12 ways to get the most
from LinkedIn
Want to win at LinkedIn without it eating into your working day? 15-Minute Guy Ashley Leeds tells Christian Koch how to make maximum impact in minimum time
12 ways to get the most
from LinkedIn
Want to win at LinkedIn without it eating into your working day? 15-Minute Guy Ashley Leeds tells Christian Koch how to make maximum impact in minimum time
Where once it was used for little more than posting CVs or hunting for jobs, today LinkedIn has become a powerful platform for CAs engaged in brand-building, connecting with clients and putting a human face to the firm. For those yet to do more than dip their toe in the social media site for professionals, business coach Ashley Leeds and investor and entrepreneur Mike Soutar have some tips to set you on your way.
1. Think of LinkedIn as a networking event
“The biggest problem accountants have with LinkedIn is they think they have to sound like accountants on the platform,” says business coach Ashley Leeds, the self-styled 15-Minute Guy (he advocates spending 15 minutes a day on the platform) who delivered an animated speech on leveraging LinkedIn at the ICAS Practice Conference in Glasgow in June.
“When you go to an ICAS event or a business lunch, you’re showing up as yourself, not as an accountant,” he says. “I’ve even seen some accountants wearing shorts at networking events! If all you do at events is chuck business cards at people’s faces, saying, ‘I’m an accountant, do you want to buy my services?’, they’ll give you a wide berth.”
15-Minute Guy Ashley Leeds at the ICAS Practice Conference
15-Minute Guy Ashley Leeds at the ICAS Practice Conference
His tips? Ditch the hard sell and resist talking shop – just as you would at an event. “If every single one of your posts is selling something, you’ll get nowhere. Customers and clients buy from people they know, like and trust. The key is posting on topics you’d chat about at events – even your holidays in Spain or parkrun progress – rather than telling people how you can do their tax return.”
“LinkedIn owner Microsoft recently reported 85% of FTSE 100 chief executives now have a presence on the platform – an astonishing rise from just 12% in 2023”
Where once it was used for little more than posting CVs or hunting for jobs, today LinkedIn has become a powerful platform for CAs engaged in brand-building, connecting with clients and putting a human face to the firm. For those yet to do more than dip their toe in the social media site for professionals, business coach Ashley Leeds and investor and entrepreneur Mike Soutar have some tips to set you on your way.
1. Think of LinkedIn as a networking event
“The biggest problem accountants have with LinkedIn is they think they have to sound like accountants on the platform,” says business coach Ashley Leeds, the self-styled 15-Minute Guy (he advocates spending 15 minutes a day on the platform) who delivered an animated speech on leveraging LinkedIn at the ICAS Practice Conference in Glasgow in June.
“When you go to an ICAS event or a business lunch, you’re showing up as yourself, not as an accountant,” he says. “I’ve even seen some accountants wearing shorts at networking events! If all you do at events is chuck business cards at people’s faces, saying, ‘I’m an accountant, do you want to buy my services?’, they’ll give you a wide berth.”
15-Minute Guy Ashley Leeds at the ICAS Practice Conference
15-Minute Guy Ashley Leeds at the ICAS Practice Conference
His tips? Ditch the hard sell and resist talking shop – just as you would at an event. “If every single one of your posts is selling something, you’ll get nowhere. Customers and clients buy from people they know, like and trust. The key is posting on topics you’d chat about at events – even your holidays in Spain or parkrun progress – rather than telling people how you can do their tax return.”
“LinkedIn owner Microsoft recently reported 85% of FTSE 100 chief executives now have a presence on the platform – an astonishing rise from just 12% in 2023”
2. Don’t just stick to financial topics
LinkedIn’s June 2025 algorithm update prioritises relevance over recency. Posts from two or three weeks ago can resurface if they align with your interests and behaviour on the platform.
To ensure their posts appear in others’ feeds, users should create content that people identify with, whether it’s thought leadership (‘how to’ guides work well) or sharing something about your life – not personal adverts.
“Many accountants feel they should only write content on issues such as tax or HMRC,” says Leeds. “But posting personal anecdotes works well, as does topical content.” By way of example, Leeds cites the Red Arrows after a summer in which many people have viewed their flypasts. An accountant could post content which makes a comparison between their flawless flying formations and accounting accuracy, or about trust in numbers (pilots need to evaluate numbers on altitude and distance; accountants do the same with financial data).
2. Don’t just stick to financial topics
LinkedIn’s June 2025 algorithm update prioritises relevance over recency. Posts from two or three weeks ago can resurface if they align with your interests and behaviour on the platform.
To ensure their posts appear in others’ feeds, users should create content that people identify with, whether it’s thought leadership (‘how to’ guides work well) or sharing something about your life – not personal adverts.
“Many accountants feel they should only write content on issues such as tax or HMRC,” says Leeds. “But posting personal anecdotes works well, as does topical content.” By way of example, Leeds cites the Red Arrows after a summer in which many people have viewed their flypasts. An accountant could post content which makes a comparison between their flawless flying formations and accounting accuracy, or about trust in numbers (pilots need to evaluate numbers on altitude and distance; accountants do the same with financial data).
3. It’s a good time for the C-suite to embrace the platform
For years, the C-suite largely avoided LinkedIn, whether due to time constraints, fear of saying the wrong thing (any CEO post can seem like a company statement) or the sense that sharing comments diluted their authority. That’s changing fast: LinkedIn owner Microsoft recently reported 85% of FTSE 100 chief executives now have a presence on the platform – an astonishing rise from just 12% in 2023.
Posting is great for personal branding, says Leeds: “If Sally Jones CEO posts regular comments or thought leadership on LinkedIn, people will no longer see her company as a huge corporation: they’ll see it as ‘Sally Jones’s company’.”
4. Start with a question
Why? It encourages others to engage with your content. On a recent bank holiday Monday, Leeds opened with: “Why are you all here today?” The responses poured in – including many from Scottish readers, where it wasn’t a holiday.
Mike Soutar, the former interviewer on The Apprentice, founder of Shortlist Media and subject of a recent CA magazine feature, who is now a ‘LinkedIn Top Voice’, suggests using proven openers such as:
- Contrarian view: “Most CEOs get digital transformation wrong. Here’s what they miss…”
- Number shock: “47% of my portfolio companies will vanish in 18 months. Here’s why…”
- Intimate reveal: “My board asked me: ‘What’s your biggest fear?’ I didn’t hesitate.”
- Insider sauce: “What we don’t tell investors about AI implementation…”
3. It’s a good time for the C-suite to embrace the platform
For years, the C-suite largely avoided LinkedIn, whether due to time constraints, fear of saying the wrong thing (any CEO post can seem like a company statement) or the sense that sharing comments diluted their authority. That’s changing fast: LinkedIn owner Microsoft recently reported 85% of FTSE 100 chief executives now have a presence on the platform – an astonishing rise from just 12% in 2023.
Posting is great for personal branding, says Leeds: “If Sally Jones CEO posts regular comments or thought leadership on LinkedIn, people will no longer see her company as a huge corporation: they’ll see it as ‘Sally Jones’s company’.”
4. Start with a question
Why? It encourages others to engage with your content. On a recent bank holiday Monday, Leeds opened with: “Why are you all here today?” The responses poured in – including many from Scottish readers, where it wasn’t a holiday.
Mike Soutar, the former interviewer on The Apprentice, founder of Shortlist Media and subject of a recent CA magazine feature, who is now a ‘LinkedIn Top Voice’, suggests using proven openers such as:
- Contrarian view: “Most CEOs get digital transformation wrong. Here’s what they miss…”
- Number shock: “47% of my portfolio companies will vanish in 18 months. Here’s why…”
- Intimate reveal: “My board asked me: ‘What’s your biggest fear?’ I didn’t hesitate.”
- Insider sauce: “What we don’t tell investors about AI implementation…”
5. Don’t get ChatGPT to write your posts…
…because the tell-tale signs of AI-composed texts are all too easy to spot (em-dashes scattered liberally, US spellings, bolded buzzwords). A year ago, plagiarism/fact-checker firm Originality AI found that most of the longer English language posts (more than 100 words) on LinkedIn are generated by AI.
Instead, Leeds suggests using AI as an assistant: for developing ideas or, if necessary, polishing your content after you’ve written it – so long as you then review the result to ensure it still sounds like you.
5. Don’t get ChatGPT to write your posts…
…because the tell-tale signs of AI-composed texts are all too easy to spot (em-dashes scattered liberally, US spellings, bolded buzzwords). A year ago, plagiarism/fact-checker firm Originality AI found that most of the longer English language posts (more than 100 words) on LinkedIn are generated by AI.
Instead, Leeds suggests using AI as an assistant: for developing ideas or, if necessary, polishing your content after you’ve written it – so long as you then review the result to ensure it still sounds like you.
6. Use alliterative hooks in your posts
Tax Tip Tuesday, Financial Friday, Money Matters Monday– you get the score. It makes recurring content feel familiar and memorable.
7. It’s okay to get personal…
“There’s nothing to stop you writing a review of your working week, talking about the lovely clients you’ve met, how Sally brought her dog into the office on Tuesday or going for team pizzas on Friday,” says Leeds.
“You don’t need to get Steven Spielberg to direct your video – just do it on your smartphone. It makes it more authentic”
Ashley Leeds, 15-Minute Guy
8. Profile photos are essential – but don’t make them look too slick
“Always have a photo,” says Leeds. “So many people spend hours on [graphic design tool] Canva trying to make their headshot look professional. Avoid that – it looks too professional. Instead, take a selfie on your phone – people are much more likely to identify with you.”
9. Embrace video – even if it makes you cringe
Video viewership on LinkedIn increased by 36% during 2024, according to the platform. High-profile bosses such as former Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon and Jamie Dimon from JPMorgan have all used video to share content with clients and colleagues.
“Everybody feels uncomfortable with videos, but it works on a parasocial level,” says Leeds. “If you post regular videos, people will become more familiar with you – just think of how everybody smiles when the name David Attenborough is mentioned.”
Don’t worry about slick production either. “You don’t need to get Steven Spielberg to direct it – just do it on your smartphone. It makes it more authentic.”
10. Add value in comments
“When commenting on others’ posts, don’t just say ‘Nice post’,” says Leeds. “Instead, try to have a chat. Add some value by talking about the experience of working with this person or business, or how much fun they must have had developing the project.”
11. Use fewer hashtags and links
LinkedIn now has strict spam filters downgrading any low-quality posts that look too ‘spammy’, such as those littered with typos or multiple hashtags – two hashtags is plenty.
Meanwhile, the new algorithm is designed to keep users within the platform. Outbound links, which redirect users to other sites, will also be relegated.
6. Use alliterative hooks in your posts
Tax Tip Tuesday, Financial Friday, Money Matters Monday– you get the score. It makes recurring content feel familiar and memorable.
7. It’s okay to get personal…
“There’s nothing to stop you writing a review of your working week, talking about the lovely clients you’ve met, how Sally brought her dog into the office on Tuesday or going for team pizzas on Friday,” says Leeds.
“You don’t need to get Steven Spielberg to direct your video – just do it on your smartphone. It makes it more authentic”
Ashley Leeds, 15-Minute Guy
8. Profile photos are essential – but don’t make them look too slick
“Always have a photo,” says Leeds. “So many people spend hours on [graphic design tool] Canva trying to make their headshot look professional. Avoid that – it looks too professional. Instead, take a selfie on your phone – people are much more likely to identify with you.”
9. Embrace video – even if it makes you cringe
Video viewership on LinkedIn increased by 36% during 2024, according to the platform. High-profile bosses such as former Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon and Jamie Dimon from JPMorgan have all used video to share content with clients and colleagues.
“Everybody feels uncomfortable with videos, but it works on a parasocial level,” says Leeds. “If you post regular videos, people will become more familiar with you – just think of how everybody smiles when the name David Attenborough is mentioned.”
Don’t worry about slick production either. “You don’t need to get Steven Spielberg to direct it – just do it on your smartphone. It makes it more authentic.”
10. Add value in comments
“When commenting on others’ posts, don’t just say ‘Nice post’,” says Leeds. “Instead, try to have a chat. Add some value by talking about the experience of working with this person or business, or how much fun they must have had developing the project.”
11. Use fewer hashtags and links
LinkedIn now has strict spam filters downgrading any low-quality posts that look too ‘spammy’, such as those littered with typos or multiple hashtags – two hashtags is plenty.
Meanwhile, the new algorithm is designed to keep users within the platform. Outbound links, which redirect users to other sites, will also be relegated.
12. Find a time that works for you
“The truth is, there’s no magic hour,” says Leeds. “You’ll often see claims like, ‘We analysed a million posts and found the perfect time…’ But that’s only relevant to their audience, not yours. Every network is different. The key is to choose a time that works for you so you can join the conversation. LinkedIn gives your post a good run of about 18 hours, but the first 90 minutes are the most important for momentum. If you hit publish and then disappear for three or four hours, you’re missing a valuable window.
“Post at the same time regularly and see what fits your routine and audience. I post around 6.30am, because that’s when I can show up and engage. LinkedIn is a conversational platform, so your presence after posting matters far more than the clock. Find your rhythm, stick with it and let consistency do the heavy-lifting.”
Soutar suggests a few of his favourite posting times:
• 7.30–8.30am on Monday or Tuesday morning: “Pre-meeting scan time. Your post sets the day’s agenda.”
• 12–1pm on Wednesday or Thursday: “Lunchtime scroll.”
• 7.30–8.30am on Friday: “End-of-week reflection. Engagement goes deeper.”
“The key thing [with LinkedIn] is to be you, to be authentic,” says Leeds. “You want people to identify with you, so that could mean talking about the kind of things you’d talk about if you were networking with them in real life. The main thing is to be consistent. As long as you’re consistent, then good things will happen.”
Follow ICAS on LinkedIn
“The key thing [with LinkedIn] is to be you, to be authentic,” says Leeds. “You want people to identify with you, so that could mean talking about the kind of things you’d talk about if you were networking with them in real life. The main thing is to be consistent. As long as you’re consistent, then good things will happen.”
Follow ICAS on LinkedIn
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