The Only 2 LinkedIn Post Formats You’ll Ever Need (Founder Edition)

TLDR

• Founders can build a complete LinkedIn strategy using just two formats: The Listicle and The Narrative + Takeaway.

• Listicles work best when you anchor them with a credibility hook that proves your authority immediately.

• Narrative posts drive engagement by combining a high stakes story from your actual work week with specific lessons.

• Success comes from a weekly 30 minute documentation habit rather than waiting for creative inspiration.

What is the most effective LinkedIn strategy for founders?

The most effective strategy relies on simplicity and repetition rather than chasing trends. You can power your entire personal brand by alternating between two specific formats: The Listicle and The Narrative + Takeaway.

Most founders think they need a complex calendar or a dedicated creative team to win on LinkedIn. The reality is much simpler. You possess all the raw material you need in your calendar and your career history. By mastering these two formats, you create a content engine that builds authority and withstands algorithm changes.

Let’s break down exactly how to execute this.

Format 1: The listicle

Listicles are the workhorse of LinkedIn because they respect the reader's time. They are easy to skim and highly saveable. However, generic lists often get ignored. The difference between a list that flops and one that drives revenue lies entirely in the hook.

How to write a high performing listicle

You must establish why the reader should trust you within the first two lines. This is where you leverage your "proof of work."

A standard hook looks like this:

"Here are 3 tips for B2B sales."

A high performing hook looks like this:

"I have helped 50+ founders generate millions in pipeline. If I had to start from scratch in 2026, here are the 3 specific formats I would use."

The anatomy of a winning listicle:

1. The Hook: State your credibility (revenue, years of experience, specific outcome).

2. The Lead-in: Briefly explain the context.

3. The Body: Ensure every bullet point offers standalone value. Avoid fluff.

4. The Takeaway: A quick summary or question.

When you treat every bullet point like a micro post, you deliver massive value per scroll. This format is perfect for sharing processes, mistakes to avoid, or frameworks you use daily. For a deeper look at structuring high converting content, check out our breakdown of Adam Robinson's copywriting formula.

Format 2: Narrative + takeaway

While listicles build authority, narratives build connection. This format takes a specific moment from your life as a founder and extracts a lesson for your audience. We call this the "Industry Narrative." You aren't just telling a story for entertainment. You are sharing a high stakes moment to teach a peer something valuable.

Where do you find stories?

You do not need to invent anything. Your stories live in your weekly schedule:

• The customer call that changed your roadmap.

• The hiring decision that went wrong.

• The experiment that failed despite your best efforts.

• The boardroom debate about pricing.

Structure your narrative

1. High Stakes Hook: Open with the risk, the decision, or the conflict. "We almost ran out of cash because I ignored this one metric."

2. The Story: Keep it tight. What happened? What did you do? Keep this under 10 lines.

3. The Lesson: Transition immediately into 1 to 5 tactical takeaways.

4. The CTA: Ask the reader to comment or follow.

This format works because it grounds your advice in reality. It proves you are in the trenches doing the work, not just theorizing about it. If you are looking to scale this kind of authentic content across a whole team, read our guide on launching a founder-led content engine.

How to never run out of ideas

The biggest bottleneck for founders is usually the blank page. The solution is a documentation habit.

Creativity is overrated. Documentation is your competitive advantage.

Block out 30 minutes every Friday. Open your calendar and review every meeting you had that week. Ask yourself simple questions:

• What surprised me?

• What question did I answer three times?

• What did I learn the hard way?

Log these in a simple notes app. Tag them as "Listicle" or "Narrative." One week of meetings can easily generate five posts.

Reuse your best work

Smart founders recycle their content. A strong narrative from three months ago can become a listicle today. A single bullet point from a listicle can expand into a full narrative post next week.

Repetition reinforces your message. It helps you own a specific topic in the minds of your audience.

For more detailed templates and step-by-step instructions on executing this strategy, I highly recommend reading the full issue in our newsletter. We dive much deeper into the nuances of the hooks and provide copy and paste examples you can use immediately.