30 LinkedIn Post Ideas That Actually Get Engagement (With Examples)
Staring at a blank screen wondering what to post on LinkedIn is one of the most common reasons people give up on the platform entirely. You know you should be posting. You know it could grow your career or business. But when it’s time to write, nothing comes out.
The truth is, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel every time you sit down to create a LinkedIn post. The best creators on the platform rely on proven post formats and adapt them to their own expertise and experiences. This guide gives you 30 concrete LinkedIn post ideas — organized by category — with example hooks you can steal and make your own.
Why Most People Struggle With What to Post
The blank-page problem isn’t really about creativity. It’s about not having a system. Most people approach LinkedIn without a content strategy, which means every post starts from zero. No categories, no recurring themes, no templates — just pressure to be brilliant on demand.
The fix is simple: build a library of post formats you can rotate through. When you know the type of post you’re writing, the topic becomes much easier to fill in. Think of these 30 ideas as your content toolkit — a set of proven structures you can reach for any time inspiration runs dry.
Personal Story Posts
Stories are the highest-performing content type on LinkedIn. They stop the scroll, create emotional connection, and make your personal brand memorable. Here are six story-driven post ideas:
- 1. The career-defining lesson. Share a single moment that changed how you work. Example hook: “In 2019, my manager told me something that completely changed my career.”
- 2. The failure post. Talk about something that went wrong and what you learned. Vulnerability earns trust. Example hook: “I lost my biggest client last year. Here’s what I did wrong.”
- 3. The career pivot. Describe a major transition — changing industries, roles, or starting a company. Example hook: “Two years ago I was a corporate lawyer. Today I run a marketing agency. Here’s the messy middle nobody talks about.”
- 4. Behind the scenes. Pull back the curtain on your day-to-day work. People love seeing the process, not just the polished result. Example hook: “Here’s what a typical Monday looks like when you’re building a startup with 3 people.”
- 5. The “before and after” story. Compare where you were a year (or five years) ago to where you are now. Example hook: “A year ago I had 200 LinkedIn followers and zero inbound leads. Here’s what changed.”
- 6. The mentor moment. Share advice you received from someone you respect and how it shaped your approach. Example hook: “The best career advice I ever got was three words long.”
Educational and Tactical Posts
Educational content positions you as a subject-matter expert. These posts teach your audience something actionable they can use immediately. They also tend to get saved and shared at high rates.
- 7. The step-by-step how-to. Walk through a specific process your audience wants to learn. Example hook: “How to write a LinkedIn post that gets 10x more engagement (step by step).”
- 8. The framework post. Share a mental model or framework you use in your work. Frameworks are highly shareable because they’re easy to remember and apply. Example hook: “I use a 3-part framework for every sales call. It works every time.”
- 9. The “X tips in X minutes” post. Deliver a concentrated burst of actionable tips. Keep it specific. Example hook: “5 cold email mistakes that are killing your response rate (and how to fix them).”
- 10. The myth-buster. Take a widely accepted belief in your industry and explain why it’s wrong — with evidence. Example hook: “Everyone says you need to post every day on LinkedIn. That’s terrible advice. Here’s why.”
- 11. The tool stack post. Share the tools, apps, or resources you use daily. People are always looking for better tools. Example hook: “These 7 free tools save me 10 hours a week. Not one of them is well known.”
- 12. The beginner’s guide. Explain a concept from scratch for people who are new to your field. Beginner content has a massive audience. Example hook: “If you’re just starting in product management, here are the 5 things nobody tells you.”
Opinion and Hot Take Posts
Opinions drive comments. When you take a clear stance — especially a contrarian one — people feel compelled to agree, disagree, or share their own perspective. That’s exactly what the LinkedIn algorithm rewards.
- 13. The contrarian take. Challenge a common practice in your industry. Be specific and back it up with reasoning. Example hook: “Unpopular opinion: networking events are a waste of time for most professionals.”
- 14. The industry prediction. Share where you think your industry is headed. Predictions spark debate and position you as a forward thinker. Example hook: “By 2028, 50% of B2B sales teams won’t do cold calls. Here’s why.”
- 15. The “stop doing this” post. Call out a bad practice you see everywhere. Be direct, but constructive. Example hook: “If you’re still sending connection requests with a sales pitch attached, please read this.”
- 16. The hill you’ll die on. State a strong professional belief and defend it. Example hook: “I will die on this hill: remote work makes better managers, not worse ones.”
- 17. The “overrated vs. underrated” post. Pick things in your space that get too much credit and too little credit. Example hook: “Overrated: LinkedIn followers. Underrated: LinkedIn DMs. Let me explain.”
- 18. The lessons-from-another-field post. Draw a surprising parallel between your industry and something completely different. Example hook: “What stand-up comedy taught me about B2B sales presentations.”
Social Proof Posts
Social proof builds credibility without you having to brag. When done well, these posts demonstrate your expertise through results rather than claims. The key is to lead with the insight, not the flex.
- 19. The client win (with a lesson). Share a result you helped a client achieve, but frame it around the strategy or lesson, not just the number. Example hook: “We helped a SaaS startup go from 0 to 1,000 qualified leads in 90 days. Here’s the playbook.”
- 20. The milestone post. Celebrate a meaningful milestone — revenue target, team growth, years in business. Share what it took to get there. Example hook: “Today we crossed 1,000 paying customers. It took 14 months longer than we planned.”
- 21. The testimonial breakdown. Share genuine feedback from a client or colleague, then explain the work behind it. Example hook: “A client sent me this message yesterday. It reminded me why I do this work.”
- 22. The case study post. Walk through a specific problem, your approach, and the outcome. Keep it concise and focused. Example hook: “A founder came to us with a 0.3% email open rate. Here’s how we fixed it.”
- 23. The data-driven insight. Share a specific number or finding from your work and explain what it means. Example hook: “We analyzed 500 LinkedIn posts from our clients. The #1 factor in engagement wasn’t what we expected.”
- 24. The team shoutout. Highlight a team member or collaborator and what they brought to a project. Generosity gets engagement. Example hook: “I want to talk about the person behind our best quarter ever.”
Engagement-Driven Posts
Sometimes the goal is simply to start a conversation. These formats are designed to lower the barrier to commenting and get your audience actively participating. Use them strategically — one or two per week at most — to keep your feed balanced.
- 25. The poll. Ask a question with 2–4 answer options. Follow up in the comments with your own take. Example: “What’s the biggest time-waster in your workday? (A) Unnecessary meetings (B) Email overload (C) Context switching (D) Status updates.”
- 26. The open-ended question. Ask your audience a specific, thought-provoking question. The more specific, the better the answers. Example hook: “What’s one piece of career advice you received early on that turned out to be completely wrong?”
- 27. The this-or-that post. Present two options and ask people to pick a side. This works because it’s low effort to respond. Example hook: “Salary transparency: good for employees or bad for negotiations? I want to hear both sides.”
- 28. The fill-in-the-blank. Give people a sentence to complete. It’s irresistible because the brain automatically wants to fill the gap. Example hook: “The most underrated skill in business is _________.”
- 29. The “agree or disagree” post. Make a statement and ask people where they stand. Example hook: “Agree or disagree: the best leaders are the ones who talk the least in meetings.”
- 30. The recommendation request. Ask your network for their recommendations on a topic. People love sharing what they know. Example hook: “I’m building a reading list for new managers. What’s the one book you’d recommend?”
How to Adapt These Ideas to Your Niche
These 30 ideas are templates, not scripts. The key to making them work is layering in your unique expertise, industry context, and authentic voice. Here’s how to adapt them:
- Swap in your domain: Replace generic examples with specifics from your field. “5 cold email mistakes” becomes “5 client onboarding mistakes” if you’re in consulting, or “5 hiring mistakes” if you’re in HR.
- Use your own data and experiences: The more specific and personal your examples, the more authentic and engaging your posts will be. Generic advice gets scrolled past. Real stories get read.
- Match your audience’s language: If your audience is technical, be technical. If they’re executives, lead with outcomes. The format stays the same — the vocabulary shifts.
- Rotate categories weekly: Don’t post five opinion pieces in a row. Mix personal stories with tactical posts, social proof with engagement-driven content. Variety keeps your audience interested and your feed dynamic.
If you’re building a personal brand on LinkedIn, consistency across these categories is what creates a recognizable, trustworthy presence.
Key Takeaways
- You don’t need to be more creative — you need a system. Proven post formats eliminate blank-page paralysis.
- Personal stories and opinions tend to drive the most engagement because they invite emotional responses and genuine conversation
- Educational posts build authority and get saved and shared at high rates — they’re your long-term growth engine
- Social proof posts should lead with insight, not ego — teach something through your results
- Engagement-driven posts (polls, questions, fill-in-the-blank) are great for sparking conversation but should be balanced with higher-value content
- Adapt every idea to your niche by using your own data, stories, and audience’s language
- Pair these ideas with a content strategy and engagement tactics to maximize your results
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