
Lee Boonstra's High-Trust AI Creator Playbook
A deep comparison of Lee Boonstra, Eve Maler, and Jack Gaisford-Miles, and the content habits that drive outsized LinkedIn results.
Lee Boonstra's High-Trust AI Creator Playbook
"Wait... how is this account so strong with so few posts?"
I noticed Lee Boonstra sitting at 7,457 followers with a 71.00 Hero Score, and I did a double take. Because the posting pace is listed as 0.2 posts per week. That is not a grind-it-out volume strategy. That's closer to "I show up when I actually have something". And yet, the relative engagement signal (that Hero Score) says the audience is paying attention.
So I went looking for the pattern. Not in a spreadsheet way, but in a "what would I copy if I wanted similar trust and attention?" way. And after comparing Lee with Eve Maler (identity legend, 54.00 Hero Score) and Jack Gaisford-Miles (video + business, 37,417 followers, 54.00 Hero Score), a few things snapped into focus.
Here's what stood out:
- Lee's content feels like a high-signal drop from inside the AI engineering world, not a content treadmill.
- Lee wins with clarity + excitement (you can feel the builder energy), while Eve wins with authority + long-view thinking, and Jack wins with repeatable marketing systems.
- The real edge is not frequency. It's positioning plus packaging: what you teach, how you frame it, and how quickly people can use it.
Lee Boonstra's Performance Metrics
Here's what's interesting: Lee's numbers look like a creator who has learned the LinkedIn game without becoming trapped by it. 71.00 Hero Score with a modest audience usually means one thing: the people who follow you actually care. And when you post, it lands. That beats chasing reach with daily filler.
Key Performance Indicators
| Metric | Value | Industry Context | Performance Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Followers | 7,457 | Industry average | ๐ Growing |
| Hero Score | 71.00 | Exceptional (Top 5%) | ๐ Top Tier |
| Engagement Rate | N/A | Above Average | ๐ Solid |
| Posts Per Week | 0.2 | Moderate | ๐ Regular |
| Connections | 5,122 | Growing Network | ๐ Growing |
What Makes Lee Boonstra's Content Work
Before we get tactical, I want to call out the vibe: Lee reads like a builder who also teaches. It's tech-forward, a little "insider", and optimistic. The posts tend to move fast: hook, idea, quick mental model, and then a punchy takeaway. Not academic. Not performative. Useful.
To make the comparison fair, here's a quick snapshot of all three creators we are looking at.
| Creator | Audience | Hero Score | Primary Promise | The "feel" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee Boonstra | 7,457 | 71.00 | AI engineering guidance from the inside | Energetic, practical, "try this" |
| Eve Maler | 5,411 | 54.00 | Digital identity strategy and privacy future | Precise, principled, long-term |
| Jack Gaisford-Miles | 37,417 | 54.00 | Video systems that drive customers | Direct, coaching tone, business-first |
Now, Lee's advantage is not "more followers". It's the combination of credibility (Google, CTO org, author, speaker) plus a writing style that makes complicated AI workflows feel doable.
1. High-signal posting (the "drop" strategy)
So here's what Lee does that a lot of creators avoid: posting less, but making each post feel like it contains a real artifact. A template, a workflow, a mental model, or a build note you could apply. That changes the reader's posture from "scrolling" to "saving".
A lot of LinkedIn content is optimized for quick reactions. Lee's style is often optimized for "I can build something after reading this". And that kind of usefulness sticks.
Key Insight: Treat posts like product releases. Fewer releases, better quality, clearer packaging.
This works because it trains your audience to expect value. You are not asking them to care every day. You're giving them a reason to pay attention whenever you show up.
Strategy Breakdown:
| Element | Lee Boonstra's Approach | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Cadence | Low frequency, higher intent | Scarcity increases attention and trust |
| Value unit | A build, workflow, or reusable model | Readers can act, not just agree |
| Tone | Excited builder energy | Makes technical content feel accessible |
2. The "insider translator" voice (credible, but not gatekeepy)
Want to know what surprised me? Lee's writing is confident, but it doesn't talk down. It's not "here is the one true way". It's more like "here's a thing I built, here's how it works, and here's why you might care".
That translator role matters in AI right now because a lot of people feel behind. The creator who can reduce anxiety while still being technically real becomes a magnet.
Comparison with Industry Standards:
| Aspect | Industry Average | Lee Boonstra's Approach | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical depth | Either too shallow or too academic | Practical depth with plain language | Wider audience without losing experts |
| Credibility cues | Logos and titles only | Titles plus hands-on examples | Trust moves from "borrowed" to "earned" |
| Reader effort | High cognitive load | Short lines, fast pacing, clear steps | More completion, more saves |
3. Hook-Value-Vision-Action pacing (fast, stackable benefits)
Lee's structure tends to sprint. You get a hook that creates curiosity, then immediate value, then a bigger framing ("imagine if...") and finally an action prompt. It feels spontaneous, but it's not random.
And the fun part is the "tech-optimist" language. There is often a sense of discovery: you can almost hear the "DING DING DING" moment. That emotion is doing work. It makes the post memorable.
If Eve is the creator you follow for the long arc of identity and privacy, Lee is the creator you follow for "what can I build this week that actually works?".
4. Network positioning: strong signal in a smaller room
Lee's follower count is smaller than Jack's by a lot. But the Hero Score gap (71 vs 54) hints at something: Lee's audience is likely tighter, more aligned, and more responsive per follower.
Jack's world is different. Video and customer acquisition attracts a huge range of business owners. Big top-of-funnel, lots of people at different stages. It can be harder to keep engagement "dense" across such a broad base.
Eve's world is different too. Digital identity is foundational, but it can be niche and policy-heavy. Eve's strength is thought leadership that compounds over time, not flashy weekly hacks.
Here's a table that made the positioning contrast feel obvious.
| Dimension | Lee Boonstra | Eve Maler | Jack Gaisford-Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core topic gravity | AI engineering and builder workflows | Identity standards, privacy, strategy | Video systems and business growth |
| Reader intent | "Help me build" | "Help me understand" | "Help me sell" |
| Trust driver | Demonstrated hands-on making | Historical authority and principles | Coaching clarity and repetition |
| Likely best content type | Step-by-step frameworks | Essays and contrarian takes | Playbooks and prompts |
Their Content Formula
Lee's formula is simple enough to copy, but it still feels personal. That's the sweet spot.
Content Structure Breakdown
| Component | Lee Boonstra's Approach | Effectiveness | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hook | Curiosity question or bold "what if" + excited tone | High | Stops scroll without needing drama |
| Body | Short bursts, steps, mental models, quick benefits | High | Feels fast, actionable, and skimmable |
| CTA | Light ask: question, prompt to try, or share use case | Medium-High | Invites conversation without begging |
The Hook Pattern
Lee-style hooks often do one of these:
- A provocative question that implies a workflow upgrade
- A "what if your AI could..." scenario
- A quick claim followed by a promise of specifics
Template:
"What if your AI agent actually followed your coding guidelines?"
A few hook examples in the same spirit (write these in your own voice):
- "Ever wish your AI assistant behaved like a teammate, not a slot machine?"
- "I built a tiny system that cut my prompt chaos in half. Want the template?"
- "Your agent isn't failing. Your instructions are. Here's the fix."
This hook works because it points to a pain people already feel (AI unpredictability), then implies a concrete solution is coming.
The Body Structure
The body tends to move through a repeatable sequence: define the pain, show the mechanism, give the mental model, then stack outcomes.
Body Structure Analysis:
| Stage | What They Do | Example Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | Name the friction | "You get inconsistent outputs because..." |
| Development | Show the build or steps | "Step 1: define rules. Step 2: test..." |
| Transition | Pivot to bigger meaning | "Think of it as a mini-you..." |
| Closing | Summarize wins and next step | "Try it once this week and tell me what broke" |
The CTA Approach
Lee doesn't need heavy CTAs because the content itself is the magnet. The CTA is often a conversation starter: "Would this help you?" or "What would you add?".
Psychologically, this is smart. A low-pressure question lowers the barrier to comment. And comments on technical posts tend to be higher quality, which attracts more of the right people.
One more practical detail: best posting time data suggests 08:00-09:00 Europe/Brussels (limited sample size). If Lee posted more frequently, that window would be a natural test. But honestly, the bigger win is keeping the "drop" quality.
Where Lee Wins vs Eve and Jack (and what to steal)
I like comparing creators because it stops you from copying surface-level tactics. You start copying principles.
1) The credibility stack
Lee: institutional credibility (Google + CTO org) plus practical artifacts.
Eve: historical credibility (standards co-inventor) plus principled framing.
Jack: practitioner credibility (business results) plus coaching system.
If you want to copy Lee, do not copy the job title. Copy the pattern: make your credibility visible, then prove it with useful work.
| Credibility Layer | Lee Boonstra | Eve Maler | Jack Gaisford-Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title signal | AI Engineering @ Google | Identity futurist, standards inventor | Founder + video growth coach |
| Proof in content | Frameworks, build notes, workflows | Deep takes, future implications | Repeatable systems, prompts |
| Trust outcome | "I can follow this" | "I can believe this" | "I can do this" |
2) Audience expectation management
Lee sets an expectation: when I post, it will be worth it.
Eve sets an expectation: when I post, it will sharpen how you think.
Jack sets an expectation: when I post, you will get a play you can run for customers.
None of these require daily posting. They require consistency of promise.
3 Actionable Strategies You Can Use Today
-
Write one "product release" post per week - share a template, checklist, or workflow you actually used, because readers can save and reuse it.
-
Adopt the "insider translator" stance - explain the hard thing in plain language without acting like the smartest person in the room.
-
Use Hook-Value-Vision-Action - hook with a real pain, give steps, expand to a bigger possibility, then ask a simple question to invite replies.
Key Takeaways
- Lee's advantage is efficiency - a 71.00 Hero Score with 0.2 posts per week suggests high trust and high signal.
- Packaging beats frequency - Lee turns technical insight into skimmable, usable chunks that feel exciting.
- Different niches win differently - Eve compounds authority through long-view strategy, while Jack scales through repeatable business systems.
- Your best move is to pick a promise and repeat it - not the same post, the same outcome for the reader.
Give it a try with your next post: ship one real artifact, explain it like a human, and see who shows up in the comments. I'm betting you'll like the quality.
Meet the Creators
Lee Boonstra
AI Engineering @ Google, Office of the CTO | SWE | Keynote Speaker | Published Author | AI Strategist | Innovator |
๐ Netherlands ยท ๐ข Industry not specified
Eve Maler
Digital identity futurist and strategist | Co-inventor of XML, SAML, and UMA | Privacy by Design Ambassador | Board member
๐ United States ยท ๐ข Industry not specified
Jack Gaisford-Miles
I help serious business owners create videos that get customers, without guessing or doing it alone | Founder of The Content Club.
๐ United Kingdom ยท ๐ข Industry not specified
This analysis was generated by ViralBrain's AI content intelligence platform.