Growth content vs. Authority content: Why you need both to win on LinkedIn
Kristo Olli
There’s something most people get wrong about LinkedIn:
The content that grows your audience is NOT the same content that builds your authority.
And if you treat them like they are the same, you’re going to:
grow slower
convert fewer followers
and feel frustrated when your “great” post doesn’t lead anywhere
So let’s break this down once and for all – in the simplest, most practical way.
Because if you're posting on LinkedIn and feel like you're “doing everything right,” but your results still feel random… This distinction is likely the missing piece.
The two types of content you need
Think of your LinkedIn presence like a marketing funnel:
Growth content → Brings people to your world
This is the content that creates reach, impressions, and visibility.
Authority content → Makes them trust you enough to buy from you
This is the content that positions you as credible, experienced, and worth listening to.
You need both. You just don’t need them in the same ratio all the time.
Early on? Prioritize growth.
Later, when your audience is there? Shift into authority.
Let’s look at each in more detail.
LinkedIn growth content: What gets people in the door
Growth content is designed to be:
fast
relatable
shareable
easy to consume
easy to engage with
This is what grows followers, impressions, and reach – not authority.
Here are the 5 growth content levers:
1️⃣ Frequency
Posting more often puts you in more feeds. LinkedIn rewards consistency.
You don’t need to post every day, but 2–5 LinkedIn posts a week will dramatically increase your exposure.
2️⃣ Short-form content
Think:
snappy insights
bold statements
quick lessons
punchy lists
hot takes
People scroll fast. Short posts catch attention.
3️⃣ Trends & broad topics
You tap into conversations people are already having.
Examples:
burnout
leadership
motivation
productivity
job hunting
corporate culture
The broader the topic, the bigger the audience.
4️⃣ Relatability
People don’t just engage with expertise – they engage with feelings.
Relatable content sounds like:
“We’ve all been there…”
“What I wish I knew earlier…”
“You know that feeling when…”
It works because it feels personal.
5️⃣ Shareability
People repost things that:
validate them
inspire them
make them laugh
make them say “this is so me”
Shareability = accelerated growth.
Examples of growth content:
A meme or relatable image
“10 things I wish I knew at 25”
“9/10 job seekers always get this wrong”
“If you feel behind in life, read this”
A quick mistake → lesson post
Growth content is the spark, but sparks alone don’t build trust. That’s where authority content comes in.
LinkedIn authority content: What makes people trust you
Authority content builds credibility, expertise, demand, confidence, and buying decisions.
This is the content that moves someone from “Interesting!” to “I trust this person.” to “I want to work with them.”
Here are the 5 authority content levers:
1️⃣ Depth
This is where you explain how something works, not just what.
Depth looks like:
frameworks
nuanced takes
advanced concepts
deeper explanations
step-by-step breakdowns
Surface content won’t position you as a leader.
2️⃣ Evergreen & long-form content
These posts keep delivering results long after you publish them.
Examples:
how-to posts
detailed guides
in-depth stories
long carousel posts
strategy breakdowns
These posts don’t always go viral, but they convert.
3️⃣ Credibility builders
Show, don’t tell.
Authority content proves your expertise through:
personal experience
achievements
data
frameworks
unique insights
behind-the-scenes
Not “I’m an expert”, but “here’s what I’ve learned from doing X for 7 years.”
4️⃣ Personal stories
Stories that make people understand:
who you are
what you believe
what shaped you
what you’ve overcome
why you think the way you do
Stories build depth and trust simultaneously.
5️⃣ Case studies & client results
Results > opinions.
Examples:
“How I helped a client grow by 300%…”
“What happened when a team applied my strategy…”
“A story from a workshop that changed everything…”
People believe what they can see.
Growth and authority need each other, but not at the same time
Here’s the part most people miss:
If you’re still small → Growth content must lead
You need people to find you before they can trust you.
If you’re already established → Authority content should dominate
You don’t need 10,000 more random followers. You need the right people to trust you enough to hire you.
Most creators struggle because they mix these up.
They either:
❌ Post only “valuable” authority content
but no one sees it because they haven’t grown their audience yet
OR
❌ Post only viral, relatable content
but no one hires them because they don’t appear credible
You need both and in the right sequence.
Which one should you focus on right now?
Here’s a simple rule:
If you have fewer than 5,000 LinkedIn followers → Prioritize growth.
Your goal is visibility, not perfection.
Post:
often
short posts
broad topics
relatable insights
punchy statements
Then mix in 20–30% authority content to build your foundation.
If you have more than 5,000 LinkedIn followers → Shift into authority.
You already have an audience. Now turn them into:
leads
clients
loyal fans
workshop attendees
That’s where authority content shines.
Examples: Growth vs. Authority posts
Here’s what this looks like in practice:
Growth, text-only post example:
“Every job teaches you something. Some teach skills. Some teach resilience. Some teach you what you never want again.”
Short. Relatable. Shareable. (You know, kind of like these quotes-on-a-billboard type of posts.)
Authority, text-only post example:
“Here’s the exact 3-step framework I use to help companies turn employees into brand ambassadors and increase their reach by 561%.”
Detailed. Practical. High-value. Trust-building.
Why this matters for LinkedIn success
LinkedIn isn’t about posting for fun. It’s a platform for:
business opportunities
career growth
partnerships
inbound leads
reputation building
Understanding the difference between growth and authority is one of the most important strategic decisions you can make.
You can’t grow without visibility. You can’t convert without trust. You need both.
How to balance growth and authority in your LinkedIn content plan
Here’s a simple ratio you can use depending on your stage:
Early stage (0–3k followers):
🔹 70% growth
🔹 30% authority
Growing stage (3k–10k followers):
🔹 50% growth
🔹 50% authority
Established stage (10k+ followers):
🔹 30% growth
🔹 70% authority
This approach ensures:
you stay trusted
you don’t get stuck
you build momentum
you attract opportunities
