In 2025, LinkedIn isn’t just a platform: it’s a decision point. Whether it’s a potential client, future talent, or a potential referral source, the people evaluating your firm are already looking at your leadership’s presence. For accounting firm leaders, being invisible on LinkedIn means leaving opportunity on the table.
In today’s noisy digital ecosystem, the firms winning new business are doing far more than posting updates. They're adapting to a digital landscape where 73% of decision-makers say an organization’s thought leadership content is more important than its marketing materials when it comes to assessing capabilities.
Prospects now gravitate toward transparent, humanized content; not polished corporate messaging. This shift presents both opportunity and challenge for firm leaders accustomed to formal, credentials-heavy communication.
The leaders who fail to adapt risk becoming irrelevant to the C-suite prospects they want to reach. The firms creating impact aren’t just showing up: they’re leveraging five emerging LinkedIn trends that signal authority, demonstrate firm-wide expertise, and build relationships that convert.
It feels like everyone is talking about AI. But the real question for firm leaders isn’t whether to use AI for LinkedIn: it’s how to use it effectively. Many AI-generated posts sound bland and interchangeable, flattening voices and diluting expertise. AI might enable more content, but without the right approach, it rarely equates to higher-quality content, and it’s that high-quality content that enables you to cut through the noise and unlock impact.
Done right, using AI to inform your LinkedIn strategy can be a force multiplier, enabling leaders to share insights more efficiently without sacrificing substance. High-performing leaders are using AI to streamline content development processes while preserving the authenticity of their voice and the depth of their thinking. AI platforms are tools that support more thoughtful work, not shortcuts for avoiding it.
How are several effective ways accounting leaders can lean into AI-powered content creation:
Firms getting the best results use AI to elevate their leaders’ thinking, not replace it.
Video watch time on LinkedIn rose 36% year-over-year in 2024, but the trend isn’t about production value: it’s about authenticity. Some of the most effective videos come from managing partners and practice leaders recording 60-second insights in the hallway, between meetings, or during a morning walk.
Why does this approach work? In the professional services space, buyers aren't just evaluating expertise. They’re evaluating trust. Video content gives people a sense of who you are, how you think, how you communicate, and how you approach complex problems.
The most successful leaders have stopped aiming for perfection. Instead, they show up consistently, speak clearly to their audience’s challenges, and use video to turn abstract expertise into visible leadership.
Video content that works for accounting leaders:
Consistency matters more than polish. A short, thoughtful video from a managing partner each week builds more trust than a scripted, high-production clip once a quarter.
Buyers crave insight, but not the recycled kind. Posts that say “Remember to plan for tax season” or share a recent blog article are rarely enough to move the needle. What gets attention is specific, experience-based guidance that shows how your firm solves real-world challenges.
Top-performing firms go beyond generic advice. They create content based on actual scenarios, like a short video with the caption: “A healthcare CFO recently asked whether to lease or buy new diagnostic equipment under the updated Section 179 limits. Here's how we approached the decision, and what other leaders should consider.” That kind of content signals relevance, depth, and a strong understanding of your audience’s priorities.
Educational content that demonstrates real expertise:
The best content respects complexity rather than avoiding it, helping the reader think more clearly and positioning your firm as the advisors who can help them take action.
While LinkedIn data shows that only 3% of employees share content about their company, those shares account for a 30% increase in total engagement. That’s because employee networks are on average far larger than a company’s follower base, and their voices are seen as more authentic and trustworthy.
Still, many accounting firms treat this as a generic marketing push rather than a strategic initiative. Telling employees to “just post more” rarely works. What does work is equipping the right people with the tools, confidence, and support they need to share valuable insights consistently.
The most effective firms focus on enabling their professionals to show up online in ways that reflect their expertise. That means identifying partners, managers, and directors who have something to say and giving them content ideas, posting templates, and editorial support to help them contribute meaningfully.
When done well, this approach shows that your firm is more than just a few visible leaders. It demonstrates depth, range, and a shared ability to think critically and communicate clearly; all attributes that matter to clients evaluating your team.
How to equip your team for digital impact:
Helping employees succeed on LinkedIn isn’t about marketing. It’s about building visibility, trust, and credibility at every level of your firm.
LinkedIn newsletters have quickly become one of the platform’s most effective ways to reach niche professional audiences. Hundreds of millions of LinkedIn users are already subscribed to LinkedIn newsletters, and they offer firms a high-leverage channel to deliver insight directly to decision-makers without relying on unpredictable feed algorithms.
For accounting firms, this is more than a content opportunity. It’s a business development asset. The firms seeing meaningful results aren’t just recycling blog content or summarizing headlines. They’re publishing curated, strategic commentary aimed at very specific audiences.
A newsletter focused on “Finance Strategy for Nonprofit CFOs” or “State & Local Tax for Multi-State Operators” helps establish firm authority, strengthen relationships, and stay top of mind, especially during budgeting, planning, and compliance cycles.
Newsletter strategies that work for accounting firms:
The value of a newsletter lies in consistent, high-quality touchpoints with a permission-based audience. You’re not competing for attention in a noisy feed. You’re speaking directly to people who want to hear from you.
These five trends represent strategic capabilities that separate firms building genuine digital authority from those simply checking social media boxes. The accounting leaders seeing the strongest results understand that LinkedIn success comes from combining these approaches thoughtfully rather than implementing them in isolation.
At Winding River Consulting, we help accounting firms develop comprehensive digital growth strategies that align with their unique positioning and business development goals. Whether you're looking to enhance your managing partner's personal brand, develop systematic content strategies, or create integrated digital approaches that support your growth objectives, we provide the strategic guidance and implementation support you need.