Your 2026 LinkedIn survival guide (5 strategic tips)

LinkedIn wants you to PAY to show your posts to your own followers. 🤯

If your impressions have tanked lately, it’s not your imagination.

It’s by design.

And it is happening to everyone, me included.

Besides competing with AI-generated content slop and engagement pods, you now have a brand new problem: LinkedIn’s bright blue "BOOST" button on every single post.

Pay-to-play is here to stay.

If you’re hiding under a rock praying things will get better, spoiler alert: they won’t.

 

Rocky ride ahead: get prepared

When I first started coaching on LinkedIn in early 2023, organic reach was completely achievable. I was getting 20-30K impressions per post without even breaking a sweat.

Every few posts, I would get 50-100K impressions easily without resorting to black-hat tactics like expensive engagement pods and bot farms.

I’ve been watching the platform evolve, and frankly, I’ve been in denial about where this was heading.

But this week, LinkedIn made it crystal clear. They’ve added a big BOOST button at the top of every single post, essentially asking: "Want your followers to actually see this? That’ll be $50, please."

(Yes, we could always boost individual posts using LinkedIn Campaign Manager, but they’ve never blatantly encouraged it until now.)

This is a fundamental shift in how LinkedIn operates. They’re moving from "build your audience organically" to "rent your audience monthly."

LinkedIn ads already cost significantly more per click than TikTok or Meta. From promoting videos to boosting posts, the TikTok-ification of LinkedIn is now complete.

So what do we do now?

After thinking about this all week, here’s my game plan for 2026.

Please save my newsletter for future reference.

Strategy #1: Get laser-focused on your niche

Sure, write about hobbies and family occasionally, but ensure that your narrative ties back to your niche so the algorithm doesn’t get confused.

Viral posts outside your expertise might get likes, but they confuse the algorithm, which stops sending your posts to your ideal clients. You need the algorithm to understand you more than ever.

Forget the "I’m doing Hyrox this weekend" or "I just learnt pickleball with my kids" random posts, unless there’s a strategic reason behind it.

For example, if you’re the Founder-CEO of a tech startup and show yourself cycling, it could be useful in demonstrating work-life balance and help to recruit GenZs, who look for factors beyond financial remuneration. That’s personal content with a strategic purpose.

We’re all here to find promotions, jobs, clients or customers. Don’t waste time on random content that doesn’t pay your bills.

Strategy #2: Stop posting and running

The "post and run" strategy is dead.

Liking is not enough, either. Only when you leave a comment can the poster interact with you, and just like magic, the algorithm will start showing them your next few posts.

You need to nurture relationships by commenting on 10-20 posts from your ideal clients 2-3 times per week. Engage with industry leaders consistently.

Consistent interaction with your ideal client profile and industry leaders = printing money.

Strategy #3: Build your email or WhatsApp database immediately

This is your money tree.

LinkedIn is rented space. Your email and WhatsApp lists? That’s owned real estate.

Start collecting emails and WhatsApps with valuable freebies, because LinkedIn now wants you to pay for the privilege of reaching 1% of your audience.

With an owned database, you can reach your audience 100% of the time, whenever you want to reach them. For nearly free.

Go to Kit, Mailchimp or Beehiiv and create a FREE landing page today. Provide a valuable lead magnet.

Reaching 100% of 500 email or WhatsApp subscribers that you own is infinitely easier than reaching 1% of 50K LinkedIn followers that you rent (do you even have 50K LinkedIn followers?).

I hope you understand the math here.
 

Strategy #4: Diversify into a second platform

Since late 2024, I’ve been investing in Instagram and have grown to 100K+ followers there with many viral videos.

You need at least one backup platform. Here’s how to choose yours:

• If you’re a strong writer: Substack lets you repurpose your LinkedIn posts into long-form articles or short-form notes. It’s a 5-10 year game, but your content compounds over time.
• If you’re comfortable on camera: Instagram Reels, TikTok or YouTube Shorts can amplify your reach dramatically. Start by turning your best LinkedIn posts into 30-60 second talking-head videos.
• If you serve local clients: Don’t sleep on organizing regular local networking events. Physical events allow you to meet your ideal clients and build trust much more effectively.

Pick one platform. Start small.

Work on it consistently for 3-6 months before you judge results.

Strategy #5: Personalize your connection requests

Connect with at least 20-30 ideal clients and industry mentors a week. But never connect without a personalized note.

I have 300+ invites in my inbox right now. Only 3-5 have thoughtful notes attached to them. Guess who I am going to connect with?

There’s a 30K connection limit on LinkedIn, and I’m at a dangerous 29K. Every connection is precious, and we are competing with dozens of other requests for attention.

Another thing that helps is a complete, optimized LinkedIn profile. If you’re new to LinkedIn, this is what I specialize in, so let me help you on this.

Here’s what will never change

LinkedIn is changing fast, and our strategies need to change faster.

But here’s what will never change: authentic connections, valuable content, and genuine relationship-building will always win.

Sure, you could just spend US$50 to boost every low-value post you write.

Or you could invest in building a real brand with a sustainable, high-value content strategy that doesn’t rely on any single platform.

Your choice.

Ready to build a powerful personal brand?

If you’re serious about taking control over your branding destiny, if you’re serious about building a brand that survives algorithm changes and platform shifts, consider joining my 12-month Brand Builder Mastermind.

We are closing soon for our January 2026 enrollment and our 2026 calendar is chock-full of branding revamps, mini-makeovers and LinkedIn workshops.

In this 12-month virtual program, you’ll learn how to:
✅ Build a powerful, monetizable brand
✅ Learn to speak confidently
✅ Learn to write high-value content
✅ Monetize your skills and expertise

Learn more: My signature 12-month Brand Builder Mastermind membership subscription

Over 200 professionals are already inside.

Come for the content, stay for the community.

Believing in you,
Juliana your rocketship captain 🚀

PS: Which of my 5 strategies will you work on first? Hit reply and let me know. I read every response.