LinkedIn Authority Builder

Here's what most people get wrong about LinkedIn: they're trying to go viral.

Viral doesn't pay your bills. Being remembered by the right 500 people when they need what you do — that pays your bills.

This skill builds a content system around consistent positioning and clear pillars — not hacks.

Mode

Detect from context or ask: "Starter plan, full content system, or 90-day build?"

Mode	What you get	Best for
`quick`	3 content pillars + 1-week posting starter plan	Getting unstuck, first week of consistency
`standard`	Full content system: pillars, formats, posting rhythm + first week written	Building a repeatable presence
`deep`	Full system + 90-day calendar + 10 posts written + engagement playbook	Serious authority-building campaign

Default: standard — use quick if they just need to start posting. Use deep if they're committing to LinkedIn as a growth channel.

Context Loading Gates

Before generating any strategy, load:

Current positioning: One-liner, ICP, key differentiator (load from positioning-basics output if available)
Target audience on LinkedIn: Specific titles, company stages, industries
Posting history: What have they tried? What worked? What didn't?
Content goals: Leads / job offers / speaking / partnerships / audience growth
Available time per week: Hours they can realistically commit

Sequencing gate: If positioning isn't clear yet, stop and ask:

"Before building a content strategy, I need your one-liner: 'I help [specific audience] with [specific outcome] through [unique approach].' Do you have this locked, or should we nail positioning first with positioning-basics?"

Do not build a content system for an unclear position — the content will be unfocused.

Also suggest:

"Run linkedin-profile-optimizer if you haven't — the content we build needs a profile that converts the traffic."

Phase 1: Positioning Alignment Analysis

Before recommending any content, reason through:

Positioning check: Is the one-liner specific enough to anchor content pillars? If it's "I help businesses grow," that's too vague — push for specificity before proceeding.
Audience clarity: Are we targeting a specific title + company stage, or a demographic? Specific is better.
Time-to-output match: If they have 2 hours/week, don't recommend 5 posts/week. Sustainability matters more than ambition.
Goal alignment: Content for lead generation looks different from content for speaking gigs. Confirm goal before building pillars.

Output a brief strategy assessment:

"You're a [role] targeting [audience] with [X hours/week] and a goal of [outcome]. I'll build a [3/5 post/week] strategy anchored to [X] pillars. The main gap in your current approach: [specific gap]."

Phase 2: Content Pillars (3–5 Required)

Each pillar must pass all 4 tests:

You have genuine expertise (not just interest)
Your target audience actively cares about it
You can produce content on it consistently for 6+ months
It connects to what you sell or want to be known for

Pillar ratio:

70% core expertise → builds authority
20% adjacent insights → makes you interesting
10% personal → makes you relatable

Output format per pillar:

Pillar: [Name]
Ratio: [%]
Content types: [frameworks / stories / case studies]
Example hook: "[First line of a real post]"
Connection to goal: [how this drives the stated outcome]

Phase 3: Format Selection & Post Templates

Format-to-Goal Mapping

Format	Best For	Engagement Level
Story	Connection, memorability	High
Framework/List	Authority, credibility	High
Hot take	Reach, visibility	Variable
Case study/proof	Credibility, late-stage trust	Medium
Behind-the-scenes	Relatability, trust	Medium

Recommended weekly mix:

2–3 frameworks (authority)
1–2 stories (connection)
1 proof point (credibility)

Post Templates

Story Post:

[Hook — the moment or realization]
[Setup — quick context]
[Tension — what was hard or went wrong]
[Turn — the insight]
[Lesson — the takeaway]
[Question — drives engagement]

Framework Post:

[Hook — bold claim or problem statement]
[Why this matters — 1-2 sentences]
[The X-step framework:]
1. [Step + brief explanation]
2. [Step + brief explanation]
3. [Step + brief explanation]
[Key insight or summary]
[CTA or discussion question]

Hot Take:

[Controversial statement]
[Your reasoning — 2-3 sentences]
[The nuance people miss]
[What to do instead]
[Question to drive comments]

Phase 4: Content Calendar with Real Dates

Generate a 4-week calendar with actual dates (not generic day names):

Date	Pillar	Format	Hook (first line)	Status
[YYYY-MM-DD]	[Pillar]	Framework	"[First line]"	Draft
[YYYY-MM-DD]	[Pillar]	Story	"[First line]"	Draft

Fill 4 full weeks. Generic "Week 1, Monday" output is not sufficient.

Also output 5 starter post hooks ready to write immediately — these break the blank-page problem:

1. [Hook]
2. [Hook]
3. [Hook]
4. [Hook]
5. [Hook]

Phase 5: Self-Critique Pass (REQUIRED)

After generating the strategy, evaluate:

Is the positioning one-liner specific enough to anchor the pillars?
Are the 5 starter hooks actually strong — would they stop the scroll?
Does the time commitment match the user's stated available hours?
Is at least one pillar directly tied to the revenue/goal outcome?
Does the calendar have actual dates, or just generic "Day 1/Day 3" placeholders?
Would this content system still work in 6 months if the user stays consistent?

Flag issues: "Pillar 3 ('general business tips') doesn't connect to your stated goal of attracting SaaS founders. Replace with something more specific."

Phase 6: 30-Day Iteration Protocol

After 30 days, review with these questions:

Which posts got the most comments? What pillar did they fall under?
Which posts drove DMs or profile views?
Which posts got the most impressions regardless of engagement?

Adjust based on data:

If case study posts outperform frameworks → increase case study ratio
If stories drive DMs but frameworks drive impressions → use both intentionally

Output Structure

## LinkedIn Strategy: [Name] — [Date]

### Positioning Alignment
[One-liner + assessment of clarity]

### Content Pillars
[3-5 pillars with ratio, examples, connection to goal]

### Weekly Rhythm
- Posts/week: [X]
- Best times: [e.g., Tue/Thu 8am EST]
- Active commenting: [X min/day]

### Format Mix
[Breakdown with rationale]

### 4-Week Content Calendar
[Table with real dates + hooks]

### 5 Starter Posts (Write These First)
[Hooks with format labels]

### Engagement Plan
[Who to engage with, how much time, what to say]

### Self-Critique Notes
[Issues flagged + recommended fixes]

### 30-Day Review Triggers
[What to measure and when to adjust]

### Cross-References
- linkedin-profile-optimizer (run before publishing)
- content-idea-generator (for ongoing idea generation)
- voice-extractor (to ensure posts sound authentic)

Skill by Brian Wagner | AI Marketing Architect | brianrwagner.com

linkedin-authority-builder