How to Find Leads in LinkedIn and X Conversations (Without Scrolling All Day)
By The Odeist team · · 7 min read
Short answer: to find leads on LinkedIn and X, search for the words people use when they have the problem you solve ("any recommendations for", "struggling with", "looking for a tool"), reply helpfully to the recent ones, and move to private messages only once they reply. Save your best searches and check them daily, or let a tool watch them for you.
In short
- Leads show up as questions, complaints and comparisons, not as ads.
- Search for problem phrases, not your product category.
- Reply in public first. Message privately only after they respond.
- Check your saved searches once a day, not all day.
What does a lead look like on social media?
Most people never write "I want to buy a product like yours". They write things like:
- "Does anyone know a good way to…"
- "We've tried X and Y and neither works for us."
- "How are other teams handling…?"
- "Honestly so tired of doing this by hand."
Each of those is a person telling you, in public, that they have a problem and are open to solutions. The job is finding them before someone else does.
What should you search for?
Combine a problem phrase with a topic word from your industry.
| Problem phrase | What it signals |
|---|---|
| "any recommendations for" | Actively looking. The warmest lead. |
| "alternative to" | Unhappy with what they use now. |
| "struggling with" / "tired of" | Feeling the pain, may not be looking yet. |
| "how do you" / "how are you" | Asking peers, open to ideas. |
| "we just hired" / "we just launched" | New situation, new needs. |
For example, a payroll service might search "any recommendations" payroll or "tired of" running payroll.
Where to search on each platform
On X: use the search bar and switch to the Latest tab so you see new posts first. Wrapping a phrase in quotes finds that exact phrase.
On LinkedIn: search your phrase, filter to Posts, and sort by Latest. LinkedIn conversations move slower than X, so posts from the last few days are still worth replying to.
Keep a short list of five to ten searches that consistently bring up good posts, and drop the ones that don't.
Which posts are worth replying to?
You'll find more posts than you have time for. Prioritise the ones where:
- The person matches your customer. Check their profile: right role, right kind of company.
- The post is recent. Fresh posts are still being read.
- Few people have replied. You'll stand out more in a quiet thread.
How do you turn a reply into a conversation?
Your first reply should help, not sell. Answer the question, share what worked for you, or point out something they may have missed. If they respond, you've earned the right to continue.
Then take it to private messages with something useful: a short checklist, a quick answer to their follow-up, or an offer to look at their situation. Mention what you do only when it genuinely fits.
What to avoid:
- Replying with a link and nothing else.
- Sending a sales message to someone who hasn't replied to you.
- Pasting the same reply under every post.
How do you do this without scrolling all day?
Give it a fixed 20 minutes a day: run your saved searches, reply to the best five to ten posts, and follow up with anyone who responded yesterday.
If even that is hard to fit in, Odeist can do the watching for you. It checks X and LinkedIn for posts that match your topic, writes replies in your brand's voice and posts them. You can also have every reply sent to your WhatsApp to approve before it goes out. It costs $30 per account per month, with a 7-day free trial, no card needed.
Frequently asked questions
What should I search for to find leads on LinkedIn and X?
Search for the words people use when they have the problem, not the name of your product category. Phrases like “any recommendations for”, “struggling with” and “looking for a tool that” combined with your topic find people who are ready to talk.
Is it OK to message someone after replying to their post?
Yes, if the reply started a real conversation. Wait until they respond to you, then continue in private messages with something useful, not a sales pitch.
How can I find leads on social media without spending hours a day?
Save your best searches and check them once a day, or use a tool that watches those conversations for you and suggests replies. Odeist does this on X and LinkedIn for $30 per account per month.