make you memorable.

Finally, use the pinned posts feature. If you have a post that performed well or really reflects your message, pin it to the top of your profile.

Building a Content Strategy That Works

I committed to one post per working day, but I usually post twice. I’ve heard the ideal mix is something like 40% personal/professional stories, 30% industry insights, 20% trend commentary, and 10% questions or prompts. That’s helpful to keep in mind, but I don’t track it post by post.

The hook is critical. LinkedIn only shows about two lines before someone has to click “read more,” so your opening needs to grab the reader’s attention. I’ve played with text posts, carousels, short videos, and different formats. I haven’t seen a clear winner yet. But one thing that’s made a big difference is commenting on other people’s content.

When I leave thoughtful comments, especially early on posts that don’t yet have a ton of engagement, I get more followers. People actually check out your profile based on your comments.

How I Use ChatGPT to Brainstorm Infinite Content Ideas

If you’re stuck on what to post, I have a system that helps me generate hundreds of ideas in minutes using ChatGPT. I named mine Max. I start a new thread and say, “Hey Max, we’re using this thread to come up with infinite content ideas.” Then, I describe my ideal client and what I’m selling. For example: “I help service providers and coaches with VIP days and website templates.”

From there, I ask Max to list 10 relevant topics. Then, for each topic, I ask for 20 common problems my audience faces. That gives me 200 post ideas. You can turn those ideas into stories, rants, quick tips, case studies, hot takes, or whatever format fits! You can do it all in text, video, or carousel. It’s just a starting point, but it can be super helpful and save you tons of time.

A Final Reminder About Bandwidth and Focus

Before you start something like this, ask yourself if you have the bandwidth. I started putting all this energy into LinkedIn and slowed down on the stuff I knew already worked. Then I did one post on Instagram and got 120 new email leads.

I was like, “Oh, right, I know how to make money over there.”

This experiment actually helped me get out of a creative rut. But it’s a lot to show up every day. I’m introverted, and the constant engagement can be draining. So be honest with yourself. Are you ready to commit to something like this?