Behind the Viral Post Generator: How I reverse-engineered LinkedIn virality (and went viral myself) [Video]

LinkedIn is full of narcissists, and I have the data to prove it.

It all started when I wanted to go viral on LinkedIn. Rather than simply guessing what might work, I took a data-driven approach, scraping posts and analyzing what drives engagement. What I discovered was surprising (and depressing): The most successful posts are overwhelmingly self-centered, with people talking about themselves in supposedly “inspirational” ways.

Instead of joining the self-congratulatory parade, I decided to call it out. I built the Viral Post Generator, a tool that automatically creates eye-roll-worthy posts, making the formula painfully apparent to everyone. In a delightful twist of irony, this tool mocking viral content went viral itself.

In this post, I’ll share how that happened and what I learned about product-market fit, distribution, and modern virality along the way.

The Birth of the Viral Post Generator

About two-and-a-half years ago, I decided I wanted to go viral on LinkedIn. That was my …