aakashg/skills/linkedin-post-writer

LinkedIn Post Writer

Trigger

Activate when the user asks to "write a LinkedIn post", "draft a LinkedIn post", "LinkedIn post about [topic]", or "turn this into a LinkedIn post".

Behavior

Step 1: Get the Core Idea

Ask:

1. What's the one insight or takeaway?
2. Who is the target audience?
3. Any specific hook or angle you want?
4. What format? (Listicle, story, hot take, lesson learned, framework — or let me pick)

If the user provides raw notes, a thread, or an article link, extract the insight directly and confirm before writing.

Step 2: Pick the Right Format

Match the format to the idea:

Listicle — Best for tips, lessons, frameworks. High save rate. Story arc — Best for personal experiences, turning points. High comment rate. Hot take / contrarian — Best for challenging conventional wisdom. High share rate. Before/after — Best for transformations, results, process changes. Framework / mental model — Best for teaching a concept. High save rate. Observation — Best for industry trends, things you've noticed. Quick to write.

Step 3: Write the Post

Hook (Line 1):

• This determines 80% of the post's performance. Spend the most effort here.
• ONE line only. Two-line hooks drop reach significantly.
• Must work on mobile — only the first 2 lines show before "...see more."
• Identify the ONE thing you want the reader to learn. That is your hook.

Hook formulas that work:

• Bold claim: "Most people fail on LinkedIn because they write for everyone."
• Specific result: "I went from 0 to 50K followers in 9 months. Here's the one thing that mattered."
• Counterintuitive take: "The best content strategy I ever used was posting less."
• Curiosity gap: "I've studied 500+ viral posts. The ones that blow up do one thing differently."
• Relatable pain: "You know that feeling when you spend an hour on a post and get 3 likes?"
• Transformation hook: "I packed a one-way ticket and it changed everything."

Re-Hook (Line 2):

• The second line is nearly as critical as the first. It adds heft, creates contrast, or preempts an objection.
• The re-hook locks the reader in and keeps them scrolling.

Re-hook patterns:

• Add heft (preempt objection): Hook: "This is the easiest way to find clients on LinkedIn" → Re-hook: "without spending a single dollar"
• Create contrast: Hook: "LinkedIn is the #1 business platform" → Re-hook: "But it's the worst platform to sell your products"
• Parenthetical qualifier: "How I grew my audience 10x faster:" → "(Without having to post 7x a week)"

Body (Lines 3-20):

• Deliver the core value using the chosen format.
• Never write paragraphs longer than 3 lines. Alternate between single lines and short clusters of 2-3 sentences.
• Be specific. Numbers, names, timeframes. "$127K in 12 months" beats "good revenue."
• Each point should be scannable — a reader skimming should get 70% of the value.
• Use the "signpost" technique: add one sentence revealing HOW you know what you're about to share. This turns generic advice into credible insight.

CTA (Last 2 lines):

• One CTA only. Not three.
• Best CTAs invite conversation, not clicks. Ask a question that's easy to answer.
• The "P.S." format works well — it softens the CTA and adds warmth: "P.S. What's worked best for you?"

The "Write to One Person" Method

Write every post to one specific person — a friend, a mentee, a past version of yourself. This forces conversational tone and makes the post feel human. If it sounds like coffee conversation, it works. If it sounds like a keynote speech, rewrite it.

Formatting Rules

• Target 800-1,300 characters. Under 800 feels thin. Over 1,300 gets truncated in feed.
• One emoji max, and only if it genuinely adds meaning. Zero is fine.
• No hashtags in the body. If the user wants them, add 3-5 at the very end after a line break.
• One sentence per line when possible. White space is your friend.
• Use "→" or "—" for visual breaks instead of bullet points in flowing text.
• Numbered lists use "1." format, not emojis as numbers.
• Hyphens and arrows give posts a hand-written, casual feel — use - and → freely.

Step 4: Offer Variations

After the first draft, offer:

• "Want me to try a different hook?"
• "Want a shorter/longer version?"
• "Want me to shift the tone (more personal / more authoritative / more provocative)?"

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Examples of High-Performing Posts

Study these patterns. Internalize the structure, not the words.

Example 1: Listicle with Objection-Busting Hook (Creator Education)

How to get your first 10 clients on LinkedIn:
(even if you have less than 1,000 followers)

Most people overcomplicate this.

They build funnels, run ads, and buy courses.

But the people I've watched go from 0 to 6 figures did 4 things:

1. Picked ONE problem they solve
→ Not 5. Not "I help businesses grow." One specific pain.

2. Posted 3x/week about that problem
→ Not about themselves. About the reader's pain.

3. Commented on 20 posts a day from their ideal clients
→ Not "Great post!" — they added a missing insight or tip #8.

4. Ended every conversation with "How can I help?"
→ Not "Buy my thing." Just helped. For free. Consistently.

That's it. No funnel. No ads. No viral post needed.

The boring stuff works. Most people just won't do it long enough.

P.S. What's the one thing that got YOU your first client?

Why it works: The parenthetical in the hook removes the reader's excuse before they raise it. Each point has a DO and a DON'T — the contrast makes it specific. The P.S. question is low friction and invites sharing.

Example 2: Story Arc with Lesson (Personal Transformation)

I quit my $200K job with no backup plan.

Everyone thought I was crazy. My parents were terrified. My friends said "just wait a year."

But I'd done the math.

I was spending 50 hours a week building someone else's vision.
I was spending 0 hours a week building my own.

The first 3 months were brutal:
- Month 1: Made $0. Questioned everything.
- Month 2: Landed one client. $2,500.
- Month 3: Three clients. $11K.

By month 6, I'd matched my old salary.
By month 12, I'd doubled it.

The difference wasn't talent or luck.

It was that I finally had skin in the game.

When your rent depends on your output, you learn fast.
When your reputation is your brand, you show up differently.

The "safe" path isn't always the safe path.
Sometimes the riskiest move is staying where you are.

What's the scariest career decision you've ever made?

Why it works: Opens with a shocking action that creates immediate tension. The month-by-month timeline is specific and honest (month 1 was $0 — that's real). The insight at the end reframes "risk" in a way the reader can apply to their own life.

Example 3: Framework / Mental Model (Business Strategy)

Every decision in my business comes down to one question:

"Does this create leverage, or does this trade time for money?"

Most solopreneurs stay stuck because they only do the second.

Here's how I think about it:

→ Writing a post = leverage (works while you sleep)
→ Doing a 1:1 call = time trade (dies when you stop)
→ Building a course = leverage (sell it 1,000 times)
→ Custom client work = time trade (sell it once)

This doesn't mean time trades are bad.

They're how you learn what to turn into leverage.

Every 1:1 client teaches you patterns.
Those patterns become frameworks.
Those frameworks become content.
That content becomes a product.

The goal isn't to stop trading time.
The goal is to turn every time trade into future leverage.

P.S. What's one thing in your business you'd love to turn into leverage?

Why it works: The one-question framework is immediately memorable. The four examples use a consistent format (→) that makes the concept scannable. The insight builds — it doesn't dismiss time trades, it reframes them as inputs to leverage.

Example 4: Contrarian / Hot Take (Industry Challenge)

Unpopular opinion: Most "personal brands" are just performances.

I followed every rule:
- Post daily
- Use hooks
- Engage for 30 minutes
- Optimize for the algorithm

My engagement went up. My audience grew.

But I felt like a fraud.

Because I was writing what performed, not what I believed.

The turning point: I wrote a post about failing.

Not a humble-brag failure. A real one.

I lost a major client because I overpromised and underdelivered.

That post got fewer likes than my usual content.

But it got 47 DMs.

Real conversations. People sharing their own failures. Two of them became clients.

The "brand" posts got impressions.
The real post got relationships.

Now I write with one rule: if it makes me slightly uncomfortable to hit publish, it's probably worth posting.

What's a post you almost didn't publish?

Why it works: The hook challenges something the reader is actively doing — which stops the scroll. The vulnerability is specific (lost a client, why, what happened). The contrast between "impressions vs. relationships" is a reusable mental model.

Example 5: The "Write to One Person" Observation

I write every post like it's a letter to one person.

Not "my audience." Not "LinkedIn." One friend.

Here's what happens when you do this:

- You stop using jargon (your friend doesn't talk like that)
- You cut the filler (you wouldn't waste their time)
- You get to the point (you know what they need to hear)
- You sound like a human (because you're writing like one)

Try this:

Before your next post, pick someone specific.

A mentee. A past version of yourself. A client you helped last month.

Write it to them. Just them.

Then delete the "Hey [name]" at the top.

That's your post.

The best content doesn't feel like content.
It feels like a conversation you needed to have.

P.S. Who do you write to?

Why it works: The technique is immediately actionable — the reader can try it on their next post. The bullet points show the EFFECT of the technique, not just the instruction. The closing line is quotable and shareable.

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Good vs. Bad Examples

Bad hook: "I'm excited to share some thoughts on personal branding." Good hook: "I spent 6 months building the wrong audience. Here's how I figured it out."

Bad body: "It's really important to be authentic on LinkedIn and share your genuine experiences. Authenticity is the key to building trust with your audience and creating meaningful connections." Good body: "I posted 90 days straight. Followed every template. Got 12K followers. Zero clients. Then I wrote one honest post about a mistake I made — and 6 people DM'd me that week."

Bad CTA: "Like and share if you agree! Follow me for more content like this. Comment below and don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter." Good CTA: "P.S. What's one piece of advice you had to unlearn?"

Bad formatting:

Here are my thoughts on building an audience. First, you need to understand your niche. Then you need to create content consistently. After that, you should engage with other creators and build relationships. This is a continuous process that never really ends and requires constant attention and dedication to your craft.

Good formatting:

3 things I'd tell myself on day 1:

1. Pick a niche so small it feels embarrassing
2. Write for 100 people, not 100,000
3. Comments > posts for your first 90 days

I ignored all three. It cost me 6 months.

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Pre-Publish Checklist

Run this checklist silently before presenting the final draft. Fix issues first, then show the clean version.

Hook Test:

• [ ] Does the hook work with ZERO context? Read just line 1 — would you tap "see more"?
• [ ] Is the hook ONE line only? (Two-line hooks lose reach)
• [ ] Does it create an open loop or promise specific value?
• [ ] Does the re-hook (line 2) add contrast, heft, or handle an objection?

Substance Test:

• [ ] Does the post contain at least ONE specific number, name, or timeframe?
• [ ] Could someone else have written this? If yes, it needs a personal angle.
• [ ] Does it teach, challenge, or reveal something — not just state the obvious?
• [ ] Is there a "signpost" — a line that shows WHY the author has credibility on this topic?

Format Test:

• [ ] Is every paragraph 1-3 lines max?
• [ ] Total character count between 800-1,300?
• [ ] Does the post scan well? Skim it in 5 seconds — do you get the core message?
• [ ] Does it follow the 1-3-1 rhythm (single lines alternating with short clusters)?

CTA Test:

• [ ] Is there exactly ONE call to action?
• [ ] Is the question easy to answer? (Low friction = more comments)
• [ ] Would YOU reply to this CTA if you saw it in your feed?

Cringe Test:

• [ ] Read it out loud. Does it sound like something you'd say to a friend over coffee?
• [ ] Remove any sentence that starts with "I'm excited to," "I believe that," or "It's important to."
• [ ] If the post mentions the user's product, does the insight come BEFORE the product?

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Anti-Patterns

• Never start with "I'm excited to announce" or "Thrilled to share" — these are scroll-past signals
• Never use "delve," "landscape," "synergy," "leverage," "robust," "streamline," or "cutting-edge"
• Don't tag people for engagement farming. Only tag someone if the post is genuinely about them.
• Don't use more than one emoji per post. Zero is usually better.
• Don't ask people to "like, comment, and share." Pick one action.
• Don't write a post that could have been written by anyone. If you remove your name, would anyone know it was you?
• Don't lead with your product or company. Lead with the insight. The product can appear naturally in context.
• Don't write engagement bait with no substance ("Agree?" posts with an obvious statement)
• Don't use ALL CAPS for emphasis more than once per post
• Don't use negative words in hooks — they underperform positive or neutral framing
• Don't put your CTA or sales pitch in the post body. Save it for a pinned first comment if needed.

Rules

• Write like a person, not a brand. Conversational > corporate.
• Every post must teach something, share something real, or challenge something specific.
• Always lead with value, not self-promotion.
• If the post is about the user's product, lead with the problem it solves, not the product name.
• The post should be strong enough that it works with zero hashtags and zero emoji.
• Write to one person, not an audience. If it sounds like a keynote, rewrite it until it sounds like a coffee chat.
• The hook gets them in the room. The re-hook slams the door behind them. Every line after earns the next line.