Generate Leads on LinkedIn and Drive Revenue

Using LinkedIn to generate leads still works in 2026. But the rules have changed.

Cold outreach alone is inefficient.

Generic “value posts” are saturated.

Company pages have limited organic reach.

Many people argue that AI makes everything easier, but it has also lowered the bar for content. This means standing out requires something different.

What everybody agrees on is that getting founders and C-suite into posting is the most effective marketing channel to generate leads on LinkedIn. That way you can build authority without burning cash on ads.

I’ve made this guide to help CEOs, CSOs and other C-suite players to start to get posting today.

This guide breaks down what actually works now and how to implement it step by step.

*Please note this information comes from my experience and industry recommendations.

Understand what has changed on LinkedIn

What No Longer Works

• Mass cold DMs as your primary strategy
• Generic how-to content anyone can generate with AI
• Relying only on company pages
• Posting and hoping the algorithm does the rest

What Works Now

• Founder-led personal content
• Narrative and opinion, not just tips
• Audience design through outbound engagement
• Structured content funnels
• Active post-publish optimization

The core idea is simple: Create content that only you can create.

As Tommy Clark put it: Shift from “how to” to “how I”.

Start With a Strategy

Posting randomly does not convert. You need a consistent presence and a structure.

I would recommend starting with 2 posts per week and growing to 3.

The general advise: focus on middle of the funnel.

While this funnel apply to anyone, the type of posts will depend very much on your profile and goal.

Example if you are CEO of a CRO (Contract Research Organization) working with organoids:

Top of Funnel

Your goal is to gain followers and visibility. You need to talk about a broad topic but it’s still related to your industry. At this stage, people don’t know you so they don’t care about your service yet.

Topics include: industry shifts, regulatory updates, new papers, emerging technologies

For example:

“The FDA has released new guidelines on NAMs. Here are the changes”

You need to show you are close to the field and provide some interpretation, not just news.

Middle of Funnel

You want people to engage. Now is when you bring your knowledge and experience to discuss a topic your ideal client or Ideal Customer Persona (ICP) cares about. 

“When I started characterizing brain organoids, we couldn’t reproduce results between batches…”

You might want to include a soft call to action (CTA), but it is always related to learning more.

“Link to our Application note”

Here you show competence and experiences so people can relate, opinion or learn.

Bottom of Funnel

Here you are targeting those who know you well but doubt between you and the competitors. Show your competence with data.

Topics include: case studies, experiences with clients, internal data

“These are the tools we used to validate organoid functionality at scale.”

You can use a clear CTA:

“Reach out to [benefit]”

Extra tip: 

Remember why people are on LinkedIn: to make money (either through advertising their services/products) or to find a job. Explore relating your topic to investors or job hunting.

Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

Your profile is not a CV. Treat it as a landing page or a conversion asset.

Profile Picture

• Professional headshot
• Clean background
• No Selfie

Headline Formula

• Your Role + Company
• Clear Value Statement

CEO at [Company] | Helping biotech companies build IND-ready CMC and bioanalysis strategies

If you target very different ICPs, you can list skills:

• Your Role + Company
• Skill 1, 2, 3

Especially useful if you know your audience searches by keywords.

About Section

• Who you help
• What you do
• Proof
• Call to action

Keep it short (1 paragraph).

If you want some inspiration, I would recommend following Lukas Gaats. I love how he shapes content.

Start with a Simple Plan

Before optimizing anything, just start. Commit to:

• Engage 30 minutes per day: drop likes, comments…
• 2 posts per week: Tuesday and Wednesday are the highest performing days
• Analyze data after 1-2 months

Easy posts to get started

1. How the industry has changed in the past X years 

Did people know about your product five years ago? Has the FDA or EMA released something recently that affects your field?

2. A recent update on your company

Something *relevant* that changed these past weeks or months. We are talking about insights, ideas or challenges, but if you feel constrained, you can add a picture of your team and a sales-related metric.

3. Classic origin story 

There are so many people curious about your story, more than you might imagine. They want to know how you got to that position, how you had that idea, how you raised your Series X funding. Everything.

4. A recent conversation at a conference or with a potential lead

Share anything surprising, a lesson learned, or something you disagreed with.

Do not aim for perfection. Aim for publishing.

Improve Your Content

A. Shift From “How To” → “How I”

Instead of:

“5 ways to improve your cell differentiation”

Write:

“How we reduced cell differentiation time by 42 percent in 90 days”

Remember to:

• Add a number
• Make it sound like a story

Remember, AI can copy structure but it cannot copy your experience.

B. Master the Hook

The first 1–3 lines determine performance.

Strong hooks usually combine 2–4 of these:

• Specific numbers
• A story
• A contrarian take
• A credible context
• Emotional tension

Weak hooks are:

• Vague
• Overly motivational
• Generic

Some copywriters even advise starting with the first sentences and then writing the post from it on.

Some simple ones:

“If I were a [ICP] trying to [problem], I would…”

“I was [Negative bias] until…”

C. Use Media

While I’ve seen several founders using only text, I’m more drawn to include images.

• Real photos of you
• Team moments and behind-the-scenes
• Screenshots of industry updates
• Data visuals

Never use a graphic that doesn’t convey information.

What to Do Immediately After Posting on LinkedIn

Early engagement matters. Do this the first 30–60 Minutes:

• Reply to every comment
• Ask follow-up questions
• Stay active on the platform

If you have a team, share the post and encourage them to interact. Avoid low-effort comments like “Great post”

If after a few hours performance is very weak, edit the hook and improve the opening

Reshape and Reuse Content

When something works:

• Repost it in 2–3 months
• Use same idea in new format
• Use same format with new idea

When something fails:

• Improve hook, clarify message and try again after a few months

Audience Design: Don’t Rely Only on LinkedIn’s Algorithm

Instead of waiting for the algorithm to show your content to your ICP, manually design your audience.

• Send 20 connection requests/day (no message and don’t reach out after)
• Leave 5–15 thoughtful comments (NEVER use AI)
• But only to:
  • ICP accounts
  • Influencers your ICP follows

Once they connect with you, they’ll start seeing your posts. If your content resonates, they’ll engage, which signals to LinkedIn that you’re relevant to similar profiles.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does LinkedIn still work for B2B in 2026?
   Yes. LinkedIn still generates inbound opportunities in 2026, but the mechanism has changed. Generic educational posts and passive publishing are less effective. Founder-led content, structured funnels, and active engagement after posting are now more reliable drivers of visibility and trust.
2. How often should a founder post on LinkedIn in 2026?
   Start with two posts per week to build consistency without sacrificing quality. Once the process becomes operationally sustainable, increase to three posts per week. Frequency only works if engagement and positioning are deliberate.
3. What type of content performs best on LinkedIn now?
   Content rooted in experience performs better than abstract advice. Posts that include decision trade-offs, numbers, lessons learned, and interpretation of industry events create differentiation. AI can replicate structure, but it cannot replicate lived experience.
4. What is a LinkedIn content funnel?
   A LinkedIn content funnel maps posts to audience awareness stages:
   Top of Funnel: Industry insight and interpretation to build visibility
   Middle of Funnel: Experience-driven posts to build trust
   Bottom of Funnel: Case studies and proof to reduce purchase risk
   This structure ensures you are not selling to people who do not yet trust you.
5. How should I optimize my LinkedIn profile in 2026?
   Treat your profile as a conversion page, not a CV. Use a professional headshot, write a headline that combines role and value proposition, keep the About section concise with proof, and include one or two featured links that support education or conversion.
6. What should I do immediately after posting?
   The first 30 to 60 minutes matter. Reply to every comment, ask follow-up questions, and remain active on the platform. If performance is weak after a few hours, refine the hook and improve the first lines rather than deleting the post.
7. How do I design my audience instead of relying only on the algorithm?
   Be intentional. Send up to 20 relevant connection requests per day without automated messaging. Leave thoughtful comments on posts from your ideal customer profile and from influencers they follow. This increases network relevance and visibility among the right audience.
8. What should I do with posts that perform well or poorly?
   If a post performs well, reuse it. Repost in two to three months, adapt the format, or apply the structure to a new topic.
   If it performs poorly, adjust the hook, clarify the positioning, and test again. Treat LinkedIn as an iterative system, not a single experiment.
9. What is LinkedIn ghostwriter?
   A LinkedIn ghostwriter is a professional who crafts LinkedIn content on behalf of CXOs or Founders. This allows CXOs to consistently show up on the platform without it eating into their time. It directly helps their company by showing the CXO’s competence.