Why LinkedIn Content Feels Harder the Smarter You Are
Content isn’t hard because you’re inexperienced.
It’s hard because you know too much.
This isn’t a theory.
It’s a pattern we’ve seen play out across multiple TTV Content Lab sessions — with consultants, founders, operators, and senior professionals from very different industries.
Different people.
Different expertise.
Same friction.
People come into Content Lab saying things like:
- “It makes sense in my head, but I don’t know how to write it.”
- “I don’t want to oversimplify it.”
- “This feels too basic… but the detailed version doesn’t land either.”
- “I know this is good, but I’m not sure if I should post it yet.”
These aren’t beginners.
They’re capable, thoughtful experts.
And that’s exactly why content feels harder.
What Content Lab Actually Is (Context Matters)
Content Lab is a working and coaching session where experts:
- bring real ideas they’re already thinking about
- draft content live
- get feedback in real time
- and see why something doesn’t land, not just that it doesn’t
The value isn’t the templates.
It’s watching patterns repeat.
And they do.
Pattern 1: Trying to Explain It “Properly”
This is the most common starting point.
Someone shares a draft and says:
“I just wanted to make sure it was accurate.”
What we see in the draft:
- long setup
- multiple caveats
- careful language
- all the context they would want as a reader
The post isn’t wrong.
It’s just dense.
As one consultant put it during a live session:
“I didn’t want to be misleading… but now it feels like too much.”
The fix
One post doesn’t need to explain the full picture.
One post needs to land one idea.
If there are three insights, that’s three posts — not one carefully engineered essay.
Pattern 2: Writing for People Like You
Another moment that shows up a lot:
Someone reads their post aloud and says:
“This is how I’d explain it to a peer.”
That’s the issue.
Peers don’t hire you.
Buyers do.
Across Content Labs, we see posts written at:
- expert-to-expert level
While the reader is:
- still orienting
- still learning
- still deciding if they trust you
This gap kills engagement quietly.
The fix
Teach at the reader’s level, not yours. (Again, it's not about you.)
Simple doesn’t mean basic.
It means absorbed.
The best experts know how to translate, not impress.
Pattern 3: Editing While Drafting
This one is subtle and brutal.
Someone starts writing, then stops mid-sentence to:
- reword
- soften
- clarify
- check tone
Ten minutes later, they’re still on paragraph one.
We’ve heard this more than once:
“I keep fixing it before I know where it’s going.”
The fix
Draft first.
Edit later.
In Content Lab, the biggest unlock often comes when people separate:
- drafting (thinking)
- editing (shaping)
- publishing (deciding)
Trying to do all three at once is where momentum dies.
Pattern 4: Expecting AI to Think for You
AI comes up in every session.
What we don’t see working:
- “Write a LinkedIn post for me”
- publishing first drafts
- trusting tone by default
What we do see working:
- feeding AI real context
- answering questions it asks
- editing the output ruthlessly
One participant summed it up well:
“Once I treated it like a junior copywriter instead of a brain, it clicked.”
The fix
AI drafts. Humans decide.
AI speeds things up.
It doesn’t replace judgement.
Pattern 5: Hooks That Make Sense… But Don’t Stop Anyone
This moment happens almost every session.
Someone shares a post.
The content is solid.
The hook is logical.
And yet — no one stops.
When we ask why, the answer is usually:
“It explains the idea, but it doesn’t feel familiar.”
The fix
Hooks shouldn’t explain. They should recognise.
If the hook makes someone think, they scroll.
If it mirrors a thought they’ve already had, they stop.
That shift alone often changes everything.
Pattern 6: Ending Without Direction
Another common line:
“I didn’t want to be too salesy.”
So the post ends… politely.
No next step.
No direction.
No invitation.
The reader nods and moves on.
The fix
One clear next step (marketers call it the call-to-action):
- comment
- save
- follow
Not all three.
Not “what do you think?”
Clarity isn’t pushy. It’s helpful when you give the reader the next step.
Pattern 7: Waiting to Feel Ready
This one doesn’t sound like a content problem — but it is.
People say:
- “I’ll post once I clean it up.”
- “I just want one more pass.”
- “I’m not sure it’s there yet.”
What we see instead:
- confidence comes after publishing
- clarity comes after feedback
- momentum comes after shipping
In more than one Content Lab, the breakthrough happens during the session — when someone posts, sees it live, and realises:
“Oh… that wasn’t as big as I made it.”
The fix
Publish before you feel ready (we know, it sounds way easier than you think).
Momentum creates confidence. Not the other way around.
The Real Problem Isn’t Content
It’s friction.
Too many decisions.
Too much compression.
Too much pressure to “get it right.”
Content Lab works because it removes friction:
- one idea at a time
- clear structure
- real-time feedback
- no guessing
Not hacks. Not trends.
Systems that respect how smart people actually think.
Final Thought about Content Creation
If content feels harder the more experienced you are, you’re not imagining it.
This isn’t a talent issue.
It’s not a confidence issue either.
It’s a compression issue; knowing how to distil what you know into something clear, useful, and easy to engage with.
Once you see the patterns, content stops feeling heavy.
And starts feeling workable again.
