Writers are people who write. Therefore, “pulsers” are people who pulse. It sounds so simple, but it’s not so easy.

If you’re wondering why so many people are hot for content, the answer is easy: Consumers are wary of brands; they’re deaf to sales pitches; and they desire authenticity. This is the three-course meal that content serves up on your behalf.

Content in all its forms, including writing LinkedIn Pulse posts, is a daily commitment that is slow to show results. It can be difficult to see the return on your upfront time investment. I’m not going to talk about topics, sourcing ideas or creating an editorial calendar. I’m just going to mention the very, very basics of a post.

If you’re looking for a deeper level of help, check out this guideline by Hubspot.

1. Write a headline that’s on and poppin’

Opinions are divided on the use of click-bait headlines. I personally love to read them. “The 10 Foods to Avoid to Reduce Belly Bloat” << yup, I’ll click on it. “The Secret Ramen Spots You Won’t Want to Miss,” “Millennials: Push Back on Those Older Managers,” “Hamptons Rose Shortage Anticipated for Summer ’16,” click. click. click.

As a writer, I hate to write click-bait headlines because I’m soooooo above that cheap way of grabbing attention. Well, I need to get over myself because I don’t write for the Wall Street Journal; I’m a Content Director at an events planning company and need to be as poppin’ as possible. My general rules of thumb are:

1. Use odd numbers when writing a headline for a list (5,7,9 or 16, since we’re in the year 2016)
2. The headline should be no more than 8 words
3. Use the active voice (ex., no “-ing” words)

2. Use keywords and SEO terms judiciously

Perhaps your reader isn’t hyper-aware of what you’re doing when you repeat your SEO terms/keywords four times in one sentence. What they are aware of is that the voice you’re using when you do so is not a genuine voice. Not to mention, it’s also burdensome to read. No one wants to read the same phrases and keywords over and over again. It’s annoying and it messes up the flow.

There was recently a flurry of posts remarking on a high schoolers essay that helped secure her admission into several top universities. When asked what was so stellar about it, the admissions officers complimented her ability to connect with people of all ages and backgrounds based on a common experience, which was visiting Costco in this case.

What stuck out to me was their one piece of constructive criticism. They remarked on her heavy hand with adjectives and adverbs. This is a piece of advice that I believe should stand as a lesson to marketers and writers who are double her age:

“Personally, I would advise [her] to use less adjectives and adverbs for purposes of word economy and ease of reading, but it isn’t a huge deal in this case,” Nelson Ureña, co-founder of Mentorverse noted to Business Insider.

Point being: Keep it simple, stupid.

3. Does your pulse post look pretty?

Like I said at the beginning, this is a very basic post, but there is a need for it because people who are trying to write and use LinkedIn to gain more business are unaware of the foundational tools to get them there. Keep these things in mind:

1. Use an eye-catching header photo
2. Make sure your own LinkedIn photo is pretty and professional, and more importantly to me, that it shows your personality
3. Use Subheds, lists and numbers – people scan an entire post before deciding whether or not they want to read it. If all they see are blocks of text, then you’ve got a problem. A paragraph should be no “thicker” than five lines. Your post should have hyperlinks throughout and have bolded words and phrases for emphasis.

Words on a page are like notes in sheet music. If one beat is off – the whole piece sounds terrible. Remember that.