So much is different between math classes today and how they were taught when I was growing up, but teachers are still telling kids to “show your work.” I wish this were a requirement for social media sharing. Think about how much more helpful and interesting your feed would be if people, when writing LinkedIn thought leadership posts, actually had to prove that they had given real thought to what they were about to share.

If you’ve noticed more of the same-sounding garbage in your feeds masquerading as thought leadership, you’re not imagining things. According to recent research findings from Originality.ai and WIRED, over half of all longer posts on LinkedIn are AI-generated and not viewed as high-quality. 

Prolifically posting long messages written by AI is a waste of time and effort. They’re not impressive (and because they’re lackluster, they’re also rarely engaged with). After all, no one wants to read empty or bland, buzzword-filled fluff that uses too many words to say too little. 

So, these days, what does it take to draft copy that doesn’t fall flat? Keep reading for what I’ve learned about using that math class concept of “showing your work” to avoid low-value, template-sounding posts when writing LinkedIn thought leadership content.

Originality > sameness

Brainstorm. Think. Then, think so more. Now, look at your ideas and assess each by asking if, by talking about this topic, you’ll be adding anything new to the conversation? If the answer is “no,” then scrap it and move on until you have a winner.

Why? Because without that fresh idea (or common talking point framed from a new angle) there’s no need to move forward writing what would essentially just be a resharing of something that’s already out there, only with different words … aka, noise.

So, dig deep and skip posting another generic missive to LinkedIn. By doing so, you’ll reap the reward that comes with providing something actually interesting. A little originality always beats a lot of sameness, every time. Plus, it makes the next part of the process—showing your work when writing LinkedIn thought leadership—so much easier.

Prioritize saying something of value

Remember when LinkedIn used to mostly feature posts about colleagues changing jobs, friends getting promotions, job opening notices when companies were hiring, business press releases, and the occasional professional insight? 

These days, when nearly everyone thinks of themselves as a thought leader, it’s harder to use the site to feed your. LinkedIn’s feed would scare a dietitian since its menu primarily only offers up nutrient-dense options like Skittles and Twizzlers. Where’s the salmon, the blueberries, the leafy greens? Where’s the brain food?

Jokes aside, the generic-ness of LinkedIn content is a real problem. How many regular posters do you know are sharing stuff that makes you pause and think? When was the last time your feed included a post so provocative that you felt compelled to leave a comment? Can you recall the last time something was worth resharing?

Now, if you think of this situation positively, the extreme dearth of good LinkedIn thought leadership can be a real social media marketing opportunity, especially if you’re looking for a way to shape your personal brand or do some brand reputation building for your business.

How to “show your work” when writing LinkedIn thought leadership content

So you have a big idea, now what? Here are a few simple things that you can do to use the “show your work” concept when preparing LinkedIn thought leadership post content:

Limit yourself

Lots of ideas are great for blog articles and books, not when writing LinkedIn thought leadership content. Stick with one point in your post, and save covering that second angle for the one you write.

Keep your hook brief and relatable

Try a number, date, or decision that proves you’ve been there and have expertise to speak on the topic of your post. That said, consider that people have short attention spans. So if you’re thinking about adding specificity with behind-the-scenes storytelling, do so strategically and don’t “lose the plot.”

Cite your inspo

Was the spark for your idea from a customer comment? An author’s recent book? An interesting newspaper story? Even if you can’t name names, give credit where credit is due. It’s just one more way to show what contributed to your thinking and helps build credibility.

Explore a distinctive format

All-word opinion pieces aren’t the only way to go. LinkedIn’s guide to thought leadership points out that templates, checklists, carousels, one-pagers, videos, and simple diagrams can all be great alternative ways to push your unique idea forward. And, a lot of times, if you can’t distill your idea into one of these formats, it might be a sign you need to flesh it out more.

Support your thesis by acknowledging the tradeoff

Every decision requires letting go of something. When you mention what you gave up, it builds trust and shows you gave the matter thought.

Use AI strategically and sparingly

AI marketing writing tools are best when used for writing LinkedIn thought leadership post tasks, like tidying up grammar or pulling out highlights from a transcript you want to use to support your argument. Write using your own distinctive voice. Don’t rely on ChatGPT or Claude to write the actual content. Instead, use these solutions to make your post copy better (e.g., you might try asking them to point out weaknesses in your argument, shorten a rambling passage, or even just find and fix typos).

Add a CTA, if it makes sense

Landing page-style verbiage isn’t appropriate, but closings like “DM me if you’d like a copy of the template I used” can be just the nudge someone needs to reach out.

Remember to show up

Real reach requires conversation. Replying in threads with thoughtful comments (or leaving short messages on adjacent posts shared the same day) gives something for others to react to, fueling the engagement loop. Keep an eye out for the best question. It might be the perfect basis for your next post, and if you go this route, tag the asker when you share it.

Write LinkedIn posts worth reading

To succeed with writing LinkedIn thought leadership posts, you can only get so far if you try to “fake it ‘til you make it.” The better approach is to “show your work” and provide your proof. Insights always resonate more when the person sharing is brave enough to let everyone into their thought process. This little thing makes a big difference and separates the posts folks scroll past and those someone will want to drop into a Teams chat with their coworkers.

So, go for it. Share those genius, original ideas, but make sure to include the secrets that helped you come to that conclusion.

Need some content strategy help?

If you’re still struggling to get started and need a ghostwriting partner to help create social media thought leadership content that attracts attention and engagement, we can help. For over 20 years, the experienced team at TBH Creative has helped clients across the U.S. create award-winning marketing campaigns that get results. How can we help you?