Footprints over fireworks
Self-promotion isn't optional, but it doesn't have to be cringe.
Read time: 5 mins
Promoting myself is no longer optional, whether I find it cringe or not. I constantly debate which platform to use.
YouTube? Maybe. But investing time and energy in filming and editing videos isn't practical right now.
Instagram? It's too polished, unreliable, and filled with flex posts.
TikTok? Feels like a viral lottery
Twitter/X? Drama
Even if I used them, would they help me reach the right people?
I hear this frustration often: Instagram's declining reach, and LinkedIn's outdated reputation.
But I've seen LinkedIn has changed.
A few years ago, it was full of dry corporate updates, generic conference stage photos, and job seekers.
Now:
Guidance from those a few steps ahead
Raw, behind-the-scenes perspectives
Personal anecdotes
Creative visuals (there's one in this email further down)
Some of this is great. Some of it still feels as try-hard as the jargon it replaces.
I'm trying to find the balance between standing out and selling out.
Most people take one of two approaches to LinkedIn:
The over-optimised performer - Every post is engineered for engagement, complete with hooks, manufactured stories, and AI-polished language (and excessive emojis - that's cringe)
The invisible expert - Someone doing great work but never posting because "great work speaks for itself." (Spoiler: It doesn't)
I find that both miss the mark. What I find works is posting as a natural extension of doing.
The best posts don't feel like a performance. They feel like footprints. Evidence of work you're already doing.
Today's email at a glance:
Useful content > viral content
Posting without the try-hard energy
Escape the algorithm
Useful content > viral content
The strategy at LinkedIn has shifted to rewarding useful content over viral content.
Posts that share knowledge and advice get prioritised. Their algorithm now boosts content that helps people be more productive and successful over posts that drive engagement.
You're more likely to be seen by your actual followers. Unlike TikTok, where algorithms drive discovery, LinkedIn shows more of your posts to the people who already follow you.
Virality isn't the goal, reaching the right people is. LinkedIn's leadership even compared their platform to a workplace:
"It's rare for someone to stand up in the office and yell with a megaphone. So, if stuff's not going viral at work, it shouldn't be going viral on LinkedIn either." - Dan Roth, Editor-in-Chief, VP of LinkedIn
The original office megaphone.
Posting without the try-hard energy
Optimise for reputation, not reach.
Viral posts feel good, but long-term opportunities come from credibility, not likes. Last month I had a TikTok video reach 450k views. It didn't matter. More important were the replies to the previous newsletter.
10 thoughtful connections > 1,000 passive followers.
Skip the engagement chasing
Their algorithm prioritises knowledge and advice over raw engagement.
Instead of chasing likes:
Share useful insights from your work.
Teach through real-life experiences.
Write for one real person who would find your post valuable.
Engagement fades. Trust lingers.
Posting should be downstream of doing
If you're constantly "building a personal brand," when do you have the time to build anything else? Content should be a natural byproduct of current work and projects.
Your best posts should feel like footprints, not fireworks.
The type of posts that appear in my feed. By The New Happy - a worthy LinkedIn profile for any feed
The silent audience: low engagement ≠ low impact
A big misconception about self-promotion and posting in general is that if a post doesn't get likes or comments, it means nobody saw it.
Impressions on my profile in the last 90 days, with less than 1k followers.
Engagement metrics don't tell the full story.
Studies show that public interactions on social platforms are declining as users increasingly know how it affects their algorithm-driven feeds.
Many professionals consume content passively. They read, absorb, and move on without reacting publicly.
In my case, on a few occasions, I've had connections show their appreciation for certain posts in private. People who have never interacted with any post of mine publicly.
Message from an old neighbour from London days
Escape the algorithm
Sources for today's issue, to break free from your regular scroll:
Strategy Breakdown: LinkedIn: A creator platform of choice. From cringe to creator magnet
Entrepreneur: LinkedIn Changed Its Algorithms — Here's How Your Posts Will Get More Attention Now
Inc.com: 3 Reasons LinkedIn Will Be the Social Platform of 2025
Podcast: Creator Science: Justin Welsh's approach to LinkedIn Best believe that Justin Welsh knows LinkedIn
Podcast/Blog: Personal Branding in the Digital Age - Tim Ferris - “Personal branding is about managing your name — even if you don’t own a business — in a world of misinformation….”
Video: Death of the Personal Brand - Dan Koe, who argues that "personal brands are no longer personal if all you do is chase trends and algorithms."
If you got this far...
This is my take on how LinkedIn has evolved and what’s working for me as I navigate self-employment. For me, it’s about balancing visibility with authenticity, sharing useful insights without falling into engagement traps.
I don’t follow company accounts. If I need to know something, I’ll check their page.
I do follow the people who work there. I want to see their projects, their challenges, and their insights.
Over time, I’ve learned this: people don’t want emails from companies. They want emails from interesting people who work there.
This isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. If you have thoughts, struggles, or different experiences, I’d love to hear them. Let’s make this a conversation.
If a section has particularly interested you, click the link of the corresponding section. It helps me prepare future newsletters.
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See you in two weeks.
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