State of the

Algorithm
Q1 2025
Disclaimer &
This Algorithm Report is an independent publication produced by Saywhat with support from The Creator Accelerator.

Saywhat and The Creator Accelerator have no affiliation, partnership, or official connection with LinkedIn™
Corporation. 


Any reference to "LinkedIn™" throughout this document is purely descriptive and should not be interpreted as suggesting
endorsement or partnership between our organizations.

Please note
The analyses, insights, and recommendations contained herein represent Saywhat's independent research findings onl
This report is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute professional advic
Saywhat and The Creator Accelerator does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of this informatio
Our methodology and conclusions do not reflect LinkedIn™'s internal algorithms, policies, or positions

All mentioned trademarks, including LinkedIn™, belong to their respective owners. Our use of these marks is strictly for
identification and reference purposes.

Readers should understand that Saywhat and The Creator Accelerator have created this content independently,
without consultation with LinkedIn™ Corporation.
Foreword: Chris Donnelly &

From Zero to 2.4 Million

Over the last 3 years, I've built a 2.4 million person audience, with >1 million on LinkedIn alone. But at the start I had no idea what I was
doing - I was posting into the void, making countless mistakes, and learning through painful trial and error.

I was so excited to collaborate with Saywhat on this report and help pull back the veil on what makes great content and how you can
apply it. In fact, I believe so strongly in what the team is building that I invested in Saywhat. The data confirms some of what I've
learned intuitively, but it also reveals surprising patterns I wish I'd known from the beginning.

What's particularly valuable about this analysis is that it doesn't just tell you what is happening - it tells you what you can do about it.
Understanding the tricks for effective content will help you adapt as the platform continues to evolve. These are the same principles
we teach in depth in the Creator Accelerator, and I'm thrilled we can share these foundational insights with everyone.

Remember: your voice and expertise deserve to be heard.

This report gives you the tools to ensure they actually will be. Chris Donnelly
The Creator Accelerator
Why you should be posting on LinkedIn &

The 100x Content Multiplier

Few things can increase your impact 100x, but making good LinkedIn content is that rare multiplier. When only 100 people know how
great you are, posting great content can amplify your reach to 10,000 or more. We created this report to help you take advantage of that
opportunity. Before I started posting on LinkedIn, I thought content was only for celebrities and rich people. But starting to post here in
early 2024 was one of the best career decisions I've ever made.

Despite what skeptics claim, we're still in the early days of this platform's potential - it feels like YouTube circa 2009. The
opportunities for those who master LinkedIn now are enormous.

Most creators publish underperforming content while others consistently break through. This report demystifies what works by analyzing
posts and impression data from Saywhat users to reveal what's actually working in 2025.

The opportunity on LinkedIn right now is tremendous. This report gives you the exact strategies to stand out, build your audience, and
grow your business through content that performs. My hope is that a year from now, you'll look back at this moment as the moment
when everything changed for you on LinkedIn.
Will McTighe
Saywhat
What you’ll learn in this report &

Is my LinkedIn™ reach actually dropping, or is it just me? (Pages 6-7

Which topics perform best on LinkedIn™? (Pages 11-16 “ I learned more from this report than I
did during my first 3 months on
Which post styles and formats get the most reach? (Pages 17-19

How to make great LinkedIn™ content (Pages 21-26

LinkedIn™
“
Dr. Miro Bada 270k Followers
How long should my posts be to maximize engagement? (Page 27

How should I format my LinkedIn™ posts for success? (Pages 28-30

How important are hooks and how do I write effective ones? (Pages 31-32
“
Do emojis actually help my posts perform better? (Pages 33-34

Should I include questions in my posts? (Page 35

Are hashtags helping or hurting my content? (Page 37

Will external links tank my reach? (Pages 38-39

When should I post for maximum visibility (days and times)? (Pages 40-42

Does posting consistently actually matter? (Page 43

Why should I comment on LinkedIn™ and what makes good comments? (Pages 44-48

What practical steps can I take TODAY to improve my LinkedIn™ performance? (Page 49)
Is my LinkedIn™ reach actually dropping? &

Yes it is
Median impressions in Q1 2025
are down 25% since Q1 2024
and 13% since Q4 202
But the gap between average
and top-performing content is
widening
Why is this happening
More creators are competing
for limited feed spac
More competition with paid
ads: Similar to what
happened on Facebook
Yet the best content is Winning By More &
The gap between
exceptional and good
content is getting wide
The top 5% of posts are
down 30% from Q4 2024, the
Top 1% of content is
performing better than eve
This means quality and
relevance matter more than
ever - average content no
longer breaks through
The LinkedIn Winners Circle Gets Smaller &

October 2024... ...December 2024... ...February 2025

Quality content still
breaks through the
nois

The winning LinkedIn

formula: eye-
catching visuals +
immediately useful
information OR
emotionally
resonant content
what matters in the algorithm in 2025? &

Likes Comments reposts Saves

How to attract: How to attract: How to attract: How to attract:
Contrarian hooks, Write controversial Make the reader look Create actionable
immediately posts that sparks smart and virtuous infographics worth
actionable tips, debate by reposting revisiting
powerful visuals
Your expertise Dwell Time Initial interest
LinkedIn™ prioritizes How to attract: How to attract:
content written by Use bright and high Post when your
established topic contrast visuals to audience is most
experts
stop the scrol active to maximize
How to show Carousels get high early engagement
Fill out your profile! dwell time (less important now)
Likes aren’t everything... Impressions Are &
Impressions per like vary a lot by format and topi
Focus on formats and topics that deliver high
impressions rather than those that simply generate
likes - specifically carousels, infographics, and video
While videos often generate high impressions, we've
found they can convert to fewer new followers
compared to other formats. However, They are good
for building trust

“ Follower growth correlates strongly with

impressions and educational value - more than
likes. For audience building, track impressions as
your north star metric. For conversion content,
focus on leads generated. “
Will McTighe
1,182,557 impressions 230,764 impressions Fastest Growing New LinkedIn Creator 2024
...And Impressions can vary a lot by topic &
We also observe this on topics: Feel-
good content gets more likes, useful
content gets more view
For example, my salary negotiation post
got 68% fewer likes than the feel-good
post but 5.1x the impressions (and
followers
Some topics (e.g. salary negotiations)
get less public engagement because
2,391 colleagues and bosses might see
the
7,361 others
Check your own analytics to find these
1,182,557 impressions 230,764 impressions
patterns
Which topics perform best on LinkedIn™ &

Career Development Wins:

Career development posts get
the most views, likely since
people come to LinkedIn™ to get
ahead in their career
Work-Life Balance Continues
To Outperform
Industry Trends
Underperform: Industry trends
posts typically get the least
views, though we've seen some
great industry-specific content
break this pattern recently!
Career Content Dominates but quality wins &
Career & leadership Content Dominates... ...But we’re Seeing More niche winners
LI Content: Career-Dev Best Practices &
Why Career Development Content Performs Wel
It matches why people use LinkedIn™ - to grow their career
Immediately useful - users can use advice directly to their professional situation
Actionable format - clear templates, steps, and frameworks require little work

Successful Career Development Topic

Job Interview Preparation: Step-by-step guides, common questions with example
answer
Soft Skills Development: Public speaking templates, conflict resolution framework
Professional Communication: Ready-to-use email templates and message scripts

Content Format Best Practice

Give advice people can use toda
Offer simple, clear step
Include templates or examples people can copy
LI Content: Work-Life-Balance Best Practices &

Work-life balance posts perform very well on LinkedIn™ too because

Everyone has felt burnout at some poin

Posts validate workplace struggle

Sharing makes people feel helpful to others

Top-Performing Topic

Burnout Signs: Physical and mental warning signal

Rest Types: The 7 types of rest people nee

Setting Boundaries: How to say no professionall

Toxic Workplace Signs: Red flags to watch fo

Quick Recovery Habits: Simple ways to recharge

Successful Formats: Billboards throwing stones at bad managers, Infographics

LI Content: Industry-Trends Best Practices &

Industry trends posts don't perform well. Here's why and how to fix that:

Why They Get Fewer View

Smaller audience - only matter to certain industries or job
Go stale faster - trends change fast, making content outdated

How To Make Industry Content Perform Bette

Make Sharers Look Smart: Offer unexpected insights that make the
person sharing seem smart to their networ
Add Clear Action Steps: "Here are 3 things you can do this week
about this trend
Make It Personal: Show how the trend affects someone's actual jo
Share Real Stories: Show regular people winning because of this tren
Keep It Simple: Explain complex ideas in plain language
Which post styles perform best? &

Educational Content Wins:

Frameworks (median: 3,225
impressions) and How-To
content (1,937 impressions)
perform well, confirming
interest in educational conten
News Content Falls Short:
Gets fewer views (median: 485
impressions), though posts
connecting current events to
workplace themes like
employee empowerment can
Note: See Appendix For Content Style Definitions
break through
But all quality content can outperform &

educational Content Dominates... ...But News can Still outperform When done well
Which formats Get the most reach? &
Carousels (>5 images) and
Infographics are getting 11.2x and 5.4x
the impressions vs. text posts
respectivel
Video is performing well but, based on
our experience, is still not converting
as high a proportion of followers.
From our perspective, it is a stronger
Middle of Funnel content format than
Top of Funnel because it builds trus
Carousels are still performing well, but
not as well as Q4 2024
Which formats get the most reach? &

Infographics perform well because they encourage saving and sharing

Documents (primarily carousels) get high dwell time
Videos keep people on-platform longer, which LinkedIn™ loves. Videos of you also build trust
with potential buyer
Images stand out in the feed, especially portrait ones
Text-only posts have the lowest reach unless they’re optimized well

What should you do?

If you’re only posting text and text + images, try mixing in infographics, carousels, or
videos. Rich media = better reach. For visuals, I would start with Canva or
outsource to upwork or fiverr
How to make a great carousel &

Strong Emotional Image Hook

Striking image of falling person triggers anxiety and fear of career failur

Fear or Curiosity-Based Title

"10 Brutal Career Traps" uses powerful negative language to activate loss

aversio

Simple Problem-Solution Format

Each slide offers clear problem, explanation, and immediate action step

Contrarian Wisdom

Challenges common beliefs like "job security" and make people feel “aha

Memorable Phrases

Quotable lines like "stay if you're learning or earning" readers want to share
How to make a great infographic &
Universal Challenge (For Your Target Audience)

Addresses a common fear that affects 75% of people (public

speaking
Format Like "Do This, Not That"
Clear mistake to avoi
✓ Simple solution you can use tomorro
Very Actionable Tips

Breaks complex skill into 8 manageable categorie

Visually Appealing

Professional design with clear hierarchy and illustratio

Specific, Memorable Examples

"Count 'one-one-thousand' in your head after important points"

How to make a great Image Post &
Landscape image Portrait image Posts with portrait images perform 93%
better than landscape images

Why
They take up a lot more space on the fee
For better or worse, photos of good looking
people perform better. If you’ve got it, use it!

Other tips
Use high contrast text (white on dark
backgrounds or black on light
Keep font large and readable - if you can't
read it on your phone, it's too small
How to make a great LinkedIn™ Video &
Vertical videos perform 71%
better than horizontal videos.

Why
There are more places in the
LinkedIn™ app to see them
(e.g. Suggested Tab and
Video Tab on mobile
Vertical videos also take up
more space on the feed so
are more likely to stop the
scroll
How to make a great LinkedIn™ Video &
Filming & Editing
Film in 9:16 (vertical) ratio - takes up more feed spac
Add subtitles - most viewers watch on mut
Your Caption Strategy
Use descriptive keywords so LinkedIn™'s algorithm understands your conten
Create curiosity gap - hint at value without revealing everythin
Your Visual Hook
Wear bright colors (red works best) to stand ou
Show your face in first 3 seconds - humans connect with human
Use movement or gestures to catch scrolling eye
Content Structure
Front-load value - state the point in the first 3 second
End with one clear action step
How to make a great LinkedIn™ Text Post &

Your Text Hook Is Everything

Create a powerful first line - you have seconds to stop
the scrol
Use one of these proven approaches
Tap into emotional pain points: "Job applications
should ONLY require 2 things:
Share personal experience: "My demo at the Amazon
All Hands failed spectacularly
Challenge conventional wisdom: "Enterprise Sales is
a different beast. You're thinking about it all wrong.
Follow with value-packed content that delivers on your
hook's promise
How long should my posts be &

The best performing posts are long

posts (1,242-2,500 characters)

Very long posts (>2,500 characters)

performed 32% worse

Why?

Very long posts are too much work -

reader ’s get bored and scroll b

Very long posts are hard to read on

mobile (>50% of LinkedIn™ activity

LinkedIn™ likely rewards posts people

finish reading, reducing visibility of

longer content that most users abandon.

Avoid: Long Blocks of Text &

Here’s what not to do..

Huge blocks of text (people won’t read
them): Posts with fewer than 7
paragraphs performed 85% worse than
posts with >14 paragraph
No visual separation (makes content
harder to skim): The top 25% of posts
with most paragraph breaks performed
89% better than the bottom 25% with
fewest breaks
Avoid: Complicated Language &

Here’s what not to do..

Complicated language (long words = lower
engagement). Posts with words averaging >5 letters
performed 56% worse.

To make your writing more readable, paste it into

ChatGPT and say:

"Please rewrite this at a grade 5–7 reading level."

“ Give the Hemingway Editor a try - I used that a lot

at the start to develop my content eye. “
Will McTighe Saywhat Co-Founder
Best Formats to Maximize Reach &

Best-performing text posts

Length: 1,242–2,500 characters (~200–400 words)
Paragraphs: 14+ short paragraphs (avoid walls of text
Paragraph length: 10–19 words per paragrap
Readability: Write at a grade 5–7 leve
Emojis: Use 1–8 emojis for better readabilit
Lists: Posts with bullet points or numbered lists perform
better
How important are hooks? &

Hooks are essential to improve

your reac

Posts with counterintuitive

information in their hooks

performed 49% better than

hooks with no “pattern interrupt”

in them (shown as None of the

Above)

“ Provocative questions were the

worst performing type of hook.
That matches with my personal
experience - I often scroll past

Note: See Appendix For Hook Format Definitions

question-hooks.
“
Will McTighe
Saywhat Co-Founder
How do you write good hooks? &

1. Reverse Common Wisdom

Start with what everyone in your industry believes to be true, then flip it
Weak: "Time management is crucial for productivity.
Strong: "I deleted every time management app and my productivity doubled."

2. Lead with the Unexpected Result

Don't build up to your point - start with the surprising outcome

Weak: "I analyzed 100 top-performing LinkedIn™ posts to understand what works.
Strong: "The LinkedIn™ posts with the most reposts have 37% fewer words than average posts."

3. Challenge Sacred Industry Beliefs

Identify and challenge an unquestioned assumption in your field

Weak: "Here's how to improve your customer service.
Strong: "The customer is NOT always right - and telling them that can increase loyalty by 23%."

Do emojis Actually help my posts? &

Posts with emojis performed 238% better than
posts

without emojis.

Why
They add color to posts - LinkedIn™ text is all
grey - making posts more likely to stop the scroll
Help break up the tex

Draw attention to key points

Tips:
Avoid emojis that are often overused by AI
models
Use in headings and calls to action
Use them to convey clear meanings ( )
Don't overuse - can look unprofessional
How to best use Emojis &

Post Body Call To Action

▶️️used to highlight key

points - OKRs, KPIs,
CFR
used to signal how
these metrics should be
use
Use consistent emojis Emojis are used to draw the reader’s
for similar content attention to the actions the writer
throughout your pos wants them to take: (follow, share,
Lots of line spacing save, sign up for newsletter
used to space them out Use them sparingly to get more
emphasis on your call to action
Should I include questions in my posts? &

Posts ending with a question perform

72% better than posts that don’t end
with a question

Why? Questions encourage meaningful

comments which can help the post be
promoted by the algorithm

Tips
Good LinkedIn™ questions are specific
and easy to answer like, "What's ONE
habit you're working on right now?"
Questions at the end of posts perform
best - they serve as a clear call to action

How to best use ending questions &

Bad Questions Good Questions

"What do you think?" (too vague "What's one tool you can't live without in
"Thoughts?" (requires too much effort to your daily workflow?
respond to "Which of these strategies have you tried?
"Who else wants to succeed in business?" "What's your biggest challenge when it
(too obvious/rhetorical comes to [specific topic]?
"Can you explain the entire history of your "Have you experienced similar results in your
experience with this topic?" (asks for too industry?
much) "What would you add to this list based on
your experience?"
Are hashtags helping my content? &
Posts with >3 hashtags performed 81% worse
than posts with none

Why?

LinkedIn™'s algorithm already identifies relevant

keywords in your post conten
Experienced creators have recognized this and
avoid hashtags. Newer creators (with typically
worse-performing content) tend to overuse the
This could explain the performance gap

“We've seen a lot of AI generated content

defaulting to putting in hashtags - and that's
potentially why it's deranked.“
Will McTighe
Saywhat Co-Founder
Will external links tank my reach? &
Conventional Wisdom: External links
reduce post reach

Our findings
Posts with 1-3 links: 83% higher reac
Posts with >3 links: 400% higher reach

Why the discrepancy

Link-heavy posts often include high-
value resources (courses, tools, job
boards) that LinkedIn™ users engage
more wit
Quality creators know how to use
links well: suggesting links don't hurt
reach as much as bad content
How to best Add external links &

Adding External Links Without Hurting Reach

Option 1: Add links after the post has been

live for a whil

LinkedIn™ confirmed to Greg Isenberg this

doesn't affect reach

Option 2: Place links in the first commen

Requires good engagement to keep

comment visible at top

When should i post (Days)? &

Weekend Advantage: Posts on

Sunday (1,998 median impressions)

and Saturday (1,836) get higher

reach than weekdays



Weakest Day: Posts on Tuesday

(1,123) get notably less reach than

all other days

“ Looks like people lock into LinkedIn™

“
after the start of the week...


Pierce Freeman
Saywhat Co-Founder
When should i post (Days)? &

Why Does Weekend Content Get More reach? Recommendations:

Two leading explanations:

Use Sundays: Schedule your most
comprehensive guides and industry analysis
Less competition from corporate content
for Sundays when readers have more time for
and Ads during weekend
in-depth content
More leisure time - users may have more
Friday/Saturday: Personal stories, work-life
time to engage leisurely with content
balance topics, inspirational feel-good conten
Thursdays/Sundays: Educational content,
detailed guides, industry insights
When should I post (Hours)? &

Morning Sweet Spot (4-5AM GMT):

Highest views (~2,800) when Americans
scroll before bed and India check during
morning commute
Lunchtime Win (11AM-1PM GMT): Great
engagement (~2,700) during European
lunch, US wake-up, and evening browsing
in India/Singapor
Skip These Times: Avoid 2-3AM GMT or
2-4PM GMT when engagement drops
(~300-600) between commutes and break
Most importantly, post when your ideal
customers are online!
Does posting consistently Actually matter? &

Consistency Pays Off: The most

consistent 25% of posters received 330%

more impressions than the least consistent

poster

Quality Over Quantity: Consistency

doesn't mean 7 days / week - it means

finding a regular schedule over tim

Plan Ahead: Write your posts for the week

during the weekend and schedule them.

This helps you stay consistent without

losing your mind from the daily pressure

Why Comment on LinkedIn? &

Commenting on Potential Commenting on Responding to Comments

Clients' Posts Peers on Your Posts

You're more likely to be Builds reciprocity - creators are LinkedIn rewards quality

noticed by someone whose more likely to engage with your conversation

post you've commented o content if you've meaningfully Creates conversation threads

Adding value in comments engaged with their that keep your post relevant

establishes expertise without LinkedIn's algorithm favors longe

direct sellin content that attract comments Can increase average comment

Can be a more effective first from experts in the fiel length from others if they see

touchpoint than cold outreach Creates an actual network effect you’re actively responding
rather than just broadcasting (which improves post
performance)

Note: Comments are part of your digital reputation. Generic or AI-sounding comments can
damage your credibility with both peers and potential clients.
Does commenting Actually help my reach? &

Good Comments Get Eyeballs:

The top 25% of active commenters see at least 29% higher impressions, and interesting comments
make people check out your profile

Who To Comment On:

Creators your ideal customers might follow, others in your niche, and posts or comments from ideal
customers themselves
Add spicy perspectives (disagreement, contrarian views). Use AI for inspiration but develop a real
voice - most AI comments are boring

Daily Commenting Goal:

Aim for 10-20 quality comments on others posts per day to improve visibility. Keep it manageable.
Comment around the time you post too - the most active commenters in the 30 mins after posting saw
29-47% higher post impressions
How long should comments be? &
Longer is better: Posts with
comments >9 words did 302%
better than posts with shorter
comments (5-9 words
Why this works: Longer comments
often start conversations, and add
value to the original pos
What to do: Skip generic responses
like "Great post!" Instead, share
your thoughts, experiences, or ask
questions. That way, you’ll impress
prospects and encourage higher
quality engagement on your own
posts
What does a bad comment look like? &

Four Things to Avoid in Comments... Examples of Bad Comments

AI-Sounding Language: Formal words with

“ Useful tips “ “Great advice“ “Love this “
em dashes and unnecessary jargon

“transformed

One-Line Praise: Comments that only say

“The emphasis on small, consistent acts of
"Great post!" add no valu support is crucial in fostering a collaborative
Obvious Self-Promotion: "Great post! Check culture. These gestures not only empower
out my course on this topic... individuals but also cultivate a strong network
Vague Reactions: "This is so important" that drives innovation. Implementing these
without explaining why strategies can significantly influence team

dynamics and overall morale. “

What does a good comment look like? &

What makes a valuable comment: Examples of Good Comments

Personal Experience: Share relevant stories

and results you've personally see “ I tried this approach last quarter with my team of 8.

Thoughtful Questions: Ask things that We saw a 15% improvement in output, but honestly,

create conversation in meaningful way the best part was how much happier everyone

Authentic Voice: A bit of sass or personality seemed on Fridays. @Sarah Jones you should try

stands out from generic rubbis this with your creative team. “
Relevant Tagging: Tag specific people who

might benefit or contribut

Expert Credibility: LinkedIn™ values “ Unpopular opinion: This works for tech, but
completely falls apart in manufacturing. I'd love to
comments from experts in the post topic
hear if anyone has bridged that gap successfully. “
LinkedIn Content Optimization Checklist &
Written Content Visual Content
▢ Post length: 1,242-2,500 characters (optimal)
▢ Use carousel posts (11.2x higher reach than text)

AI prompt: "Optimize this post, targeting 1,500-2,500 characters"

▢ Create infographics with actionable information

▢ Use 14+ short paragraphs (avoid walls of text)

AI prompt: "Turn these points into infographic content"

AI prompt: "Restructure this with more paragraph breaks"

▢ Use portrait (vertical) images over landscape

▢ Write at grade 5-7 reading level (simpler words)

▢ Add high contrast text to images (white on dark)

AI prompt: "Rewrite this at a grade 5-7 reading level"

▢ For videos, film in 9:16 vertical format with captions

▢ Include 1-8 emojis for better readability

AI prompt: "Write subtitles for my LinkedIn video"
AI prompt: "Add select emojis to enhance readability"

Post Structure Timing & Engagement

▢ Create a contrarian or unexpected hook
▢ Post on Sundays (highest reach) or Saturdays

AI prompt: "Create a contrarian hook for this LinkedIn post"

▢ Optimal posting times: 4-5AM GMT or 11AM-1PM GMT

▢ End with a specific, easy-to-answer question

▢ Leave 10-20 thoughtful comments on others' posts daily

AI prompt: "Add a specific easy to answer ending question to my post"

▢ Write comments >9 words with personal experiences

▢ Skip hashtags (they reduce reach by 81%)

▢ Maintain a consistent posting schedule

▢ Add external links in first comment, not in post

▢ Respond quickly to comments on your own posts
▢ Consider career development angles to your content

AI prompt: "Reframe this around career development"

Who We Are: Saywhat
At Saywhat, we combine AI-powered tools with a community of serious creators to help you build a LinkedIn presence
that

drives business results.

Saywhat’s Softwar
Find inspiration from top-performing content in your nich
Create engaging posts using AI tailored for LinkedI
Optimize for maximum reach and conversio
Track performance to continuously improve

Our Communit
Learn strategies I used to grow from 4K to 347K followers in just 13 month
Get the exact templates and frameworks that generated 400M+ impression
Access weekly workshops and direct feedback on your conten Will McTighe
Connect with creators who are building 6-figure businesses through LinkedIn

Saywhat Co-Founder

Everything we teach comes from real experience - not theory. These are the same approaches that helped me become
one of LinkedIn's fastest-growing creators in 2024 and have helped our customers generate tens of millions of
impressions and attract high-value clients. Most importantly, we focus on content that converts, not just content that
gets views.
Who We Are: The Creator Accelerator
I built The Creator Accelerator after growing to 2.4M+ followers and building a £7.5M business in under two years. This 10-week
experience is exactly what I wish I had when I started from zero.

Our Curriculu
The mindset shifts that took me from obscurity to visibilit
My personal content ideation system that eliminates blank page syndrom
Writing frameworks that consistently stop the scroll and drive engagemen
AI and automation tools I use daily to create more with less effor
Monetization strategies I used to build my multi-million pound business

Our Communit
Weekly breakdowns of what's working for me right no
"Roast My Post" workshops where my team reviews your conten
Intimate clinics with TCA coaches to solve your specific challenge
Connection with creators who started from scratch like I di
Accountability partnerships that ensure consistent execution

Chris Donnelly
The Creator Accelerator
This isn't theory - these are the exact steps that helped 367+ students get an average 20× ROI in their first year.

I built this system so you can choose your own path: work-life balance, financial freedom, or both - just like I now enjoy.
Appendix

&
Data Collection &

This report analyzes 106,910 LinkedIn™ posts published up until March 2025.

Our dataset includes

Content from creators across diverse industries and company size
A mix of text-only posts, images, carousels, videos, and infographic
Posts primarily in English, with some French and Spanish content

All data comes from Saywhat and Creator Accelerator users. We've kept everything anonymous and
looked at the data as a whole rather than focusing on individuals. We respect LinkedIn's terms of
service and didn't use any automated scraping tools to gather this information.

Our approach focused on finding meaningful patterns that apply across different content types and
creator audiences, allowing us to provide actionable insights regardless of your specific niche or
industry.

Analysis Approach &

We used a combination of machine learning and statistical analysis to identify correlations between post
characteristics and performance metrics.

Our approach included

Full computation of mean, median, p90, and p99 statistics for all the charts mentioned here. We
default to discussing median data rather than averages to avoid skewing from viral outliers
Time series analysis to identify trends over the trailing 12-month period
Text classification models: Our internal models are used for both high-dimensional grouping and
discrete projection of posts into categories that we can reason about statistically
Multimodal models: Aid in reading infographics and post images to analyze their unique features
Interpretable statistical models (random forest, regression, lowess windows) help establish how
different features are affecting the output of impression data.

Graphs included in this report use subsampled data for visual clarity. Statistics and trend lines are
computed on the overall dataset, not the subsampled group.
Limitations &
Limitations

While our dataset is robust, we acknowledge several limitations

We can only observe correlations, not causation
LinkedIn™'s algorithm changes frequentl
The data represents what worked historically, not necessarily what will work tomorro
Individual results may vary based on audience, industry, and account authority

Why Trust Our Finding

At Saywhat and The Creator Accelerator, we've helped over 1,000 creators and businesses improve their
LinkedIn™ content strategy. This report combines data analysis with practical insights from Will
McTighe and Chris Donnelly’s experience building two of the fastest growing accounts on LinkedIn™ in
2024
Our goal is transparency, which is why we've detailed our methodology and the limitations of our
research. We're not claiming to have "cracked the code" – we're sharing patterns we've observed to
help you make more informed content decisions.
Definitions: Content Topics &

Career Development: Career transitions, job hunting, interviews, promotions, skill development for
career advancemen
Leadership & Management: Management techniques, leadership philosophy, team building, executive
decision
Industry Trends: Market developments, technology shifts, industry forecasts, sector analysi
Company Culture: Workplace environments, organizational values, employee experience, remote wor
Personal Achievement: Individual milestones, professional accomplishments, career wins, personal
growt
Professional Challenges: Work obstacles, career setbacks, problem-solving approaches, professional
difficultie
Networking & Relationship Building: Professional connections, relationship development, networking
strategies, mentorshi
Work-Life Balance: Boundaries between work and personal life, wellness at work, preventing burnout
Definitions: Content Styles &

Story/Narrative: Personal anecdote or experience-based narrative that follows a story ar

How-to/Tutorial: Step-by-step instructions or actionable advice to solve a proble

List/Framework: Organized list of points or a structured framework for understanding a concep

Opinion/Thought Leadership: Expert perspective or viewpoint on an industry/professional topi

News-related: Announcement of current event, recent development, or timely informatio

Data/Research Insights: Content built around statistics, research findings or data analysi

Question/Discussion Prompt: Post primarily asking a question or seeking community engagemen

Resources Guide: Curated collection of external resources (courses, tools, websites) with links and

brief descriptions
Definitions: Hook Patterns &
Unexpected Statement: Opening that contradicts common beliefs or expectations (Example: "Most
leadership advice is actually harmful."
Counterintuitive Information: Surprising fact that challenges assumed knowledge (Example: "The
average successful CEO reads less than one business book per year."
Provocative Question: Direct question that challenges the reader or stimulates reflection (Example:
"What would happen if you deleted your to-do list entirely?"
Surprising Statistic: Data point presented to create interest or shock (Example: "93% of communication
is non-verbal."
Personal Story Introduction: Beginning with "I" or "My" followed by a personal experience (Example: "I
got fired from my dream job last week."
Problem Statement: Identifying a specific challenge or pain point faced by the audience (Example:
"Technical talent keeps leaving your team because of this critical mistake."
None of the Above: Conventional introduction without a specific pattern interruption technique (Example:
"Here are some thoughts on leadership.")