Why LinkedIn isn't the corporate hellscape you think it is (and how to actually enjoy posting there)
Look, I get it. The last time you logged onto LinkedIn, your feed was probably full of someone's ice bath routine, a post about how they made £10k in a week (and obvs you can too if you buy their course), or some deeply earnest 'broetry' about how waking up at 4am changed their life. And you thought "nope, this is not for me" and clicked straight back out.
I would have done the same thing.
But here's what I need you to know: LinkedIn isn't actually the corporate hellscape you think it is. That version of LinkedIn does exist. But it's not the only version. There's an entire side of LinkedIn where the cool people are — and they're not posting about their morning routines or their hustle culture. They're posting about their actual work, their actual lives, and they're doing it in a way that feels... well, like them.
The LinkedIn you think you know (but probs don’t)
When most people think about LinkedIn, they're imagining the version they saw five years ago. Back when it was just an online version of your CV, or when the only people posting were either looking for a job …or trying to sell you something in the world's most obvious way.
That LinkedIn still exists, don't get me wrong. But it's sitting right alongside a completely different platform now. One where breathwork coaches are landing luxury brand partnerships, nutritionists are booking dream clients in less than a month, and website designers are so booked up they genuinely don't need a website anymore.
And no, I'm not making those examples up. I've seen all of them happen. Multiple times.
The problem is that most people are still operating on old information. They're avoiding LinkedIn because they think it's all corporate and stuffy, when actually it's evolved into something completely different. It's become a place where you can be yourself (properly yourself) and still be taken seriously.
Which, let's be honest, is pretty rare on the internet these days.
Why LinkedIn feels scarier than other platforms
Here's something nobody talks about: being nervous about LinkedIn is completely valid. In fact, it's one of the most common things I hear. People who are super confident on Instagram, who post Stories without thinking twice, who have no problem putting their face on camera... suddenly freeze up when it comes to LinkedIn.
Because LinkedIn is tied to your professional identity in a way that other platforms aren't.
On Instagram, if you post something a bit lame, your friends might rib you a little but that's about it. But on LinkedIn, the stakes feel WAY higher. It feels like we have more people to impress. Former university friends. Ex-colleagues. Your old boss. The CEO of the company you're trying to pitch to might see it.
But spoiler alert: that's also exactly why LinkedIn works so bloody well.
The fact that it feels more 'official' means that when people see your content there, they take you more seriously. They assume you know what you're talking about (even if you don’t feel it). They trust you faster. That trust is what turns a casual little scroll into an actual opportunity.
The trick is learning how to post in a way that feels like you - without dimming yourself to fit some imaginary 'professional' standard that doesn't actually exist anymore.
What LinkedIn is actually good for (that you're missing out on)
Let's talk about what LinkedIn can actually do for you. Because I promise it's more than just a place to update your job title once every two years:
Finding clients who are ready to buy
Unlike Instagram where people are just mindlessly scrolling, people on LinkedIn are there with a purpose. They're looking for solutions. They're researching service providers. They're making decisions. Which means that when they come across your content, they're already in the mindset of "could this person help me".
That's huge. You're not interrupting someone's scroll through holiday photos or weekend photo dumps - you're showing up exactly when they're looking for what you offer.
Building relationships that actually go somewhere
The DMs on LinkedIn hit different. People don't message you there to chat about the weather - they message you because they want to work with you, collaborate with you, or refer you to someone who needs what you do. I've had more genuine business conversations happen in LinkedIn DMs than anywhere else online. Proper ones. Not pitch slaps. Not spam. Just real people reaching out because they liked what you had to say.
Getting opportunities without having to pitch
This is the bit that sounds too good to be true but genuinely isn't: when you show up consistently on LinkedIn, opportunities start coming to you. Speaking gigs. Podcast invites. Brand partnerships. New clients. All without you having to send a single cold pitch.
Why? Because people can see what you're about. They can see your expertise. They can see your personality. And when the right opportunity comes up, you're already front of mind.
I've landed five-figure client projects from comments I've left on other people's posts. I've been invited to speak at events because someone saw my profile and thought "yep, she'd be perfect for this". I've had people slide into my DMs to tell me they've been following me for months and are finally ready to work together.
None of that happens if you're not actually there.
The biggest lie you've been told about LinkedIn
The biggest lie you've been told about LinkedIn is that you need to be 'more professional' to succeed there.
That's (excuse the french) such bullshit.
Professional looks different to everyone. It’s not some corporate standard - it’s however you like to show up for your clients or the people you work with. If you swear in front of your clients? Great, you can do that. If you share personal stuff with clients? Great. You can do that on LinkedIn. Because the whole point of a personal brand (which is what you're building when you post on LinkedIn) is that it's personal. It's not about putting on a suit and tie version of yourself. It's about showing up as the version of you that people want to work with - quirks, opinions, personality and all.
Think about it: who do you want to follow? The person who sounds like they've copy-pasted their content from a corporate handbook, or the person who writes like an actual human being?
The most successful people on LinkedIn aren't the ones playing it safe. They're the ones who have strong opinions. Who share personal stories. Who aren't afraid to challenge the way things have always been done. They're interesting. That's what makes people pay attention.
You don't need to change who you are to post on LinkedIn. You just need to work out how to talk about what you do in a way that feels natural to you. That's it. That's the whole thing.
How to actually start posting
I'm not going to pretend that your first few LinkedIn posts won't feel a bit strange. They probably will. That's normal. You're doing something new in a space that feels more visible than other platforms. Of course it's going to feel uncomfortable at first.
But you can do it scared.
You don't have to wait until you feel 100% confident. You don't have to wait until you've got the perfect content strategy figured out. You just have to start - and then you keep going until it stops feeling weird.
Start with what you already know
You don't need to reinvent the wheel here. Think about the questions people always ask you. The things you're constantly explaining to clients. The opinions you have about your industry that you know not everyone shares. That's your content. Start there.
Make it sound like you
Write the way you talk. Use the same phrases you'd use if you were explaining this to a friend over coffee. Don't try to sound 'LinkedIn-y' - just sound like yourself. That's what people actually want to read. And god forbid do not start your posts with “Hello LinkedIn”. Please. Just get into it!
Post about the work, not just the highlight reel
People looooove behind-the-scenes content. They want to know what it's really like to do what you do. What goes wrong. What you're learning. What you wish someone had told you three years ago. That stuff is gold - and it's so much more interesting than another post about how great everything is going.
Try not to overthink it
This is the big one. You're going to want to spend hours perfecting every post, making sure it's exactly right before you hit publish. Don't do that. Write it, read it once, fix any typos, and post it. The more you overthink, the more you'll talk yourself out of it. This is why we do co-writing sessions inside Soft Launch Your LinkedIn - and also why the course is structured so you’re posting at least twice at the end of every module. Doing it (slightly) imperfectly is better than never doing it.
What happens when you actually show up
Right, so what actually happens when you start posting on LinkedIn regularly? Let me tell you what I've seen (both for myself and for the people I work with):
First, nothing. Maybe a few likes from people you know. Maybe a comment or two. That's completely normal — you're just getting started.
Then, slowly, people start paying attention. Not just your existing connections, but new people. People you've never met. People in your industry who are interested in what you have to say.
Then the DMs start. Usually from someone who you’ve never even seen liking your content, with "I've been following you for a while and..." followed by either a question, a collaboration opportunity, or someone wanting to work with you.
Then the referrals. Because when people know what you do and how you talk about it, they start thinking of you when opportunities come up. They send clients your way. They tag you in relevant conversations. They recommend you to their network.
Bottom line - you realise that LinkedIn isn't the scary corporate platform you thought it was. It's just a place where you can show up as yourself and actually get recognised for the work you do.
Pretty bloody good, if you ask me.
Why you should stop putting it off
Here's the thing: every day you're not on LinkedIn is a day you're missing out on opportunities. I'm not being dramatic. I mean that literally. There are people on that platform right now who need exactly what you offer. But they don't know you exist because you're not there.
I know it feels like one more thing on your to-do list. One more platform to manage. One more place you 'should' be showing up. But what if instead of thinking about it as something you have to do, you thought about it as something that could actually make your life easier? A place where you can market your business without spending hours editing videos. A place where the people who see your content are actually ready to buy. A place where you can post twice a week and see real results.
Because that's what LinkedIn actually is when you know how to use it properly.
You don't have to love LinkedIn. You don't even have to like it. But I promise you, once you start seeing the opportunities that come from showing up there, you'll wonder why you waited so long.
And if you're thinking "okay fine, but I still have no idea where to start" - that's exactly what I help with. Whether it's working through Soft Launch Your LinkedIn to build your posting confidence, starting with The LinkedIn Sales Page workshop to optimise your profile, or getting support through the entire process as a VIP student, I'm here to make this feel a lot less overwhelming.
Ready to finally sort your LinkedIn?
