In a recent LinkedIn post, Alec Rickard discusses how business leaders can measure whether their personal-brand content is attracting potential clients and contributing to business results. This article reports on Rickard’s argument; it is coverage of his post, not an article written by him.
“10,000 LinkedIn views can bring you zero clients.”
Rickard contrasts high-reach posts that produce no new business with lower-view posts that may lead to a valuable client. His point is that view counts alone offer an incomplete picture of a content strategy. As he notes, “The difference isn’t how often you post. It’s how well you measure what’s working.”
Measure who is paying attention
According to Rickard, personal branding involves more than publishing regularly and checking the view count. He says that executives can lose momentum when they create posts and respond to comments without understanding what those activities achieve.
Rickard recommends examining profile views and follower job titles to assess whether content is reaching the intended audience. In his view, a large audience is of limited value if it does not include people relevant to the leader’s business. The measure, therefore, is not just how many people saw a post, but whether the audience includes potential clients or useful professional contacts.
Look for signs of trust and intent
Rickard also points to engagement that signals a real relationship. He urges leaders to track comments and direct messages from people they would want to work with, and to identify the topics that prompt meaningful conversations.
“One meaningful conversation with a potential client can be worth more than 100 likes.”
That comparison captures Rickard’s distinction between visible activity and business-relevant engagement. He argues that interactions can help leaders understand which subjects resonate, while enquiries and call bookings offer stronger evidence that content is moving an audience toward action.
Connect content to business outcomes
To make that connection clearer, Rickard advises asking new leads how they found the business and which content influenced them. He also recommends recording the original content source in a customer relationship management system, then tracking whether enquiries become sales calls, proposals and paying clients.
As Rickard explains, those records can show which content contributes to opportunities and revenue. His approach treats personal-brand measurement as a process that follows a prospective client from initial attention through a business outcome, rather than stopping at platform metrics.
Review and adjust
Rickard further suggests reviewing results monthly and comparing the time and money invested in content with the opportunities it generates. That comparison, he argues, can help leaders decide what to continue, change or stop. He describes key performance indicators as a way to replace guesswork with decisions informed by results.
“You don’t need to go viral to build a valuable personal brand.”
Rickard’s broader message is that leaders can build a useful presence without chasing viral reach. In his view, the essential task is to understand what content is achieving, then use that information to improve the strategy over time.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Alec Rickard on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on November 3, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →