You can do anything for 20 minutes, right? How about if you use those 20 minutes to log into LinkedIn, engage your network, grow awareness of yourself, promote your company, and expand your list of valuable contacts?         

As of early 2025, LinkedIn has over 1.15 billion users worldwide. Of these, roughly 310 million are active monthly users, and 134.5 million log into the platform every day. This level of daily engagement supports the case for spending at least 20 minutes per day on the platform. This is true whether you are in sales, business development, management, ownership, or looking for career opportunities. 

But what’s the best way to spend those 20 minutes?

Like Comments by Others 

LinkedIn rewards those who are subtle and play the long game. People who pounce and prey on the platform may find occasional success, but often, their overzealous tactics lead to dead ends and wasted time.

A good goal for those just getting started with the platforms is to like five posts per day by others in your network and by people you would like to network with. Even this basic level of engagement draws attention, makes people curious, and often leads to profile visits.

A great way to accomplish this is to go to “Notifications” in the top menu and peruse the posts by your network and others. Open one up and “like” the post. If you hover over the “Like” button, you’ll see different reaction options, such as “Celebrate” or “Insightful”, and you can choose which is most appropriate based on the subject matter.

Comment on Posts by Others

It’s a great feeling of accomplishment to have other people comment on your LinkedIn posts. Those who comment are always noted and appreciated by the poster, as well as the other people who comment on the post. 

Where it’s appropriate, submit a comment on the post. It doesn’t have to be lengthy and profound, but it should be thoughtful and more than just a gratuitous use of words to fill up space and get attention. What you say is a direct reflection of who you are, what your personal brand is, and how you may be relevant to the topic and conversation. It’s okay to be casual with a simple congratulations on a good post, but this is most appropriate if you know the person already.

As is the case with liking a post, comments frequently lead curious people to your LinkedIn profile. As such, it’s important to be sure that your profile is up to date, optimized with great photos, content, and keywords, and is an accurate reflection of who you are both personally and professionally. The people you are hoping will want to connect are more likely to do so if your profile looks professional, is engaging, and tells a good story. 

Publish a Post 

For people who are new to LinkedIn, it’s okay to be a good listener and observer. Dipping your toes in with likes and comments is a good way to start and can be more effective than posting for those with limited time. 

If you have more than, say, 20 minutes per day to devote to LinkedIn networking, the next level of engagement is to publish a post at least once a week. Like post comments, posts do not need to be long, involved, and profound. Some of the best LinkedIn posts are relatively short and thought-provoking. Posing a question is not only an easy way to develop post content, but that type of post is more likely to encourage interaction than a wordy statement is.

Here are some common types of LinkedIn posts:

1. Thought Leadership & Industry Insights – Share your expertise, trends, or unique perspectives on your industry to position yourself as a knowledgeable leader.
2. Personal Stories & Career Lessons – Authentic storytelling about career wins, challenges, or pivotal moments resonates deeply and fosters meaningful connections.
3. Engaging Questions & Polls – Encourage interaction by asking thought-provoking questions or using LinkedIn polls to gather insights from your audience.
4. Case Studies & Success Stories – Showcase real-world results, client wins, or project highlights to build credibility and demonstrate impact.
5. Actionable Tips & How-To Guides – Provide value through educational content, such as best practices, frameworks, or step-by-step guides.
6. Behind-the-Scenes & Company Culture – Offer a look into your work environment, team achievements, or company values to humanize your brand.
7. Curated Content & Commentary – Share relevant articles, reports, or studies with your insights to add context and spark discussion.

Once you publish a post, keep an eye on notifications about engagement with your post, and visit the post every day to respond to comments. This is the best way to encourage conversations and let people know that you appreciate their interaction and are looking forward to more. 

Time is precious for everyone, and we’re not always looking for more activities to add to the calendar. But if you’re in sales, customer service, business development, marketing, or job hunting, it behooves you to spend quality time on LinkedIn. This is especially true if you are in sales because so much of the sales cycle takes place online these days. 

But play the long game and start with likes, comments, and posts. When the time is right, you’ll know when to request a connection with someone or to accept their request. But be choosy with both, because quality is better than quantity when it comes to LinkedIn connections.