The fastest way to “grow” on LinkedIn (and why it backfires)
In April she had 15K. Today, 60K. Her secret? Comment trading. Here’s what that really builds and what to do instead.
Want to grow fast on LinkedIn? Trade comments.
(But no one tells you this.)
In April, a CEO DM’d me: “Join our comment pod?” I passed.
Five months later, she’s up ~45K followers.
Her latest post pulled 1,500+ likes, 500+ comments, 400+ reposts.
All neatly orchestrated.
Yes, comment trading works.
It just doesn’t build what you think it builds.
Reach vs. Trust (pick one)
Pods buy reach. Borrowed engagement creates borrowed audiences.
Trust is slower. But it compounds and compounds into clients.
If your ideas can’t stand without a pod, they won’t sell without one either.
The hidden costs of manufactured metrics
You become dependent. If you grow by favors, you live by favors.
You train the wrong audience. They clap, they don’t convert.
You dilute your thinking. You optimize for reactions, not relevance.
You lose signal. It’s hard to know what actually resonates when every post is “assisted.”
What actually scales (and feels clean)
Clarity over clever. A sharp promise beats a crowded pod.
Signal-rich posts. Teach something specific to the people you want.
Consistency with standards. Show up, but make it worth showing up for.
Authority assets. Case studies, teardown posts, concrete wins.
A simple funnel. Profile → value post → diagnostic → conversation.
If you’re serious about clients, not claps
Run a quick self-check:
Can a new visitor understand who you help and with what in 5 seconds?
Do your last 9 posts prove outcomes or just opinions?
Do you have one clear path from content to conversation?
If you hesitated, fix the foundation first.
Take the 60-second LinkedIn Profile Audit (free)
I built a quick diagnostic that shows if you’re set up to win high-value clients from LinkedIn without pods, hacks, or borrowed engagement.
What you’ll get: A score across positioning, profile, and content plus what to fix next.
Why it helps: You’ll know exactly where trust is leaking (and how to plug it).
Time: 60 seconds.
👉 Start the audit now:
https://imran-5s2jpzsg.scoreapp.com/
Real influence isn’t traded it’s earned.
Numbers can be borrowed. Credibility can’t.
—Imran
P.S. Want me to walk through your score and map a 30-day plan? Book a free LinkedIn Profile Audit call: https://cal.com/imran-k/linkedin-profile-audit