Our practical guide with tips & tricks for effective carousel posts.
Posting images and graphics as a carousel on LinkedIn? Yes, you can! Even if the classic carousel function as we know it from Instagram does not exist on LinkedIn, there has recently been a way to score points with multiple images. And you should definitely use it! Find out how it works here.
Carousel posts are one of the most valuable formats for marketers and content creators. They enhance your presence visually and in terms of content and ensure more engagement. Carousel posts on LinkedIn are also a great way to tell a story with multiple images or graphics and present complex information clearly. Just like we did for WOMEN FOR THE BOARD:
How it works – step by step to the LinkedIn carousel
1. Prepare content
A combination of images or graphics and text works best. Create a separate slide for each message you want to convey - visually appealing and easy to understand, similar to an Instagram carousel.
Here are some tips:
- Make sure the content is high quality and relevant to your target audience.
- Each slide should contain a clear message or information.
- Make sure that the slides contain arrows or other elements that indicate that people can click further. These act like a “call-to-action”.
- Encourage interaction by asking questions or inviting discussion.
It is best to create your slides using a professional graphics program such as Canva or Photoshop. Make sure you use the right size: 1:1 (1080 x 1080 pixels) and 4:5 (1920 x 1080 pixels) formats are recommended for carousel posts on LinkedIn.
2. Summarise slides to PDF
As already mentioned, the “normal” carousel function does not exist on LinkedIn. Although it is possible to upload several images at the same time, this function is more suitable for small photo galleries and definitely offers less added value than a nice clickable carousel.
So here's the trick you can use to post a carousel on LinkedIn:
Upload your slides as a PDF.
Combine your prepared slides into one PDF file and save it.
3. Post carousel
Now go to LinkedIn and create your post:
- Click on the “Start post” field and write a post text as usual.
- Select the “Add document” icon in the post window. (You may need to click on “+ More” first so that the document icon appears).
- Select the PDF document that you want to post as a carousel. LinkedIn converts each page of the PDF document into a single slide in the carousel.
- Once you have uploaded the document, you can give it a name and add a description. Choose a description for your carousel post that is as descriptive as possible. Take the opportunity to summarise the most important points in a short and exciting way.
- Now it gets exciting! Check all the information and the arrangement of the slides. LinkedIn displays a preview of your carousel so that you can check how the individual slides will look. Does everything look good? Then click on “Publish”.
That's it!
What are the advantages of carousels?
Preparing a carousel can take a little more time, but it's worth the effort carousel posts ensure more visibility and engagement! In addition, carousels can also be used to tell more complex content and exciting stories, which gives your posts even more substance.
Here are four reasons why carousel posts are important for your social media presence:
- More visibility: Picture galleries arouse curiosity! A carousel post invites people to scroll through the entire content and stay on the post for longer. This active engagement can lead to higher visibility and increase the likelihood that the post will also appear in the feeds of other users.
- Activating storytelling: Carousel posts can be used to tell exciting and inspiring stories. This allows complex issues to be conveyed in an understandable and clear way, while also arousing emotions.
- Space-saving and structured: In contrast to image or text posts, carousels can be used to share more extensive and complex information without the post appearing overloaded.
- Versatile: Carousel posts are suitable for a variety of content such as infographics, step-by-step instructions, product presentations or even event reviews.
7 tips for successful carousel posts
Use these tricks to achieve maximum impact with your carousel posts:
- Target group orientation: Know your target group exactly! Posts that are tailored to the specific interests and needs of the target group generally achieve a higher level of engagement.
- Clarity and focus: Each carousel slide should focus on one main topic or idea. Do not overload your slides. This can be confusing and dilute the main message. Keep the text short and use visual elements to emphasise your points.
- Call-to-action (CTA): Insert a call to action at the end of the carousel. This can be a request to visit a website, sign up for a newsletter or take part in a discussion. CTAs are crucial for converting engagement into concrete action.
- High image quality: Use high quality images and graphics for your carousels. Poor quality can detract from the professional feel of the post and reduce engagement.
- Uniform appearance: Stay true to your brand! Use your company colours, fonts and logos for your carousels as well. This promotes brand awareness and engagement.
- Analysis and customisation: Use LinkedIn's analytics tools to see how your carousel posts are being received in your network. What content generates the most engagement? Experiment with different designs and formats to find out what works best.
- Timing and frequency: The timing of posts can have a big impact. Think about when your target group is most active and post accordingly. Frequency is equally important: too many posts can be overwhelming, while too few can cause you to disappear from your target audience's view.
