One of the easiest ways to lose someone on LinkedIn is to sound like everyone else.

I see it every day. Professionals with great ideas and insights spend time crafting a post they believe will perform well, only to watch it vanish in the noise. It’s rarely because the content is bad. It’s because of how it’s written. It’s largely because so many posts start the exact same way:

  • “I’m excited to share…”
  • “I’m honored and humbled to announce…” (the one I personally loathe!)
  • “I recently attended…”
  • “I had the privilege of…”

These openings might feel appropriate, but they’ve become filler. They make your reader’s eyes move right past the post because they’ve seen the same phrases dozens of times before.

Most of us were taught to write like lawyers or professionals — polished, precise and a little formal. That’s fine for client memos or announcements, but it doesn’t work online. On LinkedIn, people connect with personality, authenticity and honesty. They want to hear your point of view, your lessons, your stories. They want to feel like there’s a person behind the post, not a press release.

When your posts sound like you, not your firm’s marketing copy, people stop to read. When they feel like a conversation, not a broadcast, people engage. Writing that connects takes more than a good topic. It takes intention, structure and voice. And it starts with recognizing that your readers are scanning quickly. You have seconds to catch their attention and make them care enough to keep reading.

The Opening Is the Invitation

The first line of any post sets the tone for what follows. It’s the moment that determines whether someone keeps scrolling or decides to stay. The most common mistake professionals make is using their opening to describe what happened instead of why it matters. The line “I recently attended a panel on leadership” tells me what you did. It doesn’t tell me why I should care.

A stronger way to start might be “A comment from a panelist this week completely changed how I think about leadership.” That version creates curiosity. It gives your reader a reason to continue because it promises insight. The difference between those two openings is subtle but powerful. The second one signals that you have something to say beyond self-promotion. It’s the first step toward writing for connection, not validation.

The goal isn’t to be clever or dramatic. It’s to sound human. You don’t have to overthink the first line, but you do have to make it count. Write it last if that helps. Once you’ve drafted the post, look for the most interesting sentence — the one that holds energy or emotion. That’s usually your real beginning.

Write for the Reader

Once you have a strong start, focus on who you’re writing for. Most professionals unintentionally write for themselves. They share updates that feel like progress reports: what they did, where they went, what they announced. These posts might matter internally, but they don’t build connection externally.

When you write online, the reader has to see themselves in your post. That doesn’t mean every topic has to be universal, but it should offer something that feels relevant. A lesson learned, a tip, a question, an observation — something that invites reflection. Instead of thinking “What do I want to say?” ask “What might someone take away from this?”

Shifting that mindset changes everything. The tone softens. The message becomes less about achievement and more about insight. A post about attending a conference becomes a reflection on what makes good networking work. A promotion announcement becomes a thank-you note about mentorship. The substance might stay the same, but the framing transforms it into something that resonates.

Finding Your Voice

Many professionals lose their authentic voice because they’re trying too hard to sound polished. They write in a style they think is expected rather than one that feels natural. The result is writing that’s grammatically correct but emotionally flat.

Your voice is what makes your writing memorable. It’s how people recognize you even before they see your name. Finding it requires practice and self-awareness. Start by paying attention to how you speak when you’re explaining something to a friend or a colleague. Notice your phrasing and pacing. Good writing sounds like good conversation.

When I help professionals with content, I often ask them to read their posts out loud. If it sounds like something they’d actually say, we keep it. If it sounds like a press release, we rewrite it. The difference is immediate. Posts that sound natural always perform better because people respond to authenticity.

Why Structure Matters

Even great ideas lose power when they’re buried in dense writing. People read differently online. They scan. They want to know quickly whether something is worth their time. If your post looks heavy or meandering, they’ll move on before they realize it’s good.

Think of your post like a conversation. Each paragraph should focus on one thought. Shorter sections create rhythm and help the reader move through the text without getting lost. But structure isn’t just about brevity — it’s about flow. Your post should guide people naturally from the hook to the story to the insight.

When I edit lawyer bios or thought pieces, I often cut the first few paragraphs because they’re full of background or context that doesn’t matter. The energy is always deeper in the piece, where people finally start saying what they mean. The same is true for LinkedIn content. Don’t warm up too long. Get to the point that matters.

Structure signals respect for the reader’s attention. It shows that you’ve organized your thoughts and that you value their time. When writing feels effortless to read, people finish it — and that’s the only way they can connect with it.

Add Stories That Mean Something

People don’t remember facts. They remember moments.

Storytelling isn’t just for novelists or speakers. It’s one of the best tools you have to make your ideas stick. A short, specific story gives your post context and emotion. It transforms abstract advice into something people can see and feel.

You don’t need a dramatic story for it to work. Even a simple anecdote can make a point more powerfully than any general statement. “A client once told me something I’ve never forgotten…” is far more engaging than “It’s important to understand client needs.” The story creates empathy. The reader starts to picture it, and that’s when your message lands.

Professionals often hesitate to tell stories because they don’t want to seem unprofessional. But being relatable doesn’t undermine credibility — it enhances it. Stories make you approachable. They remind people that behind your title is someone who’s lived what they’re describing. That’s what builds trust.

Edit for Energy

Editing isn’t about cutting words. It’s about improving flow and tone. When you reread your writing, pay attention to how it feels. Does it move? Does it sound alive? If not, look for the clutter.

Phrases like “I think,” “I believe,” or “in my opinion” add hesitation. You don’t need them. If you’re writing it, readers already know it’s your view. Remove unnecessary transitions. Replace heavy nouns with clear verbs. Cut filler that doesn’t add meaning.

When I edit content, I often start by reading it out loud. If I get bored halfway through, something’s off. The sentences might be too long, or the rhythm too flat. Editing isn’t about perfection — it’s about making sure the writing has energy and momentum.

The best posts sound effortless even though they’re carefully refined. That’s the art of editing — polishing until it reads naturally.

Consistency Builds Confidence

Writing well isn’t a talent. It’s a skill that develops through repetition. Every post you write teaches you something. You start noticing what resonates, what falls flat and what feels authentic.

The more you write, the more confident you become. Not because you suddenly have better ideas, but because you stop second-guessing yourself.

Don’t wait until you have something big to say. Write about what you’re thinking. Share lessons from your day-to-day work. Talk about patterns you’ve noticed or challenges you’ve overcome. Those are the things people connect with most.

Perfection is overrated. The best writers I know are the ones who show up consistently. They write through uncertainty. They learn from how people respond. And over time, they build an audience that trusts them.

When you post regularly, you don’t just get better at writing. You get better at seeing and noticing what matters to others and to you. That awareness is what makes your content meaningful.

What Good Writing Really Comes Down To

Good writing is about being clear, sincere, helpful and thoughtful. It’s about making people want to keep reading because they feel something when they do.

The professionals who succeed on LinkedIn write like real people, not like press releases. They share what they’ve learned. They talk about mistakes and lessons. They express gratitude. They sound huma – and that’s what readers really connect with.

So the next time you sit down to write a post, don’t worry about sounding polished. Focus on saying something true. Ask yourself if you’d actually say those words out loud. Read them once more before you hit publish.

And if it helps even one person think differently, feel inspired or see something from a new angle, then it’s more than a post — it’s communication that mattered. That’s the kind of writing people remember.

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