What Actually Drives LinkedIn Follower Growth? A Look at the Data
For one of our clients—a top thought leader in their space with 20K+ followers —we analyzed 90 days of content to identify the posts that drove the most followers. Here’s what stood out.
For one of our clients—a top 25 thought leader in their space with approximately 20K followers and a near-daily posting cadence—we analyzed 90 days of content to identify the posts that drove the most same-day follower growth.
The findings? They reinforce what we’ve seen across other high-performing LinkedIn accounts: awareness-focused posts need to be concise, visually engaging, and emotionally resonant. But what actually makes them work? And how can you create posts that drive this kind of growth?
Here’s what stood out.
Photos vs. Images vs. Videos: Different Roles, Different Outcomes
Photos: A Strong Play for Awareness
Four of the top ten follower-driving posts included photos. The most effective ones had clear, engaging visuals that reinforced the message without distracting from it.
Milestone posts with team photos performed best. Announcements like product launches, revenue milestones, and personal or professional wins generated the biggest follower increases when paired with a relevant photo.
Photos don’t just catch attention—they spark quick engagement. A strong milestone post with a photo makes it easy for your network to like, comment, and say "congrats" within seconds, which boosts visibility fast.
What to do:
Make the milestone clear in the first line of your post so people immediately know what they’re reacting to. Pair it with a strong, relevant photo to encourage quick likes and comments—these early interactions tell LinkedIn to push your post to more people.
Videos: Great for Depth, Not for Growth
None of the top ten follower-driving posts were videos. While video posts performed well for engagement, they weren’t the best format for attracting new followers.
Videos worked better for retention. They encouraged discussion and kept existing followers engaged but didn’t trigger the same spikes in new followers as concise, image-based posts.
LinkedIn still surfaces videos, but without the same viral lift. Video content reached people, but it didn’t have the same algorithmic boost as milestone-driven static posts.
What to do:
Use video when you want deeper engagement, but if you’re focused on follower growth, milestone posts and concise insights will be more effective.
Shorter, Punchier Posts Win
The top posts averaged 749 characters, compared to 825 for all posts.
Readable, scannable formats performed better. Posts with higher readability scores (7.43 vs. 6.28 for all posts) and clear structure—like bullet points and lists—were easier to engage with and share.
Actionable insights resonated. Quick, practical advice made it easy for readers to engage and pass the content along.
What to do:
Write shorter posts (under 750 characters) with clear takeaways. Format them for easy scanning with bullet points, bold highlights, or numbered lists.
The Metrics: What Separates Top Posts from the Rest?
Posts with high early engagement were significantly more likely to drive new followers.
Comparing Top Posts (Follower Growth) vs. All Posts
Impressions
Top posts: 11,952 average impressions
All posts: 6,199 average impressions
Takeaway: The top posts nearly doubled the reach of average posts—visibility leads to growth.
Reactions
Top posts: 211 average reactions
All posts: 93 average reactions
Takeaway: Engaging posts got 118 more reactions on average, signaling LinkedIn to expand their reach.
Comments
Top posts: 46 average comments
All posts: 21 average comments
Takeaway: Early comments are the strongest signal. The more conversation in the first few hours, the more LinkedIn boosts a post.
Shares
Top posts: 7.6 average shares
All posts: 2.9 average shares
Takeaway: The top posts were shared nearly five times more, exposing them to new audiences.
Key Takeaways for Thought Leaders and Brands
Want to grow your audience? Focus on milestone-driven posts with photos. These posts spark emotional connection and drive engagement.
Keep posts concise and easy to read. Shorter posts (under 750 characters) with clear formatting performed best.
Early engagement is everything. The highest-performing posts attracted comments in the first few hours, triggering LinkedIn’s algorithm to expand their reach.
Videos are great for deep engagement, but not for follower growth. If you’re looking to build your audience, milestone posts and concise insights are more effective.
Actionable insights drive shares. Quick, useful takeaways encourage engagement and help posts spread.
The Bottom Line
Not every post needs to do everything. A strong LinkedIn strategy balances awareness-building posts (to attract new followers) with relationship-building posts (to nurture engagement).
If you’re looking to refine your LinkedIn approach, let’s talk. You can book 15 minutes here or just reply back to this email. 💌
This newsletter is produced by Medbury. We’re an agency focused on LinkedIn strategy and content for leadership teams and brands. Check out our site, follow us on LinkedIn or Instagram, or book 15 minutes to learn about our work.