There is more content competing for our attention on LinkedIn® than ever, and no shortage of advice about how to “stop the scroll”.

But can anyone really know what will make another individual stop?

LinkedIn itself increasingly treats relevance as highly individual, using hundreds of signals and sophisticated AI systems to determine what each member may want to see. Perhaps, then, the more useful question isn’t simply how to capture attention, but what we give people in return when we get it.

In this episode

Lynnaire questions one of the most persistent assumptions in LinkedIn content strategy: that there is a reliable formula for stopping people as they scroll through the Feed.

She shares what happened when she deliberately observed her own behaviour on LinkedIn for several days – what made her stop, what she ignored and how inconsistent even one person’s attention turned out to be.

She also explores the difference between attracting attention and building professional visibility; why competent content is becoming less distinctive as content production becomes easier; and why expertise, experience, evidence, judgement and interpretation may matter increasingly in an abundant content environment.

Finally, she looks beyond the individual post to what happens when good content creates curiosity. If somebody decides to investigate the person behind the post, the rest of their LinkedIn presence needs to substantiate the impression that content has created.

Five key takeaways

• Treat “scroll-stopping” techniques as ways of increasing the possibility of attention rather than guarantees of it. Relevance, relationships, interests, timing and the reader’s own circumstances all influence what gets noticed.
• Don’t confuse competent content with distinctive contribution. As polished content becomes easier to produce, what you know, have experienced, observed and can meaningfully interpret becomes more important.
• Remember that attention and professional visibility are not the same thing. A post can attract enormous numbers of views without necessarily building recognition, authority or association with your expertise.
• Make sure the professional presence behind your content substantiates the impression your content creates. If somebody becomes curious about you, your LinkedIn profile needs to provide evidence of who you are, what you know and why your perspective carries weight.
• Instead of asking only “How do I stop the scroll?”, ask why this content matters, why you are the person to create it and what somebody receives in return for giving it their attention.

Episode chapters

1:30 – Are we asking the wrong question about attention
2:35 – There is more content competing for our attention
4:20 – What actually makes me stop
7:28 – My attention isn’t consistent. Why would yours be
8:02 – LinkedIn is trying to solve the same problem
10:15 – Attention isn’t necessarily valuable
14:29 – Content is abundant. Contribution isn’t
16:26 – What happens when somebody wants to know more
16:51 – I’m not going to give you the answer

The Link∙Ability Blueprint

The Link∙Ability Blueprint is the strategic framework underpinning Lynnaire’s approach to professional visibility, bringing together Discovery, Perception, Connection and Momentum to build visibility, credibility and opportunity.

linkability.biz/services/the-linkability-blueprint

About Lynnaire Johnston

Lynnaire Johnston is a LinkedIn® + AI Visibility Specialist, author of Link•Ability, four powerful strategies to maximise your LinkedIn success and the co-author of Business Gold, Build Awareness, Authority and Advantage with LinkedIn Company pages.

She works with business owners and senior professionals to build purposeful visibility, credible authority and stronger discoverability in the AI era.

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