LS #33: What successful SaaS founders actually post on LinkedIn

5 content patterns that drive engagement for SaaS founders:

Hi there,

I study top LinkedIn posts to reveal what works every week, helping you craft content that truly makes an impact.

In this issue, you'll find:

• The 3 high-performing posts in tech this week

• What successful SaaS founders actually post on LinkedIn

• LinkedIn post template and memes

The 3 high-performing posts this week

1. DeepSeek engineers are pure genius

Why this post?

• This post went viral, receiving 17k likes in 3 days. It received 17-170 more engagement and views than Yangshun's posts this week.

BREAKDOWN

• Attention-grabbing hook: "DeepSeek engineers are pure genius 🤓" - shows admiration and sets tone

• Technical hook: "To use DeepSeek's API, you 'npm install openai'" - immediately presents surprising insight

• Visual proof: Includes screenshot of API documentation showing implementation

• Clear structure: Numbers key points (1-3) about why this is significant

• Expert insight: Adds personal recommendation ("my favorite way of using LLMs...")

• Strategic warning: "best to not couple your app to any specific models" - provides valuable advice

HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN POST:

1. Start with bold statement

2. Present surprising technical insight

3. Include visual documentation/proof

4. List numbered key points

5. Add personal expertise

6. Share strategic advice

7. Include relevant code samples

8. Tag with appropriate hashtags

9. End with expertise statement

POST IDEAS FOLLOWING THIS TEMPLATE:

1. "React developers are brilliant - you can use Vue components with one simple import"

2. "PostgreSQL team just changed the game - you can run MongoDB queries natively"

3. "Docker just made deployment genius - you can run Kubernetes pods without the cluster"

4. "Next.js team outsmarted everyone - you can use React Server Components in any framework"

5. "GraphQL revolutionized APIs again - you can use REST clients for GraphQL queries"

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2. When a VC-backed founder becomes a 'thought leader' right after their '9-figure exit', here's what they aren't telling you

Why this post?

• Another post that went viral this week—it got 1.6k likes in 2 days and performed 8-100 times better than Alex’s other posts this week.

BREAKDOWN:

• Provocative hook: "When a VC-backed founder becomes a 'thought leader' right after their '9-figure exit', here's what they aren't telling you" - creates immediate intrigue

• Clear math breakdown: Shows step-by-step calculation from $100M exit to actual take-home of $4.8M

• Reality check section: Lists 8 hidden costs of VC path ("7 years of your life", "65% dilution", etc.)

• Contrasting structure: "Meanwhile, bootstrapped founders:" presents alternative with 9 positive points

• Power close: "Build for freedom, not exits" - crystallizes main message

• Three-part organization: Exit math → Reality check → Bootstrap comparison

• Memorable final stat: "The 99% of VC-backed startups that don't even get this far"

HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN POST:

1. Start with provocative truth-telling hook

2. Break down numbers step-by-step

3. List hidden downsides

4. Present clear alternative

5. Use specific numbers

6. Create clear sections

7. End with powerful insight

8. Add memorable statistic

POST IDEAS FOLLOWING THIS TEMPLATE:

• "When course creators show their '$1M launch', here's the math they're hiding"

• "When crypto influencers brag about '100x gains', here's what they aren't telling you"

• "When real estate gurus talk about 'passive income', here's the reality check"

• "When dropshippers show their 'revenue screenshots', here's what's missing"

• "When day traders post their 'winning trades', here's the full picture"

3. Code with AI? DeepSeek R1 + Claude Sonnet may be the best new hybrid coding model. Yes, engineers are using them together.

Why this post?

• This post performed 2.5-5 times better than Addy's other posts this week.

• Another viral post about DeepSeek.

BREAKDOWN:

• Compelling hook: "Code with AI? DeepSeek R1 + Claude Sonnet may be the best new hybrid coding model" - promises valuable insight

• Quick summary: Uses "tl;dr" to highlight key benefit "97% cost reduction" upfront

• Clear structure: Breaks down each tool separately - "DeepSeek R1: Open-Source Reasoning" and "Claude Sonnet: Efficient Coding"

• Data-backed claims: Includes specific cost comparisons ("5.45 times less expensive than Sonnet")

• Practical application: "Why This Pair Works" section explains real usage scenario

• Personal experience: "I personally use DeepSeek + Sonnet via VSCode" adds credibility

• Visual proof: Includes demo video showing actual implementation

HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN POST:

1. Start with intriguing question/solution

2. Provide quick summary upfront

3. Break down components separately

4. Include specific numbers/comparisons

5. Explain practical implementation

6. Add personal experience

7. Include visual demonstration

8. Use relevant hashtags

9. Structure with clear sections

POST IDEAS FOLLOWING THIS TEMPLATE:

1. "Build APIs quickly? Postman + DeepSeek could be your new development workflow"

2. "Test automation made simple? Playwright + Claude might be the perfect testing duo"

3. "Frontend development breakthrough? Next.js + Vercel AI may change how we code UIs"

4. "Database optimization solved? PostgreSQL + AI monitoring tools could be the answer"

What successful SaaS founders actually post on LinkedIn

I had a call with a SaaS founder about LinkedIn growth strategies this week.

Here's what actually works for founder-led growth, backed by our analytics:

5 content patterns that drive engagement for SaaS founders:

1. Building in public

- Share your journey from 0 to $1M, $10M, $100M ARR

- Post revenue metrics, growth numbers, and key learnings

- Document your LTV, conversion rate, or other metrics

2. Behind-the-scenes stories

- Talk about challenges and solutions

- Share client acquisition strategies

- Document your problem-solving journey

- Reveal the human side of startup building

3. AI tech insights

- Break down the latest AI developments

- Share your perspective on OpenAI updates

- Analyze new trends in AI (hey DeepSeek)

4. Innovation showcases

- Demonstrate new workflows using AI (i.e. AI SEO)

- Share how you're improving existing processes

- Present case studies with the new tech

5. Team building stories

- Our best PM quit last month

- Started doing "Focus Fridays" - no meetings, no Slack

- Remote onboarding was failing (60% quit in 3 months)

The key is consistency and authenticity.

Pick the pattern that resonates most with your style and start there.

What type of content resonates most with your audience?

Post Template: The Universal Connection Template

You can use the template below to create content faster with AI. Just provide your context and copy the template. It will help you create content following a viral post structure.

Template:

Most [NICHE] fail because they create alone.

They [COMMON MISTAKE 1].
They [COMMON MISTAKE 2].
They [COMMON MISTAKE 3].

But they don't [CRUCIAL MISSING ELEMENT].

They think success is about numbers:

[VANITY METRIC 1]
[VANITY METRIC 2]
[VANITY METRIC 3]

But they miss the real game.

It's not just about [SURFACE LEVEL ACTIVITY].
It's about [DEEPER PURPOSE].

[NICHE] without [CRUCIAL ELEMENT] is just [METAPHOR FOR FUTILITY].

[VALUE 1] matters.
[VALUE 2] matters.
[VALUE 3] matters.

Find your people:

The ones who [POSITIVE TRAIT 1]
The ones who [POSITIVE TRAIT 2]
And [POSITIVE TRAIT 3]

That's the real currency.

A strong [COMMUNITY NAME] will:

[BENEFIT 1]
[BENEFIT 2]
[BENEFIT 3]

Make sure you [RECIPROCAL ACTION] for them.

Forget just [COMMON APPROACH].

Build a [ASSET 1].
Build a [ASSET 2].
Build a [ASSET 3].

PS: [ENGAGING QUESTION ABOUT MAIN TOPIC]?

LinkedIn Memes

Didn’t work out

Business is family to me, and I'm the Daddy

That's a wrap for today.

See you next week! If you want more LinkedIn tips, be sure to follow me on LinkedIn (link).

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Your compadre,
Anton "LinkedIn growth strategies" Cherkasov