EP #064 - The Data That's Changing How Smart Executives Approach LinkedIn

I've been drowning in spreadsheets.

My team analyzed 8,000 LinkedIn posts from C-level executives and founders that generated 37 million views and 500,000 engagements. The goal was to figure out what's actually working on LinkedIn in 2025.

The strategies that worked in 2022 have completely stopped working, but most executives haven't noticed yet.

Frequency Beats Perfection

I keep getting calls from executives asking about their "content calendar." They want to plan the perfect weekly post that will somehow change everything.

Meanwhile, the data shows executives posting 2-3 times per week are getting 57% more engagement per post than the weekly perfectionists.

LinkedIn posts decay faster than your phone battery. Most posts earn the majority of their views within 24 hours - post once a week and you're invisible 85% of the time.

The executives seeing real results have embraced being "good enough" more often instead of "perfect" occasionally.

Long Posts Still Win (Sorry, TikTok Fans)

Everyone's convinced people won't read anything longer than a tweet, but the data laughs at this assumption.

Posts between 1,500-3,000 characters had the highest engagement rates at 2.10%. Leaders who take space to tell a story, break down an idea, or reflect on hard-earned lessons are getting rewarded with deeper engagement.

Short posts under 250 characters are like elevator pitches at a cocktail party - forgettable.

If you have something meaningful to say, use line breaks and say it. Your audience is smarter than you think.

Video Finally Beat Images (With a Catch)

For the first time since we started tracking this stuff, video posts edged out images as the top-performing format - 2.35% engagement versus 2.32%.

But before you start planning your Oscar acceptance speech, these winning videos look like they were filmed in someone's office during lunch. Native to LinkedIn, insight-rich, zero production value.

The TikTok-style content everyone's copying is bombing on LinkedIn, but don't worry if you're not ready to start filming - image posts remain the most reliable format for busy executives who want strong engagement without video production.

Original Thought Crushes Everything Else

Posts written directly by the executive generated twice the engagement of reshares, even when the reshare included thoughtful commentary.

The algorithm can smell authenticity from a mile away, and so can your audience. When a post reflects genuine personal insight instead of recycled wisdom from someone else, people notice.

LinkedIn rewards credibility, and credibility comes from your own thinking.

Teaching Gets You Further Than Selling

Company announcements and promotional posts are performing like a LinkedIn Learning course on work-life balance - nobody's paying attention.

Educational content delivered 42% higher engagement than promotional content. Remember: the more value you give away, the more attention you earn.

Posts that mentioned the company performed better, but only when wrapped in a personal story or insight. 

Lead with value, then connect it to your work.

People Want to Know You, Not Your Company

When we sorted posts by content type, personal storytelling and leadership reflections dominated engagement rates.

Your audience wants to understand how you think and who you are as a leader. They'll scroll past your company's latest milestone faster than you can say "but our quarterly earnings…"

Your personal brand drives more engagement than your corporate brand. Use it.

Hashtags Made a Surprise Comeback

This one shocked us. Using more than four relevant hashtags correlated with the highest engagement rates we measured - 2.2%.

Hashtags are helping posts reach niche audiences, especially in tech, venture capital, and climate, and the trick is relevance over popularity.

Use 3-5 hashtags that clarify what your post is about, focusing on relevance over what's trending.

Consistency Compounds Like Crazy

The executives with the biggest reach got there by showing up consistently.

Frequent, intentional posting was what all successful executives had in common. Even executives with smaller followings generated real business results when their content was regular and thoughtful.

Consistency is compound interest for your professional reputation.

LinkedIn has become a credibility platform. The executives winning in 2025 are teaching through insight, leading through reflection, and building trust through consistency.

The data is sitting right here. 

The question is whether you'll actually use it or keep posting like it's 2022.

— Justin

Justin M. Nassiri | Founder & CEO
M: 650.353.1138 | E: [email protected]
250 Fillmore St Suite 150, Denver, CO 80206
www.ExecutivePresence.io

Executive Presence specializes in helping top-tier executives boost their visibility, activate their network, and position themselves as thought leaders via our premium, fully-managed LinkedIn service. Our unique process involves ex-McKinsey, BCG, and Bain consultants conducting monthly hour-long interviews with our clients, and turning them into impactful daily LinkedIn posts to establish their unique voice and authority. On average, our clients see a 500% bump in engagement in their first 30 days with us. Data is continuously analyzed to improve engagement and identify impactful messaging that you can use for conferences, podcasts, and internal communications.