How To Create A Saved Search In LinkedIn

candyce edelen candyce linkedin tips linkedin commenting linkedin saved search linkedintips Sep 26, 2024
 

LinkedIn Commenting Strategy: How to Create a Custom Feed of Influencers

On LinkedIn, your commenting strategy is just as important as your posting strategy. It’s a key tool for enhancing your human-to-human outreach and attracting your ideal leads. But, you’ve got to be strategic about finding the right people to comment on. 

When you focus on posts by people who influence your target audience, you’ll naturally get discovered by others who match your ideal client profile. It’s about being seen in the right places and associating with the right people.

I talk more about an influencer strategy in this post.

But finding these influencers can be tricky. And LinkedIn isn’t particularly helpful with what it puts in your home feed. 

So I figured out a way to create a saved search that allows you to create a custom feed of just posts you want to engage with.

This will help you efficiently find and engage with posts from the influencers who matter most to your target audience.

Why Commenting Is Crucial for LinkedIn Success

Before we jump into the steps, I want to point out…on LinkedIn, your commenting strategy is just as important as your posting strategy. Commenting helps you attract new followers and connections. It makes you more visible on LinkedIn. 

Your audience needs to see you showing up consistently, and one of the most efficient ways to get visibility is by showing up in the comments of posts they’re already seeing in their feeds. 

Commenting on Influencers’ Posts Lets You Borrow Their Audiences

Every time you comment on posts from influencers, you increase your chances of being noticed by the people you want to reach. You're not only adding value to the conversation; you’re also positioning yourself as a knowledgeable, engaged expert in your field.

As you post engaging and interesting comments, people will begin to check out your profile and your posts. You’ll gain more followers and connections, allowing you to build your own audience. And some will reach out via DM to inquire about your services.

Commenting is Always a Win-Win

Even though we’re talking about the advantages to you, there are also huge advantages to the original poster. You gain visibility with the poster’s audience, AND you help the influencer’s post be seen by more people. 

According to the latest LinkedIn Algorithm report by Just Connecting, every comment increases the poster’s reach by about 4% in their network and about 3% your (the commenter’s) network. 

So every comment you drop does a favor for the original poster.

The challenge is that LinkedIn’s feed doesn’t always show you the posts you need to see and comment on. And random acts of commenting are not as effective as being strategic. So creating a saved search where you can find influencers’ posts makes a big difference. Watch the video above or read the steps below to learn how to do this.

Step 1: Create Your Saved Search for Influencers

This strategy will allow you to create a custom feed of just the content you want to see.  Here's how to do it:

  1. Open LinkedIn in two separate browser tabs – Trust me on this. You’ll need both tabs to set up your customized searches properly.
  2. In the first tab, search for a key topic or keyword relevant to your niche or target audience. For example, if you’re interested in “predictable revenue models,” type that in the search bar (using the quotation marks - Boolean operators work really well here).
  3. Click on the 'Posts' filter – This way, you’ll be searching for posts that contain your topic. Don’t let LinkedIn choose the sorting method for you; instead, focus on 'Top' and change the date range to 'Past Month' or ‘Past Week.’ This approach helps you find posts that have gained traction and engagement around your chosen topic.
  4. Scroll through the results and look for posts that have strong engagement – You’re looking for influencers whose posts are sparking conversations. If you find someone with a good amount of engagement (even if it’s just a handful of likes and comments within a short timeframe), that’s a sign they might be a worthwhile influencer for you.
  5. Identify who’s engaging with that post – Take a peek at the comments and likes. If at least 20% of those interacting with the post match your target audience, you’ve found an influencer worth following.
  6. Copy the name of this influencer – We’ll use it in your second search.

Step 2: Create Your Saved Search with Targeted Influencers

Now that you've identified some potential influencers, you’re ready to create a custom feed that only shows you their posts:

  1. Go to your second LinkedIn tab – This is where the real magic happens. Type a ‘+’ symbol in the search bar and hit enter. Yep, just the plus sign. This tells LinkedIn that you want to see everything without filtering down by any specific criteria. It’s how you find all the posts of specific posters.
  2. Click 'Posts' – Again, you want to focus only on posts, not people or companies.
  3. Open 'All Filters' and select ‘Members’ – Now, paste the name of the influencer you copied earlier into the member search field. You might see multiple people with the same name, so double-check their profile picture or headline to ensure you’ve got the right one.
  4. Repeat this process for each influencer – Keep adding names until you have a good list. Just be aware LinkedIn only allows you to track up to 28 profiles in a saved search, so be selective. To get around this limitation, I created multiple saved searches.
  5. Click 'Show Results' – This will now display a customized feed filled with posts from just those influencers. You’ve just created a personalized LinkedIn feed!

Step 3: Save Your Search as a Bookmark in Your Browser

You’ve done the hard work; now let’s make it easy to access this feed every day.

  1. Create a Bookmark in your browser to bookmark this customized feed. You might want to create a folder specifically for LinkedIn saved searches to keep things organized.
  2. Rename the Bookmark – Don’t just leave it as a generic ‘+’ symbol. Give it a name that tells you exactly what it is. For example, I could name mine “Predictable Revenue Influencers” or “Sales Thought Leaders.”

Step 4: Engage with Intent and Consistency

Now when you’re ready to drop some comments, select that bookmark. LinkedIn will run the search at that moment, so you get a refreshed feed. Now that you have a customized news feed, you’re ready to start engaging. 

I recommend that you make it a daily habit to check this feed and leave thoughtful, value-adding comments on 5-6 posts. 

But this is an important caveat: Don’t just drop generic comments like “Great post!” or “Totally agree.” Instead, add insights, ask questions, or share your experiences related to the topic. This is how you’ll stand out and build meaningful connections.

Bonus Tip: Revisit and Refine Your Influencer List Regularly

Not all influencers are created equal, and some might not consistently deliver value for your target audience. Make it a habit to revisit your saved search list every month. If an influencer isn’t bringing the right kind of engagement or their content drifts away from your focus, swap them out for someone else. Remember, this strategy should evolve as your goals and audience preferences change. You’ll have to re-save your search and delete the old one. I haven’t figured out a way to just edit a bookmark. (If you know how to do this, please reach out, and I’ll update the video.)

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Wrapping It Up

Creating a strategic commenting routine on LinkedIn isn't just about visibility—it's about fostering human-to-human relationships with people who can amplify your reach. By engaging thoughtfully and consistently with the right influencers, you'll not only be seen but also become a recognizable voice in your niche.

I also recommend that you reach out to these influencers with a connection request / direct message. Tell them how much you appreciate their content. Build a relationship. 

So, there you have it. You now have a step-by-step process to build your own commenting strategy that’s both efficient and effective. Give it a try, and let me know how it works for you!

And hey, if you found this helpful, explore our website and blog for more tips. We have courses on social selling, posting challenges and a Prospecting Accelerator, all designed to help you use LinkedIn to build your business.


About the Author: Candyce Edelen is founder of PropelGrowth, where she teaches B2B entrepreneurs and sales professionals to build authentic, human-to-human relationships on LinkedIn. Her strategies have helped clients shift from spammy automation to genuine outreach, resulting in higher-quality leads and increased sales. Candyce is passionate about helping professionals build trust and create a reliable, predictable sales pipeline. She's also a firm believer that you can't automate a relationship.

The LinkedIn Prospecting Accelerator will help you supercharge your effectiveness on LinkedIn through live group training and coaching with like-minded colleagues. Each session focuses on optimizing a particular skill to improve your effectiveness on LinkedIn. It is particularly beneficial for those who enjoy being part of a community and need accountability to stay on track.

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