Quick Start Guide

Create your account

Head to linkedgrow.ai/sign-up to create your free account. You have three options:

• Email and password - Enter your email and choose a password
• Sign in with Google - Use your Google account for one-click signup
• Sign in with LinkedIn - Use your LinkedIn account (also connects LinkedIn automatically)

After signing up, you will land on your dashboard where you can start setting up your account.

Connect your LinkedIn account

To publish and schedule posts, you need to connect your LinkedIn account:

1. Go to Settings from the sidebar
2. Find the Connect LinkedIn card at the top
3. Click Connect LinkedIn
4. A popup window opens with LinkedIn's authorization page
5. Approve the requested permissions (profile access and posting ability)
6. You will be redirected back to LinkedGrow with your account connected

Your LinkedIn profile name and avatar will sync automatically. You can check the connection status anytime in Settings.

Set up your AI API key

LinkedGrow uses the BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) model - you connect your own AI API key for unlimited content generation at cost. Typical monthly cost is $2-4 for most users.

1. Go to Settings > AI API from the sidebar
2. Choose a provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google AI, Grok, or Perplexity)
3. Paste your API key from the provider's dashboard
4. Select a model (each provider has a recommended option marked)
5. Click Save

If you do not have an API key yet, check our detailed setup guides for step-by-step instructions for each provider.

Configure your voice settings

Help the AI match your writing style by setting up your profile in Settings:

Voice & Style section:

1. Writing tone - Describe your preferred tone (e.g., "Professional but friendly, conversational, direct and bold")
2. Sample posts - Paste 3-5 of your best LinkedIn posts so the AI can learn your style
3. Never mention - Add any topics, competitors, or words the AI should avoid

Business Profile section:

1. Business name - Your company or personal brand name
2. Niche/Industry - Your industry or field
3. What do you do? - Describe what your business does
4. Products/Services - List your key offerings
5. Target audience - Define who you are writing for
6. Key topics - Topics you regularly cover
7. Additional context - Any extra info to help the AI

Create your first post

Now you are ready to generate your first LinkedIn post:

1. Click Generator in the sidebar (or the "Generate Post" quick action on the dashboard)
2. Choose a post type (Actionable, Inspiring, Introspective, or Promotional)
3. Optionally select a category (Explanation, Best Practices, Striking Advice, List Format, Resources, or Let AI Decide)
4. Enter a topic or leave blank for the AI to choose
5. Click Generate 5 Ideas - the AI creates 5 idea titles
6. Pick the idea you like best
7. The AI generates a full post from your chosen idea
8. Edit the post, check the Algorithm Score, and attach an image if you want
9. Click Publish to LinkedIn to post immediately, or Schedule to set a future date

Understand the dashboard

Your dashboard is the command center. Here is what you will find:

• Stats grid - Total posts, drafts, scheduled posts, and published posts at a glance
• Quick actions - Shortcuts to Generate Post, Write Post, Repurpose Content, and Get Ideas
• Recent posts - Your last 3 posts with status badges
• Upcoming schedule - Your next 3 scheduled posts with publish times
• API key status - An alert if you have not configured an AI provider yet, or a green confirmation when connected

The sidebar gives you access to all features: Generator, Editor, Ideas, Hooks, Repurpose, Carousel, Posts library, Calendar, A/B Testing, Engagement (Pro+), Analytics (Pro+), and Team (Business).

Next steps

• Learn about the Post Generator for tips on creating better content
• Set up your content calendar for consistent posting
• Explore BYOK options to understand AI costs and providers