Struggling With LinkedIn Engagement? This Post Shows What Really Works
15-minute-guy Leeds 
Learn why a personal LinkedIn post about breakfast got 3,000+ views, and how to create scroll-stopping content that gets real engagement.
Why My Breakfast Post Did So Well (And What You Can Learn From It)
Do you ever stare at the screen wondering what on earth to post?
You’re not alone. I help people with LinkedIn™️every day, and even I sometimes post something and think… is this going to land?
In fact I spend a long time creating something that I feel will be THE ONE only to see it flop.
This week, one of my most unexpected posts went a bit mad. Loads of engagement. People commenting. People messaging me. People remembering me.
What was this post about then?
Breakfast.
Yep. A fry-up. With haggis.
But this blog isn’t about breakfast (although I am now starving again). It’s about why the post worked. Or hit the mark and how you can use the same thinking to create something simple and brilliant, without overthinking every word. Because to be fair, we do overthink things, don’t we?
It Was Real
First off, it wasn’t a marketing post. I wasn’t teaching a strategy or pushing a service.
I just told a story. I was staying in a hotel. I saw haggis on the menu. I got excited. I arranged my plate, took a photo, and shared my thoughts.
It was honest, a little unexpected, and very human.
People connect with real. Not business content!
The Hook Stopped the Scroll
The first line of the post said:
“Would you eat haggis for breakfast?”
That’s it. Simple question. Strong opinion.
It made people curious. Some said “Yes, please!” Others were horrified. That’s exactly what you want. Not arguments, but reactions. Emotion. Connection. And to be fair, with breakfast, I am not out to make any enemies. But polarising content does work.
Your first line matters more than the rest. Make it count. And then the follow-up line encourages the conversation. But we need to leave a white space between these first two lines. PLUS, make sure your next line runs over the page, and as this is the third line in the post, it triggers the …more button.
When this is pressed, it tells LinkedIn™️that you are stopping to read it. And then LinkedIn™️ will share it to a few more people.
The Photo Helped
LinkedIn™️ is visual, so show photos, photos that you have taken and not stock images. And of course I staged the plate.
I spoke to the waiter and I asked for a large white plate. Normally, they have smaller brown plates for breakfast!
I also edited the photo slightly to brighten it up.
But this is the same stuff we all do every day. Whether it’s adjusting your camera angle, tidying your desk for a Zoom call, or choosing the best lighting.
You don’t have to be a designer. Just put a little thought into how your post looks. If it’s nice to look at, people will pause. And engage!
The Formatting Drew the Eye
When I listed the items on the plate, I cascaded them. The longest line is at the top. Shortest at the bottom. It’s called “waterfalling” and it makes a block of text feel easier to read.
Little touches like this matter. They show care and make your content feel different without shouting about it. And as you cannot use bullet points on LinkedIn™️ I use my normal go to emojis to help make it look like bullet points. For me, these are always an alternate green and yellow heart. (See Formatting below)
This re-affirms my brand colours and I am instantly recognisable when you see my content with bullet points. What could you use as your go-to bullet points?
But it also draws people in to see that it is not a long, old post that will rob me of time.
The Comments Were Triggered on Purpose
I mentioned brown sauce. I left off bacon. I asked which breakfast items you’d include.
All of this gave people something to talk about.
It wasn’t an accident. It was designed to get a reaction, but in a light-hearted, fun way.
If you’re stuck on what to write, ask yourself:
“Can I trigger a response?”
It doesn’t need to be deep. It just needs to feel relatable. Just like you would do in a real-life networking meeting or talking to a friend.
It Had Nothing to Do With My Business
And that’s the point.
People don’t remember you just because you’re the best coach or accountant or web designer. They remember the moment they connected with something you said.
This post helped people see me, hear my voice, and feel like they know me.
So the next time I do post something business-y, they’re more likely to stop and take notice.
Final Thought: You Don’t Have to Get it Perfect
You don’t need a viral hit.
You just need to show up, share something human, and invite people into your world.
So if you’re stuck overthinking your next post, try this:
💚 Tell a true story
💛 Ask a simple question
💚 Make it dead easy to read
💛 Let people feel something when they read it
That’s it. That’s what works.
And if you’ve got something on your plate (literally or metaphorically) that made you smile, frustrated you, or got you thinking, that’s probably your next post.
You’ve got this.
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Categories: : Content Ideas
