We’ve all been there. You’re scrolling your feed, you come across a powerful post from someone you admire, and you think:
“This is great—I should reshare it.”
You hit the button, and the post shows up on your profile. But here’s the problem: nothing happens. Few likes. Maybe one or two views. Almost no engagement.
Why? Simply resharing is one of the least effective ways to build visibility and authority on LinkedIn.
In this newsletter, we’re going to dive into:
- Why the reshare button rarely works
- The psychology behind engagement on LinkedIn
- Three ways to reshare—and which one positions you as a leader
- Real-world examples of effective vs. ineffective reshares
- Step-by-step strategies to maximize borrowed content
- How to turn resharing into a credibility-building habit
- Action items you can apply this week
By the end, you’ll know exactly how to turn someone else’s content into your own authority-building moment, without falling into the reshare trap.
Why the Reshare Button Rarely Works
On the surface, resharing seems logical. If a post resonated with you, why not spread it further? But LinkedIn’s algorithm doesn’t reward passive resharing.
Here’s why:
- No New Value: A reshare without commentary is just duplication. The algorithm recognizes that people are more likely to engage with the original post rather than your echo of it.
- No Context for Your Audience: Your followers don’t know why you reshared it. What does it mean to you? Why should they care? Without that context, there’s no reason for them to engage.
- No Personal Brand Growth: If all you do is reshare others, you position yourself as a follower, not a thought leader. You’re amplifying someone else’s voice, not your own.
That’s why so many reshares feel invisible; they’re missing the one ingredient that drives engagement: your perspective.
The Psychology Behind Engagement on LinkedIn
Let’s zoom out for a moment. Why do people engage with content at all?
- Relevance – Does it connect with their personal or professional life right now?
- Emotion – Does it inspire, challenge, frustrate, or excite them?
- Trust – Do they see you as someone worth listening to?
When you hit “reshare” without adding anything, you skip all three. Your audience sees borrowed content with no reason to connect it to you.
But when you take the time to add your thoughts, you’re signaling:
- “This is what I believe.”
- “This is how I interpret it.”
- “This is why it matters to you.”
That’s when people lean in. That’s when you shift from content consumer to content leader.
The Three Ways to Reshare (Ranked from Best to Worst)
Not all reshares are created equal. Let’s break down the three main approaches.
1. Most Recommended: The Quote + Original Insight Method
This is the gold standard. Here’s how to do it step-by-step:
- Save the image (or screenshot) from the original post.
- Copy a short snippet or quote from the author’s written text.
- Create a new post on LinkedIn.
- Upload the image, paste the snippet as a quote, and tag the original author.
- Beneath that, write your own take, insights, or perspective.
This does three powerful things:
- It honors the original author by tagging and quoting them.
- It creates new value by layering in your unique perspective.
- It positions you as a thought leader because you’re curating and expanding the conversation.
Example:
“I loved this insight from [Author Name]: ‘Leaders aren’t born—they’re built through consistent action.’
This transforms a reshare into original thought leadership.
2. Second Best: Reshare With Commentary
If you’re short on time, this is your next best option:
- Click “Reshare” on the post.
- Add your own commentary in the text box.
This at least injects your perspective, but it doesn’t perform as well as creating a brand-new post. Why? Because the algorithm prioritizes original content over reshares.
Still, if you can’t do the full quote + new post method, adding commentary is much better than nothing.
3. Least Recommended: Instant Reshare With No Thoughts
This is the visibility killer. You click “Reshare” and publish the post as is.
What happens?
- Your audience scrolls past.
- Engagement goes to the original post, not yours.
- You gain zero visibility, zero authority, zero traction.
It may feel like you’re being supportive, but in reality, you’re invisible.
What Works vs. What Flops
Example of a Weak Reshare:
“Great post by John Doe. Worth a read.” [link reshared with no context]
Result: Crickets. Your audience doesn’t know why it matters.
Example of a Strong Reshare:
“John Doe nailed this point about trust in sales: ‘People buy from people they trust, not people who pitch.’ Here’s how I’ve seen this play out with LinkedIn content strategy: when you stop pushing sales messages and start building trust through consistency, the sales conversations happen naturally.”
Result: Engagement, conversation, credibility.
How to Turn Resharing Into a Growth Strategy
Think of resharing as curation with commentary. Your role isn’t just to pass content along—it’s to interpret it, contextualize it, and expand it for your audience.
Here’s a framework you can use every time:
- Identify a post that resonates with your values or expertise.
- Extract one key insight, phrase, or idea from it.
- Expand on that idea with your own story, experience, or perspective.
- Engage by asking your audience a related question.
Step-by-Step Action Plan
This week, try this simple challenge:
- Day 1: Find one post from someone in your industry that resonated.
- Day 2: Draft a new post using the quote + original insight method.
- Day 3: Publish it and tag the author.
- Day 4: Monitor comments and reply thoughtfully to everyone.
- Day 5: Reflect. Did this spark new engagement or conversations?
Do this consistently, and you’ll notice two things:
- You’ll attract engagement from both your audience and the original author’s network.
- You’ll slowly shift into the role of trusted curator and thought leader.
Building Long-Term Authority With Reshares
Over time, consistently resharing with insight does more than boost visibility. It creates a brand narrative:
- You’re seen as someone who doesn’t just consume, but contributes.
- You demonstrate awareness of what’s happening in your industry.
- You show thought leadership by connecting the dots for your audience.
Remember: visibility alone isn’t the goal. Authority and trust are. And how you reshare can be the difference between being overlooked and being sought out.
The key takeaway is simple:
Instant reshares don’t work. They add no value, gain no traction, and do little to strengthen your presence on LinkedIn. If you must reshare, add commentary to provide context, though it’s still not the highest-performing method.
The best practice is to create a new post that tags the author, quotes a snippet from their original content, and layers in your own perspective to bring fresh value to the conversation.
Each time you consider resharing, ask yourself,
“How can I make this relevant to my audience?”
By doing so, you turn resharing into a habit that builds credibility and authority rather than invisibility.
I’d love to hear from you….
Have you ever reshared a post on LinkedIn, and what did you take away most from this newsletter edition?
Let me know in the comments below…
#LinkedIn #Visibility #Authority
Are you wondering what may be missing from your LinkedIn and business strategy?