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Struggling to know what content types to post on your LinkedIn profile?
Don’t stress - I’ve got you covered!
In this guide, I’ll explain some of the best post types tot on LinkedIn which you can start taking advantage of today, as well as some top tips, and a handy way to provide inspiration for your post topics and styles.
Want dessert before your dinner? Click here and jump ahead to post inspiration.
CAROUSEL POSTS
The team here at FINALLY are sick to death of hearing me bang on about carousel posts. Honestly, I’m like a stuck record, and the record is really bad. Like Vanilla Ice or something.
But there are many great reasons why I, and so many others, are huge champions of this content type.
Firstly, they are incredibly diverse. You can use them for pretty much any topic or post type you desire. Want to tell a story visually? You bet. Want to show off your work? Yessir. Want to teach people something? Bingo.
Secondly, audiences LOVE them. They benefit from high engagement and click-through rates (which is fancy social media talk for “people find them interesting”). These two metrics are really important because they tell LinkedIn that the posts you’re sharing are well received by your audience. This means they will benefit from more reach, or in simpler terms, be shown to more people.
Carousel posts give you the freedom to create because you have a much larger canvas to work with. Rather than being restricted by a single image, you can share across a whole gallery if you will.
They are simple to create, too. Even a complete design novice can create a great-looking carousel post by using a tool, such as Canva. There are tons of templates available that you can follow and edit, so the hard work is already done for you.
TOP TIPS FOR LINKEDIN CAROUSEL POSTS:
- Use carousel posts to promote lead generation; provide a sneak-peek at your latest email newsletter, or a preview of your current white paper.
- When using Canva, make sure to keep all the important stuff inside the pink guide box (it’ll appear when you move things around); this ensures that once posted, everything will be in perfect view for the user.
- Download your carousel post as a PDF Print file for maximum resolution and image quality.
VIDEO POSTS
Chances are, you’ve already dabbled with video. After all, every smartphone in the land has a camera that’s capable of capturing quality footage these days...
Video is an incredibly powerful post type for LinkedIn because it allows your audience to get to know you.
LinkedIn is all about building relationships, and putting yourself out there by getting in front of the camera is such a good way to get the ball rolling.
Similarly to carousel posts, LinkedIn is also very fond of video - this is because it keeps users on the platform for longer. They are sticking around to watch you.
One of my personal favourite things about video is how much repeat value you can get from them. A video you create for LinkedIn can also be posted on YouTube, or Facebook, or on your website. You can generate a great content lifecycle from the time you invest in video creation.
Video duration is a hot topic, with many conflicting arguments and suggestions. For my money, shorter is always better. Audiences have a very short attention span in general, and being able to deliver your point in a quick and concise manner is always preferable.
To put an exact time margin on this, I would advocate keeping your videos between 30 - 90 seconds in duration whenever possible.
TOP TIPS FOR LINKEDIN VIDEO POSTS:
- When recording your video, make sure you look at the camera lens and not your smartphone/camera screen; this means you’ll be addressing the audience directly and having the right eye contact with the viewer.
- When you’re ready to post your video, make sure you upload an SRT file; this is a transcript of your video’s dialogue which means those who are hard-of-hearing, or those watching without audio, can still fully understand your content. SRT files can be created and downloaded for free through services such as Vidyard, YouTube and VEED using their Auto-Transcribe features.
- Make sure to post your video with a Featured Image also; this means it’ll look more attractive and professional on the LinkedIn feed. You can create these in Canva, or you can get a screengrab from your video itself.
- Check out FINALLY’s video guides for more top tips.
TEXT POSTS
They might be the most basic, but sometimes the simplest ways work best.
Text posts are a staple of LinkedIn, and the likelihood is, you’ve already posted one before without really even thinking about it. They are one of the best ways to convey a story, fuel a conversation, or direct users over to your website.
But here’s a little secret: the key to a great text post is all in the formatting and delivery.
LinkedIn recently increased the character count for posts, which means you’ve now got more room than ever to get typing. You can use this extra capacity to brilliant effect by adding spaces, using emojis and more.
TOP TIPS FOR LINKEDIN TEXT POSTS:
- Write your text posts in single sentences, followed by a space; this will make your copy easier to read, and also encourage the reader to click “see more”.
- Use a combination of lower and uppercase to emphasise key points in your copy; uppercase is particularly useful for your post’s first line (or title) and any subtitles/headings you may feature throughout.
- If you’re including a link in your text post, be sure to post it WITHOUT the link first; this protects your post’s reach against the LinkedIn algorithm’s nastiness. Once you’ve posted, hit “Edit”, then add your link. Trust me - it works.
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WHAT SHOULD I POST ON LINKEDIN?
Many people struggle to create content for LinkedIn.
They sit there at their computers with a blank screen and a blank mind. This normally means they end up posting some generic thing to try and drive a sale, or promote a service they’ve spoken about 100 times over.
But just a simple change in your perception can really help invigorate your creative juices and give you the fuel you need to get those posts rolling!
So I ask you this: start thinking about LinkedIn like you do TV.
Think about it this way - nobody would watch the TV if every channel just played adverts.
I mean HOW BORING would that be?
A lot of LinkedIn content is adverts. And they are really boring, too.
So, how do we use the TV as a source of inspiration for our LinkedIn content then? Well, we start thinking about our posts as programmes.
Programmes have genres and structures they follow. They align to a certain series of processes and behaviours.
We all know that Doctor Who is science-fiction. However, if EastEnders suddenly started featuring Daleks and Cybermen necking pints down The Old Vic, we’d all be a bit confused.
Your posts can have genres, too. By applying this logic, you give yourself a sense of structure. Which then means you get more consistency as you start to understand the types of messages you wish to convey within that structure. Which then means you start posting more consistent, better content. “Lovely Jubbly”, as Del Boy would say.
Let’s take a look at some common genres of TV programming, and how we can apply this logic to our LinkedIn content.
The News - latest industry updates and big happenings in your sector.
Documentaries - real-life stories and sharing the true you with your audience.
Educational - teach your audience something.
Comedy - have fun and make your audience laugh.
Chat Shows - regular interviews, live-streams and podcasts.
Sport - industry stats, rankings and league tables.
Drama - sharing the highs and lows of worklife.
Sci-Fi - the ways in which your business is experimenting and discovering.
Talent Show - showcase all the great work you produce and your people.
Opinion - create a debate and share your thoughts.
Game Show - incentivise your audience with puzzles to solve and competitions.
Fly on the Wall - a real-life look into your business world.
I hope this gives you the confidence to think about and create a broader range of content for your LinkedIn profile, and this has helped to change your thinking!
If you need any more help and inspiration, be sure to connect with me on LinkedIn - I post regular tips and tricks, and I’m more than happy to give you a hand! Also be sure to check out inSPIRED on YouTube - my monthly roundup of the most helpful and insight posts on LinkedIn.
IMPROVE YOUR SOCIAL PERFORMANCE WITH THESE GUIDES
WHAT’S THE BEST SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT TOOL?
GET MORE LEADS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA
HOW TO INCREASE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS
YOUR SECRET GUIDE FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT HASHTAGS
AT A GLANCE: WHAT POST TYPES SHOULD I USE ON LINKEDIN?
- Carousel Posts - great for engagement, click-through rates and lead generation.
- Video Posts - best way to share yourself with your audience and build relationships.
- Text Posts - write in clear sentences and add links after publishing.
- Think of LinkedIn Like Your TV - create programming with your content.
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
As previously mentioned, please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn – I post lots of social media tips and tricks on my profile which I hope you’ll find helpful. Also, be sure to get in touch with us at FINALLY for any further assistance, too; we’re happy to help!
