LS #51: LinkedIn for Startups: The Complete 2025 Playbook
Hi there,
I study what makes LinkedIn posts go viral, so you can write content that connects.
In this issue, you'll find:
The 3 high-performing posts this week
LinkedIn for Startups: The complete 2025 Playbook
LinkedIn post template and memes
The 3 high-performing posts this week
1. Lola’s Cupcakes did £25.3m in revenue last year. And made a profit.
Why this post?
This post went viral, receiving 763 likes in a week. It received 13-44 more engagement and views than Ruben's previous posts this week.
BREAKDOWN
Opens with impressive numbers: £25.3m revenue and profit from selling cupcakes
Sets the scene with simple locations: "In kiosks. In train stations."
Creates contrast by mentioning tough business conditions (inflation, cost pressure)
Uses a fun photo of author eating a cupcake at the actual store
Lists specific financial details to prove the success is real
Challenges the tech startup mentality with a simple business example
Lists practical business fundamentals that any entrepreneur can apply
Shows that good execution beats flashy ideas
HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN POST:
Find a simple, everyday business that's doing surprisingly well
Start with impressive numbers that grab attention
Set up contrast between the simple business and current trends
Challenge common assumptions about what makes businesses successful
Provide 3-5 key lessons other entrepreneurs can apply
POST IDEAS FOLLOWING THIS TEMPLATE:
"This dry cleaner makes $2M profit per year. No app, no website, just quality service and smart locations."
"A small pizza shop outearns most SaaS startups. Here's what tech founders can learn from food businesses."
"This family plumbing business generated $5M revenue last year. Sometimes boring beats innovative."
"A simple car wash operation has higher margins than most venture-backed companies."
"This local bakery employs 50 people and has zero debt. Lessons for startup founders chasing funding."
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2. I didn’t enjoy my childhood.
Why this post?
Another post that went viral this week—it got 5.3k likes in a week and performed 3-165 times better than Chinonso’s other posts this week.
BREAKDOWN:
Opens with a vulnerable statement: "I didn't enjoy my childhood"
Clarifies that poverty, not choice, was the reason
Lists specific hardships in short, powerful sentences (no vacations, no fancy toys, not enough food)
Introduces books as the turning point in his story
Explains how reading helped him escape and dream bigger
Demonstrates how childhood experiences can become superpowers in adulthood
Describes his company's mission in human terms rather than business jargon
HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN POST:
Start with an honest statement about a difficult part of your past
Use specific details to make your struggle feel real and relatable
Show the contrast between where you came from and where you are now
Identify the key thing that helped you change your situation
Connect your personal experience to how you help others today
3. I've never shared the story when I was called…
Why this post?
This post performed 2-12 times better than Frank's other posts this week.
BREAKDOWN:
Opens with a shocking hook: mentions being called vulgar names by his boss
Uses an old photo of himself as a young chef holding a fish to show his humble beginnings
Tells a detailed story about working 60 hours a week in a fancy restaurant
Describes specific details (arriving at 6:30am, scaling fish, working 6 out of 7 days)
Builds up to the climactic moment: undercooking expensive fish on his last week
Shows the boss's angry reaction with the exact words he was called
Reveals how much time and effort he had put in (8640 hours over 3 years)
Turns the painful experience into a valuable business lesson
HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN POST:
Start with a dramatic or embarrassing moment from your past
Use specific details and exact dialogue to make the story feel authentic
Show how much effort you put in before the failure happened
Build tension leading up to the moment everything went wrong
Include the exact reaction you got from others (boss, customers, etc.)
POST IDEAS FOLLOWING THIS TEMPLATE:
I got fired from my first job for making a $500 mistake. Now I run a company that makes $5M a year."
"A customer once called me the worst salesperson they'd ever met. Here's what that taught me about business."
"I bombed my first presentation so badly that people walked out. Now I speak to audiences of thousands."
"My first startup failed after 6 months and I lost all my savings. That failure taught me everything about success."
"I was rejected from 50 job interviews before getting hired. Now I help others nail their interviews."
Playbook
LinkedIn for Startups: The Complete 2025 Playbook
Most startups treat LinkedIn like a ghost town.
They post once a month, share company updates nobody cares about, and wonder why their "revolutionary" product isn't getting traction.
Here's the reality: LinkedIn is where your next customer, investor, and co-founder are scrolling right now.
But you need a system.
The 90-Day LinkedIn Startup Strategy
Phase 1: Foundation (Week 1)
Day 1-2: Profile Optimization
Headlines that scream value, not job titles
"I help SaaS founders reduce churn by 40%" beats "CEO at TechCorp"
Summary should answer: What problem do you solve? For whom? What's your unique approach?
Use industry keywords your ideal customers search for
Day 2-5: Content Audit
Study 10 successful startup founders in your space
What content gets engagement? What falls flat?
Screenshot high-performing posts for inspiration (you can save it in your content hub or use Posthero to create your swipe file)
Identify content gaps you can fill
Phase 2: Content Engine (Days 6-30)
The 3-2-1 Content Framework:
3 educational posts per week (how-to guides, industry insights, lessons learned)
2 behind-the-scenes posts (startup journey, team moments, failures)
1 thought leadership piece (industry predictions, controversial takes)
Content That Converts for Startups:
"Here's what I learned spending $50K on ads"
"Why we turned down a $2M investment"
"The 3 metrics that actually matter for [your industry]"
"How we got our first 100 customers"
Phase 3: Scale & Systemize (Days 31-60)
The LinkedIn Flywheel:
Create valuable content → Get followers
Engage with comments → Build relationships
DM engaged users → Book calls
Convert calls → Customers/investors/partners
Share customer stories → Repeat
The Startup-Specific LinkedIn Tactics
1. The "Behind the Startup" Series
Weekly posts about your journey:
"Week 12 of building [startup name]: Here's what's working"
Include metrics (when possible), lessons learned, and what's next
People love following along on the journey
2. The Problem-Solution Framework
Monday: Share a problem your target market faces
Wednesday: Educate about the problem (why it matters, cost of inaction)
Friday: Introduce your solution (subtly, focus on value)
3. The Founder's Network Effect
Comment thoughtfully on 10 startup founders' posts daily
Share their content with your take added
Collaborate on content with other founders
LinkedIn's algorithm loves when you engage with others
4. The Customer Story Hack
Every customer win becomes 2-3 pieces of content:
The challenge they faced
How you solved it
The results they achieved
LinkedIn lead generation for startups
The 5-Touch Outreach Sequence
Touch 1: Like and comment on their recent post
Touch 2: Connect with personalized note referencing their post
Touch 3: Share valuable resource related to their business
Touch 4: Ask a thoughtful question about their industry
Touch 5: Soft pitch your solution (only if there's genuine interest)
The "Connector" Strategy
Share startup resources: "10 tools every early-stage founder needs"
Create founder roundtables: "5 SaaS founders share their biggest mistakes"
Host virtual events: "Ask me anything about raising pre-seed funding"
Advanced LinkedIn strategies for startups
1. The Thought Leadership Ladder
Start with tactical posts (what you're doing)
Move to strategic posts (why you're doing it)
Graduate to industry posts (what everyone should do)
2. The Partnership Pipeline
Identify potential partners on LinkedIn
Engage with their content consistently
Propose collaboration opportunities through DMs
Joint webinars, content partnerships, referral programs
3. The Investor Attraction Method
Share traction milestones (thoughtfully)
Post about industry trends with unique insights
Engage with VCs' content meaningfully
Share your startup's unique approach to common problems
The LinkedIn metrics that matter
Vanity Metrics (Ignore These):
Total followers
Total likes
Profile views
Growth Metrics (Track These):
Engagement rate on posts
Comments per post (quality conversations)
New connections from target audience
DMs from qualified prospects
Business Metrics (Optimize For These):
Leads generated from LinkedIn
Meetings booked through LinkedIn
Revenue attributed to LinkedIn activity
Partnership opportunities created
Common LinkedIn mistakes startups make
1. The "We're Hiring" Trap
Stop making every post about hiring. Your audience cares about solutions to their problems, not your team growth.
2. The Feature Announcement Fallacy
"We just released version 2.0 with 15 new features!" Nobody cares about your features. They care about outcomes.
3. The Humble Brag Overload
"So humbled to announce our $5M Series A..." Share wins, but focus on lessons learned and how you'll help customers.
4. The Spray and Pray Outreach
Mass connection requests with generic messages. Personalization takes 30 seconds and increases response rates by 300%.
Your 30-Day LinkedIn startup challenge
Week 1: Optimize your profile and study 10 successful startup founders
Week 2: Publish 3 educational posts about your industry
Week 3: Engage with 50 potential customers' content
Week 4: Send 25 personalized outreach messages
Track everything. Measure what works. Double down on what drives results.
The LinkedIn Startup Success Formula
Consistency (show up daily) + Value (help before you ask) + Authenticity (share the real journey) + Engagement (conversations over broadcasting) = LinkedIn success
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