How to Get your First 1000 Followers on LinkedIn
Utsav Patel
Updated: Sep 25, 2024
Your Guide on How to Get your First 1000 Followers on LinkedIn
New on LinkedIn?
Most professionals think they need to spend months to grow their followers.
In the next 5 minutes, I will teach you how you can get your first 1000 followers on LinkedIn.
You heard it correctly. And no, It’s not through spamming connections to follow you or posting twice a day. It’s not about spending 5 hours a day writing comments.
As a matter of fact, I didn’t post (on LinkedIn) for 5 months but still maintained an average of 100 followers weekly.
Brutal truth: There are no shortcuts to gaining followers. It’s one of three reasons.
Whether it’s a personal brand or a corporate brand, it’s hard to gain street cred without at least 1,000 followers. Buying followers does no good because they are junk followers who won’t engage, which will hurt your overall organic reach.
And you can’t just have a random 1000 people follow you because if your first 1000 followers aren’t the right type of followers, you won’t get the engagement, and it will again screw up your reach.
Let’s think about the correct way to attract a broader audience.
Why would anyone be interested in following you on LinkedIn?
It’s one of three reasons:
They personally know you.
They were referred to you by someone.
They found your profile and decided you’re worth following.
Today, we’ll focus on the third reason and learn step-by-step how to make it happen.
Question: How can someone find your profile?
When someone sees your content for the first time or gets a connection request from you, they’re likely to check your profile.
Here are five simple ways people can find your profile:
By seeing your interesting posts.
Through friendly direct messages.
With your helpful comments.
By joining live audio events.
Or if you reach out to them directly.
That’s why: It’s important to make sure your LinkedIn profile clearly shows who you are, what you do, and what you’ve achieved. Making a strong first impression can really help you connect and grow your network.
So, let’s find the easiest way to make that first impression interesting enough for them to follow you.
1. Use a Clear Profile Picture
Your profile picture is the first thing people see, so make it count! Choose a high-quality photo where you’re smiling and looking approachable.
Action Tip: Take a few photos in good lighting, and ask a friend which one looks best.
2. Create a Catchy Header Image
Your header image is a great spot to show what you do. It could include your company’s logo or a simple design that highlights your skills.
Example: If you’re in marketing, consider a header with keywords like "Digital Marketing Expert" and some graphics that reflect your work.
Action Tip: Use free tools like Canva to design something simple and eye-catching.
3. Write an Engaging Headline
Instead of just listing your job title, make your headline tell people who you are and what you do.
For instance, instead of “Software Engineer,” you could say “Software Engineer | Passionate About Building User-Friendly Apps.”
Action Tip: Include one or two keywords that define your expertise, and don’t hesitate to use an emoji to grab attention!
4. Revamp Your About Section
This section is your chance to share your story. Talk about your experience, what you love to do, and what makes you unique.
Different types of LinkedIn users, such as active creators and active consumers, might find your profile interesting.
Understanding LinkedIn users and their needs can help you tailor your story to connect better with your audience.
Example: I’m a marketing enthusiast who loves helping businesses grow through social media.
Action Tip: Keep it conversational and write it like you’re talking to a friend. Aim for 3-5 short paragraphs.
5. Show them Your Work in the Featured Section
Use this area to display your best posts, articles, or projects. It’s like a mini portfolio! Showcasing your best work here can attract new followers who are interested in your expertise.
Example: If you wrote a blog post about a recent project, add it here so people can see your expertise.
Action Tip: Regularly update this section with your latest and greatest work.
Therefore, by focusing on these five areas, you can build a LinkedIn profile that attracts followers and helps you make meaningful connections.
Are you ready to build a profile that gets you followers? Say YES.
Once you’ve built your profile, the next exciting step is getting people to actually check it out! So, how do you bring them to your profile?
Well, yes! We already discussed how someone can find your profile, but let’s explore the journey a stranger goes through before they visit your profile.
Think of it like this: first, you’re just a stranger to them.
They might discover you through your engaging posts or thoughtful comments. Then, they start reading your content and getting a feel for who you are.
Finally, they’ll be curious enough to visit your profile to learn more about you and what you do. It’s all about making that journey smooth and inviting so they feel comfortable connecting with you!
Now that you understand the journey a stranger takes, you can easily spark their interest at each step until they’re ready to visit your profile and click that follow button.
Question: How can you build interest by posting or commenting?
Answer: By following this simple routine every day for the next 30 days.
Now, here comes the magic moment!
Listen closely because I'm about to reveal a game-changing secret. You should aim to post five times a week and spend 45 minutes each day commenting on others’ posts.
Plus, keep an eye on who visits your profile and send at least 12 direct messages daily. If you stick to this routine, I can confidently say you'll gain around 35 followers each day! Isn’t that exciting?
Here’s a little surprise: I know many people who post five times a week, spend two hours commenting, and send warm DMs, yet they still don’t see any results!
Why is that? They’re rushing. They want quick followers and fast money, but they’re not focused on offering real value. Instead of connecting with others, they treat it like a checklist, which is why they miss out on real growth.
No need to worry! I’m here to help you gain 1,000 followers in just 30 days. Let’s break it down into five important things to keep in mind while posting and commenting, along with five common mistakes to avoid:
Five points to keep in mind:
1. Be Real:
Always share your real thoughts and experiences. Instead of just posting a quote, explain why it means something to you.
For example, if you share a quote about resilience, explain why it resonates with you. Maybe you faced challenges in your career, and that quote helped you push through.
Whenever you post a motivational quote about perseverance, add a sentence about a challenge you faced and how it inspired you. This helps people truly connect with you.
The real magic happens when you share your true self.
2. Engage Meaningfully:
When you comment on someone else's post, take the time to really read it and understand what they’re saying. Look for the main point they’re trying to make, and then share your thoughts on it.
Instead of saying, "Great post!" try asking a question related to their content.
For example, if someone shares tips on time management, you might say, "Thanks for sharing these tips! I struggle with prioritizing tasks. Do you have a favourite method that helps you stay on track?"
This approach shows you care, and it interests them to engage with you further. If someone talks about a recent project, you might say, “That sounds fascinating! What was the biggest challenge you faced?”
3. Offer Solutions:
People love practical advice that they can use right away. Think about how you can add value to others. If you’re in marketing, for example, share actionable tips that can genuinely help businesses grow.
Instead of just talking about your services, provide insights like, "One strategy that’s worked for me is using customer feedback to refine our services. Have you tried this?"
Position yourself as someone who is here to help, rather than just sell.
4. Consistency is Key:
Think of it like a favourite TV show—everyone loves knowing when the next episode is on! Sticking to a posting schedule builds trust with your audience. Whether it’s once a week or three times a week, consistency helps build trust with your audience.
Let’s say you decide to post every Tuesday and Thursday. By doing this, your followers will know when to expect new content from you, which keeps them coming back.
Using a content calendar can help you plan and stick to your posting schedule. It ensures you never miss a post and helps you stay organized.
Why is it so important?
Imagine if you suddenly stopped posting or missed a few weeks. Your followers might start to wonder if you’re still around or if you’re serious about what you’re sharing.
It's like when a TV show goes on break without notice—you’d lose interest, right? The same thing happens here.
People could lose interest in your content, and you might even lose the trust you worked hard to build. Over time, inconsistency might make them question your credibility, which can hurt your growth.
NOTE: Consistency doesn’t mean you should sacrifice quality; it just helps you stay present in their minds. When you stick to a schedule, your audience feels confident that you're reliable, and they’re more likely to respect and engage with you.
5. Follow Up:
If someone takes the time to engage with your content, be sure to appreciate them! How? if someone comments on your post, reply them with, "I appreciate your thoughts! What’s your take on implementing that strategy in a smaller business?"
This not only makes them feel valued but also deepens the conversation.
A simple thank-you or a follow-up question can go a long way.
Bonus: Connect, Connect, & Connect
6. Find and Connect with the Right People
Finding and connecting with the right people on LinkedIn is essential to growing your audience and establishing your personal brand. Here are some tips:
Identify Your Target Audience: Know who you want to connect with. Use LinkedIn’s search bar to find LinkedIn users, LinkedIn groups, and LinkedIn company pages that align with your interests and goals.
Send Personalized Connection Requests: When sending connection requests, personalize your message. Explain why you’d like to connect and how you can mutually benefit from the connection. This makes your request more appealing and increases the likelihood of acceptance.
Actively Engage with Your Connections: Don’t just connect and forget. Actively engage with your connections’ posts and comments. This helps build relationships and keeps you on their radar, making it more likely they’ll engage with your content in return.
By strategically finding and connecting with the right people, you can build a network that supports your personal brand and helps you attract new followers.
When it comes to growing your audience and engagement on LinkedIn, connecting with people is a super necessary step.
Think of it like building a network of friends; the more you connect, the more opportunities you create.
This isn’t just about sending out random connection requests, though. It's about making smart connections that matter to you and your goals.
First off, make a list of the accounts you’re interested in. This could include people in your industry, potential clients, or even thought leaders you admire.
As you connect with them, be sure to follow them back. This is important because it shows you’re genuinely interested in what they have to say, and it opens the door for further engagement.
LinkedIn allows you to have up to 30,000 1st-degree connections, and that’s a lot of potential connections!
Even after you hit that limit, you can still follow people, so don’t hesitate to reach out to those who could add value to your network.
Let’s make it easier with automation.
Let’s be honest: manually posting content can take a lot of time. That’s where LinkedIn growth tools come in handy. These tools help you manage tasks without spending hours at your desk. One tool you might find helpful is Supergrow.
Supergrow offers a ton of templates that can spark your creativity and help you write engaging posts in just a few clicks. This means you’ll never run out of ideas, making it easier to stay consistent with your posting schedule.
Moreover, Supergrow can help you save a significant amount of time when it comes to commenting.
Imagine being able to write 100 comments in just 30 minutes! With Supergrow, you can create a list of creators to follow and set a timer to comment whenever they post. This keeps your engagement levels high and shows your followers that you’re active and involved.
Not only that, but Supergrow also allows you to manage up to 10 clients under a single subscription. This feature is fantastic if you’re working with multiple businesses or brands, as it streamlines your workflow and keeps everything organized.
Now, as we’ve covered the important stuff to keep in mind, let’s talk about the mistakes that most people overlook.
Do you know where most people fail?
Think about those super active people you know those who are the one posting non-stop, commenting everywhere but somehow, they still can’t make an impact that gets them followers.
Shocking, right? They’re putting in all the effort, but something is missing. Let's dive into why this happens and how you can avoid the same trap.
Five Common Mistakes to Avoid:
1. Posting Just to Post:
If you think that it’s all about posting every day, no matter how good or bad the content is. You are wrong. Here’s the truth: posting for the sake of posting won’t get you anywhere.
It’s tempting to flood your feed with content, but remember: quality over quantity. Trust me, by reading your post, people can easily understand when you’re just posting to check a box.
Instead of pushing out five posts that aren’t great, focus on creating one or two thoughtful ones that genuinely offer value.
Take a step back and ask yourself, "Does this post actually help or inspire someone?" If not, it’s worth holding off until you’ve got something valuable to share.
2. Being Too Salesy:
We all want to grow our followers, but constantly pushing for a sale can push people away.
Imagine you’re at a party, and someone keeps talking about their product without really listening to you. Annoying, right? That’s how people feel when every post is about selling something.
Better? focus on building relationships first.
Share stories, offer advice, and engage with others. Once people trust you, they’ll naturally be more open to your offers.
Here’s a tip: instead of saying “buy this now,” you can share a success story from a client or show how your service made a real difference. That way, it doesn’t feel like a hard sell, and it helps build trust with your audience.
Once you establish trust, the sales will come naturally.
3. Overlooking Your Audience:
Always keep your audience in mind when creating content. When you create content, always keep your audience in mind. Think about what they want to learn or what problems they’re facing. If you’re just talking about yourself or posting things that don’t resonate with them, you’ll lose their attention fast.
For example, if your audience is made up of small business owners, share tips that help them grow their business or solve a common issue they face.
A good way to stay in tune with your audience is to look at which posts get the most engagement. If a particular topic resonates, explore that more in future posts. Pay attention to what people are liking and commenting on—it’s like your own personal feedback loop!
4. Never Lose the Attention You Got:
One of the biggest mistakes people make is getting attention but failing to keep it. Keeping your audience engaged is just as important as gaining them in the first place.
When you first start posting valuable content, people notice, they like, and they follow. However, over time, many lose focus and they stop providing the same level of value. They get comfortable or complacent, thinking the hard part is over once they have followers. Wrong! The truth is, once you’ve got people’s attention, your job isn’t done—it’s just beginning.
How do you keep that attention?
By continuously offering even more value than before.
Keep asking yourself, "What more can I share that will genuinely help or inspire my audience?" People follow you because they found something useful in what you posted, so don’t let them down by shifting to less engaging or watered-down content.
Instead, LEVEL UP your game. This doesn’t mean you need to reinvent the wheel every time, but you should always aim to provide insights that keep your audience engaged and coming back for more.
If you gave a beginner-level tip last month, or this month, build on it with an intermediate or advanced insight. Keep evolving, just like your audience is. If you stop delivering what attracted them in the first place, they’ll move on to someone else who will.
5. Not analysing your post:
Not analyzing your posts is a big missed opportunity. After you share something, don’t just move on and forget about it. Pay attention to see how it performed.
Did it get more likes, comments, or shares than usual?
What parts of your post seemed to grab people’s attention?
For example, if a post about “content strategies” got a lot of engagement, maybe your audience cares about that. This tells you what they’re interested in.
Also, don’t just focus on which posts worked for you, pay attention to what’s working for others too. If you notice a post that’s getting a lot of likes and comments, take a closer look and analyze why. Is it the topic, the way it’s written, or maybe the format?
If you notice that posts with personal stories get more reactions, share more personal insights. If tips and actionable advice get more comments, offer more of that. Learning from others can give you ideas for your own content and help you understand what resonates with your audience.
Plus, this helps you avoid wasting time on content that doesn’t work. So, always track how your posts perform and adjust your strategy as needed!
The trick here: is to focus on what’s working and do more of it.
Putting It All Together
By avoiding these common mistakes and focusing on building genuine connections, you're setting yourself up for real success on LinkedIn. Remember, it’s not just about posting; it’s about being thoughtful, consistent, and offering real value. Take your time, enjoy the process, and have fun with it!
As you genuinely apply all these things, you'll find yourself growing a strong, engaged follower base. It’s all about building relationships and being authentic in every interaction.
Stay consistent, be helpful, and watch your network grow. You've got this!
Let’s get started!
