The Strategic Comment Framework

Scroll through any popular LinkedIn post and you'll see dozens of comments that add zero value.

"Great insight!" "Thanks for sharing!" "So true!" - endless variations of the same meaningless response.

But buried in there, you'll find 1-2 comments that actually spark conversations, build relationships, and position the commenter as someone worth knowing.

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Why Traditional LinkedIn Commenting Fails

What most people do:

• "Great post!"
• "Thanks for sharing!"
• "Love this insight!"
• "So true!"

Why it doesn't work:

• Zero differentiation from thousands of other generic comments
• No value added to the conversation or community
• Instantly forgettable - doesn't make you memorable to anyone
• Missed opportunity to demonstrate your expertise and perspective

The difference: Quality connections that lead to real opportunities vs. a large network of strangers who don't engage with your content.

        

The Strategic Comment Framework

The Selection Strategy: Finding the Right Posts

Target influencers 2-3x your size (not massive accounts where you'd get lost in hundreds of comments)

Why this size works:

• Large enough audience to give you meaningful exposure
• Small enough that your thoughtful comment gets noticed
• Active engagement from audience members who might become your connections
• Manageable competition for attention in the comments

How to identify the right accounts:

• Industry relevance: They serve your target audience
• Engagement quality: Comments are thoughtful, not just emoji reactions
• Audience overlap: Their followers match your ideal client profile
• Content alignment: They post about topics relevant to your expertise

        

The 4-Line Strategic Comment Structure

Line 1: Thoughtful reflection on their post

• Shows you actually read and understood the content
• Demonstrates your ability to synthesize information
• Creates immediate credibility with the original poster

Lines 2-3: Your experience/perspective on the topic

• Adds unique value to the conversation
• Showcases your expertise without being promotional
• Provides specific, actionable insights from your work

Line 4: Interesting insight about your work (not promotional)

• Shares valuable information that helps others
• Positions you as someone with relevant experience
• Avoids sales language while demonstrating competence

Optional: Genuine question to spark discussion

• Encourages replies and continued conversation
• Shows genuine interest in others' perspectives

        

Real Examples of Strategic Comments

Example 1: Marketing Professional

Original post: About the importance of authentic brand storytelling

Strategic comment:

"This resonates with my experience in B2B marketing. I've noticed that companies often struggle with the balance between professional credibility and authentic vulnerability. In my work with SaaS startups, I've found that sharing specific failure stories (with lessons learned) actually builds more trust than success-only narratives. Have you seen similar patterns in your industry where vulnerability drives stronger connections?"

Why this works:

• Specific reflection on the storytelling topic
• Personal experience without being promotional
• Valuable insight about failure stories building trust
• Genuine question that invites discussion

        

Advanced Strategic Commenting Techniques

The Bridge Comment Strategy: Connect the original post to broader industry trends or related concepts Example: "This connects to something bigger happening in customer experience. As automation increases, the human touch points become even more critical for differentiation..."

The Data Addition Strategy: Support the original post with relevant statistics or research Example: "Your intuition is backed by recent research - Salesforce found that 73% of customers expect companies to understand their unique needs..."

The Implementation Story Strategy: Share a specific example of how you've applied similar concepts Example: "We tested this exact approach with a client last quarter. The key was starting with their existing customer journey map..."

        

The Key Rules for Strategic Commenting

Rule 1: Quality Over Quantity Only do this 1-2 times per week - focus on making each comment truly valuable rather than commenting frequently

Rule 2: Genuine Interest Only Choose posts that genuinely interest you - authenticity shows through and makes better comments

Rule 3: Never Be Promotional Never make it about your services - focus on contributing to the discussion, not advertising

Rule 4: Contribute, Don't Hijack Focus on contributing to the discussion - add value to the original poster's content rather than redirecting attention

        

Common Strategic Commenting Mistakes

Mistake 1: Self-Promotion Disguised as Value Wrong: "In my experience as a certified consultant helping Fortune 500 companies..." Right: "In my work with large organizations, I've found that..."

Mistake 2: Generic Expertise Claims Wrong: "As an expert in this field, I can confirm this is accurate" Right: "This matches what I've observed in [specific situation/context]"

Mistake 3: Overwhelming Detail Wrong: Writing a 500-word comment that overshadows the original post Right: Concise, valuable insights that enhance the original content

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The goal is to be noticed by the right people who will remember your insights and want to connect.

Remember: One thoughtful, strategic comment that demonstrates your expertise is worth more than 50 generic "great post" comments that nobody remembers.

Building strategic connections,
Lisa ✨