How to Write Engaging Social Media Content

I'll be the first to admit - When I started posting on LinkedIn regularly, my content fell flat. I made some rookie mistakes like writing long-winded posts that rambled on without a clear point. But over time, as I studied what worked (and what didn't) from the posts that drove surges in new followers, I noticed patterns emerge. Little tweaks that dramatically improved engagement. I'm still learning and evolving, but here are 6 key lessons I wish I knew from the start: 1. Structure matters Successful posts have a clear structure that grabs attention quickly.  Use techniques like: - brief numbered tips, - short punchy sentences, - and easy-to-scan bullets. Think about it this way: If an email has bullets neatly nested, you go straight to those to get the gist.  Apply that same thinking to your posts. 2. Stories > lecturing Guide don't preach...People want to hear your experiences. Rather than lecturing, share personal stories allowing readers to draw their own conclusions. Guide them through your journey. I usually weave in parenting lessons to lessons in business. Because art is life, and vice versa 🙂 3. Simplifyyy Aim to write at a 3rd to 5th grade level using simple, conversational language.  Write like you speak...Read it out loud if unsure. Hemingway App is a great tool that spits out a reading level for your draft. AND gives recommendations on how to make it easier to read. 4. Visuals = engagement… but ONLY with great copy. Relevant images increase reach 15-20%.  Selfies by 30%.  And carousels a whopping 1.6x over text/image posts alone. The second I started adding images, the more I saw engagement increase. That being said — make sure the images aren’t the only thing providing value. If the copy itself is not specific or actionable, it’ll just look like a sponsored post. Take one of my top posts from the last 90 days: I attached a preview image of the article I referenced. Not a carousel. Not even something branded. But it worked because the copy itself was loaded with tons of my own data and insights. 5. Optimize for mobile Keep posts concise and visually-appealing. With the majority (88%) browsing LinkedIn on mobile, optimizing for THAT experience is #1. Add line breaks so that they read like a slippery slope… Getting your reader to get all the way… To the end. Add carousels, or even graphics from other creators (with credit!). They’ll add scroll-interrupting dimension to your audience’s feed. These aren't earth-shattering revelations. But small, intentional tweaks like these made a big difference for me.  I'm still figuring it out, but wanted to share what's helping so far. Let me know if any of these lessons resonate with you or if you have other tips to share! I'm all ears.

B2B tech companies are addicted to getting you to subscribe to their corporate echo chamber newsletter graveyard, where they dump their latest self-love notes. It's a cesspool of "Look at us!" and "We're pleased to announce..." drivel that suffocates originality and murders interest. Each link, each event recap and each funding announcement is another shovel of dirt on the grave of what could have been engaging content. UNSUBSCRIBE What if, instead of serving up the same old reheated corporate leftovers, your content could slap your audience awake? Ego-stroking company updates are out. 1. The pain point deep dive: Start by mining the deepest anxieties, challenges and questions your audience faces. Use forums, social media, customer feedback and even direct interviews to uncover the raw nerve you're going to press. 2. The unconventional wisdom: Challenge the status quo of your industry. If everyone's zigging, you zag. This could mean debunking widely held beliefs, proposing counterintuitive strategies or sharing insights that only insiders know but don't talk about. Be the mythbuster of your domain. 3. The narrative hook: Every piece of content should tell a story, and every story needs a hook that grabs from the first sentence. Use vivid imagery, compelling questions or startling statements to make it impossible to scroll past. Your opening should be a rabbit hole inviting Alice to jump in. 4. The value payload: This is the core of your content. Each piece should deliver actionable insights, deep dives or transformative information. Give your audience something so valuable that they can't help but use, save and share it. Think tutorials, step-by-step guides or even entertaining content that delivers laughs or awe alongside insight. 5. The personal touch: Inject your personality or brand's voice into every piece. Share personal anecdotes, failures and successes. 6. The engagement spark: End with a call to action that encourages interaction. Ask a provocative question, encourage them to share their own stories or challenge them to apply what they've learned and share the results. Engagement breeds community, and community amplifies your reach. 7. The multi-platform siege: Repurpose your anchor content across platforms. Turn blog posts into podcast episodes, summaries into tweets or LinkedIn posts and key insights into Instagram stories. Each piece of content should work as a squad, covering different fronts but pushing the same message. Without impressive anchor content, you won't have anything worth a lick in your newsletter. 8. The audience dialogue: Engage directly with your audience's feedback. Respond to comments, ask for their input on future topics and even involve them in content creation through surveys or co-creation opportunities. Make your content worth spreading, and watch as your audience does the heavy lifting for you. And please stop with the corporate navel-gazing. #newsletters #b2btech #ThatAshleyAmber

I’ve ghostwritten for founders of 8-9 figure companies. What separates the top 1%? It’s not just showing up. It’s how they show up. Here’s what I’ve learned from working behind the scenes: 1. The best content isn’t written. It’s extracted. Most founders don’t have time to sit down and write. Their best insights? Locked inside their daily work, decisions they make, problems they solve, and conversations they have. How to do it right: → Capture raw thoughts from meetings, sales calls, and real-world experience. → Don’t start with a blank page. Start with voice notes, bullet points, or quick reflections. If you’re not sharing your knowledge, someone less experienced (but more vocal) will own the conversation. 2. They don’t chase engagement. They shape perception. Most people write to go viral. The top 1% write to build authority. Every post reinforces their positioning, attracts the right audience, and establishes credibility over time. How to do it right: → Focus on the right audience, not the biggest one. → Share what you know, not what you think will perform well. → Make every post a step toward long-term credibility. Engagement doesn’t pay the bills. Brand perception does. 3. Simplicity beats cleverness. Smart people tend to overcomplicate. They use industry jargon, long-winded explanations, and complex frameworks. But complexity kills clarity. How to do it right: → Write how you talk. Cut the fluff. Say it straight. → Test your content: If a 12-year-old or an outsider can’t understand it, rewrite it. → Focus on the one key idea per post. Make it impossible to misunderstand. People don’t engage with what they don’t understand. If your message isn’t simple, it won’t spread. 4. Stories > frameworks. Advice alone is forgettable. A great story makes it stick. The top 1% don’t just tell you what to do. They show you how they learned it through real-world experiences. How to do it right: → Start with a personal story or client experience before sharing the lesson. → Highlight real problems, mistakes, and turning points. Vulnerability creates connection. → End with a takeaway that makes the lesson clear and actionable. People remember stories that made them feel something. Storytelling builds trust, credibility, and influence. 5. The top 1% play the long game. Most people give up after a few months when they don’t see instant results. The best founders know that LinkedIn is a long-term investment. How to do it right: → Post even when engagement is low. The right people are watching. → Don’t judge success by likes…judge it by conversations, inbound leads, and opportunities. → Treat content as a brand-building asset, not a short-term strategy. The compound effect of content is real. The more you share, the more trust you build. Most people treat LinkedIn like a marketing channel. The top 1% treat it like a business asset. Are you playing the game for attention or for long-term influence?

I've got a little secret that LinkedIn creators won't love me sharing with you: Most of the best LinkedIn creators you see — they weren’t born with a storytelling or writing gift. They’re not all ex-copywriters or former journalists. They learned how to write using frameworks. They studied what worked. Then repeated it. Even I, as someone who 𝘪𝘴 a writer by trade, use the exact same framework every time I write LinkedIn content. Not because I want to sound like everyone else — but because the system works. 𝘓𝘪𝘬𝘦, 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴. If you’ve ever thought: “Why do all these LinkedIn posts look the same?” Here’s why: It’s not copycatting. It’s content psychology. The structure matches how the brain enjoys consuming information online. Think of TikTok. Most high-performing videos follow the same beats: 𝗛𝗼𝗼𝗸 → 𝗧𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 → 𝗣𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗳𝗳 Not because it’s trendy — but because it delivers results 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵. LinkedIn is no different. The LinkedIn Writing Framework (Used by 95% of your favorite creators — for a reason) If you want your posts to get seen, saved, shared, and spark conversation… Use this format: 𝟭. 𝗛𝗼𝗼𝗸 (𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹-𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿) The average social user scrolls 300 feet of content per day — the height of the Statue of Liberty. You’ve got 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 to interrupt the scroll. Make it: → Emotional, Contrarian, Specific, or Confessional → Leave an open loop or ask a bold question Examples: • “I almost didn’t post this.” • “Most career advice is garbage.” • “I landed 3 job offers in 14 days — without applying online.” 𝟮. 𝗥𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗸 This line keeps them reading. Examples: • “Let me walk you through it.” • “Here’s how I fixed it.” • “This strategy works in any industry.” 𝟯. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 Why should we trust you? Examples: • “I’ve helped 50+ execs build their brand.” • “After 10 years in B2B marketing…” • “I use this with every Fortune 500 client.” 𝟰. 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 / 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 The lesson, insight, or step-by-step. Keep it clear. One idea per post. Use white space and one-liners (not for style — for 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺). 𝟱. 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 Your mic drop moment. The thing they’ll remember or comment on. Examples: • “Being good isn’t enough. You have to be seen.” • “Your story is someone else’s roadmap.” 𝟲. 𝗖𝗧𝗘 Want engagement? Ask for it. Examples: • “Which part resonated most?” • “Have you tried this strategy?” • “Save this if it helped.” You don’t need to be a “natural” to write on LinkedIn. You just need a framework — and a few reps. 🔁 Your Challenge Today: Pick one content bucket from yesterday’s post. Then draft a LinkedIn post using this exact writing format: → Hook → Rehook → Credibility → Body → Power Statement → CTA You don’t have to post it yet — just write. Once you get this system down, you’ll never say “what do I even post today?” again.

Year to date, I've published 379 posts to Linkedin, garnering 2.2M impressions, 20k likes, 10k comments and 843 shares. I write all of my own posts. I've asked the Databox marketing team to ghost write things for me, but I end up rewriting them quite a bit. (It's still helpful to get their drafts since the quotes, video/images and data they gather, as well as ideas for angles saves me a lot of time.) Recently, Heather Adams, our new VP Marketing asked Nevena Rudan, our market research analyst to try ghost writing specific posts for me. As one of her first moves, she fed in my most successful posts into ChatGPT and asked it to create a list of guidelines for her. ChatGPT *almost* nailed it. (See below. I made a few tweaks.) 1️⃣ Start with a Bold or Contrarian Hook: Begin your post by challenging prevailing industry norms or popular opinions to capture attention. This approach sets the stage for a compelling narrative that invites readers to rethink established ideas. 2️⃣ Establish Authority Early: Mention your relevant experience, accomplishments, or results early in the post. This builds trust and credibility with your audience, making your arguments more persuasive. 3️⃣ Incorporate Data and Real-World Examples: Use quantitative data, research findings, and real-world examples to substantiate your claims. This not only supports your narrative but also illustrates the practical implications and successes of your points vividly. 4️⃣ Offer Practical Solutions: Present actionable solutions and alternatives after discussing problems or challenges. This approach not only adds value but positions you as a thought leader who not only identifies issues but also proposes effective solutions. 5️⃣ Optimize Formatting for Engagement: → Use bullet points to break down complex information into digestible pieces. → Ask questions in posts to get readers thinking and commenting → Include concise summaries or takeaways at the end of sections to encapsulate key messages and aid in retention. 6️⃣ Authoritative but conversational tone: → Authoritative & Insightful: Write in a direct, knowledgeable manner that reflects deep industry understanding and offers nuanced analyses of complex issues. → Conversational & Approachable: Maintain a conversational tone that makes even the most complex or technical ideas accessible and engaging for a broad audience. → Forward-Thinking & Strategic: Focus on future-proofing strategies & adapting to tech advancements, which showcases a strategic mindset & a proactive approach to industry changes. When I speak with other business owners and executives who want to leverage Linkedin better to market and prospect, I often try to explain these things to them. But, I've never sat down to write out a full guide. It's taken me time & repetitions to be able to write this way. It's not easy, but I wouldn't do it any other way -- whether I'm getting help from my team or ChatGPT. Hope this helps someone else.