In a recent LinkedIn post, Richard van der Blom explores a counterintuitive strategy for generating business on the platform: focusing on comments rather than solely on creating posts. Van der Blom highlights that a small number of well-crafted comments can yield significantly more business than a larger volume of original posts.
The Power of Strategic Engagement
Van der Blom shares personal experience, noting that just seven comments in a month brought in more business than his original posts. He breaks down the impact of these comments, illustrating how they attracted attention and generated leads. One comment, for instance, added a crucial data point that led to 8,000 views. Another comment, which reframed a problem without direct contradiction, garnered 12,000 views. A simple client story shared in a comment resulted in direct messages from his ideal client profile, and a polite disagreement sparked two partnership conversations.
“My own posts that week did a fraction of that.”
This stark contrast, as Richard van der Blom points out, underscores a fundamental shift in how LinkedIn’s algorithm and user behavior are prioritizing content. He argues that the platform’s distribution model has changed, impacting visibility for original posts.
Shifting Distribution Dynamics on LinkedIn
Richard van der Blom explains that the landscape of content distribution on LinkedIn has quietly evolved. He cites statistics indicating a significant decrease in the percentage of content seen from direct connections.
“In 2024, 72% of what showed up in your feed came from people you were directly connected to. By 2026 that number is 31%.
Your network was your distribution system. It quietly stopped being one and nobody sent an email about it.”
This shift means that relying solely on one’s immediate network for content reach is becoming less effective. Van der Blom emphasizes that the primary audience for comments comes from the original poster’s network, not your own.
“93% of the impressions your comments generate come from the other author’s network. Not yours. Every comment you leave puts you in front of an audience that already opted into that topic and would never have found you on your own.”
This suggests that commenting strategically on relevant posts is a powerful way to tap into new, highly targeted audiences.
Rethinking Content Volume vs. Engagement Quality
Van der Blom contrasts this approach with the high-volume posting strategies often advocated. He references Gary Vaynerchuk’s advice of posting 10-15 times a day but questions the efficacy of such a strategy without meaningful engagement.
He quotes Jasmin Alić, asking, “If you cannot engage with your readers and commenters, what is the point of all that content.” Van der Blom aligns with this sentiment, suggesting that prolific posting without interaction can be counterproductive.
“Fifteen posts a day is fifteen rooms you walked out of.”
In his view, this highlights the importance of quality interaction over sheer quantity of content. Van der Blom concludes by promoting his newsletter, which delves into a detailed engagement system, including a daily routine and strategies for effective commenting, promising it will be both informative and potentially provocative.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Richard van der Blom on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on September 6, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →