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01 How it works
Many experts know that LinkedIn brings clients, partners and job offers — but writing posts every week never makes it to the top of their list. A LinkedIn ghostwriter takes that over: you talk to the client, collect their experiences, opinions and stories, and write posts that they publish under their own name.
Clients usually book a monthly package: one interview call, 8–12 posts, and often ideas for comments and a short report. That makes it a retainer business — once you have three or four clients, your month is planned.
- Interview
- Find stories
- Draft
- Feedback
- Publish
- Review
I’ve written books, and the hardest part was never the sentences. It was finding the stories that are really mine. That’s what clients pay a ghostwriter for: someone who pulls those stories out of them. AI can polish a draft — it can’t remember your client’s life.
02 Is this for you?
- write clearly and like short, sharp texts
- are curious about people and good at asking questions
- know an industry well — tech, finance, health, trades, consulting
- can take feedback without taking it personally
- are reliable with deadlines every single week
- want to write under your own name and become known yourself
- would let AI write everything and just copy-paste
- don’t like working closely with demanding clients
- find LinkedIn itself annoying
- would invent stories or numbers to make posts “work”
03 The client’s account stays the client’s
Ghostwriting itself is normal — speeches, books and newsletters have always been written with help. But on LinkedIn there are clear rules you should know before your first client.
04 What AI changes
Drafting used to take most of the time. Now AI turns a call transcript into rough post drafts in minutes. Your job shifts from typing to choosing, sharpening and keeping the voice real.
05 Step by step — from first post to steady clients
All ten steps. Steps 1 and 2 build your proof, steps 3 to 7 are your weekly workflow, steps 8 to 10 turn it into a business.
Pick people you understand: IT founders, tax advisers, coaches, owners of mid-sized companies, doctors with their own practice. A niche makes you the obvious choice — “I write for founders in software” sells better than “I write for anyone”.
For four weeks, post three times a week about your niche and about writing. That’s your portfolio: potential clients see that you understand LinkedIn and can write. Polish your profile at the same time — headline, about section, a clear offer.
Before the first post: how does your client talk? Short or long sentences, formal or casual, which words never, which topics always? Collect old posts, emails and recordings.
45 minutes by video call, recorded with permission, with a transcript. Ask for situations, not opinions: “Tell me about the last time…”. One good call gives you material for a month.
Now the real work: cut empty phrases, add the concrete detail, read it out loud. Does it sound like your client at a dinner table? If not, rewrite it.
Send drafts in one batch with a clear deadline for feedback. The client approves every post. Then they post themselves at agreed times — or connect their own profile to a scheduling tool. You never get their password.
Sell packages, not hours. For example: “Starter” with 8 posts a month and one interview, “Plus” with 12 posts, comment ideas and a monthly report. Many ghostwriters start in the mid three figures per month and raise prices with every reference — rates vary a lot by niche and experience.
Your own posts are your best ad. Add personal messages to people you already know — former colleagues, clients, your network — and a pilot month at a fair price to get your first testimonial.
Once a month: what was posted, which posts started conversations, which topics worked. LinkedIn shows your client the statistics for each post. Focus on conversations and enquiries, not just likes — that’s what keeps clients booking.
06 Tools
You need little: a good AI assistant, a way to record calls and a place to plan.
07 Realistic expectations
With two or three steady clients, a few thousand euros a month is realistic for experienced writers in good niches. At the start, expect a lower price for your first references. Clients come and go: some stop after three months, others stay for years.
What it can look like — a worked example
Invented example numbers. Real rates depend on your niche, experience and how much strategy you deliver on top of the posts.
08 Tips & common mistakes
- Do: Every post needs one real detail from the client’s life.
- Do: Work in batches: one call, one writing day, one approval round.
- Do: Put scope, revisions and notice period in a simple contract.
- Do: Show results in conversations and enquiries, not just likes.
- Avoid: Asking for the client’s LinkedIn password.
- Avoid: Publishing AI drafts without a human rewrite.
- Avoid: Inventing success stories, numbers or titles.
- Avoid: Using bots for likes, comments or connection requests.
09 Pros & cons
- Almost no start costs
- Monthly retainers bring steady income
- AI makes drafting fast
- Work from anywhere, with interesting people
- Good clients bring the next ones
- Your name isn’t on the work
- Demanding clients and feedback rounds
- Weekly deadlines, no breaks without planning
- Clients can cancel at short notice
- You depend on one platform and its rules
10 Risks & legal
- Account access: LinkedIn’s User Agreement forbids sharing an account or log-in details. Never work with your client’s password — they post, or they connect their own profile to an official scheduling tool.
- Automation: bots and automated likes, comments, messages or connection requests are banned and can get profiles restricted. Comment ideas yes, comment robots no.
- Truth: the client approves every post and stands behind it. No invented stories, numbers, titles or testimonials.
- Confidentiality: interviews contain internal information. Agree on confidentiality, and don’t put confidential details into AI tools without the client’s OK — check the data settings of your tools.
- Contract: put in writing what’s included, how many revision rounds, that the client gets the rights to the texts, and the notice period.
- Tax and insurance (Germany): ask your tax office whether you register as a freelancer or a trade. Self-employed writers can be insured through the Künstlersozialkasse, and companies that buy texts may owe the artists’ social security levy — good to know when clients ask.
General information only, not legal or tax advice. Platform rules change — check LinkedIn’s current terms and ask a tax adviser when you start.
11 FAQ
Is ghostwriting on LinkedIn honest?
Yes, as long as the content is true and the client approves and stands behind every post. Speeches, books and op-eds have always been written with help. Inventing experiences is where it stops being honest.
Do I need my client’s password?
No — and you shouldn’t accept it. LinkedIn forbids sharing accounts. The client posts themselves or connects their own profile to a scheduling tool like Buffer.
What should I charge?
Sell monthly packages, not hours. Many start in the mid three figures per month and raise prices with every reference. Strategy, comment ideas and reports justify higher packages.
How many posts per month?
Most packages have 8–12 posts, two or three per week. Consistency matters more than volume.
Can AI write the posts on its own?
It can write drafts. Without a real story, a concrete detail and a human edit, the posts sound generic — readers notice, and so does your client.
How do I find my first clients?
Through your own posts, your existing network and personal messages — not mass DMs. A pilot month at a fair price gets you your first testimonial.
Do I need to be active on LinkedIn myself?
Yes. Your own profile is your portfolio. Clients want to see that you understand the platform.
Do I need to register a business?
In Germany you’re self-employed either as a freelancer or a trade — your tax office decides. Ask before your first invoice.
The LinkedIn Ghostwriting Kit
- Client interview guide: 30 questions that find stories
- Voice guide template: how your client sounds
- AI prompt pack: transcript to post, hooks, edits
- “Sounds like AI” checklist: what to cut
- Packages, prices & contract checklist
- Content calendar & monthly report template