Leah Dillon vs Richard van der Blom: Niche depth beats algorithmic breadth
Leah Dillon owns a tight niche (recruiting red flags, job search anxiety) with 11.8% conversation rate on 253K followers. Richard van der Blom chases algorithmic trends across 266K followers with 28.5% conversation but posts 15x per week. Leah's strategy wins for building trust in a specific pain. Richard's strategy wins for maximizing algorithmic visibility and reach.
Leah Dillon
Senior Recruiter @ GameChanger by DICK’S Sporting Goods
Richard van der Blom
LinkedIn Strategist | Algorithm Research-Backed | Helping Entrepreneurs Turn Visibility Into Revenue Without Living on the Platform | 350K+ Trained | Keynote Speaker
- Leah: deep niche, high trust, 3 posts/week. Richard: broad trends, high volume, 15 posts/week.
- Leah's top hook: 390 engagements on recruiting scams. Richard's top hook: 2403 engagements on algorithm myths.
- Leah speaks to job seekers. Richard speaks to LinkedIn strategists and entrepreneurs.
- Leah's repost rate 4.8%. Richard's 2.1%. Leah's content sticks; Richard's gets consumed.
Side by side
| Dimension | Leah Dillon | Richard van der Blom |
|---|---|---|
| Voice | Tired recruiter protecting candidates from scams, using 'end of story' and 'I don't know who needs to hear this, but' to signal insider truth-telling. | Data-driven contrarian challenging LinkedIn myths, using 'The data doesn't lie' and 'Read that again' to position himself as algorithm authority. |
| Content mix | 80% job-search pain (red flags, interview prep, resilience), 20% self-care and entry-level opportunities. Stays in lane. | 60% algorithm/platform critique, 25% content strategy, 15% LinkedIn myths. Follows trending platform changes. |
| Hook style | Direct warning statements and vulnerable questions that mirror reader anxiety ('Why do you want this job?'). Hooks feel personal. | Numbered lists and bold irrelevance claims ('Your connections don't matter anymore'). Hooks feel contrarian and data-backed. |
| Engagement pattern | 11.8% conversation index on 100 avg engagements. Smaller audience, deeper dialogue. Comments outnumber likes. | 28.5% conversation index on 422 avg engagements. Larger audience, higher absolute reach. Comments still dominate but volume is 4x higher. |
| Posting cadence | 3.2 posts/week. Sustainable, intentional. Each post gets 1-2 weeks of engagement tail. | 15.3 posts/week. High-volume content machine. Relies on algorithmic freshness and multiple shots on goal. |
Who wins what
422 avg engagements per post vs Leah's 100, despite similar follower counts (266K vs 253K). Richard's 15 posts/week create more algorithmic surface area.
28.5% conversation index vs Leah's 11.8%. Richard's contrarian claims spark debate; Leah's advice sparks gratitude (lower comment volume, higher quality).
4.8% repost rate vs Richard's 2.1%. Leah's job-search content gets saved and shared because it solves a specific, recurring problem. Richard's gets consumed once.
41 posts analyzed with stable 11.8% conversation rate. Richard's 199 posts show volume but less predictable engagement (some hit 2400+, others likely much lower).
Pick Leah Dillon if…- You're building a personal brand in a specific niche (recruiting, job search, career coaching). Leah's tight focus and 4.8% repost rate prove niche depth compounds.
- You want to build community, not just reach. Leah's 11.8% conversation rate means readers trust her enough to ask follow-ups and share their own stories.
- You're early-stage and can't sustain 15 posts/week. Leah's 3.2 posts/week with 100 avg engagements shows quality beats volume for building authority.
- Use the 'I don't know who needs to hear this, but' opener to signal you're breaking rank with industry consensus. Leah uses this to give permission for self-care and perspective shifts. It lowers defenses and increases saves.
- Name a specific scam, red flag, or false belief in your first line. Leah's 'if you're getting a cold recruiter reach out email from a gmail... this is a scam. end of story' (359 engagements) works because it's concrete and protective.
- Ask a vulnerable question as your hook instead of a statement. Leah's 'Why do you want this job?' (390 engagements) mirrors what readers are anxious about. It feels like she's reading their mind.
Pick Richard van der Blom if…- You're selling a course, tool, or service to entrepreneurs and need maximum visibility. Richard's 422 avg engagements and 15 posts/week create constant algorithmic momentum.
- You want to position yourself as a platform expert or strategist. Richard's algorithm-focused content and 'data doesn't lie' voice attract people who pay for strategy.
- You can sustain high-volume posting and have content systems in place. Richard's 199 analyzed posts show he's built a machine; Leah's 41 show she's still selective.
- Lead with a bold, contrarian claim that challenges conventional wisdom. Richard's 'Your connections don't matter anymore' (2000 engagements) stops the scroll because it contradicts what LinkedIn taught us. It's provocative and data-backed.
- Use 'The data doesn't lie' or 'Read that again' to position yourself as a truth-teller. These phrases signal you're not selling hype; you're sharing findings. They build authority fast.
- Post 3-4x per week minimum if you're in a trend-heavy niche. Richard's 15 posts/week and 422 avg engagements show volume compounds reach. Even 6-8 posts/week would beat Leah's 3.2 if your niche moves fast.
Niche depth and high volume are two different paths to the same destination: trust. Leah wins by going deep into one pain (job search) and letting her audience know she's their advocate. Richard wins by going wide across LinkedIn trends and letting his audience know he's their analyst. Choose Leah's path if your audience has a recurring, specific problem they return to. Choose Richard's path if your audience is hungry for the latest platform intelligence and you can sustain the content machine. The mistake most creators make is trying to do both: posting 8x/week about 5 different topics. Pick one depth or one volume strategy and commit.
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