linkedin

LinkedIn

Workspace Context

Read bootstrap context before asking questions: strategy/brand.md for brand, audience, offer, channels, tools, constraints, and metrics; about/me.md for personal voice; content/ideas.md and content/calendar.md for content planning. Use legacy product-marketing context files only as fallback. Save generated drafts to content/<platform>/drafts/YYYY-MM-DD_short-topic-slug.md, and route durable learnings back to strategy/brand.md, about/me.md, or content/ideas.md.

Operating Contract

This skill is self-contained for its frontmatter scope: use its local instructions, references, scripts, and assets as the playbook; ask only for missing task-specific inputs; hand off to adjacent skills instead of expanding scope; and return an actionable artifact, decision, plan, draft, or diagnostic.

Two modes — often used together:

1. Profile Audit — analyze and optimize your LinkedIn profile (photo, headline, About, experience, skills, SSI, engagement rate)
2. Content Creation — write high-engagement posts, build thought leadership, grow your audience

Check for strategy/brand.md and about/me.md before starting. If they exist, use them to calibrate voice, audience, and positioning.

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Mode 1: Profile Audit

Analysis Types

• Full Profile Audit — all elements, complete report with scores
• Quick Profile Review — priority action items and quick wins only
• Visibility Optimization — keyword/SEO discoverability
• Content Strategy Analysis — posting frequency, engagement performance

Accessing LinkedIn via Chrome DevTools

Requires LinkedIn profile open in Chrome, user logged in.

Tool	MCP Name	Use For
List Pages	mcp__chrome-devtools__list_pages	Find LinkedIn tab
Select Page	mcp__chrome-devtools__select_page	Focus tab
Snapshot	mcp__chrome-devtools__take_snapshot	Accessibility tree with UIDs
Screenshot	mcp__chrome-devtools__take_screenshot	Photo and banner analysis
Navigate	mcp__chrome-devtools__navigate_page	Go to URLs
Click/Hover	mcp__chrome-devtools__click / hover	Interact with elements

Workflow: list_pages → find linkedin.com/in/ → select_page → take_snapshot → take_screenshot → hover lazy-loaded sections → re-snapshot.

Playwright fallback: If Chrome DevTools unavailable, use mcp__playwright__browser_* equivalents.

Sections to analyze: photo, banner, headline, About, custom URL, experience, education, skills/endorsements, recommendations, featured section, activity/posts, followers/connections, groups.

Common errors:

Error	Recovery
LinkedIn tab not found	Ask user to open LinkedIn in Chrome
Content not loading	Scroll, increase timeout, refresh
Rate limited/CAPTCHA	Pause 30+ seconds, proceed slowly
SSI requires Sales Navigator	Note unavailable, provide estimation

Profile Scoring

Category	Weight	Key Factors
Visual Identity	15%	Photo quality, banner, consistency
Headline	15%	Value proposition, keywords, memorability
About Section	15%	Story, keywords, CTA
Experience	20%	Completeness, achievements, metrics
Skills & Endorsements	10%	Relevance, count, endorsements
Recommendations	10%	Quality, diversity, recency
Activity & Content	15%	Posting frequency, engagement rate

Score guide: 90–100 Elite · 80–89 Excellent · 70–79 Good · 60–69 Average · <60 Needs Work

Mandatory Metrics

Engagement Rate:

(Reactions + Comments + Shares) / Impressions × 100

Target: 3%+. Example: (15+1+0)/1,376×100 = 1.16% → below target.

SSI Score (target: 70+/100):

• User visits linkedin.com/sales/ssi to share actual score, OR
• Estimate: All-Star + active + engaged network → 70–85; complete + regular posting → 55–70; basic + occasional → 40–55

Profile Element Best Practices

Photo: 400×400px min, professional attire, approachable expression, face 60–70% of frame, clean background.

Banner (1584×396px): Branded, value proposition text, no small text or clutter.

Headline (220 chars): [Who you are] | [Problems you solve] | [Benefit/result] | [Keywords]

• ❌ "Marketing Manager"
• ✅ "Marketing Manager | Helping B2B Companies Grow Through Data-Driven Strategies | 45% Revenue Increase Specialist"

About (2,600 chars): Hook → story → what you do/who you help → achievements with metrics → skills → CTA. First person, short paragraphs, relevant keywords.

Experience: Quantified achievements (%, $, #), scope, key projects demonstrated.

Featured: 3–6 curated items — portfolio, case studies, articles, lead magnets.

Audit Report Structure

1. Executive Summary
2. Classification (Industry, Profile Type, Target Audience)
3. Profile Scorecard
4. Calculated Metrics (Engagement Rate, SSI)
5. Element-by-Element Analysis
6. Quick Wins (high impact, low effort)
7. Strategic Recommendations
8. 30-60-90 Day Action Plan

See references/scoring_framework.md, references/metrics_benchmarks.md, and assets/profile_audit_template.md for detailed criteria, industry benchmarks, and report templates.

Industry tone calibration: Conservative industries (Legal, Finance, Healthcare) → formal tone, 2–3x/week, minimal emojis. Progressive industries (Tech, Marketing, Startups) → casual/personal, 4–5x/week, emojis acceptable.

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Mode 2: Content Creation

Core Principles

Authenticity over performance. LinkedIn readers instantly spot manufactured vulnerability and engagement bait. What resonates is genuinely useful or genuinely human.

• Real experiences with honest reflection
• Specific insights from your actual work
• Admitting what you don't know
• ❌ Performed vulnerability for engagement
• ❌ Stories that feel too perfectly structured

One idea per post. If you have five points, that's five posts.

Value without strings. Ask: "Would I find this valuable if a stranger posted it?"

Post Anatomy

[HOOK — first 1-2 lines]          ← Visible before "...see more" (~210 chars)
...see more
[BODY — story or value]
 - Short paragraphs (1-2 sentences)
 - Line breaks for readability
[CTA — last 1-2 lines]
#hashtags (3-5, at the end)

Character limits:

Element	Limit
Post text	3,000 chars
Visible before "see more"	~210 chars
Comment	1,250 chars
Headline	220 chars
About section	2,600 chars

Hook Formulas

Type	Example
Honest admission	"I've been wrong about remote work."
Specific observation	"I've noticed something in every founder who scaled past $10M."
Direct challenge	"Most career advice optimizes for the wrong thing."
Unexpected angle	"The best hire I made had the worst resume."
Contrarian opinion	"Unpopular opinion: code reviews are a waste of time."
Personal story	"I got fired on a Tuesday. Best thing that ever happened."
List promise	"I've hired 200+ engineers. Here are 5 red flags I look for."

Hooks to retire:

❌ "This one thing made me $X"
❌ "The CEO pulled me aside and said..."
❌ "I'm excited to announce..."
❌ "In today's rapidly evolving landscape..."
❌ Starting with a hashtag or emoji

See references/hooks.md for comprehensive examples.

Formatting

❌ Dense paragraph: "I learned something about leadership last week. My team was
struggling and instead of pushing harder, I removed scope. The result was incredible."

✅ LinkedIn formatted:
"I learned something about leadership last week.

My team was struggling with a deadline.

Instead of pushing harder, I removed scope.

The result?

We shipped faster.
And the quality was BETTER."

Rules: one sentence per line, blank lines between paragraphs, numbered lists for tips, 3–5 hashtags at the very end (never inline), one emoji max.

Post Formats

Story Post (personal experiences, lessons):

[Honest admission or surprising outcome]
[One sentence of context]
[What happened — the tension]
[The turning point]
[What you learned]
[Question for reader]

List Post (frameworks, actionable advice):

[Hook — clear value promise]
[Why this matters — one sentence]
1. [Point with brief context]
2. [Point with brief context]
3. [Point with brief context]  (3-7 items max)
[Closing insight or question]

Contrarian Post (challenging conventional wisdom):

[Your position, stated directly]
[The common belief you're challenging]
[Your reasoning — why you see it differently]
[Evidence or experience]
[Nuanced conclusion — acknowledge complexity]
[Invite discussion]

Guardrails: Have genuine expertise, argue against ideas not people, offer an alternative, be open to being wrong.

Observation Post (industry insights, trends):

[What you've observed]
[Specific evidence or examples]
[Why it matters]
[Your interpretation]
[Question to test if others see it too]

Content Pillars

Rotate through 3–5 pillars:

Pillar	Example
Expertise	"5 database patterns every engineer should know"
Stories	"The hardest feedback I ever received"
Opinions	"AI won't replace engineers. Bad managers will."
Behind the scenes	"Here's our actual sprint retrospective format"
Curated insights	"I analyzed 500 job postings. Here's what changed."

Algorithm Signals

Signal	Impact
Dwell time	Very High — write posts people read fully
Comments	Very High — ask questions, create discussion
Saves	High — actionable, reference-worthy content
"See more" clicks	High — strong hook
External links in post	Negative — put links in comments instead
Editing within first hour	Negative
Posting >1x/day	Negative

Link post workaround: Post without link → add link as first comment → edit post to say "Link in comments."

Vulnerability Guidelines

Share when: The experience taught something others can learn, you've processed it enough to offer perspective, it serves the reader.

Don't share when: The wound is still fresh, you're seeking sympathy not providing value.

Test before posting: Am I sharing to help others or to process my own feelings? Would I be comfortable if this went viral?

CTAs

Type	Example
Genuine question	"What's the worst career advice you've received?"
Agreement check	"Agree or disagree?"
Experience ask	"Has this happened to you?"
Bookmark prompt	"Save this for your next [situation]"

Avoid: "Comment YES if...", "Share this with 3 people", "Follow me for more" — engagement bait destroys trust.

Engagement Strategy

• First hour: Respond to every comment, ask follow-up questions to extend conversations
• Daily comments on others: Add insight, not just agreement — "Great post!" without substance builds nothing
• Posting schedule: Tue–Thu 7–8 AM, 12 PM, or 5–6 PM; avoid posting >1x/day

Anti-Patterns

• "I'm excited to announce..." (corporate speak)
• Humblebrags disguised as lessons
• Recycled viral formats (the Uber driver wisdom, the airport conversation)
• Every. Sentence. As. Its. Own. Line. (when overused)
• Hashtag stuffing (>5)
• Engagement pods (LinkedIn detects and penalizes)

Pre-Posting Checklist

• Hook: Would this stop MY scroll?
• Focus: Is there ONE clear idea?
• Value: Would I find this useful if someone else posted it?
• Authenticity: Does this sound like me, not "LinkedIn me"?
• Format: Short paragraphs, scannable with line breaks?
• CTA: Genuine engagement question (not bait)?
• Links: External links in comments, not the main post?

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References

• references/hooks.md — Complete hook patterns with examples
• references/scoring_framework.md — Detailed profile scoring criteria
• references/metrics_benchmarks.md — Industry benchmarks for SSI, engagement, growth
• assets/profile_audit_template.md — Complete audit report template
• assets/quick_review_template.md — Rapid assessment checklist
• assets/action_plan_template.md — 30-60-90 day roadmap template