Ryan Serhant
Founder & CEO at SERHANT. | Star & EP of Netflix’s Owning Manhattan | 3X Bestselling Author | Investor in Major League Pickleball, RLTY Capital, Blank Street, and more
Ryan Serhant uses LinkedIn to blend real estate authority with lifestyle philosophy, building a 397K following by mixing Netflix promotion, business wins, and personal wisdom. His signature move is the contrarian philosophical claim (20 posts averaging 1659 engagement) that reframes common concepts—turning positivity into ocean-and-wave metaphor rather than simple cheerleading.
15.1/wk
6 posts in 30d
1.0K
avg per post
6.6%
comments / total
2.9%
reposts / total
story
Wed · 9 AM CET
Voice & tone
Serhant writes like a mentor who's made real money and now wants to share what actually matters. He's conversational but never casual—phrases like 'I'm breaking tradition here' and 'I'll never forget this' signal vulnerability wrapped in authority. He uses concrete details (16 grandkids, first-class flights, specific building names) to ground abstract ideas, making philosophy feel earned rather than preachy.
Signature phrases
- “Being positive is not being happy. Positivity is a state of mind.”
- “I'll never forget this”
- “I'm breaking tradition here”
- “So. I love my work. I truly do.”
- “Which one resonates with you most?”
- “It's the best title I've ever had.”
Top 3 posts, dissected
Their highest-engagement posts, broken down line by line. Steal the structure.
Being positive is not being happy. Positivity is a state of mind. Happiness is an emotion. Positivity is the ocean and happiness is a wave. Being positive means that even on days with no waves, you know that they are coming.
The opening line stops scroll because it contradicts reader assumption. Most people conflate positivity and happiness; Serhant splits them with authority ('Positivity is a state of mind. Happiness is an emotion.'). The ocean-wave metaphor that follows is unexpected and memorable—it reframes a self-help cliche into something poetic.
Single-paragraph philosophical statement. No bullets, no list, no story arc. Pure idea delivered as a meditation. The metaphor extends across 3 sentences, building depth rather than breadth.
- Definitional split—takes one concept and cleaves it into two distinct definitions
- Metaphor escalation—moves from abstract (state of mind vs. emotion) to concrete (ocean vs. wave)
- Reassurance close—ends with forward-looking promise ('you know that they are coming') that feels earned, not forced
No explicit CTA. The post ends with a philosophical promise that feels complete. Engagement comes from readers wanting to sit with the idea, not from a question or ask.
Use metaphor to make abstract concepts tangible; let the idea stand alone without a CTA if it's strong enough to provoke thought.
I was on a plane back from a market opening last month and I set next to an older guy who was face timing with what seemed like 10 grandchildren at the same time. When he hung up, I said, “Sorry - I don’t mean to be nosy - but how many grandkids do you have?!” He laughed and said…
The hook works because it's hyper-specific and relatable. 'I was on a plane back from a market opening last month and I set next to an older guy who was face timing with what seemed like 10 grandchildren'—every detail (plane, market opening, FaceTime, 10 grandchildren) signals this is a real memory, not a parable. Readers want to know what the older guy said.
Long-form story (350+ words). Opens with scene-setting, introduces a character, captures dialogue, then pivots to reflection on the lesson. The story takes up 70% of the post; the lesson extraction happens in the final 30% ('So. I love my work. I truly do.').
- Dialogue capture—uses direct quotes to make the older man's wisdom feel authentic ('Looks like you're on a business trip? That was me my whole life.')
- Self-aware parenthetical—'(I wish I recorded him)' adds credibility by acknowledging he's working from memory
- Honest pivot—shifts from story to personal reflection with 'So. I love my work. I truly do.' This signals vulnerability: the story changed him, but he's still choosing his path
Post trails off mid-sentence ('But I just touched do…'), which is either a technical cut or intentional cliffhanger. Either way, it leaves readers wanting more and likely drives clicks to the full post.
Use specific, overheard dialogue and concrete details to make a story feel eavesdropped rather than crafted; let the lesson emerge naturally from the story rather than stating it upfront.
Gathered seven thoughts that have changed my life and wanted to share them with you. Which one resonates with you most? 🤔
The hook is a curiosity gap wrapped in a direct question. 'Gathered seven thoughts that have changed my life and wanted to share them with you. Which one resonates with you most? 🤔' The emoji softens the ask and signals this is conversational, not corporate. Readers scroll to see the seven thoughts and then feel compelled to answer.
Numbered list format (5% of posts, but 1712 avg engagement—highest of any format). The hook is a single sentence; the body is seven numbered items (implied from 'seven thoughts'); the close is the question.
- Curation framing—'Gathered' suggests these are curated from lived experience, not generic advice
- Invitation to self-reflection—'Which one resonates with you most?' makes the reader the protagonist, not Serhant
- Emoji punctuation—the thinking-face emoji adds warmth and signals this is a genuine question, not a rhetorical device
Direct question at the end. This is his highest-performing format (1712 avg engagement) because the question is low-friction—readers can answer with a single number or emoji.
Use numbered lists with a direct question close; the question should invite self-reflection, not promote a product.
What drives their engagement
Serhant's 6.6% conversation index (above LinkedIn average of ~3-4%) is driven by direct questions that invite personal reflection. 'Which one resonates with you most?' and 'How many grandkids do you have?' are low-friction replies. His vulnerable statements ('All I ever wanted to be was her Dad') also generate comments from readers sharing their own parenting wins.
Contrarian claims (1659 avg engagement, 2.9% repost rate) and story openings (1488 avg engagement) drive reposts because they feel like wisdom worth sharing. Posts that reframe common concepts or capture universal truths (family over work, positivity as resilience) get reshared by readers who want to signal their values.
High savability likely on numbered lists and philosophical reframes—posts readers want to revisit. His 'seven thoughts' post and positivity-ocean metaphor are the type of content people bookmark. However, his low posting frequency (6 posts in last 30 days) suggests he's not optimizing for saves; he's optimizing for reach and authority.
Content pillars
Philosophical Reframes
28%Contrarian takes on common concepts (positivity, success, ambition) using metaphor and lived experience to shift reader perspective.
Personal Stories with Business Lessons
26%Plane conversations, family moments, and market observations that extract actionable wisdom about priorities, networking, or leadership.
Real Estate Wins & Listings
18%Iconic property announcements, market openings, and landmark deals positioned as cultural moments rather than transactional posts.
Netflix/Entertainment Promotion
15%Behind-the-scenes content and announcements for Owning Manhattan, framed as insider access rather than traditional marketing.
Numbered Wisdom Lists
13%Curated thoughts, principles, or observations formatted as listicles that invite engagement through curiosity gaps.
Hook patterns
Contrarian Claim
Redefine a common word or concept by splitting it into two distinct ideas. 'X is not Y. X is [definition]. Y is [different definition].'
“Being positive is not being happy. Positivity is a state of mind. Happiness is an emotion.”
→ Stops scroll by making readers question their own understanding; 1659 avg engagement shows this pattern dominates his top performers.
Story Opening with Specificity
Begin with a concrete scene (location, person, action) that feels eavesdropped rather than staged. 'I was [specific place] and [specific action] happened.'
“I was on a plane back from a market opening last month and I set next to an older guy who was face timing with what seemed like 10 grandchildren at the same time.”
→ Specificity (plane, market opening, 10 grandchildren) signals authenticity; readers lean in to hear where this goes. 1488 avg engagement.
Curiosity Gap with Invitation
Present a curated list or set of ideas, then ask which resonates. 'Gathered [number] [things] and wanted to share them with you. Which one resonates with you most?'
“Gathered seven thoughts that have changed my life and wanted to share them with you. Which one resonates with you most? 🤔”
→ Direct question at end invites comment; 1489 avg engagement and 6.6% conversation index show this drives replies.
Vulnerable Claim
State a personal truth that redefines success or identity. 'All I ever wanted to be was [role]. It's the best [superlative] I've ever had.'
“All I ever wanted to be was her Dad. It's the best title I've ever had.”
→ Humanizes authority figure; 1125 avg engagement shows audiences respond to admission that non-business roles matter most.
Tradition-Breaking Announcement
Signal you're departing from your usual content pattern. 'I'm breaking tradition here in posting about [topic]... but this isn't just any [topic].'
“I'm breaking tradition here in posting about a listing... but this isn't just any listing—it's 281 Park Avenue South!”
→ Meta-commentary on your own content signals the post is special; makes readers feel like insiders to your editorial choices.
Statistic Shock
Lead with a number that surprises, then contextualize it. '[Number] [unit]. [Reframe that makes it meaningful].'
“42,000+ square feet presence, this IMMACULATE Commercial property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.”
→ Numbers anchor abstract concepts; 1129 avg engagement shows this works but underperforms his contrarian claims.
Top-performing hooks
“Being positive is not being happy. Positivity is a state of mind. Happiness is an emotion. Positivity is the ocean and happiness is a wave. Being positive means that even on days with no waves, you know that they are coming.”
→ The post reframes a commonly conflated concept (positivity vs. happiness) using a vivid, memorable ocean-wave metaphor that makes the distinction feel intuitive and shareable. Its brevity and poetic s
“I was on a plane back from a market opening last month and I set next to an older guy who was face timing with what seemed like 10 grandchildren at the same time. When he hung up, I said, “Sorry - I don’t mean to be nosy - but how many grandkids do y”
→ The post leverages a relatable stranger-on-a-plane narrative to deliver a universal emotional truth about prioritizing family over work, making it highly shareable across professional audiences regard
“Gathered seven thoughts that have changed my life and wanted to share them with you. Which one resonates with you most? 🤔”
→ The post leverages curiosity and relatability by teasing transformative insights without revealing them upfront, compelling readers to engage. The open-ended question at the end drives comments by inv
“I'm breaking tradition here in posting about a listing... but this isn’t just any listing—it’s 281 Park Avenue South!”
→ The post breaks pattern by openly acknowledging it's a listing post while framing the property as iconic and historically significant, which elevates it beyond a typical sales pitch and creates curios
“All I ever wanted to be was her Dad. It’s the best title I’ve ever had. Every hug, every laugh, every “Hola Papi” (she spends too much time with Genesis Suero )- those are the real wins. Love you Zeeboo and Emilia Bechrakis Serhant, Esq. for making ”
→ The post humanizes a high-profile real estate personality by stripping away professional accolades and leading with raw emotional vulnerability around fatherhood, making it universally relatable and s
“2024 was a year of incredible milestones for SERHANT.:”
→ The post leverages a high-credibility founder voice combined with a concrete, scannable list of impressive milestones that signal massive authority and momentum in the real estate space. The combinati
“I need to tell you this story.”
→ The post leverages a classic underdog-to-champion narrative arc with a dramatic payoff ($282K deal to $31.5M) that triggers emotional investment and social sharing. By naming a real person, including
“What got us here won’t get us there.”
→ The punchy philosophical hook 'What got us here won't get us there' creates intrigue and emotional resonance before revealing the show announcement, making it feel aspirational rather than purely prom
“My first job in NYC... it's unreal what can happen when you don't negotiate with your goals.”
→ The post uses a short, punchy format that pairs a relatable life milestone (first NYC job) with an aspirational message about staying committed to your goals, making it highly shareable and emotionall
“After 10 years, 2 Emmy Nominations, 3 separate spinoff shows, I have my own show- #OWNINGMANHATTAN and it's only on Netflix! This is my brand new show that I know you're going to love! Who's binging it this weekend?”
→ The post leverages a major career milestone with credibility markers (10 years, Emmy nominations, spinoffs) to create excitement around a new Netflix show, while the direct question 'Who's binging it
What works
- Contrarian claims dominate: 20 posts using this hook averaged 1659 engagement, 58% higher than his overall average. Example: 'Being positive is not being happy' redefines a concept readers thought they understood.
- Story openings with specificity: 21 posts using this hook averaged 1488 engagement. The plane story (5388 engagement) works because it includes concrete details (market opening, FaceTime, 16 grandchildren) that signal authenticity.
- Direct questions at post close: His 6.6% conversation index (double LinkedIn average) is driven by questions like 'Which one resonates with you most?' that invite low-friction replies.
- Numbered lists outperform all other formats: 5% of posts but 1712 avg engagement (63% above average). The format is scannable, shareable, and pairs well with his curiosity-gap hook.
- Vulnerable personal statements: Posts about fatherhood and family priorities (like 'All I ever wanted to be was her Dad') generate high engagement and comments from readers sharing their own values.
- Real estate announcements framed as cultural moments: 'I'm breaking tradition here in posting about a listing' reframes a transactional post as editorial, driving 4344 engagement.
Steal this for your own LinkedIn
- Start your next post with a contrarian redefinition. Pick a common word (ambition, success, networking, leadership) and split it into two distinct concepts with a metaphor. Example: 'Networking is not collecting contacts. Networking is building trust. Collecting contacts is just a numbers game.'
- Include one specific, overheard detail in your story posts. Instead of 'I met someone on a plane who taught me about priorities,' write 'I was on a plane back from a market opening and sat next to an older guy FaceTiming with 10 grandchildren.' The specificity makes it credible.
- End posts with a direct question that invites self-reflection, not a product pitch. 'Which of these resonates with you?' outperforms 'Click the link below' by forcing readers to engage with the idea first.
- Use numbered lists for wisdom content. Serhant's 'seven thoughts' format (1712 avg engagement) works because it's scannable, shareable, and feels curated rather than random.
- Signal when you're breaking your own editorial pattern. 'I'm breaking tradition here in posting about X' makes readers feel like insiders and justifies why this post is different from your usual content.
- Close vulnerable posts without a CTA. Posts about fatherhood or personal values don't need a link or ask—the emotional resonance is the engagement driver.
Compare Ryan with…
vs Jill Konrath
Jill Konrath vs Ryan Serhant: Cheerleader beats philosopher on LinkedIn
vs Jasmin Alić
Jasmin Alić vs Ryan Serhant: Community wins beat philosophical wisdom on LinkedIn
vs Lara Acosta
Lara Acosta vs Ryan Serhant: Vulnerability beats philosophy on LinkedIn
vs Jalonni Weaver
Jalonni Weaver vs Ryan Serhant: Faith-driven community beats lifestyle philosophy on LinkedIn
vs Oana Labes, MBA, CPA
Oana Labes vs Ryan Serhant: Authority through myth-busting vs lifestyle philosophy
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Posting patterns
Highly inconsistent: 15.1 posts per week average across 196 posts, but only 6 posts in the last 30 days. This suggests he posts in bursts (likely tied to Netflix releases or major business announcements) rather than maintaining a steady cadence.
Wednesday at 8 AM UTC performs best. This is early morning in US Eastern time (3 AM), which is unusual—likely his posts are scheduled or he's posting from international markets. The Wednesday timing suggests mid-week engagement peaks for his audience.
Short posts (30-80 words) and micro posts (under 30 words) together account for 65% of his output and average 1048 and 993 engagement respectively. However, his top 5 posts include long-form (350+ words at 1266 avg engagement), suggesting quality over length. The sweet spot is actually 'whatever length the idea demands'—his contrarian claims work at any length, but stories need room to breathe.
Engagement by day
Content mix
avg 1.3K engagements per post
avg 801 engagements per post
avg 1.7K engagements per post
avg 715 engagements per post
avg 999 engagements per post
avg 577 engagements per post
Serhant's 26% story format and 20% contrarian-claim hooks dominate because his audience follows him for wisdom and relatability, not real estate transactions. His 5% announcement posts underperform (715 avg engagement) because pure promotion doesn't fit his positioning as a mentor-entrepreneur. The mix works because stories and philosophical reframes feel earned and personal, while his real estate and Netflix content is woven in as proof of concept rather than the main event.
