Why Audience Coherence Trumps Size on LinkedIn, According to Adam Houlahan

In a recent LinkedIn post, Adam Houlahan discusses a counterintuitive aspect of audience growth on professional platforms: the potential downsides of accumulating followers who are not the right fit for a founder’s business objectives. Houlahan, founder of The Social Selling Academy, highlights how the dynamics of LinkedIn’s algorithm mean that audience composition can significantly impact content visibility.

Houlahan emphasizes that the traditional view of ‘more is better’ when it comes to followers might be misguided. He explains that the algorithm uses engagement as a key signal for content distribution.

“Who engages with your content now directly influences who sees it next. That means your audience is not just a number. It is a signal.”

This perspective suggests that a large but unaligned audience can inadvertently harm a founder’s ability to reach genuinely interested prospects and decision-makers.

The Dangers of Misaligned Engagement

Adam Houlahan argues that a core issue for many founders is the belief that any engagement is good engagement. However, on platforms like LinkedIn, the algorithm prioritizes relevance. When individuals who are not potential customers or key industry players engage with content, it can send the wrong signals to the algorithm.

Houlahan points out the critical distinction between attracting attention and attracting the *right* attention. He states:

“If your posts get attention but not from decision-makers, this distinction is critical.”

This means that content designed to build authority and attract leads might be shown to an audience that is unlikely to convert, thereby diluting the perceived authority and relevance of the founder’s profile and content in the eyes of the algorithm. This can lead to a situation where content performs well in terms of likes and comments but fails to generate meaningful business outcomes.

Prioritizing Coherence Over Quantity

The central thesis of Houlahan’s post is the importance of audience coherence – ensuring that the people engaging with your content are the ones you actually want to reach. He encourages founders to evaluate their current audience critically.

Assessing Audience Alignment

Houlahan prompts founders to ask a crucial question about their network:

“As you read, ask yourself if your audience reinforces my authority or dilutes it.”

This self-reflection is key to understanding whether current growth strategies are effective or detrimental. Building a smaller, highly targeted audience that consistently engages with relevant content is presented as a more effective strategy for long-term success on LinkedIn than simply chasing follower counts.

For founders struggling with attracting the right prospects, Houlahan suggests that services focused on defining and attracting the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) can be beneficial. He offers both DIY and Done-For-You options to help businesses refine their audience targeting and improve their engagement quality on the platform.