How to Grow LinkedIn Network | The Step by Step Playbook

Most people fail at growing their LinkedIn network.

They think posting daily will make them go viral, so they spend hours crafting content, hoping people will notice. But after weeks, nothing changes—there are no new followers, engagement, or leads.

Here’s the truth: LinkedIn rewards engagement, not effort.

You don’t need to post more if you want to grow fast. You need to be visible where it matters.

You need to comment on the proper posts, connect with the right people, and create content that makes people stop scrolling.

In this article, you’ll learn the exact LinkedIn growth strategy that top sales leaders use to expand their network, increase visibility, and turn engagement into leads.

The best part?

Everything we share with you today is based on our personal experience.

We use these strategies every single day to grow our profiles.

Our founder and CEO, Max, has 22,000+ followers, while Hugo’s LinkedIn is currently on fire and growing at about 1000+ followers every single month.

So, let’s dive in.

Why Growing Your LinkedIn Network Matters

Most people treat LinkedIn like an online resume.

They create a profile, add a few connections, and expect opportunities to come to them.

But LinkedIn isn’t just a digital business card - it’s a networking machine that can open doors, generate leads, and position you as an expert.

Here’s why growing your LinkedIn network is critical:

More connections = More visibility - Your network sees it every time you comment or post. The bigger your network, the bigger your reach.
Your audience becomes your pipeline - The right connections aren’t just numbers - they’re potential clients, partners, and brand advocates.
The LinkedIn algorithm favors engagement - A post seen by 500 people won’t change your business. A post seen by 50,000 might.

But here’s the catch - most people grow their LinkedIn network the wrong way. They send random connection requests. They post without engaging. And then they wonder why nothing happens.

The good news? There’s a better way to grow—fast and strategically. Let’s break it down.

Step #1 – Leverage Engagement Over Posting

Most people think growing on LinkedIn means posting every day.

They spend hours creating posts, hoping they’ll take off. But without an audience, even the best content gets ignored.

The smarter approach is to engage first and post second.

Why Commenting Beats Posting

Imagine walking into a networking event. If you stand in the corner and talk to yourself, nobody listens. But if you join active conversations, people notice you.

That’s exactly how LinkedIn works.

When you comment on posts from key influencers in your industry, you tap into their audience. Their followers see your comment, check your profile, and - if they like what they see - send you a connection request.

How to Do It Right

Follow top influencers in your space - These are the people whose audience you want to reach.
Be one of the first to comment - Early comments stay at the top and get the most visibility.
Add real value - Avoid generic replies like “Great post!” Instead, add an insight, a question, or a different perspective.

For example, if an influencer posts about LinkedIn content strategy, instead of saying:

“I agree, posting regularly is important.”, you should try something like:

“One thing that helped me was engaging with posts before I even started posting. It built my audience before I had content.”

Turn this into a system that’s easy to follow

To stay consistent, set up alerts for when key influencers post.

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Start commenting on at least five posts per day. Do this consistently, and you’ll see your network grow without even posting.

Step #2 - Maximize your LinkedIn connections

Most people send connection requests the wrong way.

They add random people, include a long message, or connect with anyone whose bio includes their ICP’s job title. Then, they wonder why their network isn’t growing.

Instead, you should be strategic. Focus on quality, not just quantity.

How to Grow Your Network Efficiently

Send 200 connection requests per week - This is LinkedIn’s limit - use it.
Prioritize two types of people:
- Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) - The people you want as leads.
- Engagement Amplifiers - Those who actively like, comment, and share content in your industry.

But, how do you make sure that you get a good connection acceptance rate and build relationships with your new connections?

Don’t add a message - Acceptance rates drop when you include one. A blank request feels more natural. Once you have a message in it feels like you’re about to pitch something.
Engage with new connections right away - Comment on their posts within the first 7 days so LinkedIn pushes your content to them. Alternatively, message them 1 or 2 days after accepting the connection request. Messages should aim to build relationships, not sell. So offer value. Share something interesting they might like.

Find the Right People to Connect With

Instead of guessing who to connect with, use data.

With Trigify, you can identify:

People engaging most with key influencers in your niche - If they like an influencer’s content, chances are they’ll like yours.
Repeat engagers - Someone who likes one post might not care. Someone who engages multiple times is worth connecting with.

For example, let’s say you sell a sales automation tool. Instead of connecting with random SDRs, use Trigify to find SDRs who actively engage with sales influencers. These people already show interest in your niche, making them more likely to accept and engage with you.

In practice, this process goes like this:

Log in to your Trigify account (there’s a 7-day free trial available)
Go to the Engagement tab on the left and add the LinkedIn profile URL of the influencer/competitor from your niche who has a lot of engagement on LinkedIn (for the example above, we’ll add Beth from Sendspark since she’s a big voice in the sales industry)

Trigify will now sync all of the influencer’s engagement, and you can see the people who engage with their posts.
We need to find the most active (and engaged!) ones. Click on the Filters in the upper menu.

Filter people based on the number of times they liked influencers’ content (I usually put 3 or more likes in 7 days) and by the title (in our example, that would be SDRs):

Now we have a list of all people who fit our ICP and actively engage with content similar to ours

Select all leads, hover over Save to and choose Export to HeyReach, where you can build automatic LinkedIn connection sequences.

Repeat this process for 10 or so industry creators and influencers, and you’ll quickly have thousands of followers who actively engage with your content.

Turn Connections Into an Audience

Growing your LinkedIn network isn’t just about adding people. It’s about making sure those people see and interact with your content.

By connecting with the right people and engaging with them early, you train the LinkedIn algorithm to prioritize your posts in their feed.

That’s how you turn connections into followers and followers into leads.

Step #3 - Create content that converts

Most people struggle with LinkedIn content because they post without a plan.

They share random thoughts, company updates, or motivational quotes - and get little engagement. The secret to winning on LinkedIn isn’t just posting more. It’s about posting the right type of content in the right balance.

The 3-2-1 Posting Formula

To grow your LinkedIn audience and turn them into leads, we use this simple structure:

3 Top-of-Funnel (TOFU) posts per week
- Goal: Maximize reach and attract new followers.
- Content Type: Viral, thought-provoking, or controversial opinions.
- Example: “Cold calls are dead? That’s the biggest lie in sales. Here’s why…”

Here’s an example of one TOFU post:

2 Middle-of-Funnel (MOFU) posts per week
- Goal: Build credibility and trust.
- Content Type: Personal insights, industry lessons, or behind-the-scenes experiences.
- Example: “Last year, I struggled to book meetings. Then I changed one thing—and it tripled my response rate.”

Here’s an example of one MOFU post:

1 Bottom-of-Funnel (BOFU) post per week
- Goal: Convert engaged followers into leads.
- Content Type: Actionable, step-by-step guides, case studies, or specific tactics.
- Example: “Here’s the LinkedIn outreach playbook that books 50+ monthly meetings.”

Here are the examples of two BOFU posts where we asked people to take action and get our lead magnets - we’ve got a fantastic 3500+ leads and 500.000 impressions:

This mix keeps your content engaging while subtly moving people toward becoming customers.

How to Find Topics That Get Engagement

Great content starts with great topics. But how do you know what will work?

Use Social Listening:

Follow industry influencers and track what people engage with.
Trigify can identify trending discussions in your niche or viral posts from other industry creators.
Choose the popular influencers in your space, click on the Posts in the upper-right corner, and you’ll have a clear view on all of their posts with the engagement they got. Pretty easy to identify what works

Look at Common Questions & Pain Points:

What problems do your customers talk about?
What questions do you get in sales calls?
What misconceptions exist in your industry?

Monitor Competitor Engagement:

Find posts from competitors that get high engagement.
See what topics spark conversations, then create your angle.

How to Create Viral & Engaging Content

Good content makes people stop scrolling. Here’s how to do it:

Start with a strong hook- The first sentence must grab attention.
- Weak: “Here’s how I improved my LinkedIn engagement.”
- Strong: “This one trick took my LinkedIn views from 500 to 50,000.”
Make it skimmable - Use short sentences, simple words, and spacing to keep it readable.
Tell stories - People remember stories more than facts. If you made a mistake, learned something, or overcame a challenge, talk about it.
Use numbers & controversy.
- "90% of salespeople are doing LinkedIn wrong."
- "Stop pitching in DMs. Do this instead."

Here’s the breakdown of one LinkedIn post that performed well for us:

Pro Tip: Videos perform better than text-based posts. They build trust faster and keep people engaged. Even a simple 60-second talking-head video can outperform a text post.

Step #4 – Convert Engagement into Leads

Engagement without action is a wasted opportunity.

Many people celebrate likes, comments, and shares, but they stop there. They assume engagement alone will bring leads, but it won’t. You have to turn engagement into conversations - and conversations into customers.

The good news? People who engage with your content have already shown interest. They’re warmed up, meaning they’re far more likely to respond than someone cold.

But you have to reach out the right way.

Find the Right People to Engage With

Not all engagement is worth following up on. A random like from someone outside your industry won’t help. But when your ideal customers interact with your content, that’s a sign they’re paying attention.

Focus on people who fit your target audience, especially those who engage more than once.

Someone who comments on multiple posts or asks questions is already interested—they just haven’t taken the next step.

Instead of waiting for them to reach out, start the conversation yourself.

In Trigify, you can also monitor people who actively engage in your content:

You can also add AI Smart Tags, so people who are your dream customers will automatically be labeled for easier enrichment later on.

To do this, click on the AI Smart Tags in the upper-menu, Create New, and add your parameters:

Once you do this, whether you’re checking your engagement or the people who engage with influencers or competitors, relevant prospects will be labeled with your Smart Tags:

How to reach out and start building relationships

The best way to do this is simple: thank them and offer value.

If someone likes or comments on your post, send them a quick message.

Don’t pitch them. Don’t ask for a meeting. Just acknowledge them and share something useful.

For example:

"Hey [First Name], I saw you liked my post about [Topic]. I actually compiled a quick guide on this - want me to send it over?"

This approach feels natural. It doesn’t pressure them, and most people will say yes. Once they do, you’ve opened the door for a real conversation.

Our friend Ugi from ContentMonk uses another engaging and effective approach.

He contacts everyone who is his ideal customer and invites them to appear on his podcast. Use that as an excuse to start building relationships and moving them down the funnel.

This way, you kill two birds with one stone - get more content and build relationships with potential buyers.

This approach can also be used for reaching out to the relevant prospects (not just the ones who engage with him).

Ugi used Trigify to identify high-quality prospects active on LinkedIn and frequently engage with industry leaders and then reached out to them with the message above.

The results are not bad, with a 20%+ reply rate and growing week-over-week:

Step #5 – Grow LinkedIn Network with Ads (the cheap and best way)

Most people waste money on LinkedIn ads.

They target cold audiences, hoping to grab attention. But cold leads don’t convert easily. They scroll past your ad or click without taking action. That’s why most LinkedIn ads fail.

What is the best way to make LinkedIn ads work? Retarget the people already engaging with you or actively engaging with similar content published on other profiles.

Why Retargeting Works

People who have liked, commented, or shared your content already know who you are. They’ve shown interest. That means they are far more likely to engage with an ad than someone who has never heard of you.

Instead of spending money on broad, untargeted campaigns, focus on warm leads—the people already paying attention.

How to find the right people for retargeting

Start by collecting data on who interacts with your content. Again, use Trigify to track LinkedIn engagement, helping you build a list of users who fit your ideal customer profile.

Once you have that list, create a custom audience in LinkedIn Ads. This allows you to show ads only to those engaged with your brand, lowering costs and increasing conversion rates.

Use Organic Content to Power Your Ads

Not all ads work the same way. Instead of creating an ad from scratch, use what’s already working.

Take one of your high-performing organic posts - the one that got the most likes, shares, and comments - and turn it into a paid ad.

If a post goes viral, that means the message already resonates. Running it as an ad amplifies its reach, getting it in front of the right people while keeping engagement high.

Maximize Your Budget

LinkedIn ads can get expensive, but retargeting engaged users keeps costs down. Instead of paying premium rates to reach cold prospects, you’re spending ad dollars on people already warmed up.

The result? A bigger LinkedIn network means more visibility, leads, and a lower cost per acquisition.

If you’re serious about growing on LinkedIn, don’t rely on organic content. Use ads to push your best posts further, but ensure you’re targeting the right people.

Common Mistakes People Make When Growing Their LinkedIn Network

Most people struggle with LinkedIn growth because they focus on the wrong things.

They post every day but don’t engage. They send connection requests but don’t start conversations. They pitch too early and wonder why no one responds.

Here’s what’s holding most people back - and what to do instead.

Mistake #1: Relying Only on Posting

Posting alone won’t grow your network. If no one knows who you are, even the best content won’t get traction.

Growth comes from engagement, not just creation. If you want to get noticed, spend more time commenting on other people’s posts than writing your own.

The fix: Engage first, post second. Join conversations before expecting people to notice yours.

It’s like a real estate. You want to be featured on the top of the comments sections of the posts that are about to take off.

Mistake #2: Sending Generic Connection Requests

Most people send connection requests without thinking. They search for a title, hit “Connect,” and hope for the best.

This leads to a low acceptance rate and a weak network. If you’re connecting with random people who won’t engage, your LinkedIn feed becomes useless.

The fix: Be intentional. Connect with your ideal customers and engagement amplifiers—those already active in your industry.

Mistake #3: Pitching Too Soon

Nothing kills LinkedIn faster than a cold pitch right after a connection request.

People don’t log into LinkedIn to get sold to. They come to learn, network, and explore opportunities. If your first interaction is a sales pitch, you’re turning people off before they know who you are.

The fix: Start with value. Share insights, engage with their content, and use lead magnets to open conversations before making an ask.

Mistake #4: Ignoring Automation

Growing a LinkedIn network manually is slow. However, using automation incorrectly - spamming connection requests and sending mass DMs - can get you shadowbanned.

The fix: Use AI to track and engage, not spam. Use Trigify to identify who is engaging with your content so you can focus on the right people. Automate insights, not relationships.

Conclusion – Grow your LinkedIn Network with Playbook that Works

Most people overcomplicate growing their LinkedIn network.

They think they need to go viral or post every day. But the real key to building a strong network isn’t about posting more - it’s about being visible where it matters.

Let’s recap everything we learned so far:

Engage first, post second - Growth doesn’t come from shouting into the void. It comes from joining conversations, adding value, and making people notice you.
Max out connection requests - If you’re not sending 200 connection requests per week, you’re missing easy opportunities. Focus on ICP prospects and engagement amplifiers - the people most likely to interact with you. Identify these people with Trigify.
Follow a strategic content framework - Don’t post randomly. Use the 3-2-1 method - three TOFU posts, two MOFU insights, and one actionable BOFU post each week.
Convert engagement into leads - Likes and comments mean nothing unless you turn them into conversations. Thank people for engaging, offer something valuable, and open the door for real discussions.
Use AI & automation to scale - Smart tools like Trigify help you track the right people, engage with precision, and scale without spamming.

Take Action Today

Growing on LinkedIn doesn’t take years - it takes intentional and strategic execution.

Start by commenting on five influencer posts, sending 20 connection requests, and crafting one valuable post this week. Do this consistently, and in a few months, you’ll have a network that fuels your business.