The Biggest Mistake in Founder-Led Marketing: Posting & Ghosting

TL;DR (Quick Summary)

• Posting content without engaging with your audience ("Posting & Ghosting") is a major mistake. Visibility alone doesn’t build authority.

• Social platforms reward active participation. Simply posting isn’t enough—building relationships and engaging in industry conversations is key.

• Engagement strategies matter. Founders should comment, debate, and interact with thought leaders and their target audience regularly.

• Common pitfalls: Over-promotion, inconsistency, neglecting data, and failing to align content with the company’s brand messaging.

• The takeaway: LinkedIn (and other platforms) require a give-and-take approach. To be considered an industry expert, you need to contribute to the conversation, not just broadcast content.

  
  

Why "Posting & Ghosting" is Hurting Your Brand

Social media platforms are built on a give-and-take model. The more you engage, the more visibility and reach your content receives. Yet many founders treat social media as a one-way street—they post and disappear, expecting engagement to happen automatically.

It doesn’t work that way.

Imagine standing up in a town hall meeting, giving a speech, and then walking out before anyone can respond. Would you expect people to engage with your message if you’re not around to have a conversation?

This is exactly how social media works. If you post and walk away, your content won’t gain traction, and you’ll struggle to build the authority, trust, and engagement needed to drive inbound leads.

How Social Media Algorithms Reward Engagement

Social media platforms—especially LinkedIn—are designed to keep users on the platform for as long as possible. They favor content that sparks discussion, meaning posts that generate comments, replies, and conversations get boosted to a wider audience.

If your strategy is to just post and disappear, here’s what happens:

• Your post receives less engagement because you’re not there to encourage discussion.

• The algorithm deprioritizes your content since there’s no ongoing conversation.

• Your audience sees less of your future content, reducing overall visibility.

  
  

Engagement is the currency of social media. If you’re not giving, you won’t be rewarded.

How Founders Should Engage on Social Platforms

Posting great content is only half the equation—founders need to engage consistently.

Step 1: Set Up a Simple Engagement System

To avoid spending your entire workday on social media, create a structured system for engagement.

• Morning: Spend 15 minutes engaging with recent posts in your network.

• Midday: Check for new comments and reply to insightful responses.

• Evening: Engage with posts from your ICP and thought leaders.

  
  

This ensures that you’re consistently active without getting lost in endless scrolling.

Step 2: Identify High-Value Engagement Opportunities

Instead of commenting randomly, be strategic. Engage with:

1. Your target ICP’s content – The best way to get noticed is by engaging with your audience before they need your product.

2. Industry thought leaders – Engaging with high-visibility accounts positions you within the right conversations.

3. Complementary brands and partners – Aligning with non-competing businesses in your space helps expand your reach.

Common Mistakes Founders Make with Social Engagement

1. Over-Promotion Instead of Conversation

Nobody wants to follow a company that only talks about itself. Instead of constantly pitching your product, focus on adding value through:

• Sharing insights from your experience.

• Engaging in discussions that matter to your ICP.

• Offering thoughtful comments that encourage further conversation.

  
  

2. Inconsistency in Engagement

Engagement needs to be consistent to be effective. Sporadic interactions won’t create a lasting presence. If you can’t commit to daily engagement, batch your interactions into set time blocks.

3. Ignoring Data and Feedback

Track which comments and discussions lead to meaningful interactions. If certain topics resonate more with your audience, lean into those themes in future content.

4. Not Aligning Engagement With Company Messaging

Your engagement should reflect your company’s strategic narrative. If your content positions you as a thought leader in AI-powered SaaS, but your comments are

generic or unrelated, there’s a disconnect.

5. Creating Content Without Engaging Elsewhere

Founders often expect people to engage with their content without giving back. The best way to build an engaged audience is by commenting on and amplifying other people’s posts first.

The ROI of Active Engagement

Founders who actively engage on social media see higher inbound pipeline generation because:

• They stay top of mind with their ICP.

• They build trust and credibility by contributing to industry discussions.

• Their content reaches a wider audience through algorithmic boosts.

Final Thoughts: Give & Take for Long-Term Success

Founder-led marketing isn’t just about publishing content—it’s about building authority through interaction.

If you’re serious about growing your inbound pipeline, you need to:

• Engage consistently—comment, debate, and share insights.

• Build relationships—don’t just broadcast, participate in conversations.

• Create a system—block time to engage without losing focus.

  
  

Social platforms reward those who contribute to the ecosystem. If you’re not engaging, your competitors will be—and they’ll be the ones capturing the attention of your ideal buyers.

Founder-led marketing thrives on trust, authority, and engagement. The question is: are you ready to be part of the conversation?