The inspiration for this masterpiece of content comes from Justin Welsh: a man who teaches solopreneurs to truly take ownership of their work and life. His mission? Teaching people not to get bigger, but to get freer.
And that’s a vision I fully align with.
Five smart moves the algorithm can’t predict.
Everyone wants to grow on LinkedIn.
More reach. More visibility. More “impact”.
But the truth?
Most people do exactly the same thing.
They post, hope, and refresh their notifications as if the next click will bring relief.
If you want to stand out, you need to play smarter than the algorithm.
Here are five strategies most people never use but they do work.
1. The “I link myself to other top voices” move
LinkedIn runs on connections, but most people only use that word on paper.
Send a message to people in your niche.
Ask them one smart, specific question about their expertise.
Publish their answer in a post, tag them, and add your own perspective.
Result? Their audience sees you. Yours gets more value.
Everybody wins.
Collaboration is the new way to grow without it feeling like “networking”.
Someone who recently inspired me with this approach was Tara Keeney, who interviewed Duolingo’s CEO, Severin Hacker.
2. The Trend Translator
Relevance is a superpower.
Set up a few Google Alerts around your topics.
When something happens, you’re the first to explain what it means for your field.
Use this content format for your posts:
What’s happening → Why it matters → What we do with it
That’s how you become the voice that turns noise into direction.
And believe me: people remember the ones who bring clarity in chaos.
3. The Value Seeker
Everyone wants comments.
Few realize that commenting is itself a growth strategy.
Two to five thoughtful comments a day on posts in your niche do more for visibility than a single post of your own.
But don’t just type anything.
Justin uses the “CEA” formula for comments:
- Compliment the post
- Expand on one point with your own insight
- Ask a thought-provoking question to invite a reply
This way, you deliver value and share your perspective.
What not to do:
“Totally agree, Jan! 👏” → shit comment (better to say nothing at all then) → brings zero value.
A comment with substance?
That makes you a name in someone’s mind.
💡 Pro tip: keep your profile tagline short. People should understand what you do before clicking.
4. The “I can think for myself” stance
The easiest way to stand out?
Not shouting louder: thinking differently.
Every week there’s a new trend or “truth” in your industry.
Pick one you disagree with and write a post that respectfully adds nuance.
That builds not just reach, but reputation:
the voice that dares to think instead of repeat.
Use this simple format:
Popular opinion → Your take → Why → What do you think that?
This attracts the right people: thinkers, not noise-makers.
5. What works for me won’t necessarily work for you…
Personal branding is about doing things your way.
So these tips are valuable, but maybe not all of them are for you.
I believe strongly in choosing what fits you: both the method and the outcome.
So: do a 30-day test.
Pick the tactics that resonate.
Maybe all five, maybe one, maybe none (no hard feelings 😉).
Just stay consistent.
Every day for a month.
Or your own pace as long as you stick with it.
And measure more than likes.
Look at conversations: that’s where the real value lives.
In what people give back.
In insights, connections, seeds for new ideas.
(And yes, feel free to turn those interactions into content as well!)
After thirty days, you’ll see for yourself:
It’s not the loudest voices that grow, but the smartest.
