Everyone’s trying to be the loudest voice in the feed. More posts. More “hot takes.” More noise. But if everyone’s shouting… who’s actually being heard? Visibility isn’t about volume. It’s about value. The most strategic founders know that cutting through the noise isn’t about yelling louder, it’s about listening sharper.
I’m not talking about being passive. I’m talking about being intentional. Because listening, real, strategic listening, is what turns likes into leads and scrolls into conversations. On LinkedIn, it looks like this:
✔ Reading the room before you post
✔ Responding with purpose, not performance
✔ Paying attention to what your audience is talking about, not just what you want to say
The founders I see winning long-term. They pause before they post. They engage with empathy. And they build real trust by showing up with their audience, not just to them. That’s the Human Algorithm in action. And the best part? This strategy doesn’t just feel better, it performs better. So, the next time you’re tempted to push out another post just to stay visible, try to pause, then listen, and ask yourself: “What conversation do I want to be invited into?”
I was a guest on The Lifestyle Investor Podcast 2 years ago, and what I said then still rings true today. Because the loudest voice might get attention. But the one who actually gets it? That’s the voice people trust. How do smart founders turn listening into opportunities on LinkedIn? It’s not about posting more, it’s about paying better attention. Here’s how strategic listening builds authority, deepens relationships, and drives real revenue 👇
Stop Shouting, Start Noticing
LinkedIn today feels like a holiday rush at the grocery store, everyone’s piling in, rushing to grab attention, hoping their post gets seen. It’s chaotic. And in that chaos, your audience isn’t just scanning for deals… they’re craving to feel seen, understood, and valued. Even the sharpest piece of content will flop if it doesn’t hit that emotional chord. Why? Because connection doesn’t live in the metrics, it lives in the moments.
🔵 What are they actually commenting on?
🔵What are they resharing without being asked?
🔵What questions keep popping up again and again?
That’s where the smart leaders shine, they don’t guess what their audience needs. They listen for it. Sometimes silence is your most powerful move. Harvard Business Review nailed it in a podcast episode called “What Leaders Get Wrong About Listening” (ep. 1029). They found that leaders who truly listen are seen as more competent, more trustworthy, and more human.
Let that sink in. Listening doesn’t make you passive. It makes you powerful. Because influence doesn’t start when you talk, it starts when you tune in. Before your audience says a word, the smartest founders are already observing. They’re absorbing the signals. And then? They show up with something that feels so damn relevant, it almost feels like mind-reading.
That’s not luck. That’s leadership. So, the next time you’re stressing about “saying the right thing” … pause. Because in today’s world, the real win isn’t being louder. It’s being more in tune.
The Quiet Move That Builds Loud Results on LinkedIn
Listening on LinkedIn isn’t about lurking in the bushes like a creep. Lurking is passive. It’s scrolling endlessly, consuming content without contributing, observing without engaging. Listening is different. It’s intentional. It’s strategic. It’s powerful.
It means showing up to understand. When you listen on LinkedIn with purpose, you’re not doing more than lurking about what’s being said. You’re strategically decoding and analyzing what’s beneath the surface. You’re identifying patterns, pain points, desires, and doubts that your audience might not even have words for yet.
Here’s what real listening looks like in practice:
- Read through comment threads to spot what your audience isn’t saying directly. Look for repeated concerns, confusion, or strong emotional reactions. These are AMAZING clues to unmet needs.
- Comment back with curiosity, not conclusions. Ask follow-up questions, open conversational loops, and engage with opinions that differ from yours. Acknowledge what someone shared… Always try to be a mirror, not a microphone.
- Save thoughtful posts and reference them in DMs to start deeper conversations. “Saw your take on XYZ and it really stuck with me. I found it helpful when you said XYZ.” can open up real dialogue. Lead with value, not sales.
- Run polls not to “convert,” but to understand. Use the results to validate assumptions, gather content inspiration, or invite follow-up conversations. Polls are a great engagement tool.
- Create content that reflects what your network actually needs. You can do this with confidence because they literally told you first. Directly or indirectly, your audience is always signaling what matters. Your job is to capture and reflect it back with clarity and care.
If you’re not paying attention to what your audience is already saying, why should they care about what you post?
When you truly listen, something magical happens. You STOP guessing and start CONNECTING. That’s when your content stops being boring background noise and starts becoming a necessary announcement.
The 4-Part Framework for Quiet Influence
Reaal connection doesn’t start with a megaphone, it starts with a mindset. Listening on LinkedIn isn’t lurking. It’s a strategy. It’s how you spot the gold before anyone else sees it and turn that into content, conversations, and clients. Here’s how I do it, step by step:
1. Observe First Spend 10 minutes a day scanning not your feed, but your ideal client’s comments. Look for patterns. Gaps. Frustrations.
2. Respond with Curiosity Ask questions, acknowledge ideas, and avoid one-upping. Show them they’re seen and engage in open-minded conversations. We all have opinions and none of them are wrong.
3. Reflect and Repurpose Turn what you’ve learned into “teach me” content. Quote your audience. Let them see themselves in your posts.
4. DM with Empathy Send messages that lead with value and connection. Avoid pitching straight away (no one likes that). Try an opening like, “I saw your comment about X and it really stood out…” is one of the most powerful openers you can use.
Success on LinkedIn isn’t luck. It’s backed by data. LinkedIn & Edelman’s 2024 Thought Leadership Report reveals a clear pattern. Leaders who actively engage beyond their own posts and truly listen to their audience, and then create thought leadership content around this, see far greater results. Guesswork just doesn’t compete.
Ask yourself:
🔵 When did your audience last comment, “This really hit home”?
🔵 Can your ideal client describe what you stand for, without you saying it?
🔵 Have you started conversations lately… without posting?
Your authority won’t come from how much you say. It’ll come from how deeply you understand, listening is no longer a soft skill! To sum it all up… Talk less. Learn more. Lead better.
I dropped some serious truth bombs on the latest episode of Marketing Minds about my LinkedIn strategy that generated 20 Million views in 3 months. From building human connection in a digital world to navigating entrepreneurship without losing yourself in the algorithm, I brought the realness (and the receipts).
If you’ve ever:
🔵 questioned your relationship with visibility
🔵 struggled with balancing being seen vs. being strategic
🔵 wondered how to scale without selling your soul
…this one’s for you. Thank you, Aleric Heck, for having me on and can’t wait to chat again. Go give it a watch, take notes, and maybe rewatch again. 🎧Listen to the episode here