Founder @ Soleo—the highest level of LinkedIn strategy. Clients include Series A/B SaaS firms, YC-backed startups, and 8-figure marketing agencies.
The way I define “success” on LinkedIn has changed since I started over 2.5 years ago with zero followers. At first, I only wanted 500+ connections and at least 10 likes per post—that’s it. When that finally happened, I was euphoric—10 people with real names and faces took the time to engage with me! But I wanted more… …I set my sights on 30 likes per post. Then 60. Then 100. Then I had my first “viral” post with 700 likes, followed by a mega-viral post with 51,000+ likes and 10,000,000 impressions (some of you still remember that one). From there, I was a viral junkie— I needed more likes, comments, and shares to feel successful. My content became more and more broadly–appealing, less oriented towards providing value, and more oriented towards maximizing impressions. And then … I got what I wanted. At one point, I got a minimum of 3,000 likes per post, with regular entries into the 10,000+ likes club and occasional visits to the 30k, 40k, and 50k tiers. But over time, I realized it was meaningless— I wasn’t building credibility, respect, and long-term authority with a valuable target audience… …I was selling that out for dealing temporary dopamine hits to the masses, becoming just another “influencer.” After a tough talk with a mentor, I realized it was all a mirage … and the only real value came from building authority with real people through valuable content. So I pivoted away from mass appeal, and pivoted towards providing the highest level of LinkedIn strategy I could— Lessons (like this) built over years of experience, not just with my own profile, but with all the business leaders I’ve worked with. And so to everyone who’s stuck around: thank you … I don’t take anyone who appreciates my posts for granted. I just have one small favor to ask you: Never chase “virality.” Always focus on building a long-term audience. Your future self will thank you.
I started posting on December 1st with zero followers, and now I’ve grown to 207 in 18 days.
My impressions are around 300 per post, yet I'm booking 3 meetings per week for the 3rd week in a row. All thanks to hyper-targeted content I create for SaaS founders. Now, that's what I call consistency. Attaboi Tunca A. 🤘 (sorry Sam for doing this under your post, it came out very spontaneously while typing. and sometimes we gotta tap ourselves on the back, right?) Of course, I can't deny the power of outbound as well, even if it's very inconsistent. But 1 is bigger than 0. So I'll keep going. See you at the end of 2025...
I'm 100% with you that meetings booked are the best metric. However, some balance is needed with engagement as well. Nobody is gonna book a meeting if nobody sees your content.
Chasing virality might bring temporary excitement, but it’s the long-term impact of adding value and being consistent that leads to real growth and lasting influence.
Love this perspective shift. It’s so easy to get lost in the numbers, but your message about building authority with real people and valuable content is spot on.
"Don't count the people you reach, reach the people who count" As David Ogilvy said 😊
Focusing on meaningful connections and valuable content is the true path to success on LinkedIn.
Metrics we don't focus on: 1) Leads 2) Booked calls 3) Email signups Metrics we do focus on: 1) Closed ratio 2) Clients acquired 3) Recurring revenue No LinkedIn metrics, just business metrics over here Sam.
Vanity metrics can never compete with REAL connections and life changing perspective shifts This can be done when ; 🏆 You have a clear agenda 🏆 You know who needs you 🏆 You show up as you (flaws included for free) That’s winning with you v you, and the value wiill multiply on all levels
I help business founders and CXOs build their personal brands by leveraging LinkedIn | Personal Branding Strategist | Linkedin Ghostwriter
22hI also believe that true success on LinkedIn comes from building a meaningful, engaged audience, not chasing viral numbers. The reason being: 📌 1: Chasing virality often leads to shallow engagement. ↬ Why: Focusing on viral content can attract fleeting attention but fails to build lasting, impactful connections. 📌 2: Authority is built through value-driven content. ↬ Why: Providing real value consistently establishes credibility and earns respect from your true audience. 📌 3: Quality over quantity should always be the goal. ↬ Why: A small, engaged audience that trusts you is far more valuable than millions of fleeting impressions. 📌 4: Long-term growth requires patience and strategic content. ↬ Why: Building a loyal audience takes time, but it results in sustainable success and genuine influence. The key to success on LinkedIn is nurturing relationships that matter and offering value, not chasing viral trends. Sam Szuchan