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Welcome to Business Conversations with PiMPiet 2.0, where the advice is real, but the voices are AI.
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I'm Scoob, and we're harnessing cutting-edge artificial intelligence to tackle real-world business challenges and deliver actionable strategies you can implement right now.
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Let's dive in.
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Imagine you're uh sitting down to dinner, you're completely exhausted from a long day, you've just taken your very first bite of food, and suddenly, bang, bang, bang, someone is aggressively pounding on your front door trying to sell you a vacuum cleaner.
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Oh, that is the absolute worst.
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Right.
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You're annoyed, your guard is up, and there is like almost a 0% chance you're buying that vacuum.
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Yeah, I'm probably just pretending I'm not home at that point.
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Exactly.
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But now, contrast that with strolling downtown on a really relaxed Saturday afternoon, you see this brightly lit, beautifully designed window display that perfectly aligns with exactly what you've been looking to buy.
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So you just walk right in.
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You walk through those doors because you actively want to be there.
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And that dynamic, you know, the difference between being a nuisance and being an invited guest, that's exactly what we're unpacking today.
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It's a complete shift in the power dynamic.
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It really is.
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We are focusing on how to make people want to walk into your digital storefront.
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Yeah.
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And uh I have to say, this deep dive is incredibly special today.
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Oh, definitely.
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Because the topic actually came directly from you, the listener.
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Yes.
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A listener submitted this exact question over at tuepodcast.net slash ask pie.
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We always say we want you to drive the ship here.
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So we are making a huge deal out of it.
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It's the best way to do this, just tackling real problems you guys are actually facing.
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Totally.
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So the mission today comes straight from that submission.
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The question was: how do I build a personal brand on LinkedIn or X to generate inbound leads?
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Such a good question.
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And to answer it, we pulled together a massive stack of current material.
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I mean, we've got 2026 algorithm reports, we have high-level marketing agency playbooks, and uh insights from digital strategy experts.
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We really went deep on this one.
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We did.
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The goal is to extract the exact blueprint for turning your social media profiles into this automated lead generation machine.
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And honestly, it is a highly timely question.
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Because if you look at the overarching theme across all this data, we are officially moving away from the era of random viral posting.
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Chasing likes is just a losing game now.
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It really is.
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The entire landscape has shifted into an era of strategic, high-intent brand building.
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But you know, before we get into the tactical how-to stuff, we really need to talk about the why.
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Like, why should you, listening to this right now, dedicate time to inbound branding instead of just sticking to traditional sales tactics?
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Aaron Powell You mean like sending cold emails or those automated direct messages?
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Aaron Powell Exactly.
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Why not just do that?
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Aaron Powell Well, the conversion data paints a really stark picture here.
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Right now, inbound leads, meaning people who actually reach out to you first, they're converting eight to nine times better than outbound outreach.
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Yeah, it's massive.
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Let's figure out why that math works.
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What is causing such a huge discrepancy?
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Trevor Burrus, Jr.
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It basically comes down to asymmetrical trust and uh really just the fundamental psychology of a sales call.
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We are looking at a 14.6% close rate for inbound leads compared to a tiny 1.7% for outbound.
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Wow, 1.7 is just brutal.
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It is because when you send a cold message, you are just a salesperson trying to take their money.
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Their guard is immediately up, like with the vacuum salesman.
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Right.
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Right.
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But when they consume your content for a month and then they reach out to you, they already view you as an authority.
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Aaron Powell, so you don't even have to pitch them on your competence at that point.
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Aaron Powell Exactly.
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You just have to discuss the logistics of the solution.
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And on top of that, massive difference in closing, inbound actually costs 63% less per lead.
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Aaron Powell So it's just a vastly more efficient way to operate across the board.
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Aaron Powell Absolutely.
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And when we look at where this is actually happening, LinkedIn is absolutely dominating the B2B or business-to-business space.
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The research shows LinkedIn now drives 75 to 85% of all B2B social media leads.
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Aaron Powell Which makes perfect sense contextually, right?
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I mean you don't open LinkedIn to be entertained.
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No, I usually open it to see who got promoted.
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Aaron Powell Well, yeah, but generally you open it to advance your career or grow your business.
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Yeah.
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But beyond just user intent, there's a structural reason why inbound is practically mandatory now.
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The platforms themselves are actively killing the old outbound models.
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Right.
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Because I remember like a few years ago, the strategy was just to use software to automate a thousand connection requests a wink.
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It was just a numbers game.
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Aaron Powell And that volume game is physically broken now.
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LinkedIn actually capped connection requests to just 100 to 200 per week.
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Oh wow.
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So you really can't do the mass outreach anymore.
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Trevor Burrus You really can't.
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You can no longer spam a massive list and just hope a fraction of a percent reply.
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Because the platform severely restricted your ability to go out and grab people, you literally have to build a system that attracts them to you.
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Okay, let's unpack this because that brings us right back to our opening analogy.
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Cold outreach is knocking on that stranger's door during dinner.
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Inbound branding is setting up that welcoming storefront.
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Exactly.
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So how do we actually build that storefront?
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Well, it starts by totally redefining what a personal brand actually is in 2026.
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A lot of people think a personal brand is a specific color scheme or a sleek logo or, you know, some clever tagline.
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Yeah, like having a matching font on everything.
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Right.
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But it's not that at all.
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A personal brand is simply an association in the audience's mind between you and a specific outcome.
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Oh, I like that.
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An association with an outcome.
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Yeah.
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So when they experience a specific pain point, your name should instantly pop into their head as the remedy.
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Which means the very first step in building this digital storefront is locking down a hyper-specific niche.
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You have to.
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You need a positioning line that you could comfortably say out loud to a stranger.
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Because a generic bio, like uh marketing tips or productivity enthusiast, that is totally invisible today.
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It means nothing.
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Right.
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Instead, it needs to be laser focused.
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For example, I help bootstrap sauce founders price their product without guessing.
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That's a great example.
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And just to clarify, for anyone not living in a tech bubble, sauce stands for software as a service, so companies like Slack or Zoom.
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That level of specificity is just critical because that positioning line answers the most important question a visitor has within like three seconds of landing on your profile.
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Which is what specific problem do you solve and who do you solve it for?
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Exactly.
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If a stranger can't answer both halves of that equation immediately, they are going to click away.
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Now, there is a vital technical detail we should mention for X, formally Twitter.
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If you are applying the strategy over there, your profile must be 100% public.
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Oh, yes, absolutely.
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You have to go into your settings and turn off tweet protection.
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If your account is locked down to just your immediate circle of friends, having a great bio doesn't even matter.
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The algorithm will literally never push your content to the strangers you're trying to convert.
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Right.
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So the technical setup has to allow for discoverability.
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It's step one.
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And looking at LinkedIn, you really need to treat your profile page as a dedicated landing page.
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Okay.
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How so?
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Well, the banner image at the very top, it shouldn't just be a generic stock photo of a city skyline or, you know, a cup of coffee on a desk.
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Guilty.
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It needs to function like a store's window display.
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A window display that filters people out.
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Exactly.
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A really good window display doesn't just invite the right people in, it actually tells the wrong people to keep walking.
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Makes sense.
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If you display high-end diamond watches, someone looking for a$10 calculator knows they are in the wrong place immediately.
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So your banner should state exactly who you help and feature a clear call to action directing them on what to do next.
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Yes.
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And right below that banner is your about section.
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This is something so many people get wrong by treating it like a chronological resume.
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Yeah, it shouldn't read like in 2018 I was promoted to regional manager.
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No one cares.
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It needs to tell a story centered entirely on your ideal client's problem, demonstrating how your unique background makes you the perfect person to solve it.
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It is basically a sales letter disguised as an introduction.
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Wait, hold on.
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This actually leads me to something I want to push back on a bit.
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Okay, go for it.
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The source materials talk a lot about relentless flexing, improving you are the absolute best in your field.
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They encourage posting your wins, showing off client testimonials.
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I mean, if I just post screenshots of how great I am all day, I'm gonna look like an arrogant jerk.
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Doesn't that heavily repel people?
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What's fascinating here is that it only repels people if you do it the old way.
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We really have to reframe what flexing actually means right now.
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Aaron Powell Okay, how do we reframe it?
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True flexing isn't about using empty, subjective adjectives.
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It's not calling yourself, you know, experienced or passionate or an industry visionary.
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Because everyone claims to be those things.
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Aaron Powell Exactly.
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So the words have lost all meaning entirely.
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Real flexing is replacing those empty adjectives with undeniable objective proof.
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Ah, okay.
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So less I am a visionary marketer and more like here's the exact data showing how we increased revenue by 40%.
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Aaron Powell Precisely.
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It's sharing real hard numbers.
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It's posting blurred-out screenshots of client texts celebrating a huge win.
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Oh, I see that a lot now.
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Yeah, or it's publishing detailed case studies that break down the exact steps you took to solve a problem, and then pinning all of that proof right to the top of your profile.
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Aaron Powell So it's not bragging if it's just facts.
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Aaron Powell When you back up your claims with objective reality, it doesn't read as arrogance.
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It reads as high-level competence.
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The proof basically does the selling for you.
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Okay, so we've built the storefront, the sign is up, the window display filters for the right buyers, and the shelves are stocked with objective proof.
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Looking good so far.
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But a beautiful store in the middle of the desert won't get any foot traffic.
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Yep.
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How do we get people to actually walk by?
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Let's talk about the 2026 algorithms because the landscape has fundamentally shifted here.
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It really has.
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The reports show that overall LinkedIn views are down 50% and engagement is down 25%.
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I mean, it sounds like a total ghost count out there compared to a few years ago.
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It is a vastly more difficult landscape today, mainly because of two massive platform altering updates.
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Let's hear them.
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First, LinkedIn rolled out a new AI ranking system called 360 Brew.
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And this system shifted the algorithm completely away from legacy keyword matching and that random viral reach.
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It now focuses almost exclusively on topical relevance.
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Okay, explain how that mechanism actually works, though.
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How does the AI know what is relevant?
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The AI basically assigns a confidence score to your profile by clustering the topics you talk about most.
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It learns what specific niche you are actually an expert in.
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Okay.
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So if you consistently post about supply chain logistics, the AI builds high confidence in your authority there and it pushes your content to people interested in supply chains.
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That makes sense.
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But if you post about supply chains on Monday, your dog on Tuesday, and then some political hot take on Wednesday, the AI's confidence score drops drastically.
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Aaron Powell It just gets confused.
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Exactly.
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It gets confused about what you actually do and it throttles your reach across the board.
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Wow.
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So staying strictly in your lane is no longer just good branding.
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It is literally a technical requirement for the algorithm to distribute your content.
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Aaron Powell Yep.
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And then came the hammer drop in March 2026 with the authenticity update.
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Aaron Powell Right.
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I saw this in the playbooks.
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That update was a direct assault on all the old growth hacks, wasn't it?
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Aaron Ross Powell A total assault.
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The algorithm now aggressively punishes engagement bait.
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So if you try to game the system by ending a post with agree, comment below, does it catch that?
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Oh yeah.
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The AI detects that exact syntax and just buries the post.
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And if you spam external links in the main text to drive people off the platform, your reach is crushed.
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And it officially killed polls.
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I was shocked by this.
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Polls used to be the ultimate cheap trick to get engagement.
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Oh, they were everywhere.
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Now they get a dismal.07% engagement rate.
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Why did LinkedIn kill off their own feature?
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Because bots and automated pods were just gaming them relentlessly.
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Ah, of course.
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The user experience plummeted because feeds were clogged with meaningless questions that were just designed to farm clicks.
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So LinkedIn effectively shadow banned the entire format.
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Aaron Powell the cheap tricks are dead.
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What is the AI actually rewarding right now?
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The algorithm is heavily prioritizing depth and authority.
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Right now, the absolute highest performing format is the document post.
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Aaron Powell That's often called a PDF carousel, right?
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Where users slide through a series of slides.
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Exactly.
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They are pulling a massive 6.6% average engagement rate, which is just unheard of right now.
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Also, native video, like 30 to 90 seconds.
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And newsletters are doing great because they bypass the feed and go straight to inboxes.
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Aaron Powell Wait, go back to the PDF thing.
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Why a PDF?
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That sounds like corporate homework to me.
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Why does the algorithm prefer a slide deck over a quick snappy video?
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It all comes down to a metric called dwell time.
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The algorithm measures exactly how many seconds a user spends looking at your post.
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Okay, so it tracks how long you hover.
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Right.
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If you write a two-sentence text post, they scroll past it in three seconds.
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But if you upload a 12-slide PDF carousel full of really valuable information, the user has to stop, swipe, read, and absorb.
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So they might spend two to three minutes on that single post.
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Exactly.
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And that massive dwell time signals to the algorithm that this content is highly engaging, so it pushes it to way more feeds.
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That makes perfect sense.
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It's optimizing for time on platform.
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Bingo.
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What about posting frequency though?
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Because the old conventional wisdom was that you needed to post three to five times a day just to stay relevant.
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Yeah, that will actively hurt you now.
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In 2026, one highly valuable deep dive post a week completely destroys five low-quality generic posts.
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Really?
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Just one?
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Yes.
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Because of that confidence score we talked about earlier, the algorithm penalizes you if you post shallow filler content just to stay active.
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Quality strictly beats quantity now.
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Good to know.
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Yeah.
00:15:14.910 --> 00:15:18.830
And is there a specific window when we should be publishing this deep dive content?
00:15:19.150 --> 00:15:20.990
Timing is still a critical factor for sure.
00:15:21.150 --> 00:15:24.990
The golden window across the board is Tuesday through Thursday, between 9 a.m.
00:15:25.150 --> 00:15:25.870
and 11 a.m.
00:15:26.110 --> 00:15:27.870
in your target audience's time zone.
00:15:28.270 --> 00:15:28.750
Makes sense.
00:15:28.830 --> 00:15:35.390
That is when B2B professionals have settled in at their desks, they've cleared their morning emails, and they're most receptive to reading thought leadership.
00:15:35.710 --> 00:15:36.030
Exactly.
00:15:36.350 --> 00:15:46.030
Now if you are listening to this on your commute right now, you're probably thinking, I don't have time to write massive 12 slide deep dives every single week while also doing my actual full-time job.
00:15:46.350 --> 00:15:47.950
It sounds like a recipe for total burnout.
00:15:48.190 --> 00:15:48.670
It does.
00:15:48.750 --> 00:15:50.830
But here's where it gets really interesting.
00:15:50.990 --> 00:15:54.030
There is a structural workaround for this called the content flywheel.
00:15:54.270 --> 00:15:56.750
It is all about creating an efficient engine.
00:15:56.990 --> 00:16:03.550
The flywheel model suggests that you only sit down to write one massive, comprehensive piece of content per week.
00:16:03.870 --> 00:16:06.110
Like a detailed newsletter or a core blog post.
00:16:06.430 --> 00:16:06.830
Exactly.
00:16:06.990 --> 00:16:14.830
And from that single foundational piece, you extract the core concepts to create two long-form threads or PDF carousels.
00:16:15.230 --> 00:16:19.550
Then you pull out seven smaller, punchy text posts or observations.
00:16:19.870 --> 00:16:25.710
So one focused block of writing on a Sunday afternoon fuels your entire distribution for the rest of the week.
00:16:26.030 --> 00:16:30.430
Yes, it's an incredibly smart way to recycle ideas without feeling repetitive.
00:16:30.830 --> 00:16:36.350
But, you know, even with a great engine, you still need to stand out in a feed full of other professionals doing the exact same thing.
00:16:36.590 --> 00:16:36.750
Right.
00:16:37.070 --> 00:16:38.750
This is where humanizing the brand comes in.
00:16:39.070 --> 00:16:44.030
You have to remind the audience that there is a real, relatable human behind all this expertise.
00:16:44.190 --> 00:16:46.510
That means occasionally pulling back the professional curtain.
00:16:46.910 --> 00:16:48.350
What does that look like in practice?
00:16:48.670 --> 00:16:53.950
It might mean sharing your irrational love for a specific flavor of monster energy drink.
00:16:54.190 --> 00:16:57.470
Or, you know, posting a thought you had after a tough morning run.
00:16:57.870 --> 00:17:03.870
Oh, there is a highly specific, very memorable example of this from the X platform strategies we looked at.
00:17:04.109 --> 00:17:04.990
Oh, Ty Mumford.
00:17:05.230 --> 00:17:05.390
Yes.
00:17:05.549 --> 00:17:06.589
Ty Mumford.
00:17:06.750 --> 00:17:14.829
This guy built an audience of over 10,000 followers on X by documenting a highly, highly niche job, stump grinding.
00:17:15.150 --> 00:17:18.269
It perfectly illustrates the power of documenting your reality.
00:17:18.589 --> 00:17:18.750
Right.
00:17:18.829 --> 00:17:23.069
He isn't chai posting generic quotes about hustling or synergy.
00:17:23.309 --> 00:17:32.750
He literally proves his competence every single day by posting mesmerizing time-lapse videos of himself grinding massive tree stumps into dust.
00:17:32.990 --> 00:17:34.430
It's oddly satisfying to watch.
00:17:34.750 --> 00:17:35.309
He really is.
00:17:35.390 --> 00:17:37.309
And he talks about the logistics of his machinery.
00:17:37.390 --> 00:17:39.390
He shows text messages from thrilled customers.
00:17:39.549 --> 00:17:41.710
He posts about his favorite bagels in town.
00:17:41.789 --> 00:17:44.430
It's undeniably authentic, and you really feel like you know him.
00:17:44.750 --> 00:17:47.470
Ty is doing exactly what builds fierce loyalty.
00:17:47.629 --> 00:17:47.789
Right.
00:17:47.950 --> 00:17:53.230
He is providing a nauseating amount of free value simply by showing his exact process in public.
00:17:53.549 --> 00:17:54.269
Nauseating value.
00:17:54.509 --> 00:17:54.670
Yeah.
00:17:54.750 --> 00:18:00.909
And for knowledge workers like consultants, marketers, designers, providing nauseating value is the absolute core of this entire strategy.
00:18:01.309 --> 00:18:06.189
Just giving away so much that it almost makes you uncomfortable because you feel like you should be charging for it.
00:18:06.509 --> 00:18:06.990
Exactly.
00:18:07.230 --> 00:18:15.549
The strategy is to give away your exact frameworks, your proprietary templates, and your swipe files entirely for free in the direct messages.
00:18:15.869 --> 00:18:22.509
And swipe files are basically the personal folders where you save all your best performing ideas and formats, right?
00:18:22.750 --> 00:18:22.990
Yep.
00:18:23.069 --> 00:18:23.869
Just hand them more.
00:18:24.189 --> 00:18:28.909
But wait, if I give away the secret sauce for free, why would anyone ever hire me?
00:18:29.069 --> 00:18:32.349
Am I not just training my potential clients to do it themselves?
00:18:32.750 --> 00:18:40.349
This is the biggest mental hurdle people face with this, but it relies on a misunderstanding of what high-level clients actually buy.
00:18:40.750 --> 00:18:41.789
Okay, what do they buy?
00:18:42.109 --> 00:18:43.309
Information is cheap.
00:18:43.549 --> 00:18:45.710
Execution is incredibly difficult.
00:18:45.950 --> 00:18:55.149
When you hand a busy, bootstrapped founder your exact 10-page framework for pricing their software, they will read it and think, this is absolutely brilliant.
00:18:55.230 --> 00:18:56.990
This person knows exactly what they're talking about.
00:18:57.309 --> 00:18:57.470
Okay.
00:18:57.629 --> 00:19:01.950
But then they realize this is going to take me 40 hours to implement, and I have a company to run.
00:19:02.269 --> 00:19:02.750
Oh, I see.
00:19:03.069 --> 00:19:11.149
By giving away the manual, you prove your unquestionable expertise to the exact people who have the budget to just pay you to execute it for them.
00:19:11.230 --> 00:19:13.789
Aaron Powell They aren't buying the information, they are buying the implementation.
00:19:14.109 --> 00:19:14.429
Exactly.
00:19:14.750 --> 00:19:16.750
That is a massive paradigm shift.
00:19:17.309 --> 00:19:23.789
And uh to further cement that loyalty, we have to talk about creating ideological enemies.
00:19:24.189 --> 00:19:24.829
This is huge.
00:19:25.230 --> 00:19:32.990
Now, this doesn't mean picking fights with specific people or being toxic online, but rather throwing rocks at established concepts.
00:19:33.389 --> 00:19:35.149
It's a mechanism for polarization.
00:19:35.389 --> 00:19:37.069
Think about someone like Justin Welsh.
00:19:37.309 --> 00:19:37.710
Oh, yeah.
00:19:37.789 --> 00:19:38.829
He's massive on LinkedIn.
00:19:39.149 --> 00:19:39.309
Right.
00:19:39.389 --> 00:19:44.990
And he built a huge following by heavily criticizing hustle culture and the traditional nine-to-five grind.
00:19:45.149 --> 00:19:50.349
By polarizing his content against those specific ideas, he naturally repels corporate traditionalists.
00:19:50.669 --> 00:19:52.029
Who are never going to buy from him anyway.
00:19:52.349 --> 00:19:52.669
Exactly.
00:19:52.829 --> 00:19:58.109
And he magnetically attracts a specific tribe of people who want to be independent solopreneurs.
00:19:58.269 --> 00:20:02.750
You clearly define what you stand for by being unapologetic about what you planned against.
00:20:03.149 --> 00:20:05.309
Okay, so let's tie all of this together.
00:20:05.549 --> 00:20:08.909
We have locked down a hyper-specific niche.
00:20:09.149 --> 00:20:11.069
Our storefront is optimized.
00:20:11.230 --> 00:20:18.589
We are feeding the algorithm with high dwell-time carousels, and we are polarizing our audience while giving away our best secrets.
00:20:18.909 --> 00:20:19.629
We're doing it all.
00:20:19.950 --> 00:20:22.589
So what does this all mean for getting actual clients?
00:20:22.750 --> 00:20:24.829
How do I actually get them on a sales call?
00:20:24.990 --> 00:20:27.710
Do I just drop a link to my calendar at the end of every post?
00:20:28.029 --> 00:20:28.669
No, no.
00:20:28.829 --> 00:20:32.589
If you do that, the algorithm will bury the post and the audience will just tune you out.
00:20:32.829 --> 00:20:33.470
So what's the move?
00:20:33.710 --> 00:20:39.230
Converting attention requires a structured three-step mechanism known as the inbound post funnel.
00:20:39.389 --> 00:20:41.789
You do not try to sell in every interaction.
00:20:41.950 --> 00:20:45.710
You guide the reader through a specific psychological journey over a few days.
00:20:46.029 --> 00:20:49.149
So if I shouldn't pitch in the first post, what am I doing?
00:20:49.309 --> 00:20:51.789
Just complaining about an industry problem to get attention.
00:20:52.109 --> 00:20:53.230
You are building awareness.
00:20:53.389 --> 00:20:54.429
That is step one.
00:20:54.750 --> 00:20:59.309
You tell a relatable story about a specific struggle a past client faced.
00:20:59.470 --> 00:21:01.149
You aren't offering a solution yet.
00:21:01.230 --> 00:21:02.750
You are just building empathy.
00:21:03.069 --> 00:21:07.950
It hooks the people who are currently dealing with that exact same problem because they feel seen.
00:21:08.189 --> 00:21:08.509
Right.
00:21:08.750 --> 00:21:12.669
Then step two, which you post a day or two later, is education.
00:21:12.909 --> 00:21:21.549
This is where you drop that deep dive PDF carousel, breaking down the exact mechanics of the solution you implemented to fix the problem you talked about on Tuesday.
00:21:21.789 --> 00:21:23.470
And then step three has to be the pitch, right?
00:21:23.710 --> 00:21:26.589
Step three is action, but it is a very soft pitch.
00:21:26.750 --> 00:21:31.389
It is a direct text invitation that creates a low friction micro commitment.
00:21:31.710 --> 00:21:32.589
Give me an example.
00:21:32.829 --> 00:21:35.710
You don't say book a$5,000 consultation.
00:21:35.789 --> 00:21:41.470
You say something simple like if you are struggling with this problem, my team just built a system to fix it.
00:21:41.629 --> 00:21:43.710
Send me a DM and I'll send over the framework.
00:21:44.029 --> 00:21:44.669
Oh, that's smart.
00:21:44.829 --> 00:21:46.589
It doesn't feel like a pushy sales pitch.
00:21:46.669 --> 00:21:50.750
It feels like a natural, helpful continuation of the value you've already provided.
00:21:51.069 --> 00:21:51.710
Exactly.
00:21:51.950 --> 00:21:55.789
And that leads perfectly into the final piece of the puzzle, which is lead magnets.
00:21:56.109 --> 00:21:56.269
Right.
00:21:56.429 --> 00:22:12.189
You want to offer a resource that is so intensely valuable, like a comprehensive diagnostic checklist or a template pack or maybe a sales team efficiency scorecard, something a prospect is happily willing to trade their email address in order to get.
00:22:12.509 --> 00:22:16.589
Capturing that email address is the ultimate finish line of this entire strategy.
00:22:16.909 --> 00:22:17.470
Yes.
00:22:17.789 --> 00:22:22.990
Because if you're only operating on X or LinkedIn, you are building your business on rented land.
00:22:23.230 --> 00:22:24.509
You don't own those followers.
00:22:24.750 --> 00:22:25.470
You really don't.
00:22:25.710 --> 00:22:34.429
The algorithm could change tomorrow, the platform could pivot, or your account could just get mistakenly banned, and you would lose access to your entire audience in an instant.
00:22:34.669 --> 00:22:35.629
It's too risky.
00:22:35.869 --> 00:22:43.470
The primary function of an inbound social media strategy is moving the audience off of that rented land and onto an email list.
00:22:43.710 --> 00:22:49.950
An email list is a tangible asset that you truly own, control, and can predictably monetize.
00:22:50.269 --> 00:22:51.470
It creates real stability.
00:22:51.629 --> 00:23:02.509
But you know, as we systematize all of this, the flywheels, the AI algorithms, the automated funnels, there is a real danger of losing the one element that actually makes personal branding effective in the first place.
00:23:02.829 --> 00:23:04.990
Which brings us to the summary for you, the listener.
00:23:05.069 --> 00:23:10.349
If you are commuting or cooking or just walking the dog right now, here is the overarching takeaway.
00:23:10.909 --> 00:23:15.869
Building a personal brand to generate inbound leads is not an exercise in vanity metrics.
00:23:16.189 --> 00:23:16.589
Not at all.
00:23:16.829 --> 00:23:23.869
It is about claiming a highly specific niche and optimizing your profile to act as a filtering window display.
00:23:24.029 --> 00:23:29.869
It's about working with the topical AI algorithms by providing deep, high dwell time content.
00:23:30.589 --> 00:23:42.589
It's about giving away your most valuable frameworks for free to prove your competence and ultimately moving those relationships off of rented social media platforms and into an email channel you actually own.
00:23:42.909 --> 00:23:44.109
Beautifully summarized.
00:23:44.189 --> 00:23:47.789
And I want to leave you with a final thought to mull over as you start building this.
00:23:48.029 --> 00:23:50.669
We spent a lot of time analyzing AI algorithms today.
00:23:50.990 --> 00:23:51.309
We did.
00:23:51.549 --> 00:23:58.669
But as AI content generation continues to rapidly improve, it is becoming literally indistinguishable from human writing.
00:23:58.990 --> 00:23:59.710
It's getting wild.
00:24:00.029 --> 00:24:06.509
In the very near future, the ultimate premium in the marketplace won't be information because AI can instantly generate endless information.
00:24:06.750 --> 00:24:11.470
The ultimate premium will be authenticity, lived experience, and true human connection.
00:24:11.789 --> 00:24:12.669
That's a powerful point.
00:24:12.990 --> 00:24:16.990
So as you implement these automated flywheels and funnels, ask yourself this.
00:24:17.149 --> 00:24:20.669
How will you ensure your digital brand retains its human soul?
00:24:20.990 --> 00:24:24.189
That is the exact challenge we all have to navigate moving forward.
00:24:24.349 --> 00:24:28.990
You have to build the brightly lit storefront that people actively want to walk into, human soul and all.
00:24:29.309 --> 00:24:29.950
Absolutely.
00:24:30.349 --> 00:24:38.269
And speaking of being invited in, I want to explicitly remind you to send your own specific questions and challenges in for a future deep dive.
00:24:38.509 --> 00:24:38.909
Please do.
00:24:39.149 --> 00:24:42.189
Just go to tuepodcast.net slash ask pie.
00:24:42.429 --> 00:24:43.389
Do it right now.
00:24:43.710 --> 00:24:49.950
Today's incredible conversation only happened because a listener just like you took the time to ask a great question.
00:24:50.109 --> 00:24:52.589
We really cannot wait to see what you send us next.
00:24:52.909 --> 00:24:54.750
And that's a wrap, school believers.
00:24:55.149 --> 00:25:01.149
You just experienced the power of AI-driven business insights with Pi and Piet 2.0.
00:25:01.470 --> 00:25:05.230
Real advice, artificial voices, unlimited potential.
00:25:05.389 --> 00:25:12.429
If today's episode sparked an idea, challenged your thinking, or gave you that breakthrough moment, don't keep it to yourself.
00:25:12.589 --> 00:25:15.549
Share it with a fellow entrepreneur who needs to hear this.
00:25:15.710 --> 00:25:17.149
Got a burning business question?
00:25:17.389 --> 00:25:20.829
Want Pi and Piet to tackle your specific challenge?
00:25:20.990 --> 00:25:28.029
Head over to tueppodcast.net slash ask pie and submit your question right now.
00:25:28.189 --> 00:25:34.189
We'll dive deep into your issue and deliver the actionable strategies you need to get across the start line.
00:25:34.349 --> 00:25:37.309
Remember, two believers, the hurdles aren't in the way.
00:25:37.470 --> 00:25:38.909
The hurdles are the way.
00:25:39.069 --> 00:25:44.269
Until next time, keep moving forward, keep taking action, and we'll see you in the next episode.
00:00:55.149 --> 00:01:02.909
Welcome to Business Conversations with PiMPiet 2.0, where the advice is real, but the voices are AI.
00:01:03.070 --> 00:01:13.150
I'm Scoob, and we're harnessing cutting-edge artificial intelligence to tackle real-world business challenges and deliver actionable strategies you can implement right now.
00:01:13.549 --> 00:01:14.590
Let's dive in.
00:01:14.829 --> 00:01:30.189
Imagine you're uh sitting down to dinner, you're completely exhausted from a long day, you've just taken your very first bite of food, and suddenly, bang, bang, bang, someone is aggressively pounding on your front door trying to sell you a vacuum cleaner.
00:01:30.430 --> 00:01:32.509
Oh, that is the absolute worst.
00:01:32.909 --> 00:01:33.069
Right.
00:01:33.229 --> 00:01:39.629
You're annoyed, your guard is up, and there is like almost a 0% chance you're buying that vacuum.
00:01:39.950 --> 00:01:41.950
Yeah, I'm probably just pretending I'm not home at that point.
00:01:42.349 --> 00:01:42.990
Exactly.
00:01:43.229 --> 00:01:55.069
But now, contrast that with strolling downtown on a really relaxed Saturday afternoon, you see this brightly lit, beautifully designed window display that perfectly aligns with exactly what you've been looking to buy.
00:01:55.390 --> 00:01:56.270
So you just walk right in.
00:01:56.670 --> 00:01:59.229
You walk through those doors because you actively want to be there.
00:01:59.469 --> 00:02:06.110
And that dynamic, you know, the difference between being a nuisance and being an invited guest, that's exactly what we're unpacking today.
00:02:06.349 --> 00:02:08.189
It's a complete shift in the power dynamic.
00:02:08.509 --> 00:02:09.229
It really is.
00:02:09.469 --> 00:02:12.909
We are focusing on how to make people want to walk into your digital storefront.
00:02:13.150 --> 00:02:13.469
Yeah.
00:02:13.789 --> 00:02:17.389
And uh I have to say, this deep dive is incredibly special today.
00:02:17.710 --> 00:02:18.430
Oh, definitely.
00:02:18.590 --> 00:02:21.069
Because the topic actually came directly from you, the listener.
00:02:21.389 --> 00:02:21.629
Yes.
00:02:21.789 --> 00:02:28.030
A listener submitted this exact question over at tuepodcast.net slash ask pie.
00:02:28.669 --> 00:02:30.830
We always say we want you to drive the ship here.
00:02:30.909 --> 00:02:32.430
So we are making a huge deal out of it.
00:02:32.750 --> 00:02:35.949
It's the best way to do this, just tackling real problems you guys are actually facing.
00:02:36.270 --> 00:02:36.590
Totally.
00:02:37.069 --> 00:02:39.229
So the mission today comes straight from that submission.
00:02:39.389 --> 00:02:44.750
The question was: how do I build a personal brand on LinkedIn or X to generate inbound leads?
00:02:45.150 --> 00:02:46.110
Such a good question.
00:02:46.430 --> 00:02:50.509
And to answer it, we pulled together a massive stack of current material.
00:02:50.669 --> 00:02:58.750
I mean, we've got 2026 algorithm reports, we have high-level marketing agency playbooks, and uh insights from digital strategy experts.
00:02:59.069 --> 00:03:00.189
We really went deep on this one.
00:03:00.509 --> 00:03:00.909
We did.
00:03:01.150 --> 00:03:07.629
The goal is to extract the exact blueprint for turning your social media profiles into this automated lead generation machine.
00:03:07.949 --> 00:03:10.030
And honestly, it is a highly timely question.
00:03:10.189 --> 00:03:16.909
Because if you look at the overarching theme across all this data, we are officially moving away from the era of random viral posting.
00:03:17.229 --> 00:03:18.989
Chasing likes is just a losing game now.
00:03:19.229 --> 00:03:20.189
It really is.
00:03:20.349 --> 00:03:25.949
The entire landscape has shifted into an era of strategic, high-intent brand building.
00:03:26.430 --> 00:03:31.629
But you know, before we get into the tactical how-to stuff, we really need to talk about the why.
00:03:31.789 --> 00:03:40.109
Like, why should you, listening to this right now, dedicate time to inbound branding instead of just sticking to traditional sales tactics?
00:03:40.189 --> 00:03:44.030
Aaron Powell You mean like sending cold emails or those automated direct messages?
00:03:44.109 --> 00:03:44.669
Aaron Powell Exactly.
00:03:44.750 --> 00:03:45.469
Why not just do that?
00:03:45.549 --> 00:03:48.669
Aaron Powell Well, the conversion data paints a really stark picture here.
00:03:48.909 --> 00:03:55.870
Right now, inbound leads, meaning people who actually reach out to you first, they're converting eight to nine times better than outbound outreach.
00:03:57.549 --> 00:03:58.269
Yeah, it's massive.
00:03:58.509 --> 00:04:00.590
Let's figure out why that math works.
00:04:00.750 --> 00:04:02.669
What is causing such a huge discrepancy?
00:04:02.829 --> 00:04:02.989
Trevor Burrus, Jr.
00:04:03.069 --> 00:04:09.069
It basically comes down to asymmetrical trust and uh really just the fundamental psychology of a sales call.
00:04:09.310 --> 00:04:15.949
We are looking at a 14.6% close rate for inbound leads compared to a tiny 1.7% for outbound.
00:04:16.350 --> 00:04:17.949
Wow, 1.7 is just brutal.
00:04:18.269 --> 00:04:22.670
It is because when you send a cold message, you are just a salesperson trying to take their money.
00:04:22.829 --> 00:04:25.790
Their guard is immediately up, like with the vacuum salesman.
00:04:26.110 --> 00:04:26.350
Right.
00:04:26.509 --> 00:04:26.670
Right.
00:04:27.069 --> 00:04:32.910
But when they consume your content for a month and then they reach out to you, they already view you as an authority.
00:04:32.990 --> 00:04:35.470
Aaron Powell, so you don't even have to pitch them on your competence at that point.
00:04:35.550 --> 00:04:36.030
Aaron Powell Exactly.
00:04:36.189 --> 00:04:38.509
You just have to discuss the logistics of the solution.
00:04:38.670 --> 00:04:45.069
And on top of that, massive difference in closing, inbound actually costs 63% less per lead.
00:04:45.150 --> 00:04:49.389
Aaron Powell So it's just a vastly more efficient way to operate across the board.
00:04:49.470 --> 00:04:50.269
Aaron Powell Absolutely.
00:04:50.509 --> 00:04:57.790
And when we look at where this is actually happening, LinkedIn is absolutely dominating the B2B or business-to-business space.
00:04:58.030 --> 00:05:04.670
The research shows LinkedIn now drives 75 to 85% of all B2B social media leads.
00:05:04.750 --> 00:05:07.069
Aaron Powell Which makes perfect sense contextually, right?
00:05:07.150 --> 00:05:09.069
I mean you don't open LinkedIn to be entertained.
00:05:09.470 --> 00:05:11.069
No, I usually open it to see who got promoted.
00:05:11.149 --> 00:05:15.550
Aaron Powell Well, yeah, but generally you open it to advance your career or grow your business.
00:05:15.790 --> 00:05:15.870
Yeah.
00:05:16.110 --> 00:05:21.069
But beyond just user intent, there's a structural reason why inbound is practically mandatory now.
00:05:21.310 --> 00:05:25.069
The platforms themselves are actively killing the old outbound models.
00:05:25.389 --> 00:05:25.550
Right.
00:05:25.629 --> 00:05:33.790
Because I remember like a few years ago, the strategy was just to use software to automate a thousand connection requests a wink.
00:05:33.949 --> 00:05:34.909
It was just a numbers game.
00:05:34.990 --> 00:05:37.629
Aaron Powell And that volume game is physically broken now.
00:05:38.029 --> 00:05:42.430
LinkedIn actually capped connection requests to just 100 to 200 per week.
00:05:42.750 --> 00:05:43.149
Oh wow.
00:05:43.230 --> 00:05:45.550
So you really can't do the mass outreach anymore.
00:05:45.629 --> 00:05:46.509
Trevor Burrus You really can't.
00:05:46.750 --> 00:05:51.149
You can no longer spam a massive list and just hope a fraction of a percent reply.
00:05:51.389 --> 00:05:58.110
Because the platform severely restricted your ability to go out and grab people, you literally have to build a system that attracts them to you.
00:05:58.509 --> 00:06:01.790
Okay, let's unpack this because that brings us right back to our opening analogy.
00:06:02.349 --> 00:06:05.389
Cold outreach is knocking on that stranger's door during dinner.
00:06:05.629 --> 00:06:08.670
Inbound branding is setting up that welcoming storefront.
00:06:08.990 --> 00:06:09.389
Exactly.
00:06:09.629 --> 00:06:11.389
So how do we actually build that storefront?
00:06:11.709 --> 00:06:16.269
Well, it starts by totally redefining what a personal brand actually is in 2026.
00:06:16.509 --> 00:06:22.990
A lot of people think a personal brand is a specific color scheme or a sleek logo or, you know, some clever tagline.
00:06:23.310 --> 00:06:25.149
Yeah, like having a matching font on everything.
00:06:25.469 --> 00:06:25.709
Right.
00:06:25.790 --> 00:06:26.829
But it's not that at all.
00:06:26.990 --> 00:06:32.269
A personal brand is simply an association in the audience's mind between you and a specific outcome.
00:06:32.589 --> 00:06:33.310
Oh, I like that.
00:06:33.550 --> 00:06:34.909
An association with an outcome.
00:06:35.230 --> 00:06:35.469
Yeah.
00:06:35.550 --> 00:06:41.389
So when they experience a specific pain point, your name should instantly pop into their head as the remedy.
00:06:41.790 --> 00:06:47.709
Which means the very first step in building this digital storefront is locking down a hyper-specific niche.
00:06:48.029 --> 00:06:48.509
You have to.
00:06:48.750 --> 00:06:52.670
You need a positioning line that you could comfortably say out loud to a stranger.
00:06:52.829 --> 00:07:00.029
Because a generic bio, like uh marketing tips or productivity enthusiast, that is totally invisible today.
00:07:00.349 --> 00:07:01.149
It means nothing.
00:07:01.469 --> 00:07:01.870
Right.
00:07:02.110 --> 00:07:04.430
Instead, it needs to be laser focused.
00:07:04.589 --> 00:07:09.149
For example, I help bootstrap sauce founders price their product without guessing.
00:07:09.469 --> 00:07:10.269
That's a great example.
00:07:10.589 --> 00:07:17.310
And just to clarify, for anyone not living in a tech bubble, sauce stands for software as a service, so companies like Slack or Zoom.
00:07:17.629 --> 00:07:25.709
That level of specificity is just critical because that positioning line answers the most important question a visitor has within like three seconds of landing on your profile.
00:07:26.029 --> 00:07:29.629
Which is what specific problem do you solve and who do you solve it for?
00:07:29.870 --> 00:07:30.430
Exactly.
00:07:30.589 --> 00:07:35.949
If a stranger can't answer both halves of that equation immediately, they are going to click away.
00:07:36.349 --> 00:07:41.709
Now, there is a vital technical detail we should mention for X, formally Twitter.
00:07:42.029 --> 00:07:47.550
If you are applying the strategy over there, your profile must be 100% public.
00:07:47.790 --> 00:07:48.750
Oh, yes, absolutely.
00:07:49.069 --> 00:07:51.870
You have to go into your settings and turn off tweet protection.
00:07:52.029 --> 00:07:57.949
If your account is locked down to just your immediate circle of friends, having a great bio doesn't even matter.
00:07:58.269 --> 00:08:02.750
The algorithm will literally never push your content to the strangers you're trying to convert.
00:08:03.149 --> 00:08:03.310
Right.
00:08:03.389 --> 00:08:05.790
So the technical setup has to allow for discoverability.
00:08:06.110 --> 00:08:06.990
It's step one.
00:08:07.069 --> 00:08:11.790
And looking at LinkedIn, you really need to treat your profile page as a dedicated landing page.
00:08:12.189 --> 00:08:12.430
Okay.
00:08:12.589 --> 00:08:12.990
How so?
00:08:13.310 --> 00:08:20.990
Well, the banner image at the very top, it shouldn't just be a generic stock photo of a city skyline or, you know, a cup of coffee on a desk.
00:08:21.389 --> 00:08:21.709
Guilty.
00:08:21.949 --> 00:08:24.189
It needs to function like a store's window display.
00:08:24.589 --> 00:08:26.110
A window display that filters people out.
00:08:26.430 --> 00:08:26.829
Exactly.
00:08:26.990 --> 00:08:32.430
A really good window display doesn't just invite the right people in, it actually tells the wrong people to keep walking.
00:08:32.830 --> 00:08:33.230
Makes sense.
00:08:33.550 --> 00:08:39.870
If you display high-end diamond watches, someone looking for a$10 calculator knows they are in the wrong place immediately.
00:08:40.190 --> 00:08:46.670
So your banner should state exactly who you help and feature a clear call to action directing them on what to do next.
00:08:47.070 --> 00:08:47.310
Yes.
00:08:47.470 --> 00:08:50.750
And right below that banner is your about section.
00:08:50.990 --> 00:08:54.990
This is something so many people get wrong by treating it like a chronological resume.
00:08:55.310 --> 00:08:59.149
Yeah, it shouldn't read like in 2018 I was promoted to regional manager.
00:08:59.470 --> 00:09:00.190
No one cares.
00:09:00.430 --> 00:09:10.029
It needs to tell a story centered entirely on your ideal client's problem, demonstrating how your unique background makes you the perfect person to solve it.
00:09:10.269 --> 00:09:13.149
It is basically a sales letter disguised as an introduction.
00:09:13.550 --> 00:09:14.190
Wait, hold on.
00:09:14.269 --> 00:09:16.350
This actually leads me to something I want to push back on a bit.
00:09:16.590 --> 00:09:17.310
Okay, go for it.
00:09:17.629 --> 00:09:24.029
The source materials talk a lot about relentless flexing, improving you are the absolute best in your field.
00:09:24.190 --> 00:09:28.270
They encourage posting your wins, showing off client testimonials.
00:09:28.430 --> 00:09:32.670
I mean, if I just post screenshots of how great I am all day, I'm gonna look like an arrogant jerk.
00:09:32.830 --> 00:09:34.190
Doesn't that heavily repel people?
00:09:34.510 --> 00:09:38.510
What's fascinating here is that it only repels people if you do it the old way.
00:09:38.750 --> 00:09:41.629
We really have to reframe what flexing actually means right now.
00:09:41.710 --> 00:09:43.150
Aaron Powell Okay, how do we reframe it?
00:09:43.390 --> 00:09:47.710
True flexing isn't about using empty, subjective adjectives.
00:09:47.870 --> 00:09:52.430
It's not calling yourself, you know, experienced or passionate or an industry visionary.
00:09:52.830 --> 00:09:54.430
Because everyone claims to be those things.
00:09:54.510 --> 00:09:55.150
Aaron Powell Exactly.
00:09:55.310 --> 00:09:57.470
So the words have lost all meaning entirely.
00:09:57.710 --> 00:10:03.230
Real flexing is replacing those empty adjectives with undeniable objective proof.
00:10:03.710 --> 00:10:04.590
Ah, okay.
00:10:04.830 --> 00:10:11.550
So less I am a visionary marketer and more like here's the exact data showing how we increased revenue by 40%.
00:10:11.790 --> 00:10:12.670
Aaron Powell Precisely.
00:10:12.830 --> 00:10:14.750
It's sharing real hard numbers.
00:10:14.830 --> 00:10:18.910
It's posting blurred-out screenshots of client texts celebrating a huge win.
00:10:19.310 --> 00:10:20.110
Oh, I see that a lot now.
00:10:20.350 --> 00:10:27.790
Yeah, or it's publishing detailed case studies that break down the exact steps you took to solve a problem, and then pinning all of that proof right to the top of your profile.
00:10:27.870 --> 00:10:30.190
Aaron Powell So it's not bragging if it's just facts.
00:10:30.270 --> 00:10:34.990
Aaron Powell When you back up your claims with objective reality, it doesn't read as arrogance.
00:10:35.070 --> 00:10:37.230
It reads as high-level competence.
00:10:37.390 --> 00:10:39.550
The proof basically does the selling for you.
00:10:39.950 --> 00:10:47.390
Okay, so we've built the storefront, the sign is up, the window display filters for the right buyers, and the shelves are stocked with objective proof.
00:10:47.790 --> 00:10:48.430
Looking good so far.
00:10:48.750 --> 00:10:52.270
But a beautiful store in the middle of the desert won't get any foot traffic.
00:10:52.510 --> 00:10:52.830
Yep.
00:10:53.150 --> 00:10:55.470
How do we get people to actually walk by?
00:10:55.710 --> 00:11:00.350
Let's talk about the 2026 algorithms because the landscape has fundamentally shifted here.
00:11:00.590 --> 00:11:01.150
It really has.
00:11:01.470 --> 00:11:06.750
The reports show that overall LinkedIn views are down 50% and engagement is down 25%.
00:11:07.470 --> 00:11:11.710
I mean, it sounds like a total ghost count out there compared to a few years ago.
00:11:12.110 --> 00:11:18.030
It is a vastly more difficult landscape today, mainly because of two massive platform altering updates.
00:11:18.350 --> 00:11:18.830
Let's hear them.
00:11:19.070 --> 00:11:23.710
First, LinkedIn rolled out a new AI ranking system called 360 Brew.
00:11:24.110 --> 00:11:30.270
And this system shifted the algorithm completely away from legacy keyword matching and that random viral reach.
00:11:30.430 --> 00:11:34.110
It now focuses almost exclusively on topical relevance.
00:11:34.510 --> 00:11:36.750
Okay, explain how that mechanism actually works, though.
00:11:36.910 --> 00:11:38.590
How does the AI know what is relevant?
00:11:38.990 --> 00:11:44.270
The AI basically assigns a confidence score to your profile by clustering the topics you talk about most.
00:11:44.510 --> 00:11:47.629
It learns what specific niche you are actually an expert in.
00:11:47.950 --> 00:11:48.110
Okay.
00:11:48.350 --> 00:11:57.629
So if you consistently post about supply chain logistics, the AI builds high confidence in your authority there and it pushes your content to people interested in supply chains.
00:11:57.950 --> 00:11:58.430
That makes sense.
00:11:58.750 --> 00:12:08.270
But if you post about supply chains on Monday, your dog on Tuesday, and then some political hot take on Wednesday, the AI's confidence score drops drastically.
00:12:08.350 --> 00:12:09.310
Aaron Powell It just gets confused.
00:12:09.629 --> 00:12:09.870
Exactly.
00:12:09.950 --> 00:12:13.550
It gets confused about what you actually do and it throttles your reach across the board.
00:12:14.030 --> 00:12:14.350
Wow.
00:12:14.670 --> 00:12:18.670
So staying strictly in your lane is no longer just good branding.
00:12:18.830 --> 00:12:23.230
It is literally a technical requirement for the algorithm to distribute your content.
00:12:23.310 --> 00:12:23.870
Aaron Powell Yep.
00:12:24.110 --> 00:12:28.430
And then came the hammer drop in March 2026 with the authenticity update.
00:12:28.510 --> 00:12:28.910
Aaron Powell Right.
00:12:28.990 --> 00:12:30.030
I saw this in the playbooks.
00:12:30.190 --> 00:12:33.790
That update was a direct assault on all the old growth hacks, wasn't it?
00:12:33.870 --> 00:12:34.830
Aaron Ross Powell A total assault.
00:12:34.990 --> 00:12:38.590
The algorithm now aggressively punishes engagement bait.
00:12:38.990 --> 00:12:45.629
So if you try to game the system by ending a post with agree, comment below, does it catch that?
00:12:46.030 --> 00:12:46.430
Oh yeah.
00:12:46.590 --> 00:12:50.190
The AI detects that exact syntax and just buries the post.
00:12:50.350 --> 00:12:56.750
And if you spam external links in the main text to drive people off the platform, your reach is crushed.
00:12:57.150 --> 00:12:58.750
And it officially killed polls.
00:12:58.910 --> 00:12:59.790
I was shocked by this.
00:13:00.030 --> 00:13:02.670
Polls used to be the ultimate cheap trick to get engagement.
00:13:03.070 --> 00:13:03.870
Oh, they were everywhere.
00:13:04.190 --> 00:13:08.430
Now they get a dismal.07% engagement rate.
00:13:08.590 --> 00:13:10.670
Why did LinkedIn kill off their own feature?
00:13:11.150 --> 00:13:14.430
Because bots and automated pods were just gaming them relentlessly.
00:13:14.670 --> 00:13:15.310
Ah, of course.
00:13:15.790 --> 00:13:22.190
The user experience plummeted because feeds were clogged with meaningless questions that were just designed to farm clicks.
00:13:22.350 --> 00:13:25.550
So LinkedIn effectively shadow banned the entire format.
00:13:25.629 --> 00:13:27.390
Aaron Powell the cheap tricks are dead.
00:13:28.110 --> 00:13:30.030
What is the AI actually rewarding right now?
00:13:30.430 --> 00:13:33.710
The algorithm is heavily prioritizing depth and authority.
00:13:33.950 --> 00:13:37.150
Right now, the absolute highest performing format is the document post.
00:13:37.230 --> 00:13:39.230
Aaron Powell That's often called a PDF carousel, right?
00:13:39.550 --> 00:13:41.470
Where users slide through a series of slides.
00:13:41.950 --> 00:13:42.510
Exactly.
00:13:42.670 --> 00:13:49.070
They are pulling a massive 6.6% average engagement rate, which is just unheard of right now.
00:13:49.310 --> 00:13:52.270
Also, native video, like 30 to 90 seconds.
00:13:52.430 --> 00:13:55.950
And newsletters are doing great because they bypass the feed and go straight to inboxes.
00:13:56.030 --> 00:13:57.629
Aaron Powell Wait, go back to the PDF thing.
00:13:57.790 --> 00:13:59.070
Why a PDF?
00:13:59.390 --> 00:14:00.990
That sounds like corporate homework to me.
00:14:01.150 --> 00:14:05.070
Why does the algorithm prefer a slide deck over a quick snappy video?
00:14:05.390 --> 00:14:07.550
It all comes down to a metric called dwell time.
00:14:07.870 --> 00:14:11.950
The algorithm measures exactly how many seconds a user spends looking at your post.
00:14:12.350 --> 00:14:13.790
Okay, so it tracks how long you hover.
00:14:14.190 --> 00:14:14.350
Right.
00:14:14.510 --> 00:14:18.590
If you write a two-sentence text post, they scroll past it in three seconds.
00:14:18.750 --> 00:14:27.629
But if you upload a 12-slide PDF carousel full of really valuable information, the user has to stop, swipe, read, and absorb.
00:14:27.950 --> 00:14:30.190
So they might spend two to three minutes on that single post.
00:14:30.510 --> 00:14:30.990
Exactly.
00:14:31.070 --> 00:14:37.470
And that massive dwell time signals to the algorithm that this content is highly engaging, so it pushes it to way more feeds.
00:14:37.790 --> 00:14:38.670
That makes perfect sense.
00:14:38.830 --> 00:14:40.430
It's optimizing for time on platform.
00:14:40.750 --> 00:14:41.230
Bingo.
00:14:41.629 --> 00:14:43.629
What about posting frequency though?
00:14:43.870 --> 00:14:49.470
Because the old conventional wisdom was that you needed to post three to five times a day just to stay relevant.
00:14:49.870 --> 00:14:51.950
Yeah, that will actively hurt you now.
00:14:52.350 --> 00:15:00.830
In 2026, one highly valuable deep dive post a week completely destroys five low-quality generic posts.
00:15:01.150 --> 00:15:01.470
Really?
00:15:01.629 --> 00:15:02.110
Just one?
00:15:02.430 --> 00:15:02.830
Yes.
00:15:03.070 --> 00:15:10.830
Because of that confidence score we talked about earlier, the algorithm penalizes you if you post shallow filler content just to stay active.
00:15:11.070 --> 00:15:13.470
Quality strictly beats quantity now.
00:15:13.790 --> 00:15:14.350
Good to know.
00:15:14.510 --> 00:15:14.670
Yeah.
00:15:14.910 --> 00:15:18.830
And is there a specific window when we should be publishing this deep dive content?
00:15:19.150 --> 00:15:20.990
Timing is still a critical factor for sure.
00:15:21.150 --> 00:15:24.990
The golden window across the board is Tuesday through Thursday, between 9 a.m.
00:15:25.150 --> 00:15:25.870
and 11 a.m.
00:15:26.110 --> 00:15:27.870
in your target audience's time zone.
00:15:28.270 --> 00:15:28.750
Makes sense.
00:15:28.830 --> 00:15:35.390
That is when B2B professionals have settled in at their desks, they've cleared their morning emails, and they're most receptive to reading thought leadership.
00:15:35.710 --> 00:15:36.030
Exactly.
00:15:36.350 --> 00:15:46.030
Now if you are listening to this on your commute right now, you're probably thinking, I don't have time to write massive 12 slide deep dives every single week while also doing my actual full-time job.
00:15:46.350 --> 00:15:47.950
It sounds like a recipe for total burnout.
00:15:48.190 --> 00:15:48.670
It does.
00:15:48.750 --> 00:15:50.830
But here's where it gets really interesting.
00:15:50.990 --> 00:15:54.030
There is a structural workaround for this called the content flywheel.
00:15:54.270 --> 00:15:56.750
It is all about creating an efficient engine.
00:15:56.990 --> 00:16:03.550
The flywheel model suggests that you only sit down to write one massive, comprehensive piece of content per week.
00:16:03.870 --> 00:16:06.110
Like a detailed newsletter or a core blog post.
00:16:06.430 --> 00:16:06.830
Exactly.
00:16:06.990 --> 00:16:14.830
And from that single foundational piece, you extract the core concepts to create two long-form threads or PDF carousels.
00:16:15.230 --> 00:16:19.550
Then you pull out seven smaller, punchy text posts or observations.
00:16:19.870 --> 00:16:25.710
So one focused block of writing on a Sunday afternoon fuels your entire distribution for the rest of the week.
00:16:26.030 --> 00:16:30.430
Yes, it's an incredibly smart way to recycle ideas without feeling repetitive.
00:16:30.830 --> 00:16:36.350
But, you know, even with a great engine, you still need to stand out in a feed full of other professionals doing the exact same thing.
00:16:36.590 --> 00:16:36.750
Right.
00:16:37.070 --> 00:16:38.750
This is where humanizing the brand comes in.
00:16:39.070 --> 00:16:44.030
You have to remind the audience that there is a real, relatable human behind all this expertise.
00:16:44.190 --> 00:16:46.510
That means occasionally pulling back the professional curtain.
00:16:46.910 --> 00:16:48.350
What does that look like in practice?
00:16:48.670 --> 00:16:53.950
It might mean sharing your irrational love for a specific flavor of monster energy drink.
00:16:54.190 --> 00:16:57.470
Or, you know, posting a thought you had after a tough morning run.
00:16:57.870 --> 00:17:03.870
Oh, there is a highly specific, very memorable example of this from the X platform strategies we looked at.
00:17:04.109 --> 00:17:04.990
Oh, Ty Mumford.
00:17:05.230 --> 00:17:05.390
Yes.
00:17:05.549 --> 00:17:06.589
Ty Mumford.
00:17:06.750 --> 00:17:14.829
This guy built an audience of over 10,000 followers on X by documenting a highly, highly niche job, stump grinding.
00:17:15.150 --> 00:17:18.269
It perfectly illustrates the power of documenting your reality.
00:17:18.589 --> 00:17:18.750
Right.
00:17:18.829 --> 00:17:23.069
He isn't chai posting generic quotes about hustling or synergy.
00:17:23.309 --> 00:17:32.750
He literally proves his competence every single day by posting mesmerizing time-lapse videos of himself grinding massive tree stumps into dust.
00:17:32.990 --> 00:17:34.430
It's oddly satisfying to watch.
00:17:34.750 --> 00:17:35.309
He really is.
00:17:35.390 --> 00:17:37.309
And he talks about the logistics of his machinery.
00:17:37.390 --> 00:17:39.390
He shows text messages from thrilled customers.
00:17:39.549 --> 00:17:41.710
He posts about his favorite bagels in town.
00:17:41.789 --> 00:17:44.430
It's undeniably authentic, and you really feel like you know him.
00:17:44.750 --> 00:17:47.470
Ty is doing exactly what builds fierce loyalty.
00:17:47.629 --> 00:17:47.789
Right.
00:17:47.950 --> 00:17:53.230
He is providing a nauseating amount of free value simply by showing his exact process in public.
00:17:53.549 --> 00:17:54.269
Nauseating value.
00:17:54.509 --> 00:17:54.670
Yeah.
00:17:54.750 --> 00:18:00.909
And for knowledge workers like consultants, marketers, designers, providing nauseating value is the absolute core of this entire strategy.
00:18:01.309 --> 00:18:06.189
Just giving away so much that it almost makes you uncomfortable because you feel like you should be charging for it.
00:18:06.509 --> 00:18:06.990
Exactly.
00:18:07.230 --> 00:18:15.549
The strategy is to give away your exact frameworks, your proprietary templates, and your swipe files entirely for free in the direct messages.
00:18:15.869 --> 00:18:22.509
And swipe files are basically the personal folders where you save all your best performing ideas and formats, right?
00:18:22.750 --> 00:18:22.990
Yep.
00:18:23.069 --> 00:18:23.869
Just hand them more.
00:18:24.189 --> 00:18:28.909
But wait, if I give away the secret sauce for free, why would anyone ever hire me?
00:18:29.069 --> 00:18:32.349
Am I not just training my potential clients to do it themselves?
00:18:32.750 --> 00:18:40.349
This is the biggest mental hurdle people face with this, but it relies on a misunderstanding of what high-level clients actually buy.
00:18:40.750 --> 00:18:41.789
Okay, what do they buy?
00:18:42.109 --> 00:18:43.309
Information is cheap.
00:18:43.549 --> 00:18:45.710
Execution is incredibly difficult.
00:18:45.950 --> 00:18:55.149
When you hand a busy, bootstrapped founder your exact 10-page framework for pricing their software, they will read it and think, this is absolutely brilliant.
00:18:55.230 --> 00:18:56.990
This person knows exactly what they're talking about.
00:18:57.309 --> 00:18:57.470
Okay.
00:18:57.629 --> 00:19:01.950
But then they realize this is going to take me 40 hours to implement, and I have a company to run.
00:19:02.269 --> 00:19:02.750
Oh, I see.
00:19:03.069 --> 00:19:11.149
By giving away the manual, you prove your unquestionable expertise to the exact people who have the budget to just pay you to execute it for them.
00:19:11.230 --> 00:19:13.789
Aaron Powell They aren't buying the information, they are buying the implementation.
00:19:14.109 --> 00:19:14.429
Exactly.
00:19:14.750 --> 00:19:16.750
That is a massive paradigm shift.
00:19:17.309 --> 00:19:23.789
And uh to further cement that loyalty, we have to talk about creating ideological enemies.
00:19:24.189 --> 00:19:24.829
This is huge.
00:19:25.230 --> 00:19:32.990
Now, this doesn't mean picking fights with specific people or being toxic online, but rather throwing rocks at established concepts.
00:19:33.389 --> 00:19:35.149
It's a mechanism for polarization.
00:19:35.389 --> 00:19:37.069
Think about someone like Justin Welsh.
00:19:37.309 --> 00:19:37.710
Oh, yeah.
00:19:37.789 --> 00:19:38.829
He's massive on LinkedIn.
00:19:39.149 --> 00:19:39.309
Right.
00:19:39.389 --> 00:19:44.990
And he built a huge following by heavily criticizing hustle culture and the traditional nine-to-five grind.
00:19:45.149 --> 00:19:50.349
By polarizing his content against those specific ideas, he naturally repels corporate traditionalists.
00:19:50.669 --> 00:19:52.029
Who are never going to buy from him anyway.
00:19:52.349 --> 00:19:52.669
Exactly.
00:19:52.829 --> 00:19:58.109
And he magnetically attracts a specific tribe of people who want to be independent solopreneurs.
00:19:58.269 --> 00:20:02.750
You clearly define what you stand for by being unapologetic about what you planned against.
00:20:03.149 --> 00:20:05.309
Okay, so let's tie all of this together.
00:20:05.549 --> 00:20:08.909
We have locked down a hyper-specific niche.
00:20:09.149 --> 00:20:11.069
Our storefront is optimized.
00:20:11.230 --> 00:20:18.589
We are feeding the algorithm with high dwell-time carousels, and we are polarizing our audience while giving away our best secrets.
00:20:18.909 --> 00:20:19.629
We're doing it all.
00:20:19.950 --> 00:20:22.589
So what does this all mean for getting actual clients?
00:20:22.750 --> 00:20:24.829
How do I actually get them on a sales call?
00:20:24.990 --> 00:20:27.710
Do I just drop a link to my calendar at the end of every post?
00:20:28.029 --> 00:20:28.669
No, no.
00:20:28.829 --> 00:20:32.589
If you do that, the algorithm will bury the post and the audience will just tune you out.
00:20:32.829 --> 00:20:33.470
So what's the move?
00:20:33.710 --> 00:20:39.230
Converting attention requires a structured three-step mechanism known as the inbound post funnel.
00:20:39.389 --> 00:20:41.789
You do not try to sell in every interaction.
00:20:41.950 --> 00:20:45.710
You guide the reader through a specific psychological journey over a few days.
00:20:46.029 --> 00:20:49.149
So if I shouldn't pitch in the first post, what am I doing?
00:20:49.309 --> 00:20:51.789
Just complaining about an industry problem to get attention.
00:20:52.109 --> 00:20:53.230
You are building awareness.
00:20:53.389 --> 00:20:54.429
That is step one.
00:20:54.750 --> 00:20:59.309
You tell a relatable story about a specific struggle a past client faced.
00:20:59.470 --> 00:21:01.149
You aren't offering a solution yet.
00:21:01.230 --> 00:21:02.750
You are just building empathy.
00:21:03.069 --> 00:21:07.950
It hooks the people who are currently dealing with that exact same problem because they feel seen.
00:21:08.189 --> 00:21:08.509
Right.
00:21:08.750 --> 00:21:12.669
Then step two, which you post a day or two later, is education.
00:21:12.909 --> 00:21:21.549
This is where you drop that deep dive PDF carousel, breaking down the exact mechanics of the solution you implemented to fix the problem you talked about on Tuesday.
00:21:21.789 --> 00:21:23.470
And then step three has to be the pitch, right?
00:21:23.710 --> 00:21:26.589
Step three is action, but it is a very soft pitch.
00:21:26.750 --> 00:21:31.389
It is a direct text invitation that creates a low friction micro commitment.
00:21:31.710 --> 00:21:32.589
Give me an example.
00:21:32.829 --> 00:21:35.710
You don't say book a$5,000 consultation.
00:21:35.789 --> 00:21:41.470
You say something simple like if you are struggling with this problem, my team just built a system to fix it.
00:21:41.629 --> 00:21:43.710
Send me a DM and I'll send over the framework.
00:21:44.029 --> 00:21:44.669
Oh, that's smart.
00:21:44.829 --> 00:21:46.589
It doesn't feel like a pushy sales pitch.
00:21:46.669 --> 00:21:50.750
It feels like a natural, helpful continuation of the value you've already provided.
00:21:51.069 --> 00:21:51.710
Exactly.
00:21:51.950 --> 00:21:55.789
And that leads perfectly into the final piece of the puzzle, which is lead magnets.
00:21:56.109 --> 00:21:56.269
Right.
00:21:56.429 --> 00:22:12.189
You want to offer a resource that is so intensely valuable, like a comprehensive diagnostic checklist or a template pack or maybe a sales team efficiency scorecard, something a prospect is happily willing to trade their email address in order to get.
00:22:12.509 --> 00:22:16.589
Capturing that email address is the ultimate finish line of this entire strategy.
00:22:16.909 --> 00:22:17.470
Yes.
00:22:17.789 --> 00:22:22.990
Because if you're only operating on X or LinkedIn, you are building your business on rented land.
00:22:23.230 --> 00:22:24.509
You don't own those followers.
00:22:24.750 --> 00:22:25.470
You really don't.
00:22:25.710 --> 00:22:34.429
The algorithm could change tomorrow, the platform could pivot, or your account could just get mistakenly banned, and you would lose access to your entire audience in an instant.
00:22:34.669 --> 00:22:35.629
It's too risky.
00:22:35.869 --> 00:22:43.470
The primary function of an inbound social media strategy is moving the audience off of that rented land and onto an email list.
00:22:43.710 --> 00:22:49.950
An email list is a tangible asset that you truly own, control, and can predictably monetize.
00:22:50.269 --> 00:22:51.470
It creates real stability.
00:22:51.629 --> 00:23:02.509
But you know, as we systematize all of this, the flywheels, the AI algorithms, the automated funnels, there is a real danger of losing the one element that actually makes personal branding effective in the first place.
00:23:02.829 --> 00:23:04.990
Which brings us to the summary for you, the listener.
00:23:05.069 --> 00:23:10.349
If you are commuting or cooking or just walking the dog right now, here is the overarching takeaway.
00:23:10.909 --> 00:23:15.869
Building a personal brand to generate inbound leads is not an exercise in vanity metrics.
00:23:16.189 --> 00:23:16.589
Not at all.
00:23:16.829 --> 00:23:23.869
It is about claiming a highly specific niche and optimizing your profile to act as a filtering window display.
00:23:24.029 --> 00:23:29.869
It's about working with the topical AI algorithms by providing deep, high dwell time content.
00:23:30.589 --> 00:23:42.589
It's about giving away your most valuable frameworks for free to prove your competence and ultimately moving those relationships off of rented social media platforms and into an email channel you actually own.
00:23:42.909 --> 00:23:44.109
Beautifully summarized.
00:23:44.189 --> 00:23:47.789
And I want to leave you with a final thought to mull over as you start building this.
00:23:48.029 --> 00:23:50.669
We spent a lot of time analyzing AI algorithms today.
00:23:50.990 --> 00:23:51.309
We did.
00:23:51.549 --> 00:23:58.669
But as AI content generation continues to rapidly improve, it is becoming literally indistinguishable from human writing.
00:23:58.990 --> 00:23:59.710
It's getting wild.
00:24:00.029 --> 00:24:06.509
In the very near future, the ultimate premium in the marketplace won't be information because AI can instantly generate endless information.
00:24:06.750 --> 00:24:11.470
The ultimate premium will be authenticity, lived experience, and true human connection.
00:24:11.789 --> 00:24:12.669
That's a powerful point.
00:24:12.990 --> 00:24:16.990
So as you implement these automated flywheels and funnels, ask yourself this.
00:24:17.149 --> 00:24:20.669
How will you ensure your digital brand retains its human soul?
00:24:20.990 --> 00:24:24.189
That is the exact challenge we all have to navigate moving forward.
00:24:24.349 --> 00:24:28.990
You have to build the brightly lit storefront that people actively want to walk into, human soul and all.
00:24:29.309 --> 00:24:29.950
Absolutely.
00:24:30.349 --> 00:24:38.269
And speaking of being invited in, I want to explicitly remind you to send your own specific questions and challenges in for a future deep dive.
00:24:38.509 --> 00:24:38.909
Please do.
00:24:39.149 --> 00:24:42.189
Just go to tuepodcast.net slash ask pie.
00:24:42.429 --> 00:24:43.389
Do it right now.
00:24:43.710 --> 00:24:49.950
Today's incredible conversation only happened because a listener just like you took the time to ask a great question.
00:24:50.109 --> 00:24:52.589
We really cannot wait to see what you send us next.
00:24:52.909 --> 00:24:54.750
And that's a wrap, school believers.
00:24:55.149 --> 00:25:01.149
You just experienced the power of AI-driven business insights with Pi and Piet 2.0.
00:25:01.470 --> 00:25:05.230
Real advice, artificial voices, unlimited potential.
00:25:05.389 --> 00:25:12.429
If today's episode sparked an idea, challenged your thinking, or gave you that breakthrough moment, don't keep it to yourself.
00:25:12.589 --> 00:25:15.549
Share it with a fellow entrepreneur who needs to hear this.
00:25:15.710 --> 00:25:17.149
Got a burning business question?
00:25:17.389 --> 00:25:20.829
Want Pi and Piet to tackle your specific challenge?
00:25:20.990 --> 00:25:28.029
Head over to tueppodcast.net slash ask pie and submit your question right now.
00:25:28.189 --> 00:25:34.189
We'll dive deep into your issue and deliver the actionable strategies you need to get across the start line.
00:25:34.349 --> 00:25:37.309
Remember, two believers, the hurdles aren't in the way.
00:25:37.470 --> 00:25:38.909
The hurdles are the way.
00:25:39.069 --> 00:25:44.269
Until next time, keep moving forward, keep taking action, and we'll see you in the next episode.
