LinkedIn Comments Drive Distribution
by Ethan Smith on September 14, 2025
Ethan Smith's LinkedIn engagement strategy demonstrates how thoughtful commenting can drive significant visibility and growth.
When analyzing his approach to LinkedIn growth, Ethan revealed that the quality and depth of comments matter far more than simple reactions or brief responses. He specifically mentioned how writing "long, thoughtful comments" on others' posts (like the Brian Balfour episode) generated substantial engagement - approximately 25 likes and multiple response threads from a single well-crafted comment.
The mechanism works through LinkedIn's algorithm, which rewards posts that generate meaningful conversation. When someone leaves a substantive comment that stimulates further discussion, the platform amplifies the original post's reach. This creates a virtuous cycle where thoughtful engagement leads to greater distribution, which attracts more commenters.
What makes this tactic particularly effective is its simplicity and authenticity. Unlike automated growth hacks, this approach requires genuine contribution to conversations. Ethan contrasts this with spammy approaches he sees in other channels (like Reddit), emphasizing that the value comes from being an actual participant in the community.
The execution is straightforward: find relevant posts in your domain, craft detailed responses that add real value or perspective, and engage with replies to your comments. The key is consistency and quality rather than volume - as Ethan notes, "you don't actually need 10,000 comments... even five could be great."
This approach scales surprisingly well because it focuses on depth over breadth. Each thoughtful comment potentially reaches thousands of viewers through the amplification effect, making it far more efficient than trying to be everywhere at once.
For product leaders and growth teams, this principle extends beyond personal branding to company visibility - having team members engage substantively in industry conversations can dramatically increase brand awareness without requiring massive content creation resources.