LinkedIn Ghostwriter vs Doing It Yourself: An Honest Comparison

Experiences

Every professional who posts on LinkedIn reaches the same fork sooner or later. You can keep writing every post yourself, or you can hand some of the writing to someone else. Both routes work for the right person, and both can go badly for the wrong one.

This is an honest comparison of the two, plus a middle route, so you can decide with clear eyes. We build K-Steps, so we have a view on the middle route, and we flag it where it appears.

1 What a LinkedIn ghostwriter actually does

A LinkedIn ghostwriter writes posts, and sometimes articles or profile copy, that you publish under your own name. Services vary a great deal, so ask what is included before you agree to anything.

Typically, the work involves:

• Learning about your role, your audience, and your opinions, often through a conversation or a questionnaire
• Drafting posts based on what you tell them
• Sending drafts for your review and changes
• Sometimes scheduling the posts, replying to comments, or planning topics

The ghostwriter can shape and polish. They cannot invent your experience. Every good post rests on something you saw, did, or learnt, so you will always have to supply the raw material.

2 The case for writing it yourself

For many people, writing your own posts is the best default.

The weak point is steady output. A busy week pushes posting to the bottom of the list, and a gap of a few weeks makes it harder to restart. If you find that you start well and then fade, the problem is usually the system and not your ability.

3 The case for a ghostwriter

A ghostwriter earns their place when time or writing confidence is your main constraint.

• Time: a senior person with a full diary may simply not have hours to draft posts.
• Writing confidence: some people know their subject well and struggle to put it on the page.
• Consistency: an outside person with a schedule can keep the rhythm going.
• Fresh eyes: a good writer notices the story in something you dismissed as ordinary.

4 The risks to weigh on each side

Neither route is free of trouble. Look at the risks plainly.

A further point is worth holding in mind. Your name is on the post, so you carry the consequences of any claim in it. Whoever drafts it, you should read it and be happy to say every line aloud.

5 Five questions to ask before hiring a ghostwriter

If you lean towards hiring, ask these questions first. Get the answers in writing.

We do not quote prices or name providers here, because terms differ and change. Compare in writing and read the agreement before paying.

6 A simple test to decide

Answer these honestly.

Most people land clearly on one side. If you split down the middle, the third route below may suit you.

7 The middle route: help with drafting, you approve everything

There is a third option between full self-writing and full outsourcing. Here, a tool or a person takes your raw material, such as notes, voice recordings, or your answers to a few questions, and turns it into a draft. You decide what goes out.

K-Steps works this way. You tell Kay your story and experience, Kay does the work of drafting, and you approve every post before it is published. That is one version of the middle route. It suits people who have plenty to say but little time to write, and who want to keep final say.

Whichever middle route you choose, check these things:

• The material comes from you, not from guesswork
• You see every draft before it goes live
• You can change or reject any draft
• The tone still sounds like you when you read it aloud

8 How to keep your voice, whichever route you pick

Your voice is the main reason people follow you, so protect it.

Collect your own phrases

Keep a note of words and expressions you use in real conversations. Share it with any writer or tool, and use it as a check when you edit.

Read every draft aloud

If a line sounds like something you would never say, change it. This single habit catches most generic writing.

Keep your specifics

Names of places, kinds of problems, and real lessons make a post yours. Generic advice could be from anyone. For ideas on what to share, see these personal branding examples for Nigerian professionals.

Stay consistent in your message

Posts work together. If you have not set out your message yet, the personal branding statement template is a good starting point.

9 Building a routine that lasts

Regardless of who drafts, a routine is what keeps posts going out.

• Pick a realistic number of posts per week, and stick to it
• Set aside one regular session to collect ideas and another to review drafts
• Keep a running list of stories, questions from clients, and lessons from the week
• Use a plan to give structure, such as the 30-day LinkedIn personal brand plan

If you want the wider picture first, read about how to start personal branding and how to judge personal branding services worth paying for.

10 Final thoughts

There is no single right answer. Write it yourself if you have the time and enjoy it. Hire a ghostwriter if time or confidence is the barrier and you can brief them well. Choose a middle route if you want help with drafting but not with deciding what you stand for.

In every case, supply the real experience, read every post, and approve what goes out under your name.

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