The experts all agree: Founder-led content is having a field day at the moment

As a start-up, making ends meet requires constant discipline. Every budget decision feels like a gamble: should limited funds go toward this initiative or that project, and how do you measure whether the bet was worth it? One of the areas most impacted by these choices is marketing and communications. You need content that generates leads, ideally at minimal cost, which makes it critical to choose your channels wisely and conserve energy for what works best.

Experimenting with channels

At We Do Follow-Up, experimentation has been our approach from the very beginning. We tested LinkedIn paid campaigns and experimented with Google Ads. We invested significant time into organic content across different platforms. We even trialled AI-generated shitposts—intentionally low-effort or irreverent posts designed to break through the noise of busy feeds and spark a response.

These experiments all had one purpose: to see whether new leads could be generated passively. While not every attempt delivered results, the variety helped us identify clear patterns. Some channels drained resources without much return, while others opened up more efficient ways to connect with audiences.

Validating through expert input

By late August, we decided to take the next step. We compiled our internal findings and validated them by speaking with external experts. With a rule of reaching out to at least one new expert per day, we built a solid base of input from practitioners across the marketing spectrum. The insights proved invaluable, and confirmed that even in crowded digital markets, high-quality advice is readily available if you take the time to seek it.

For us, the results were unambiguous. Organic LinkedIn content consistently outperformed every other channel by a wide margin. In addition, nearly every expert we spoke to emphasised the growing relevance of a particular discipline: founder-led content.

Why founder-led content works

In a digital environment increasingly filled with automated messaging and fast content, audiences crave authenticity. Founder-led content stands out because it provides a genuine perspective, an unpolished look behind the curtain that feels more human and trustworthy. Readers and viewers connect with the real person behind the company, not just the brand.

For We Do Follow-Up, this has translated into a renewed focus on short-form video. It allows us to show who we are, explain our thought processes, and share the lessons learned from running a young company. Of course, video is only one element of an overall communications approach. To succeed, it needs to be supported by a consistent strategy across all channels.

However, as one expert we talked to put it: “I have been running ads for a 100k a month with next to nothing to show for it. I am going back to the phone. Cold calling always works for me…” His words capture an important truth. Paid campaigns can burn through budget without building real connections. What consistently works is authentic communication, combined with a respectful follow-up. That is exactly where We Do Follow-Up helps companies refine their approach: ensuring conversations don’t end after the first touchpoint, and that authentic content is supported by timely, professional outreach.

Moving forward

LinkedIn is not just another marketing platform. For founders, it represents a space to showcase authenticity, connect directly with audiences, and build trust at scale. The data from our own experiments and the advice from seasoned practitioners both point in the same direction: founder-led content is not a trend, it is a necessity.

For any growing business, the challenge is balancing limited resources with the need to make an impact. The lesson from our journey is straightforward: invest in authenticity, keep testing - even if that means posting something intentionally irreverent - and combine it with a disciplined follow-up process. Done well, this approach not only generates leads but also builds credibility and long-term relationships.

And if building that balance feels like a challenge, that is the space where We Do Follow-Up supports founders: helping you align authentic communication with structured follow-up so your efforts translate into real results.

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