linkedin-authority-builder · diff
git:20260225.733acad to git:20260308.5724749
174 added, 125 removed. Audit A to A.
---
name: linkedin-authority-builder
description: Build a LinkedIn content system for thought leadership. Use when someone needs to establish authority, attract inbound leads, or build a consistent content presence. Covers positioning, content pillars, formats, and posting rhythm.
---
# LinkedIn Authority Builder
Here's what most people get wrong about LinkedIn: they're trying to go viral.
Viral doesn't pay your bills. Being remembered by the right 500 people when they need what you do — that pays your bills.
- This skill builds a content system around consistent positioning and clear pillars — not hacks.
+ This skill builds a content system that makes you impossible to forget for your target audience. Not through hacks. Through consistency and clear positioning.
---
- ## Context Loading Gates
-
- **Before generating any strategy, load:**
-
- - [ ] **Current positioning:** One-liner, ICP, key differentiator (load from `positioning-basics` output if available)
- - [ ] **Target audience on LinkedIn:** Specific titles, company stages, industries
- - [ ] **Posting history:** What have they tried? What worked? What didn't?
- - [ ] **Content goals:** Leads / job offers / speaking / partnerships / audience growth
- - [ ] **Available time per week:** Hours they can realistically commit
+ ## Mode
- **Sequencing gate:**
- If positioning isn't clear yet, stop and ask:
- > "Before building a content strategy, I need your one-liner: 'I help [specific audience] with [specific outcome] through [unique approach].' Do you have this locked, or should we nail positioning first with `positioning-basics`?"
+ Detect from context or ask: *"Starter plan, full content system, or 90-day build?"*
- Do not build a content system for an unclear position — the content will be unfocused.
+ | Mode | What you get | Best for |
+ |------|-------------|----------|
+ | `quick` | 3 content pillars + 1-week posting starter plan | Getting unstuck, first week of consistency |
+ | `standard` | Full content system: pillars, formats, posting rhythm + first week written | Building a repeatable presence |
+ | `deep` | Full system + 90-day calendar + 10 posts written + engagement playbook | Serious authority-building campaign |
- **Also suggest:**
- > "Run `linkedin-profile-optimizer` if you haven't — the content we build needs a profile that converts the traffic."
+ **Default: `standard`** — use `quick` if they just need to start posting. Use `deep` if they're committing to LinkedIn as a growth channel.
---
- ## Phase 1: Positioning Alignment Analysis
+ ## Before We Build Anything
- Before recommending any content, reason through:
+ I need to understand your situation:
- 1. **Positioning check:** Is the one-liner specific enough to anchor content pillars? If it's "I help businesses grow," that's too vague — push for specificity before proceeding.
- 2. **Audience clarity:** Are we targeting a specific title + company stage, or a demographic? Specific is better.
- 3. **Time-to-output match:** If they have 2 hours/week, don't recommend 5 posts/week. Sustainability matters more than ambition.
- 4. **Goal alignment:** Content for lead generation looks different from content for speaking gigs. Confirm goal before building pillars.
+ 1. **What's your expertise?** What do you know cold?
+ 2. **Who needs to remember you?** Specific titles, company stages, industries.
+ 3. **What do you want from LinkedIn?** Leads? Job offers? Speaking gigs? Partnerships?
+ 4. **What's your unfair advantage?** Experience, perspective, or access that others don't have.
+ 5. **What are you doing now?** Posting? How often? What's working?
- Output a brief strategy assessment:
- > "You're a [role] targeting [audience] with [X hours/week] and a goal of [outcome]. I'll build a [3/5 post/week] strategy anchored to [X] pillars. The main gap in your current approach: [specific gap]."
+ The strategy depends on the answers.
---
- ## Phase 2: Content Pillars (3–5 Required)
+ ## Step 1: Nail Your Positioning
- Each pillar must pass all 4 tests:
- 1. You have genuine expertise (not just interest)
- 2. Your target audience actively cares about it
- 3. You can produce content on it consistently for 6+ months
- 4. It connects to what you sell or want to be known for
+ Before content, get clear on your angle.
- **Pillar ratio:**
- - 70% core expertise → builds authority
- - 20% adjacent insights → makes you interesting
- - 10% personal → makes you relatable
+ **The one-liner:**
+ > I help [specific audience] with [specific outcome] through [unique approach].
- **Output format per pillar:**
+ **Example:**
+ > I help growth-stage founders build marketing systems that scale — combining 15 years of strategy with AI-powered execution.
+
+ If you can't say it in one sentence, your content will be unfocused.
+
+ **Your headline formula:**
```
- Pillar: [Name]
- Ratio: [%]
- Content types: [frameworks / stories / case studies]
- Example hook: "[First line of a real post]"
- Connection to goal: [how this drives the stated outcome]
+ [Role] | [What you do for who OR tagline]
```
+ **Examples:**
+ - "AI Marketing Architect | I build your AI marketing system. Then I run it."
+ - "Former Nike CMO → Now helping founders avoid the branding mistakes I made"
+
+ The headline is prime real estate. Don't waste it on your job title.
+
---
- ## Phase 3: Format Selection & Post Templates
+ ## Step 2: Pick Your Content Pillars
- ### Format-to-Goal Mapping
+ These are the 3-5 topics you'll own. Everything you post should fit into one of these buckets.
- | Format | Best For | Engagement Level |
- |---|---|---|
- | Story | Connection, memorability | High |
- | Framework/List | Authority, credibility | High |
- | Hot take | Reach, visibility | Variable |
- | Case study/proof | Credibility, late-stage trust | Medium |
- | Behind-the-scenes | Relatability, trust | Medium |
+ **Good pillars:**
+ - You have genuine expertise (not just interest)
+ - Your target audience cares about it
+ - You can produce content on it consistently
+ - It connects to what you sell
- **Recommended weekly mix:**
- - 2–3 frameworks (authority)
- - 1–2 stories (connection)
- - 1 proof point (credibility)
+ **Example pillars:**
+ 1. AI-powered marketing (what I sell)
+ 2. Founder marketing lessons (what I've learned)
+ 3. Brand positioning (my expertise)
+ 4. Behind-the-scenes building (makes me human)
+ 5. Hot takes on marketing trends (keeps it interesting)
- ### Post Templates
+ **The ratio:**
+ - 70% core expertise (builds authority)
+ - 20% adjacent insights (makes you interesting)
+ - 10% personal (makes you relatable)
- **Story Post:**
+ ---
+
+ ## Step 3: Know Your Formats
+
+ Different formats for different goals:
+
+ | Format | Good For | Engagement |
+ |--------|----------|------------|
+ | Story | Connection | High |
+ | Framework/List | Authority | High |
+ | Hot take | Reach | Variable |
+ | Case study | Proof | Medium |
+ | Behind-the-scenes | Trust | Medium |
+
+ **The winning mix:**
+ - 2-3 frameworks per week (authority)
+ - 1-2 stories per week (connection)
+ - 1 case study or proof point per week (credibility)
+
+ ---
+
+ ## Step 4: Master the Hook
+
+ The first line determines if anyone reads the rest. Make it count.
+
+ **Hooks that work:**
+
+ > "Most founders get [topic] wrong. Here's why:"
+
+ > "I spent 15 years learning this the hard way:"
+
+ > "[Counterintuitive statement that makes them stop scrolling]"
+
+ > "The best [X] I know all do this one thing:"
+
+ **Hook principles:**
+ - Specific beats vague
+ - Numbers add credibility
+ - Tension creates curiosity
+ - Punchline first, context second
+
+ ---
+
+ ## Step 5: The Post Structures
+
+ ### The Story Post
```
[Hook — the moment or realization]
+
[Setup — quick context]
+
[Tension — what was hard or went wrong]
+
[Turn — the insight]
+
[Lesson — the takeaway]
+
[Question — drives engagement]
```
- **Framework Post:**
+ ### The Framework Post
```
- [Hook — bold claim or problem statement]
+ [Hook — bold claim or problem]
+
[Why this matters — 1-2 sentences]
+
[The X-step framework:]
1. [Step + brief explanation]
2. [Step + brief explanation]
3. [Step + brief explanation]
+
[Key insight or summary]
- [CTA or discussion question]
+
+ [CTA or question]
```
- **Hot Take:**
+ ### The Hot Take
```
[Controversial statement]
+
[Your reasoning — 2-3 sentences]
+
[The nuance people miss]
+
[What to do instead]
+
[Question to drive comments]
```
---
- ## Phase 4: Content Calendar with Real Dates
-
- Generate a 4-week calendar with actual dates (not generic day names):
+ ## Step 6: Set Your Rhythm
- | Date | Pillar | Format | Hook (first line) | Status |
- |---|---|---|---|---|
- | [YYYY-MM-DD] | [Pillar] | Framework | "[First line]" | Draft |
- | [YYYY-MM-DD] | [Pillar] | Story | "[First line]" | Draft |
+ **Minimum viable presence:**
+ - 3x per week
+ - Same days/times
+ - At least 2 posts showing expertise
- Fill 4 full weeks. Generic "Week 1, Monday" output is not sufficient.
+ **If you want growth:**
+ - 5x per week (weekdays)
+ - Active commenting (20-30 min/day)
+ - 1 long-form article per month
- Also output **5 starter post hooks** ready to write immediately — these break the blank-page problem:
- ```
- 1. [Hook]
- 2. [Hook]
- 3. [Hook]
- 4. [Hook]
- 5. [Hook]
- ```
+ **Best times (test for yourself):**
+ - Tuesday-Thursday mornings (7-9am)
+ - Tuesday-Thursday lunch (12-1pm)
+ - Avoid weekends for B2B
---
- ## Phase 5: Self-Critique Pass (REQUIRED)
-
- After generating the strategy, evaluate:
-
- - [ ] Is the positioning one-liner specific enough to anchor the pillars?
- - [ ] Are the 5 starter hooks actually strong — would they stop the scroll?
- - [ ] Does the time commitment match the user's stated available hours?
- - [ ] Is at least one pillar directly tied to the revenue/goal outcome?
- - [ ] Does the calendar have actual dates, or just generic "Day 1/Day 3" placeholders?
- - [ ] Would this content system still work in 6 months if the user stays consistent?
-
- Flag issues: "Pillar 3 ('general business tips') doesn't connect to your stated goal of attracting SaaS founders. Replace with something more specific."
-
- ---
+ ## Step 7: Engage Like a Human
- ## Phase 6: 30-Day Iteration Protocol
+ Posting is half the game. Engaging is the other half.
- After 30 days, review with these questions:
- - Which posts got the most comments? What pillar did they fall under?
- - Which posts drove DMs or profile views?
- - Which posts got the most impressions regardless of engagement?
+ **Comment strategy:**
+ - 5-10 thoughtful comments per day on posts from your target audience
+ - Add value, don't just say "Great post!"
+ - Share a relevant experience or insight
+ - Ask a follow-up question
- **Adjust based on data:**
- - If case study posts outperform frameworks → increase case study ratio
- - If stories drive DMs but frameworks drive impressions → use both intentionally
+ **Comments that work:**
+ - "This is exactly what I saw at [company]. We also found that..."
+ - "Interesting take. What about the case where [alternative scenario]?"
+ - "Adding to this: [your framework or step they didn't mention]"
---
- ## Output Structure
+ ## What You Get Back
- ```markdown
- ## LinkedIn Strategy: [Name] — [Date]
+ A complete LinkedIn strategy doc:
- ### Positioning Alignment
- [One-liner + assessment of clarity]
+ ```
+ ## Your Positioning
+ - Headline: [optimized]
+ - One-liner: [what you do for who]
- ### Content Pillars
- [3-5 pillars with ratio, examples, connection to goal]
+ ## Content Pillars
+ 1. [Pillar + what you'll cover]
+ 2. [Pillar + what you'll cover]
+ 3. [Pillar + what you'll cover]
- ### Weekly Rhythm
- - Posts/week: [X]
- - Best times: [e.g., Tue/Thu 8am EST]
- - Active commenting: [X min/day]
+ ## Weekly Schedule
+ - [Day]: [Format + Pillar]
+ - [Day]: [Format + Pillar]
+ - [Day]: [Format + Pillar]
- ### Format Mix
- [Breakdown with rationale]
+ ## First 5 Post Ideas
+ 1. [Hook + brief description]
+ 2. [Hook + brief description]
+ 3. [Hook + brief description]
+ 4. [Hook + brief description]
+ 5. [Hook + brief description]
- ### 4-Week Content Calendar
- [Table with real dates + hooks]
+ ## Engagement Plan
+ - Who to engage with
+ - How much time daily
+ - What kinds of comments
+ ```
- ### 5 Starter Posts (Write These First)
- [Hooks with format labels]
+ ---
- ### Engagement Plan
- [Who to engage with, how much time, what to say]
+ ## What Not to Do
- ### Self-Critique Notes
- [Issues flagged + recommended fixes]
+ ❌ Posting only about yourself and your company
+ ❌ Inspirational quotes with no substance
+ ❌ Engagement bait ("Comment YES if you agree!")
+ ❌ Posting once then disappearing for 3 weeks
+ ❌ Only broadcasting, never engaging
+ ❌ Walls of text with no formatting
- ### 30-Day Review Triggers
- [What to measure and when to adjust]
+ ---
- ### Cross-References
- - linkedin-profile-optimizer (run before publishing)
- - content-idea-generator (for ongoing idea generation)
- - voice-extractor (to ensure posts sound authentic)
- ```
+ **Need help building your LinkedIn presence?**
+ → [Book a strategy call](https://brianrwagner.com)
---
*Skill by Brian Wagner | AI Marketing Architect | brianrwagner.com*