Matt Barker

I make posting on LinkedIn fast, easy and fun. $3M+ revenue driven. 75M+ impressions. 250k+ followers.

I help you grow on LinkedIn using fast, easy and fun to write posts.

Results:

- 50+ clients helped since January 2022
- 2,500+ customers served
- £70k 4 day course launch (The Digital Copywriter)
- 2 x £100k+ digital products launched
- $3M+ in new client revenue driven
- 75M+ organic social views earned
- 200k+ LinkedIn followers gained
- 10,000+ LinkedIn posts created
- 13,000+ email subscribers driven

If you'd like to work together on growing:

- Your LinkedIn profile
- Your team's LinkedIn profile
- Your brand's LinkedIn profile

And growing in a way that is fast, easy and fun to do?

Just DM me so we can discuss how I can help you do that.

Writer

Join 11,000+ readers who get daily tips on attracting dream clients online with digital copywriting.

I have one strict rule for writing LinkedIn hooks.

(been ruthless with my clients on this in 2025 & '26)

My strict rule:

If your hook could be written by 10,000 other people, you are instantly a commodity.

So before you post, ask:

“Can anyone else write this?”

If yes, your hook is generic → rewrite it.

If no, your hook is specific → it stands out → it earns attention → it’s more likely to pull in new followers.

How to fix a “yes” hook (quick and easy):

Add one specific detail from Lived Experience.

- a moment (“Last week I…”)
- a result (“In January my client…”)
- a confession (“I used to…”)
- a quote (“A client asked me…”)
- a number (“I’ve coached 38…”)

That’s it. 

Literally the same idea but now it feels real and it stops blending in with AI-tinted advice posts.

e.g. 

In this post, I mention "I have this strict rule" and "ruthless with my clients". words like "I" and "my" force Lived Experience and that = more unique.

I can't see myself slowing down on this rule.

What do you think?

P.S. Want to write unique LinkedIn posts that grow your followers? You'll need a writing system for that. Here’s a 14 minute training I made for you: https://lnkd.in/d29V4rih

Matt Barker 

Fast, Easy & Fun LinkedIn Writing. 3,675 people taught. Investor @ MagicPost. Follow for posts on Writing, Marketing and Business.

I've written on LinkedIn since early '22 and yes, the game has changed. For the better or worse? Depends how you look at it. But I used to:

- throw up any random carousel
- watch it get 1,000 likes + 100k impressions
- and 1,000+ new followers

That was pretty cool not gonna lie!

(carousels can still smash btw. client of mine just grew about 2k followers, got 700+ likes and 100k impressions from one with about 18k followers)

I don't do that anymore because:

1. i'm more bothered about working on my business
2. i'm more bothered about spending time with my wife
3. i'm more bothered about not being a content / growth addict

(here's how I'm writing posts that drive new followers these days: https://lnkd.in/d29V4rih)

I much prefer to:

- write what i want to write
- do it quickly, easily and in a fun way
- get on with other things in my life

That's just me and my approach.

But there is a big sentiment going around that growing followers on LinkedIn is impossible now. 

It's not impossible, but:

- posts don't seem to go big as much as they used to 
- there's overinflated expectations of how easy linkedin is
- as always, you still have to put in hard work

Combine that together and you get people moaning.

So where does that leave you, if you're just starting writing or already started and not sure if you should continue writing?

My advice to you:

1. Decide if you actually care about growing an audience
(hint: you definitely should)
2. If the answer is yes, think what platform is best for YOU
3. If it's LinkedIn, then yes invest your time in writing there

But please, prioritise making it enjoyable.

Take pride in the process, the writing.

Not the follower numbers and impression counts.

🤘

You’ll hate reading this. But last year, I:

- grew 54,000 followers
- ⁠generated 16M+ impressions
- ⁠⁠made $387k for my one man writing biz

All from writing on silly ol' LinkedIn.

But here’s the real silly thing:

There’s TONS of people smashing it on here.

- ⁠ ⁠Nick Broekema's clients did multi 6 figs w/ content design
- ⁠ ⁠Jacob Pegs​ drives $1.5k daily with passive income 
- ⁠ ⁠Louis Butterfield​ drove $2.4M pipeline for clients with video

I asked them to tell me how they do it. They agreed.

Here's a quick breakdown of exactly how me, Nick, Jacob & Louis personally use LinkedIn to get attention + make money:

(ya might wanna save this for later)

1.⁠ ⁠Matt Barker​ (me). Niche: Writing.

- ⁠Post on LI 7 x per wk (scheduled w magicpost.in)
- ⁠Educational posts to make LI writing fast, easy & fun
- ⁠⁠Stories from working with clients + my life
- ⁠⁠Add link to free resources in posts
- I get their email address (using Kit​)
- ⁠⁠Send automated email sequence
- ⁠⁠Pitch new subs to my Skool​ community
- ⁠⁠After, email 5 x per wk to keep in touch
- ⁠⁠Promote new offer monthly (community/cohorts/1-1)

2.⁠ ⁠Nick Broekema. Niche: Content Design.​

- Talks about Content Design (copy/design/sales)
- Shares 1-5x posts p/w on the fly (whenever he can)
- Content drives people to waitlists and full email list
- Writes 3 emails per week (stories, educational, promo)
- Clients buy through the DMs, waitlists, and email list
- Launches Content Design private group in early April 

3.⁠ ⁠Jacob Pegs. Niche: Offer Funnels.​

- Writes 7x LI posts/wk, 3 drive people to email list 
- ⁠Low ticket funnel to $9 micro “snack” solving 1 core problem 
- ⁠Triggers 4 emails ascending to bigger "snack"
- Leads become customers 
- ⁠Daily email alternating low + high ticket offers
- Turns leads → customers → clients 
- ⁠Runs low cost meta ads to supplement organic 
- ⁠1 long form vid/wk to nurture existing email list 
- ⁠Ascend lower tier clients → higher tiers of proximity on a quarterly basis

4.⁠ ⁠Louis Butterfield​. Niche: Video.

- Makes 1-2 videos per week + panel lives
- Short form to go niche viral, long form to stack trust
- Uses Claude to write scripts + posts (edits in his voice)
- Mix of unhinged zany beard energy and client results
- Simple 5-10 day campaigns monthly to create urgency
- Simple waitlist to capture demand
- Once on waitlist, nurture w emails + videos 2-3x/wk
- Run small cohorts + 1:1 to go deep
- Markets client results

We've all been posting for 2+ years.

What else do you want to know?

Founder @ Kennedy Creative | Helping B2B leaders dominate their category on LinkedIn and convert influence into revenue through content and outbound

Most executives treat LinkedIn like a resume.

I treat it like a revenue engine.

I work with enterprise B2B executives and founders in the 7–9 figure range to turn authority into measurable growth.

Through The Creative Catalyst Method — a system built on content + outbound — my clients transform visibility into deal flow, building 7+ figure pipelines in as little as 6 months.

And the results speak for themselves:
	
• 30+ MQLs generated in less than 60 days
• Clients getting 3+ leads every week with content + outbound
• A 5-figure deal closed by an agency in under 60 days
• $100K pipeline built in less than 90 days for a SaaS company

What makes this possible isn’t just content.

It’s the combination of strategic positioning, executive voice, and consistent outbound touchpoints that makes your brand unforgettable — and turns authority into revenue.

If you’re an executive ready to move from authority → pipeline → growth, let’s talk.

👉 Book a call or connect with me here on LinkedIn.

Doug Kennedy

When I first started posting on LinkedIn, I was afraid of what people would think.

I’m not talking about strangers. 

I was worried about people I actually knew.

- Old friends. 
- Former coworkers. 
- People I’d see at networking events. 

But I did it anyway.

My fears were realized almost immediately.

“This isn’t really how you’re supposed to use LinkedIn.”

“People laugh at your LinkedIn posts at networking events.”

“Your beard is the worst.”

(Okay I didn’t actually get that last one) 

You start replaying it in your head.

Are they screenshotting it?
Are they mocking it?
Do I look stupid?

For a second, you want to delete everything and go back to being invisible.

But here’s what I learned:

The moment you step into the arena, you become a mirror.

• Your consistency makes other people uncomfortable.
• Your courage highlights their hesitation.
• Your action exposes their excuses.

It’s easier to critique the person posting than to become the person posting.

So they say “no one cares.”

But that’s not true.

If no one cared, they wouldn’t be talking about it.

If no one cared, they wouldn’t be laughing.

If no one cared, they wouldn’t feel the need to comment on it at all.

People start to care when you refuse to stop.

And here’s the funny part.

The same people who questioned it…
The same people who laughed…

Eventually start asking:

“How did you grow like that?”
“How are you getting inbound?”
“How are you turning content into clients?”

Funny how that works.

If you’re building something, expect resistance.

Push through.

The version of you on the other side of consistency will thank you.

Founder @ Kennedy Creative | Executive Authority Architect for Growth-Stage B2B Companies | Turning Leadership Visibility into Pipeline

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The other day I got a cold DM from a college kid.

It was clear he never looked at my profile.

(also had strong automation energy)

If you’re doing outreach, your first message has one job:

Build trust in 2–3 sentences.

Here’s what actually works:

1. Prove you looked

Reference something specific.

- A recent post.
- A podcast they were on.
- A project they launched.

“Hey, saw your post about repositioning your business around revenue impact. The point about roadmap prioritization stood out.”

Now I know you paid attention.

2. Add personality

Sound human.

- A light joke.
- A relatable comment.
- A quick shared experience.

“Fellow dad trying to build online while kids are jumping on the couch over here.”

Now you feel real.

3. Make it about them

Curiosity > pitch.
- Ask a thoughtful question.
- Invite perspective.
- Open a loop.

Now we’re in conversation, not combat.

And here are 3 things not to do. I know from experience:

• Don’t lead with a Calendly link
• Don’t write a 7-paragraph essay
• Don’t pretend you “love what we’re doing” if you clearly don’t know

Outreach works. I’ve closed great clients from DMs.

But only when it feels like one person talking to another.

If you want a simple framework for writing trust-first DMs, comment “DM” and I’ll send you what I use.

graphical user interface, text, application, chat or text message

Almost every time I edit or coach someone on their LinkedIn content, the same 3 things need to change.

When we fix them, their content stops “looking good” and starts driving inbound conversations.

Here they are:

1. The Hook

The purpose of the hook is simple: Earn the next line.

Most people start with a platitude.

“Consistency is key.”
“Personal branding matters.”
“Mindset is everything.”

That doesn’t stop the reader.

Instead, use hooks that create tension, clarity, or curiosity.

3 quick hook formulas:

• The Pattern Interrupt
I almost quit posting on LinkedIn last year.

• The Contrarian Take
You don’t have a content problem. You have a positioning problem.

• The Specific Result
One small tweak to this post turned into an inbound lead in 48 hours.

Hooks are not introductions.
They are doorways.
	
2. The Flow

Most posts don’t stick to one coherent idea.

• Writers drift.
• They stack thoughts.
• They introduce side topics that dilute the main point.

I’ve been there…

A strong post:

• Has one core idea
• Builds logically from sentence to sentence
• Removes anything unrelated
• Uses spacing, bullets, or numbers to guide the eye

If it feels messy to read, it feels risky to trust.

Clarity builds authority. Authority builds demand.

3. The CTA

This is the quiet killer few talk about. 

People are afraid to tell others what to do next.

The other day I tweaked one client’s CTA.

Result? Inbound lead.

Strong CTAs that work:

• Conversation CTA
Comment “PLAN” and I’ll send you the framework.

• Soft Authority CTA
Follow me if you’re building your brand this year. I break this down weekly.

• Direct Pipeline CTA
If you want help building this for your business, DM me “Catalyst.”

If you don’t direct the next step, the reader leaves.

Most content doesn’t fail because the creator lacks talent.

It fails because it lacks structure.

Your content stops being boring and starts becoming pipeline.

If you want to rebuild your content engine the right way, my 1:1 Creator Catalyst program is where we do it.

DM me “Catalyst” and let’s talk.

In 10th grade, my dream of becoming a chemical engineer for DuPont was obliterated.

I’d wanted to be a chemist ever since I saw  The Absent-Minded Professor as a kid. 

Then I took trigonometry.

I hated it.

But I realized that my love for science had been replaced by a love of ideas. 

I became obsessed with politics and philosophy. 

That’s when I started noticing something: Formulas solve problems, but ideas move people.

It wasn’t until years later that I realized that people move markets.

That was the shift.

99.9% of founders I talk to think they’re in the product business.

They’re not.

They’re in the idea business.

- The idea behind the product.
- The idea behind the company.
- The idea behind the future they’re selling.

If the idea isn’t clear, the market doesn’t respond.

Writing is leverage. 

It’s how you scale belief.

When a founder realizes their ideas can shape markets, not just conversations… everything changes.

Here’s the real question:

When did you realize your thinking had more power than your technical skill?

Picture: My dad helping me my chemistry set in 3rd grade.

The force that pulls you into Lord of the Rings, the Bible, and an Apple keynote is the same force most founders never learn to use.

It’s metanarrative.

A metanarrative is the overarching explanation of how the world works.

It answers:

• What’s fundamentally broken
• Who the real villain is
• What the future should look like
• What kind of person thrives in that future
• And why now is the turning point

That’s why Tolkien and C.S. Lewis grip you.

There’s a corrupting force.
There’s a small band of unlikely heroes.
There’s sacrifice.
There’s destiny.
There’s restoration.

The Bible does the same on a cosmic scale: creation, fall, redemption, restoration.

Now look at business.

Steve Jobs didn’t sell devices.

He built a metanarrative around creative rebellion. Technology is liberation. The individual is up against the gray corporate machine.

Elon Musk’s metanarrative is that humanity survives by advancing and it looks like:

Multi-planetary life. 
Sustainable energy. 
Relentless innovation.

You don’t have to agree with them. But you know the story they’re telling.

Most $10M+ founders never define theirs.

- They post tactics.
- They explain services.
- They chase engagement.

But they never articulate:

→ What era is ending.
→ What era is emerging.
→ Why their company is built for the new one.

A metanarrative gives your content gravity.
Without it, you have posts.

With it, you have positioning.

If you want to develop one, start here:

1. Identify the dominant belief in your industry.
2. Define why it’s incomplete or outdated.
3. Articulate the shift that’s happening.
4. Define the type of leader who thrives in this new landscape.
5. Position your company as an instrument of that shift.

Repeat that worldview consistently.

Over time, the market begins to see through your lens.

That’s how industries move.

Not through louder messaging, but through clearer meaning.

Reading this and realizing this is what your executive brand is missing? Send me a DM.

When you’re building something, everyone talks about finding the right partners.

- Creators.
- Editors.
- Designers.
- Other founders.

That stuff matters. I love that part.

But there’s another side nobody posts about.

The numbers.

→ invoices scattered across tools
→ subscriptions you forgot existed
→ tax season quietly approaching

For a while my finances lived in a category called: “I’ll organize that later.”

Later never came.

Working with We Got Your Books changed that.

They took a jumbled mess and turned it into clean reports. My accountant was thrilled…always a good sign.

More importantly:

• I know exactly where things stand
• I stopped guessing month to month
• I actually sleep better

Sometimes the most valuable partner isn’t the one who helps you grow faster.

It’s the one who helps you breathe easier.

If you need someone to help clean up your books, reach out to Emma Smith. They’ll take great care of you!

I’ve talked to too many founders with 10,000+ followers and no pipeline.

Strong engagement.
Consistent posting.
Thoughtful ideas.

Still no qualified inbound!

That’s not an algorithm problem. It’s a positioning problem.

In the first issue of The Creative Catalyst, I break down:

→ Why attention and authority are not the same thing
→ The “invisible buyer” most founders ignore
→ Why publishing consistently doesn’t equal positioning
→ The shift I make with clients that changes inbound in 60–90 days
→ A simple test to see if your profile is building leverage or just audience

Most founders don’t need more content.

They need more clarity.

If you’re posting regularly but your pipeline doesn’t reflect it, this one’s for you.

(Subscribe to the LinkedIn newsletter to read more.)

I’ve spoken with this type of founder more times than I can count. They’ve built a respectable audience, they post consistently, and their engagement 

Open article: The Founder With 10,000 Followers and No Pipeline by Doug Kennedy • 3 min read

The Founder With 10,000 Followers and No Pipeline

If your personal brand isn’t driving pipeline on LinkedIn….

You don’t need more content. 

You need a reset. 

Here’s my 7-day authority reset to help you start getting leads on LinkedIn:

taplio

The Battle

Matt Barker

Doug Kennedy

Followers

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Performance ScoreMatt Barker's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDoug Kennedy's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Matt Barker

Doug Kennedy

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Matt Barker's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDoug Kennedy's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreMatt Barker's LinkedIn Performance