How to grow on LinkedIn (my guide from 0 to 1,000 followers)
Kristo Olli
Let’s talk about the hardest part of LinkedIn – starting from zero.
No followers. No audience. No clue what to post. You open your profile and think: “Who’s even going to see this?”
We’ve all been there.
But here’s the truth: getting your first 500–1,000 followers isn’t about being a LinkedIn “influencer.” It’s about building momentum.
Because the first thousand are the toughest, but they’re also the most important.
They’re the people who see you before you’re “known.” They’re the ones who start the conversations, comment on your posts, and remind the LinkedIn algorithm (and the world) that you’re worth following.
If I had to start completely from zero, here’s exactly what I’d do before posting a single thing.
Step #1 – Update your LinkedIn profile
You can post gold every day, but if your profile looks like a forgotten CV from 2016, people won’t stick around.
Your content might attract attention, but your LinkedIn profile turns visitors into followers.
Here’s what to check first:
✅ Profile picture – Make it recent, friendly, and professional. People trust faces, not logos.
✅ Banner – Use that top space to tell people what you do or who you help.
✅ Headline – Forget “Job title.” Write value + audience + outcome. Example: “Helping B2B teams turn LinkedIn activity into visibility and trust.”
✅ About section – Keep it in first person. Be clear, confident, and human.
✅ Featured section – Pin your best content, portfolio, or achievements to show credibility fast.
Your goal is simple: when someone lands on your profile, they should instantly know who you help, how, and why you’re worth following.
A clear profile doesn’t just look better, it converts curiosity into connection.
Step 2 – Send 10–20 connection requests daily
Not spam. Not strangers. Just people from your world.
Most people wait for others to find them. Big mistake. LinkedIn isn’t a “build it and they’ll come” platform – it’s a build it and connect with them platform.
Start with:
Old colleagues or classmates
People from events or online communities
Professionals in your niche or target industry
Creators or leaders whose content you admire
Add a simple, short note like:
“Hey [Name], I came across your profile while exploring [industry/topic]. Thought it’d be great to connect and support each other on this journey.”
No selling. No awkward pitch. Just human connection.
If you send 15 quality requests a day, that’s over 100 a week – and within a month, you’ll already have the foundation of your audience.
Remember: every new connection is a potential follower, collaborator, or advocate.
Step 3 – Leave 10–20 thoughtful comments daily
If your goal is visibility, this step is where the magic happens.
Think of LinkedIn comments as mini-posts hiding in plain sight.
You’re writing content – it’s just showing up under someone else’s post.
And the best part? It takes less time, builds faster trust, and gets you in front of new people immediately.
Here’s how to do it right:
✅ Find posts in your niche. Start with 5–10 creators or professionals you actually like following.
✅ Write meaningful comments. Add your experience, a question, or a takeaway – not just “Great post!”
✅ Stay consistent. 10 to 20 comments daily is enough to build familiarity fast.
Over time, people start recognizing your name. They visit your profile, connect, and follow, without you having to ask.
Step 4 – Post when you’re ready (not perfect)
Here’s a mindset shift: your first posts aren’t for going viral – they’re for getting visible.
You don’t need to post every day. You just need to start showing up.
When you’re ready to post:
Share a story, a mistake, or a lesson learned.
Talk about what you’re working on or learning.
Answer a question you keep hearing in your field.
Write like you talk. Keep it human.
Your goal? Show that you exist and that you care about what you do.
Even if your first few posts get 10 likes, those 10 people are the start of your audience.
Why your first 1,000 followers matter
Your first thousand are where you learn the most.
You’ll figure out what works, what doesn’t, and what kind of content attracts the right people.
And more importantly, you’ll build proof that you’re serious, consistent, and reliable.
Because let’s be real – we all check follower counts (even subconsciously). But it’s not about vanity. It’s about trust signals.
When someone sees you have an engaged, growing audience, they think:
“Okay, this person shows up. People listen to them.”
That’s the kind of first impression that leads to opportunities.
Common mistakes to avoid
You don’t need to be a world-renowned expert to grow, but these mistakes will slow you down fast:
🚫 Waiting for the perfect post. Perfection kills momentum. Post anyway.
🚫 Adding everyone and anyone. Quality over quantity. Curate your network.
🚫 Ignoring your comments. Reply to people who engage with you – that’s how relationships start.
🚫 Copying big creators. Inspiration is fine; imitation makes you invisible.
🚫 Posting only about your product or job. People follow people, not ads.
Your audience doesn’t grow because you chase followers – it grows because you show up consistently with value.
The “small creator advantage”
When you’re small, you can do what big creators can’t.
You can reply to every comment.
You can personally thank every new follower.
You can connect authentically without it feeling transactional.
You can test different topics, styles, etc., freely without thousands of people seeing them.
That’s your advantage, and it builds a foundation that scales.
So don’t underestimate being small. The algorithm might not know your name yet, but people will.
Quick recap
If you’re starting from zero today, here’s your 3-step plan for the next 30 days:
1️⃣ Update your profile. Make it clear, credible, and human.
2️⃣ Send 10–20 connection requests daily. Focus on real relationships.
3️⃣ Leave 10–20 thoughtful comments daily. Build visibility through others’ content.
Bonus:
Post once a week to start building your voice.
Engage with replies – that’s where growth compounds.
Track your results. Small progress is still progress.
