The LinkedIn rules you should break
The people actually winning on LinkedIn? They’re breaking half of gurus rules.
Hi there,
I dive into viral LinkedIn posts to help you write content that clicks with your audience.
In this issue, you’ll find:
The LinkedIn Rules You Should Break (And the Ones You Shouldn’t)
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The LinkedIn Rules You Should Break (And the Ones You Shouldn’t)
“Post every day.”
“Use hashtags for reach.”
“DM everyone who views your profile.”
“Jump on trends while they’re hot.”
You’ve heard these rules a thousand times.
They sound smart. They sound logical. Everyone repeats them.
But here’s what I’ve noticed:
The people actually winning on LinkedIn? They’re breaking half of these rules.
I’ve been studying top creators for years. Jasmin Alic has 360K+ followers and openly admits he’s broken every “rule” in the book. Still growing. Still running a global business.
So which rules actually matter? And which ones are holding you back?
Let me break it down.
The Rules You Should Break
Rule to Break #1: “Post every day”
This is the most common advice. And it’s exhausting.
Here’s the truth: you don’t need to post daily to grow.
Some of the biggest creators on LinkedIn have never posted every single day. Not once.
Why? Because consistency doesn’t mean daily. It means regularly.
3-4 posts per week is plenty. What matters more is that your posts are good and that you show up for the long term.
Daily posting leads to burnout. Burnout leads to quitting. Quitting leads to zero growth.
Post less. Post better. Keep going longer.
Rule to Break #2: “Never miss a day”
Related to the above, but worth its own point.
Life happens. Sometimes you get sick. Sometimes work explodes. Sometimes you need a break.
And that’s okay.
Missing a few days won’t kill your account. The algorithm doesn’t punish you for taking time off.
What kills accounts is disappearing for months because you burned out trying to never miss a day.
Give yourself permission to skip when you need to. Then come back.
Rule to Break #3: “DM everyone who views your profile”
This sounds smart in theory.
Someone viewed your profile = they’re interested = send them a message.
But in practice? It often comes across as desperate. Or automated. Or salesy.
A better approach: DM people who actually engage with your content. Your regular commenters. Your fans.
These people already like you. They’re warm. The conversation feels natural.
Stop chasing cold profile viewers. Start building relationships with the people who already show up.
Rule to Break #4: “Jump on trends while they’re hot”
AI prompts are trending. Post about AI!
Carousels are hot. Make a carousel!
Video is the future. Film a video!
This is how you confuse your audience.
If you’re a sales coach and suddenly start posting about AI because it’s trending, people won’t know what you actually do.
Stay in your lane.
The creators with the strongest brands don’t follow trends. They set them. Or they ignore them completely.
Being consistent in your topic beats being trendy every time.
Rule to Break #5: “Use hashtags for reach”
This might have worked in 2019.
It doesn’t work now.
Hashtags are basically irrelevant on LinkedIn. They don’t hurt you, but they don’t help you either.
Stop spending 10 minutes researching the perfect hashtag combination. It doesn’t matter.
Put that energy into writing a better hook instead.
Rule to Break #6: “Join engagement pods”
Engagement pods are groups where everyone agrees to like and comment on each other’s posts.
Sounds like a growth hack. Actually a trap.
Pod engagement is from other creators, not your target audience. The algorithm can detect artificial engagement. And your content doesn’t actually get better.
It’s fake growth that leads to real problems.
Skip the pods. Build real relationships instead.
Rule to Break #7: “Automate your engagement”
“Use this tool to auto-comment on posts!”
“Schedule 100 DMs per day!”
“Automate your connection requests!”
No. No. And no.
LinkedIn explicitly prohibits automation. Read the User Agreement if you don’t believe me.
People get their accounts restricted. Banned. All that work, gone.
And even if you don’t get caught, automated engagement is obvious. It’s generic. It builds nothing real.
Your fingers. Your brain. Your words. That’s the only way.
Rule to Break #8: “Share vulnerable stories to connect”
Vulnerability works. I’ve said this before.
But there’s a limit.
Some creators share deeply personal stories. Divorce. Mental health struggles. Family trauma.
Sometimes it goes viral. But then what?
One top creator shared two “solo dad” posts. Both went massively viral. But he realized he never wanted to use that part of his life for personal branding again.
Be vulnerable. But know your limits.
Not everything needs to be content. Some things are just yours.
The Rules You Should Keep
Rule to Keep #1: Stay in your lane
I just said break the “chase trends” rule. This is the flip side.
Pick your topic. Stick to it.
If you’re a marketing consultant, post about marketing. Not AI. Not crypto. Not whatever’s trending.
New followers should immediately understand what you’re about.
Topical consistency builds authority. Jumping around builds confusion.
Rule to Keep #2: Serve before you sell
Give 101%.
Don’t hold back your best stuff for paid products. Don’t give “just enough” value in your free content.
Go deep. Write 3,000-character breakdown posts if needed. Coach people for free in the comments. Answer DMs with real help.
This builds trust. When people see you give so much for free, they assume your paid stuff is even better.
Serve first. The sales come later.
Rule to Keep #3: Write content worth sharing
If your content only reaches your followers, your growth will stall.
You need people to share your posts. That’s how you reach 2nd and 3rd degree connections. That’s how you get discovered.
Before you post, ask: “Would someone share this with a colleague?”
If not, make it better.
Rule to Keep #4: Engage manually
No AI comments. No automated DMs. No bots.
Spend real time in the comments. Write thoughtful responses. Have actual conversations.
This is the work most people skip. Which is exactly why it works.
Manual engagement is rare now. Be rare.
Rule to Keep #5: Never post and ghost
Posting is half the job. Engaging after is the other half.
When you publish a post and disappear, you’re signaling to your audience that you don’t care about them.
Reply to comments. Keep the conversation going. Show up.
This also helps your reach. More comments = more visibility.
Rule to Keep #6: One post, one topic, one message
The 1-1-1 rule.
Every post should focus on one topic and deliver one key message.
Don’t cram 3 ideas into one post. Don’t ramble. Don’t confuse.
Simple posts are easier to write, easier to read, and easier to engage with.
Rule to Keep #7: Make it actionable
A lot of posts make you think but don’t give you anything to apply.
Always ask: “What can the reader actually DO with this?”
If there’s no tangible takeaway, add one.
Posts with clear action steps get saved. They get shared. They get remembered.
Rule to Keep #8: Be yourself
“How can I sound more like [famous creator]?”
You can’t. And you shouldn’t try.
Your voice is your edge. Your personality is what makes you memorable.
Stop trying to copy someone else’s style. Embrace your own.
The world doesn’t need another Jasmin Alic. It needs the first you.
The Simple Filter
Not sure if a rule is worth following?
Ask yourself:
“Does this help me create better content and build real relationships?”
If yes, keep it.
“Does this just sound smart but actually leads to burnout, inauthenticity, or shortcuts?”
If yes, break it.
Most “rules” are just tactics that worked for one person in one context. They’re not universal laws.
Think for yourself. Test things. Find what works for you.
Your Homework
This week, do this:
Look at your current LinkedIn habits. Which “rules” are you following that feel exhausting or fake?
Pick one rule to break this week. See what happens.
Pick one rule to double down on. Commit to it fully.
Notice how your content and energy change.
The best creators don’t follow every rule. They know which ones matter and ignore the rest.
Now you do too.
That’s it for this week.
If you’ve broken a LinkedIn “rule” and seen good results, reply and tell me which one. I’d love to hear what’s working for you.
See you next time.
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