Your LinkedIn Posts Are Failing Before Anyone Reads Them: The 60-Second Pre-Flight Check That Changes Everything

Most creators follow a simple (and ineffective) strategy: write, publish, pray. But that's not a strategy—that's gambling. And the odds are stacked against you.

I never hit publish without running through five specific checks first. It takes about 60 seconds. And it's the difference between posting into the void and actually getting seen.

Let me show you exactly what I check—and why it matters.

The 3-Second Reality of LinkedIn's Algorithm

Here's what most people don't realize: LinkedIn posts succeed or fail in the first 3 seconds of being seen in the feed—before anyone actually reads your content, before they get to your brilliant insight or hard-earned wisdom.

Your audience is scrolling on their phone, half paying attention. Your post has approximately 3 seconds to earn the next 30 seconds of their time. If they don't stop scrolling, it's gone forever.

If you're not checking these five things before you publish, you're leaving your success entirely up to chance.

The 5-Point Pre-Flight Checklist That Changes Everything

Checkpoint #1: The Hook (Your First Line)

Your first line is the only line that's guaranteed to be seen. Everything else depends on whether this line earns the scroll stop.

A powerful hook does three things:

• Creates a curiosity gap that makes readers need to know more
• Acts as a pattern interrupt by saying something unexpected or making a bold claim
• Stays short—under 10 words, standing alone on its own line

Bad hook example:
"I've been thinking a lot lately about how LinkedIn has changed the way we approach professional networking."

This isn't a hook. It's an introduction. It's a warm-up lap that loses readers immediately.

Good hook example:
"Your LinkedIn posts are failing before anyone reads them."

This hook is short, direct, uses strong language ("failing"), and creates an open loop. Readers immediately think: Wait, what do you mean by "before"?

The check: When reviewing your post before publishing, read just that first line. Pretend you're scrolling past it at full speed. Would you stop? Be brutally honest. If the answer is "maybe," rewrite it. Maybe means no.

Checkpoint #2: The Preview (Everything Above "See More")

LinkedIn shows roughly 300 characters before it cuts you off with the "see more" button. That's your hook plus maybe two more lines on mobile.

Most people nail the hook and then immediately lose momentum. The second and third lines become filler or unnecessary context. But this is where you need to draw people in even further.

These lines should create an open loop and raise curiosity so readers have no choice but to click that "see more" button.

Example of a strong continuation:

Hook: "Your LinkedIn posts are failing before anyone reads them."
Second line: "Here's what I do to avoid that."

You're promising a resolution. You're promising knowledge. That's what makes people click.

Critical mobile optimization tip: Make absolutely sure your second line can be seen completely in the mobile preview. You have two formatting options:

• If you have more text, don't put an empty line between your hook and second line
• If you have a short hook and short "rehook," you can add an empty line to make it even more readable

The check: Read only the first 300 characters of your post. Ask yourself: Would I need to click the "see more" button, or could I scroll past without feeling like I missed anything? If you can skip it, everyone else will too.

Checkpoint #3: The Structure (Scannability)

Here's the reality: People don't read LinkedIn posts. They scan them. And then, if the scan looks promising, they might go back and actually read.

On mobile (where most people see your post), a wall of text is an instant scroll past. Your brilliant insights get buried because it looks like homework from seventh grade.

What kills engagement:

• Dense paragraphs with no visual breaks
• Long, continuous blocks of text
• No white space between ideas
• Lack of visual rhythm

What drives engagement:

• Short lines (1-3 sentences per paragraph maximum)
• Generous white space
• Clear visual rhythm
• Skimmable format

The post on the left might have better writing, but it doesn't matter—nobody will know because nobody is going to read a wall of text.

The check: Look at your post on mobile preview. Squint at it. Does it have visual rhythm—short chunks with white space between sections? Or does it look like Amazon's terms and conditions? If it looks dense, break it up. You cannot have too much white space.

Checkpoint #4: The Language (Reading Level)

The best LinkedIn posts are written at a grade 5-7 reading level. That means a 10-12 year old can easily understand what you're saying.

This isn't about dumbing down your content. It's about writing how people actually talk: short sentences, simple words, conversational rhythm.

You know that voice in your head when you write? The one that makes you swap "use" for "utilize" and "help" for "facilitate"? The one that adds "however" and "furthermore" everywhere?

That voice is killing your posts.

Bad example (corporate speak):
"I wanted to share some insights regarding the optimization of your LinkedIn content strategy implementation."

Nobody talks like this. Ever.

Good example (human speak):
"Here's how to fix your LinkedIn posts."

One sounds human. The other sounds like a chatbot from 2019.

The check: Read your post out loud. If you stumble, if it sounds weird coming out of your mouth, if you'd never actually say it that way to a friend—simplify it. Write like you talk. Your audience will thank you by actually reading.

Checkpoint #5: The Close (Your Call-to-Action)

How you end your post determines whether you get comments or get silence. And comments are the #1 signal to LinkedIn's algorithm that your post deserves more reach.

The mistake I see constantly: posts that end with a vague statement or the dreaded "Thoughts?"

"Thoughts?" is such an open-ended question that it takes too much cognitive bandwidth for anyone to reply. It asks for effort while giving zero direction. Nobody knows what to say, so they say nothing.

Weak closing example:
"That's what I've learned about LinkedIn. Thoughts?"

Strong closing example:
"What's the one post you've written that surprised you with how well it did? Let me know in the comments."

The difference is specificity. A good closing question is:

• Easy to answer
• Asks for one specific thing
• Doesn't require someone to write a paragraph
• Doesn't require deep thinking
• Can be answered in one sentence or even 2-3 words

Lower the barrier. Make it almost harder to not respond than to respond.

The check: Look at how your post ends. Is there a question? Is that question specific? Could someone answer it in one sentence without thinking too hard? If yes, you're good. If no, add one. And whatever you do, always add some form of call-to-action at the end. If you don't, it's a wasted opportunity.

Your 60-Second Pre-Publishing Checklist (Recap)

Here's your complete checklist to run through before hitting publish:

1. The Hook: Does your first line stop the scroll?
2. The Preview: Does everything above the "see more" button demand the reader to click it? Promise value, a surprising story, or a surprising fact—anything that makes people want to see the rest.
3. The Structure: Can someone scan this in 3 seconds on mobile and understand the gist of it?
4. The Language: Is this written how people talk? Is this how you'd say it to a friend?
5. The Close: Does it end with a simple, specific question?

Five checks. 60 seconds. Run through them with every post.

Try the Free Pre-Flight Check Tool

You can run through this checklist manually (and I encourage you to do so initially to build the muscle), but there's also a free tool that does all these checks automatically.

Here's how it works:

• Paste your post into the analyzer
• Click "Analyze Post"
• The AI checks specifically for these five critical points
• You get detailed feedback on what's working and what could be stronger for each checkpoint
• Optional: Request an enhanced version rewritten with the feedback applied (requires email, still free)

The tool checks exactly what we discussed: hook strength, preview effectiveness, structural scannability, language simplicity, and closing call-to-action quality.

Free LinkedIn Post Optimizer

Stop Hoping. Start Knowing.

The difference between a post that gets 12 likes and one that reaches thousands isn't usually the quality of your insight. It's whether you checked these five things before publishing.

Most creators are posting and hoping. You can start checking and knowing.

The algorithm doesn't reward the smartest posts. It rewards the posts that pass the 3-second test, earn the click, keep people reading, and drive engagement.

Now you know exactly how to make that happen.

Your turn: What's the one checkpoint you've been missing? Which of these five has been the biggest blind spot in your LinkedIn strategy? Drop a comment and let me know—I read every single one.