LinkedIn is a powerful tool to showcase your expertise and grow your network. But have you ever considered leveraging your competitors’ audiences? Through smart strategies and valuable content, you can attract their audience to your profile. It’s about providing value, not simply “stealing.”
Why is it a growth hack?
It’s actually quite simple. Targeting your competitors’ audience is one of the smartest things you can do if you want to make quick progress or if you have less time on your hands. People who follow your competitors have already shown interest in a product or service, just not your product or service. The chances are that they are also interested in your offer, the only thing you still have to do is convince them that your offer is better.
Instead of building a completely new target group for years, you cleverly play into an existing community. This accelerates your growth enormously. By regularly sharing valuable insights in places where your target group is located, you are automatically seen as an expert. This makes your authority grow faster than if you had to start from scratch yourself. In addition, as a bonus you immediately gain more visibility, actively responding to posts from competitors makes you more noticeable to their followers. If you add value to the discussion, people will automatically follow you.
Convert followers into connections.
Competitors’ followers are incredibly interesting, but if you don’t know how to get them off your chest in the right way, they will only be relevant to your competitors. And how can you convince them that you have more skills than your competitors? Follow these steps and see your number of followers increase automatically.
1. Provide additional insights on valuable topics
If you see a competitor share a post that’s doing well, you can capitalize on it by providing additional insights or perspectives of your own.
How do you do that? Write a post that dives deeper into the same topic, but adds your unique perspective. Show that you’re thinking ahead and providing additional value.
Tip: Use specific examples or data that your competitor didn’t mention. This shows that you have knowledge and expertise.
2. Actively respond to competitors’ content
Another effective way is to respond to your competitors’ posts with content. This grabs their audience’s attention and shows your expertise.
Practical example: Don’t just respond with a simple “Good point!”, but add something like:
“Interesting take on [topic]. Another angle I’ve seen recently is [your addition].”
This shows that you’re actively thinking along and adding value to the discussion.
3. Share strategic content at the right time
Timing plays a big role in attracting your competitors’ audience. If you see that they’ve shared a successful post, post your own content on the same topic shortly after.
Why does this work? Your competitors’ audience is already in the mindset of that topic and is open to additional information.
4. Use smart hashtags and keywords
Make sure your posts contain the same or similar hashtags as your competitors. This makes your content visible to the same audience.
Tip: Analyze which hashtags your competitors are using and integrate them into your own posts, if relevant.
What should you definitely not do with warm leads?
Attracting an audience from your competitors is an effective strategy, but make sure you use the strategy wisely. There is a fine line between smart networking and blatant self-promotion.
- Sending out too aggressive connection requests
Adding people without context or with standard messages is counterproductive. Make your invitations personal and relevant. - Responding everywhere without offering real value
If you only respond to be visible, people will quickly see through it. Make sure your responses are always strong in content. - Too much promotion in your responses and posts
The goal is to build trust, not to sell something directly. Focus on value and let people take the step to follow you. - Not being patient
People will not follow you immediately after one response or connection request. Consistency and patience are the key to success.
By not taking into account what your competitors’ audiences may really find important, you can actually achieve the opposite. Being everywhere but not providing value can cause irritation or frustration and lead to a large group of potential customers being played more into the hands of your competitors.
What Authenticity Means: Smart Networking
When I first started doing this, it felt a little strange to respond to competitors’ posts or add their followers. Wasn’t I just ‘stealing’ their audience? But when I saw how valuable interactions were created, I realized: smart networking isn’t about stealing, it’s about contributing. People choose who they connect with and who they learn from. If you offer value, they will consciously choose to follow you—that’s not stealing, that’s attraction.
In addition, people need multiple sources; someone only trusts one expert. And your insights can complement what they already know. By networking strategically and honestly, you attract the right people and build long-lasting relationships. You build an authentic network that no one owns. Everyone is free to choose who they follow, as long as you have something relevant to offer
Use LinkedIn Ads
- Use ‘Interest’ targeting
LinkedIn lets you target interests and specific companies. Choose companies that are similar to your competitors to reach their followers. - Create lookalike audiences
Upload a list of your existing customers and let LinkedIn find similar profiles that may be interested in your offer. - Play on pain points
What is the target group missing from your competitor? Mention that in your ads and offer a better solution. - Test and optimize your ads
Run A/B tests with different ad variations to see which one resonates best with the target group.
Targets and KPIs:
- More engagement: Higher interaction on your posts thanks to strategic timing.
- New connections: Growth in relevant followers who add value to your network.
- Greater visibility: More exposure through interaction with competitors’ audiences.
Do you dare to take the step? For questions or more information, you can always contact us! 🚀
