The Smartest Way to Engage on LinkedIn

I spend the first hour of my day commenting on LinkedIn posts.

Not posting.

Not pitching.

Just commenting.

Because if no one knows your name,

nothing else you write matters.

Most people treat comments as throwaways.

I treat them as first impressions.

Most people lurk on LinkedIn.

They scroll. They read. They learn.

But when it’s time to engage—they freeze.

They don’t know what to say.

Or worse — they default to vague praise:

“Great post!” “Love this.” “Thanks for sharing.”

The problem isn’t a lack of effort.

It’s a lack of strategy.

You don’t need to be loud. You just need to be useful.

Every comment is a chance to get remembered.

But few people treat it that way.

That’s where the Add One Rule comes in.

It’s a simple method I teach early-career professionals who are trying to build visibility on LinkedIn without sounding try-hard.

Here’s how it works:

The Add One Rule

When you comment, do just one of these:

• Add one thought. React to an idea in the post with your own take or connection.

• Add one resource. Share a book, quote, article, or tool that adds value.

• Add one story. Mention a brief, relatable experience that echoes the post’s message.

That’s it. One move. One sentence. Done well, it creates visibility and builds trust.

Why it works

Psychologists call it the mere-exposure effect — the more we see something, the more we trust it.

When you show up repeatedly with thoughtful, relevant responses, you’re no longer a stranger. You become part of the conversation. That’s how real opportunities start.

The mistake most people make

People assume their value has to come through a private message or a perfect post.

But visibility is layered.

And trust starts small.

The best way to stand out isn’t to go viral.

It’s to make yourself useful in the margins.

Try the ChatGPT prompt I use

To make commenting easier, I created a ChatGPT prompt you can copy and use today:

You are my LinkedIn commenting assistant. 

Your job is to help me leave a short, memorable comment that adds value without sounding try-hard or cringy. 

The comment should: 

- Be 1–2 lines max 

- Sound human, not polished 

- Invite conversation, not just agreement 

- Avoid jargon 

- Be simple and clear 

 Use this template = 

1 clear, declarative sentence in 1st person. 10 words or less. 

1 sentence on why it's important 

1 quick actionable tip or mistake 

1 clear closing sentence 

Are you ready for the text?

Chat will reply “Yes.” Then just paste it in—and voilà.

Two quick notes:

1/ Don’t just accept the first response—read it, tweak it, make it yours.

2/ I used a monospace font (typewriter-style) for the prompt for easy scanning, copying, and editing.

One small action this week

Pick one person in your target field.

Find a post they’ve written that interests you.

Use the Add One Rule to leave a thoughtful comment.

Repeat this 2–3x a week.

No pitch. No pressure.

Just signal — and a reason to remember your name.

You don’t need to “network.”

You just need to be known.

And the best way to get known?

Add something.

Next week, I’ll show you how to choose who to comment on — and how to turn that into warm outreach.