LinkedIn for Leaders
A place for connection, growth and learning
I’ve seen every trend come and go. But one thing has never changed: people trust people. Not faceless ads. Real humans.
And nowhere is that more obvious than LinkedIn. Which after trailing off for a small minute has had a huge resurgence in recent years.
Over 15 million Australians (and 1 billion globally) are now on LinkedIn - including workers and students - making the platform massively high-penetration for professional audiences, it’s no longer “just another social platform.” For B2B, it’s the place where deals are sparked, credibility is built, and reputations are made.
But here’s the deal: you don’t need to spend a cent on ads to get noticed. You need a strategy, a voice, and the guts to show up.
And one thing we always tell our clients (and possibly the most important takeaway from this article)- LinkedIn is a place to sell yourself, NOT your products. Why? Because people don’t go to LinkedIn to be sold to. They go there to learn, connect, and grow. You build trust by sharing ideas, not pushing sales.
Start with value. Lead with insight. Over time, the revenue follows.
Why Exec Engagement Matters
While we don’t find many executives posting every single day on LinkedIn, data shows a clear rise in executive activity - in Australia, CEO posts are up about 23% year-on-year, and when they post, their content gets on average 4× the impressions of an average user. And video from execs? It’s exploding - up ~44% year-on-year locally, and getting ~1.4× more engagement than other content forms.
What this tells us: exec engagement matters. Even occasional posts and thoughtful comments from leadership can massively amplify visibility and credibility.
If you’re an SME business owner or senior leader, these stats alone should make you pause. Your voice carries more weight than any ad you could ever run.
Quick Wins: How Business Owners Can Leverage LinkedIn Right Now
1. Don’t Overthink It - Post Once a Week
You don’t need to be on LinkedIn daily. Start with one quality post a week. Share an insight, a client win, or a lesson from your journey. Even infrequent activity signals credibility, and exec content gets boosted harder by LinkedIn’s algorithm.
2. Comment Like a Leader, Not a Lurker
Liking posts is nice. Commenting with perspective is powerful. Add a thoughtful sentence or two to posts from clients, peers, or industry bodies. This not only shows up in their network feeds but positions you as part of the conversation.
3. Back Your Brand With Your Face
One of our clients in the construction space didn’t want to set up a personal LinkedIn profile because “he wasn’t interested in social media”. He wanted us to just run the company page. Fast-forward 11 months, and their LinkedIn company page now has 269 followers - faster growth than their Facebook (161 in 3 years) or Instagram (129 in 3 years). Why? Because that’s where their customers are, plus, they leaned into LinkedIn with their leadership voice, and the credibility exploded.
4. Activate Your Team
LinkedIn rewards internal engagement. If your staff like, comment, or share your company's posts, the algorithm pushes that content further. Make it a habit in your team - a two-minute comment can multiply your reach tenfold.
5. Tag Like You Mean It
Don’t just post into the void. Tag staff, clients, suppliers, and partners in relevant updates. This builds goodwill, increases visibility, and taps into their networks too. Done consistently, it creates ripple effects that no ad budget can buy.
6. Follow + Interact Strategically
Don’t just post and hope. Actively follow your clients, competitors, industry leaders, and relevant groups. Engage with their content by commenting thoughtfully, resharing with insights, and joining the conversation. Why? Because this exposes you to their networks — aka potential clients, partners, and decision-makers.
The more you’re seen adding value in your industry circles, the more credibility (and visibility) you build.
7. Yes, Premium is Worth It
Especially if you’re a BDM for a business that sells directly to other businesses. We recommend at least 1 person in your company has a premium account and that’s usually the sales guy. Why? Because premium lets you search deeper, message decision-makers directly, and access contact info you’d never see with a free account. If you’re a CEO or Managing Director that’s active on LinkedIn, then again, yes, premium is worth it because it gives you richer analytics, shows you exactly who’s viewing your profile, and helps you position yourself and your business directly in front of the right people.
8. Show Humanity Over Hype
People don’t come to LinkedIn to be sold to. They come to learn, connect, and grow. Before you hit “post,” ask yourself:
Will this make my ideal client better at their job?
Will it build trust in me as an expert?
Will it make them want to do business with me?
If the answer’s no, don’t post it.
The Bottom Line
For many (not all) SMEs, LinkedIn advertising often isn’t the smartest spend (you can read more on why here). But human connection? That’s priceless. Executives and business owners have the power to cut through the noise, build authority, and win trust… simply by showing up.
Your next client is probably already on LinkedIn. The question is: will they hear from you, or your competitor?
We help leaders and their teams cut through the noise with strategies built on connection, not just content.
From profile overhauls to content calendars, engagement tactics, and executive visibility coaching, we make LinkedIn work for you. Ready to step up your LinkedIn game? Let’s chat about how we can turn your leadership presence into your business’s biggest asset.