Can We Use LinkedIn This Way Too?

Most SaaS companies do the same.

They run ads, send cold emails, and hope for the best. But the problem is ads are expensive, inboxes are always full, and buyers are tired of being sold to.

Yet, some companies cut through the noise very easily.

They don’t just sell but attract. People don’t ignore them. Instead, they want to follow them, engage with them, and even share their content.

That’s what Gong did.

Instead of fighting for attention the old way, Gong turned LinkedIn into a lead-generating machine. They built a brand so strong that when people thought about sales insights, they better couldn't think of anything but Gong.

The best part?

They did it without spending millions on ads. They used content, thought leadership and social selling to turn LinkedIn into their biggest growth channel.

The Big Idea:

Turning LinkedIn Into a Growth Engine

In 2015, Gong was just another B2B SaaS startup. They had a problem-solving product, an AI-powered revenue intelligence tool.

But so did plenty of others. The market was so occupied, and getting noticed wasn’t easy. But Gong didn’t just compete. They took over.

Instead of spending millions on ads, they built a brand by dominating LinkedIn.

When others posted content, Gong owned the conversation around sales and revenue. If you were in sales, you saw Gong’s content everywhere.

And because they shared insights that helped people, their audience grew fast.

That was Gong's playbook.

The result was a $7 billion SaaS giant with a massive fan base. That's without relying on traditional marketing tactics. So, how did they do it?

Let’s break it down.

Behind the Magic:

Gong’s Social Selling Playbook

Gong didn’t just post random content on LinkedIn. Instead, they created a clear strategy that made them the go-to brand for sales insights.

1. They Created a Category, Not Just a Product

Most SaaS companies struggle to stand out because they compete in an existing category. Gong avoided this by creating a new one: Revenue Intelligence.

Sales teams relied on traditional CRM data before, which often had human error. Gong positioned itself as the AI-powered solution that removed guesswork.

But instead of just marketing their product, they marketed a new way of thinking about sales performance. They educated their audience on why CRM data was outdated and how sales leaders needed real conversation insights.

That shifted everything. They took people from Which sales analytics tool should I buy? to How do I implement Revenue Intelligence? And Gong was the only answer.

This wasn’t just about branding. It was about controlling the conversation. By defining the category, Gong became the default leader.

Many SaaS companies fail because they market features, not new ways of thinking. Gong proved that when you own the conversation, you own the market.

2. They Used LinkedIn Like a Media Company

Most brands treat LinkedIn as a secondary channel.

They only posted generic updates, expecting engagement. But Gong treated it like a primary marketing channel, driving millions in revenue.

Instead of promoting product features, Gong focused on sales insights that made professionals stop scrolling. Their content strategy followed a few key principles:

• Contrarian takes that sparked debate: Why most sales reps ruin their deals in the first 5 minutes.

• Data-backed insights that provided unique value: Sales reps who wait 24+ hours to follow up lose 46% of deals. For example:

• Bite-sized frameworks that were easy to implement: Use this 3-step cold email formula to get 2x more replies.

It wasn’t just about engagement but about trust. Gong understood that people don’t buy from brands. They buy from experts they trust.

And that’s why they never forced the sale in their posts. Instead of pushing demos, they focused on making sales professionals better. So when these professionals wanted a sales tool, Gong was already at the top of their minds.

Gong turned their LinkedIn page into a lead-generation machine without selling. That’s the power of trust-based marketing.

3. They Made Their Employees Thought Leaders

Most B2B companies rely on their brand page for content. But Gong knew personal accounts get more reach and engagement than company pages.

So, they turned their employees into LinkedIn influencers, starting with their CMO, Udi Ledergor. He didn’t post corporate jargon. He shared personal insights, behind-the-scenes strategies, and lessons from Gong’s journey.

His tone was conversational, his content was valuable, and his audience grew fast.

Here’s a post, for example. Look at that insane engagement:

But Gong didn’t stop at leadership. They encouraged their entire sales team to build their own LinkedIn presence. Reps shared personal sales experiences, success stories, and Gong’s data-backed insights. All in their voice.

This expanded Gong’s reach far beyond the company page.

By leveraging their team, Gong ensured their message wasn’t just coming from a brand but from real people, which made it far more credible.

This approach turned LinkedIn into their biggest sales funnel.

Sales reps usually do cold messaging, but in Gong's case, they were getting inbound leads because prospects already trusted them.

4. They Used Their Data as a Competitive Advantage

Most SaaS companies recycle the same generic advice. Gong had something no one else did, data from millions of sales conversations.

They used this to publish insights that weren’t based on opinions but actual numbers. And because these insights were exclusive to Gong, they became an authority.

For example, instead of saying to follow up quickly after a sales call, Gong posted: Deals are 46% more likely to close when reps follow up within 24 hours. Here’s how you can make your follow-ups better…

See the difference? One is just an advice. The other is undeniable proof.

Check out this post, for example:

This made their content irresistible because salespeople were getting winning strategies backed by data, unlike those posts that only talked about tips.

And every time they used Gong’s insights, they saw better results.

That’s how Gong built an audience that didn’t just follow them but relied on them.

Gong didn’t succeed because they had the best product.

They succeeded because they built the best audience.

They created demand before pitching their product.

They became the most trusted voice in sales before ever asking for a sale. And when their audience needed a solution, Gong was already the obvious choice.

If you are building a SaaS company, you can do the same.

But it starts with owning the conversation in your industry. Because if you are not shaping how your audience thinks, someone else will.

Where It Fits:

Ready-to-Use Marketing Strategy

If you want to build thought leadership, attract inbound leads, and drive demand for your product, here’s a step-by-step LinkedIn marketing strategy based on what made Gong a $7B SaaS giant.

Phase 1: 
Define Your Category (Weeks 1–2)

Most brands compete in existing areas. The fastest-growing ones create their own.

1. Clarify your unique positioning: What’s the new way of thinking that your product introduces? (e.g., Gong introduced Revenue Intelligence)

2. Coin a category term: Create a term that represents your unique value. If you can name it, you can own it.

3. Publish a Category Creation post: Write a LinkedIn post explaining why the old way is broken and why your approach is the future.

Your example post could be: The biggest mistake [your industry] professionals make? Relying on outdated [existing category]. Here’s why that’s killing your results…

Phase 2: 
Build a High-Engagement Content Engine (Weeks 3–6)

Now that your category is defined, it’s time to dominate LinkedIn. Gong’s success came from posting shareable, insightful content. You will do the same.

Some content formats that work the best are:

• Contrarian takes: Challenge common industry advice with data or experience.

• Bite-sized frameworks: Give people an easy-to-use process (e.g., a 3-step playbook).

• Data-driven insights: Share unique findings or stats (if you have internal data, even better).

• Personal stories: People trust people, not brands. Share founder insights and lessons.

• Industry trends: Comment on what’s changing in your space.

And your posting schedule (4x per week) could be something like:

Your example post could be: I used to think [common belief]. But after analyzing 100+ [your industry] trends, I realized this is completely wrong. Here’s what actually works…

Phase 3:
Activate Employee Thought Leadership (Weeks 6–8)

Your LinkedIn page alone won’t drive massive reach. The real power comes when your team members start posting.

1. Identify 5–10 employees or team members who can post regularly.

2. Give them content ideas: They don’t need to start from scratch. Share a Notion doc with post templates.

3. Encourage a mix of personal + professional posts: People engage more with personal stories and behind-the-scenes insights.

One of those post templates could be: Had a sales call today that completely changed how I think about [problem]. Here’s what I learned…

Phase 4:
Capture Leads Without Selling (Ongoing)

Gong never hard-sold in their LinkedIn content. Instead, they created demand by making sales professionals rely on their insights.

• Create a free resource (Lead Magnet): It could be a Notion template, checklist, or PDF with exclusive insights.

• Pin a high-performing post that links to the free resource.

• Add a CTA at the bottom of your posts: e.g., Want more insights like this? Grab my free [resource] here.

• DM everyone who engages: Start conversations, not sales pitches.

The example CTA could be: I put together a full [industry] playbook with everything I’ve learned—drop a ‘📩’ in the comments if you want it.

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-convertin g DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blog:

• The beginner's guide to LinkedIn Marketing & networking

• How to effectively use a content calendar [template included]

• How to grow your brand's organic following on LinkedIn

YT Video: How to build a profitable personal brand (in just 7 steps)

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