Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been running workshops across a wide range of industries and organisations. Every room has been different – different roles, different goals, different levels of confidence when it comes to LinkedIn.
Despite these differences, there is a point that is the same each and every single time. We reach the part of the workshop where we talk about content.
I ask the group: “Why don’t you share content on LinkedIn?”
I hear the familiar answers. No matter the industry, no matter the seniority, the list is just about, almost identical – every time. It looks a little like this …
- I don’t know what to say.
- I’m worried people will judge me.
- I don’t want to get anything wrong.
- I don’t think my ideas are valuable enough.
- I’m not a good writer.
- I don’t want to annoy people.
- What will my (insert audience here) think of me.
- I don’t have time to create content.
- I don’t want to look self-promotional.
- I’m not sure anyone would care / I don’t think I would get engagement.
We line these up and try and find the thing they have in common and can see that every single one is about me.
What if I don’t sound smart? What if I get judged? What if I don’t have anything new to say? What if I get it wrong? What if I don’t get engagement?
These fears are incredibly common and understandable.
LinkedIn reports that only 1 percent of its more than billion members post content weekly, yet those who do generate up to three times more profile views. The hesitation people feel is widespread and absolutely very real, but on the flipside, so is the opportunity.
Because when the starting point is me, visibility feels risky. It feels personal. It feels like something to protect rather than something to offer.
But, what about if we make the community the stars point of our content?
When content begins with “me”, the pressure rises – am I saying this right, will people like it, is this good enough?
But when content begins with shining the light on others, the pressure eases and the purpose becomes clearer. You move from worrying about yourself to supporting someone else.
Instead of asking: “What will people think of me?” ask: “What does my community need from me right now?”
And here’s why it works.
1) People trust insights from real professionals.
According to the Edelman–LinkedIn research, leaders who show up consistently create up to seven times more trust than leaders who remain passive.
2) People use content to make decisions.
Seventy-six percent of buyers say they are more likely to engage with someone who consistently shares helpful content. Visibility is part of how people decide who to trust and work with.
3) Content from real people performs.
LinkedIn data shows that content shared by individuals performs well. Your voice has more impact than you think it does.
And that brings us back to the shift. When the starting point is the community, everything becomes easier:
1) Fear turns into contribution.
When your intention is to help, you no longer need to be perfect. You just need to offer something useful.
2) Your ideas become sharper.
When you’re tuned into the questions, patterns and conversations around you, your content naturally becomes more relevant and practical.
3) Trust builds faster.
When people feel understood, they lean in. Community-led content signals that you’re paying attention.
Here are a few simple, real-world examples that make this shift practical:
- Share the questions you’re hearing in the room
- Highlight wins, ideas or insights from your community
- Share one small thing that would make someone’s day easier
- Share your own learning from an event
- Share a behind-the-scenes moment
- Re-share something someone else taught you
You don’t need to post daily. You don’t need a complicated strategy.
Start with your people. Start with one insight they need. Start with one question they’re asking. Start with one experience that would help someone else.
Kylie Chown helps people show up with more clarity, confidence and community on LinkedIn. For more than 15 years, she has supported leaders and teams across Australia and the Asia-Pacific to build a stronger digital presence.
Kylie brings a unique mix of practical strategy and human insight to the way professionals show up online. She works with small businesses, corporate teams and industry organisations to help them build a digital footprint they feel proud of and a LinkedIn strategy they can actually sustain. You can connect here.