The Truth About Going Viral on LinkedIn - and Why It Doesn’t Pay the Bills
We’ve all seen them - the viral LinkedIn posts racking up thousands of views, likes, and shares.
I’ve had a few myself - including a viral poll asking what milk alternative I should put in my tea. 🍵
But spoiler alert:
Going viral didn’t make me a millionaire.
It didn’t even help me decide between oat or soya milk. 💁
What it did do?
Leave me overwhelmed, attacked - and more confused than ever.
⚠️ Thick skin became a requirement.
Trolls showed up. Nasty comments piled in.
And internet fame? It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.
Here’s the real truth:
Going viral on LinkedIn doesn’t automatically translate into clients, sales, or dollars in the bank.
😊 Vanity metrics - views, likes, shares - feel good.
🤑 But they don’t pay the bills.
What Most People Get Wrong About Going Viral
Too many people obsess over “cracking” LinkedIn’s algorithm:
🤯 The best time to post?
🤯 How many hashtags?
🤯 Should you add a link?
🤯 Short post or long post?
🤯 How many posts per week?
Here’s the reality:
You will drive yourself crazy chasing all this.
Two of my three viral posts were completely random.
Off-the-cuff thoughts I shared without expectation.
The comments exploded. The views skyrocketed.
And… nothing else changed.
No surge in business. No windfall of new clients.
The third viral post?
I engineered it - a hot take on bad recruitment practices.
I knew it would stir the pot.
It earned massive visibility.
But guess what?
Visibility doesn’t always equal value.
High Impressions. Low Impact.
Half a million views mean nothing if they don’t lead to:
👉 New clients
👉 Sales conversations
👉 Business growth
I speak from experience.
What Actually Moves the Needle on LinkedIn?
✅ Create content that spotlights your expertise.
✅ Share practical insights from your industry.
✅ Publish case studies that show real client outcomes.
✅ Offer your perspective on newsworthy topics.
This is how you build:
💛 Trust
💛 Credibility
💛 Authority
And - bonus - it strengthens your personal brand.
Stop Chasing Views. Start Building Value.
Focus on what drives real career growth:
✅ Building professional relationships
✅ Growing industry visibility
✅ Establishing thought leadership
✅ Creating career-defining opportunities
✅ Networking
📢 Engage in conversations on LinkedIn daily.
Because here’s the real kicker:
You can’t control what goes viral.
🔮 LinkedIn’s algorithm is a mystery - constantly changing, always unpredictable.
What you can control?
Building genuine relationships.
Sharing your skills.
Delivering real value.
That’s what turns connections into clients.
Ready to ditch the vanity metrics and focus on what matters?
If you want a LinkedIn strategy built for real results - not just likes - send me a DM or book a call.
Let’s build something that lasts.
