It happens to the best of us. You scroll through LinkedIn, and there it is – a post with hundreds of comments and likes within an hour of being posted. Meanwhile, your own content struggles to get a handful of interactions. The voice in your head starts whispering, “What am I doing wrong?”
Here’s the truth: probably nothing. That viral post might be fake.
This week, we’re tackling one of LinkedIn’s most frustrating issues – fake influencers and their vanity metrics. Let’s unpack why these metrics are misleading, how influencer pods manipulate the algorithm, and what you should focus on instead.
What Are LinkedIn Pods?
LinkedIn pods are groups of people who agree to like, comment on, and share each other’s posts to trick the algorithm into thinking their content is more valuable than it really is. This boosts their reach artificially, making them look more influential.
Here’s how it works: Someone posts a piece of content, and within minutes, members of their pod swarm it with comments and likes. It creates a snowball effect where LinkedIn starts pushing the post to more people, thinking it’s highly engaging content.
The result? Fake engagement numbers that look impressive but don’t actually mean anything. And worse, it sets unrealistic expectations for those of us who are creating content the right way.
Why Vanity Metrics Don’t Matter
It’s easy to get caught up in likes, shares, and comments. But ask yourself: Are these numbers helping you connect with your ideal clients? For most of us, the answer is no. Vanity metrics might give you a temporary dopamine hit, but they don’t pay the bills.
In fact, most of my clients have never liked or commented on my posts before they became clients. They quietly consume my content, resonate with the message, and then reach out when they’re ready to work together.
So, instead of focusing on surface-level engagement, look deeper. Check your LinkedIn post analytics to see who is viewing your content. If their job titles and company sizes match your target audience, you’re on the right track.
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The Impact of Fake Influencers
The rise of fake influencers is more than just annoying – it’s damaging. It creates a false sense of success and can leave genuine creators feeling like they’re failing. But here’s the reality: Their flashy engagement is often meaningless. Their audience isn’t made up of potential clients; it’s just other people in their pod.
As Daniel Hall, who does excellent work exposing these pods, often points out, if you check the job titles of people commenting on these posts, they’re usually not the influencer’s target audience. They’re just playing the engagement game.
Instead of chasing fake metrics, focus on authentic, valuable content. Create posts that address your audience’s challenges, frustrations, and goals. That’s what leads to genuine business growth.
For more on creating content that resonates, check out Why Starting is Better Than Perfection.
How to Stay Authentic on LinkedIn
Staying true to yourself on LinkedIn isn’t always easy, especially when fake influencers seem to be winning the game. But authenticity always wins in the long run. Here are a few things to remember:
Focus on Your Audience: Create content that solves their problems and speaks to their challenges.
Ignore Vanity Metrics: Likes and comments are nice, but they don’t define your success.
Check Your Analytics: Use LinkedIn’s post analytics to see if your content is reaching the right people.
If your posts are being viewed by people who fit your ideal client profile, you’re doing it right. And if not, tweak your approach – but do it gradually.
For more on creating content that truly connects, take a look at The Power of Category-Based Posting for Social Media.
Stay Focused, Stay Real
Fake influencers and vanity metrics might be frustrating, but they don’t need to derail your strategy. Focus on your audience, share valuable insights, and stay consistent. Real connections and real business growth come from authentic engagement, not numbers boosted by pods.
Trust the process. You’re doing better than you think.
See you next week in the Content Classroom!
