🍴The power of a palate cleanser

Masterclass defines a palate cleanser as:

Now you might be thinking...

Is Maria really about to tie this back to LinkedIn?

You bet I am.

Because palate cleansers don’t just belong on tasting menus, they belong in your content strategy.

Here’s what I mean:

In my world, palate cleansers are personal posts that break up the cadence of your professional posts.

They’re unexpected. A little lighter, and they get you ready for the next round of content. 

But they still connect. And they always help reset your audience’s attention.

A Palate Cleanser in Action

I’ve been ghostwriting for a LinkedIn client who came to me after letting their profile go dormant for over a month.

The initial goals?

• Reengage their current network.

• Attract new followers.

• Re-establish credibility in their space.

So we stuck to a steady posting cadence: 

3x a week with content primarily focused on their industry.

These posts included tactical how-tos, podcast clips, and thoughtful commentary.

It worked.

Their profile views, impressions, and engagement all climbed. We were back on the map!

This was the perfect time to introduce a palate cleanser. 

It was National Book Day, a relevant microholiday to build around.

So, instead of another tip-filled post, we shared:

• My client’s favorite books in a carousel format. 

• A few lines on each slide about why they loved these books. 

Simple. But powerful.

It opened the door for connection, and their audience walked right through it:

• 125 reactions

• 30,093 impressions

• 2 reposts

Yes, I was proud of the vanity metrics and my client was pleased about them too, but the comment section made us give each other digital high-fives.

It turned into a book club of sorts. 

People shared their own favorites, sparked side conversations, and reconnected my client's followers with the human behind the account.

That’s the power of a palate cleanser.

It’s not off-brand, it's a way for you to make you more relatable. 

It gives people a reason to lean in, not scroll past.

It reminds your audience:

"I like this person. I trust them. I want to hear more from them."

Your Turn
This week, try serving a palate cleanser to your audience.

Here are a few ideas to start with:

1. Share your favorite podcast or book (and what you took away from it). 

2. Talk about the best advice you’ve ever gotten outside of your industry.

And if you’re curious about how to rotate them in without losing momentum, follow my 3:1 framework. 

For every three professional posts, share one that shows off your personality. 

»Here are five extra personal post ideas«

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