The fastest way to get better at LinkedIn is to study posts that already work, then borrow the structure, not the words. Below are the post types that consistently earn attention, with an example of each and a short breakdown of why it lands. Steal the shape and fill it with your own story.
1. The lesson-learned post
Opens with a specific mistake or turning point, then pulls out one takeaway the reader can use. Example opener:
I lost my biggest client on a Friday afternoon. It taught me something I now check before every deal.
Why it works: it front-loads tension (loss) and promises a payoff (the lesson). Specific beats vague every time. "Losing clients is hard" scrolls past; a real Friday afternoon does not.
2. The contrarian take
States a common belief, then argues the opposite with evidence from your own experience.
Everyone says post daily. I posted 3 times a week and doubled my inbound. Here is what actually moved the needle.
Why it works: disagreement creates a reason to keep reading and a reason to comment. Just make sure you can back the claim, contrarian without substance reads as bait.
3. The listicle
A numbered set of tips, lessons, or observations. Scannable and easy to save.
7 things I wish I knew before hiring my first salesperson (number 4 cost me six months).
Why it works: the brain likes finite lists, and a hint of curiosity ("number 4") earns the click. Keep each item one idea, one or two lines.
4. The origin story
How you got here, told as a short narrative. Builds trust because people buy from people they understand.
Why it works: stories are how humans remember. An origin story makes your expertise feel earned rather than claimed. Read our storytelling templates to structure it.
5. The build-in-public update
A real number, a real decision, a real obstacle from your week. Founders do this well.
We hit 100 paying customers this month. Here are the 3 things that worked and the one that flopped.
Why it works: transparency is rare, and specifics (100 customers) are credible. See our founder post templates for more.
6. The how-to
A concrete process the reader can copy. Value first, no fluff.
Why it works: actionable posts get saved and shared, which the algorithm rewards. If you can turn your expertise into steps, you will never run out of content.
What the best examples have in common
- A strong first line. The hook decides whether the rest gets read at all.
- Specifics over generalities. Real numbers, names, and moments beat abstract advice.
- One idea per post. Trying to say three things says none of them well.
- Short lines and white space. LinkedIn rewards posts that are easy to scan on a phone.
- A human voice. The best posts sound like a person, not a press release or a chatbot.
Turn these examples into your own posts
The examples above are scaffolding, the substance has to be yours. If you want to skip the blank page, Loomin turns a rough idea into on-brand posts in your voice, trained on your business, so the specifics are actually about you. Try the free LinkedIn post generator or start a free trial to write in your own trained voice.