Using Social Media for Tech Industry Thought Leadership

1 year ago, a Founder told me: "Don't waste time posting on LinkedIn. You're a CEO. Not a marketer." He was wrong. EMBARRASSINGLY so! I’ve just sent him this post 😅 For years, I'd scroll LinkedIn Sometimes reposting content Mainly 'company' announcements CRICKETS. So I DM-ed some creators. They said: "Dave, your strategy is terrible." I swallowed my pride. Invested in a LinkedIn coach. Thought: "FCK IT! Let's do it properly." 12 months ago, I committed to DAILY posting! The goal → To build Limelight in public. Post by post. The results? ↓ - LinkedIn drives 90% of Limelight leads - Signed 594 users (direct from LI DMs) - Got 100k+ eyes on a single lead magnet - Collected 500+ relevant emails in 24 hrs - Land 2-3 industry podcast invites/ week - Growing 600 followers/week (on average) - Saving 100s of hrs (content qualifies leads) - More I post, higher every success metric gets But, this wasn't easy... There's BAD advice out there! Thinking of posting? READ THIS first... 3 things I learned in 12 months. 1/ GET HELP Creating content is a full-time job. I realised this, fast! 😅 Algorithm, posting times, hooks, video scripts, post format / length, profile design, … it's a science. You can't wing it! Writing not your skillset? Hire a coach. Posting with no results? Study top creators. Don’t have time to write? Batch content or hire a writer. Eliminate guesswork + lend expertise + use data Want serious results? Get serious. 2/ GET PERSONAL Every Founder IS a marketer. If not, you won’t be a Founder for long. 👀 LinkedIn is PR on steroids. → 92% of B2B buyers PREFER salespeople who are considered industry "thought leaders" → 87% of decision-makers trust B2B Creator CONTENT over traditional ads (from company pages). → 48% higher deals are won (on average) when companies leverage social selling on LinkedIn. Bring your unique TOV into the content. THINK: hot takes, industry opinions, personal stories, first-party data breakdowns, industry predictions. It's a "personal" brand for a reason. 3/ LIKES ≠ REVENUE My most viral post ever (1.5 MILLION views) = 0 leads. Another post (11k views) = 5 leads = $100K+ pipeline Virality gets eyes on your offer. But MOFU and TOFU content earns trust, gets ICP buy-in and converts superficial followers into brand evangelists. Impact > vanity metrics Go deeper than 5-line posts. THINK: Founder-led video, process checklists, data playbooks, downloadable PDFs, webinars, demos! Give value, openly. Thought leadership for the win. Myth: LinkedIn is a social channel Reality? LI is your REVENUE ENGINE! TRUST → CREDIBILITY → COMMUNITY As a Founder or CEO, you could: ✘ Spend decades attending conferences ✘ Slowly, painfully curate a small network ✘ Follow up, chase, send endless emails Or simply... ✔️ Study LinkedIn → how content works ✔️ Post every day and share stories ✔️ Build trust with MILLIONS In months! Don’t sleep on this beast. P.S. What’s stopping you from posting?

In 2 years, I've helped B2B leaders generate $130k contracts, features on Bloomberg, CNBC, WSJ, and Cheddar TV, inbound interest from Apple and PwC, and 5-figure days from info products — ALL through LinkedIn content. Here's my 7-step playbook for building a LinkedIn content engine that actually converts: Step 1) Focus on substance over style - Way too many LinkedIn creators obsess over formatting and engagement metrics - Instead, we obsess over creating content that speaks directly to decision-makers - Every post starts with a clear, compelling idea that solves a real problem/tells a genuinely insightful story Step 2) Write how you actually speak - Skip the buzzwords, flowery language, and corporate jargon - Express technical concepts conversationally and confidently - Read your writing out loud; if it sounds unnatural, rewrite it Step 3) Use ALL your company knowledge There is $1,000,000+ worth of content sitting in your internal docs/podcast features/company drive/people’s heads: - Start with transcripts, blogs, podcasts, and other existing materials, then move to direct interviews - This preserves an authentic voice and provides pre-approved language for a dedicated writer (which you should have) - It's easier (and more effective) to edit and restructure than create from scratch Step 4) Format for mobile readability - Break up text every 2-4 lines for easy mobile consumption - Use arrows, lists, and dashes to maintain flow between line breaks - Keep paragraphs short and punchy, but don't sacrifice substance Step 5) Target a defined audience that can write checks - Identify the specific decision-makers who need your solution - Understand their urgent problems and articulate them clearly - Focus on converting qualified leads, not maximizing likes and comments Step 6) Vary content formats strategically - Written posts for thought leadership and quick insights - Infographics for compelling visual concepts that demand attention - Carousels for deeper dives that create stronger psychological connection (these convert like crazy) - Video for maximum authenticity and relationship-building Step 7) Prioritize conversions over vanity metrics - Success isn't measured in likes or comments - Success is measured in contracts, opportunities, and brand awareness among decision-makers - Always include a clear next step for interested prospects The foundation of all of this? Expressing clear confidence and competence in your field. When done right, LinkedIn becomes less about "building awareness" and more about creating a direct pipeline to the exact people who need what you offer. TL;DR: Step 1) Focus on substance over style Step 2) Write how you actually speak Step 3) Use ALL your company knowledge Step 4) Target a defined audience that can write checks Step 5) Target a defined audience that can write checks Step 6) Vary content formats strategically Step 7) Prioritize conversions over vanity metrics Ask any questions in the comments!

Smart CEOs are shifting their budget from ads to executive thought leadership. It’s a pattern I continually see with successful tech CEOs. They start by dumping money into LinkedIn ads and Google campaigns. They get some leads, hit some targets, feel pretty good about their marketing ROI. But the lead quality is low, and it’s a slow drip that’s subject to market fluctuations. Then they try something different: they start consistently sharing their actual thoughts about their industry. Not company updates or product announcements—genuine insights only they can provide. Two months later, their inbound changes completely. Instead of prospects who clicked an ad, they're getting inquiries from people who've been following their thinking for weeks. Messages in their inbox wanting to interact with their posts and glean more of their intellect. These people want to be connected, and they’ve taken the several extra steps to do so. The leads are higher quality. The sales cycles are shorter. The conversations start from a place of trust instead of skepticism. Here's why: ads interrupt people's day. Thought leadership becomes part of it. Read that again. People don't talk about ads. They talk about articles they’ve read, podcasts featuring experts they trust, or newsletters from voices they follow. When someone reaches out because they've been reading your content, they're not shopping around—they're already convinced you understand their world, and that you’re the best person to solve their problem. This compound effect is the real advantage. Every piece of content you create keeps working, building credibility and attracting the right people long after you hit publish. And the beauty of it is, there’s no limit to how much you can share. Every experience you’ve had, every lesson you’ve learned, every piece of coverage you’ve ever gotten. ALL of it is a content-worthy repeatable marketing machine. It’s quite literally yours for the taking. So are you taking it?