Posting Best Practices
Yasmina Akni Ebourki
Last updated: Dec 9, 2024
When it comes to LinkedIn, figuring out which content format has the most impact is essential.
Crafting impactful posts often requires testing and experimenting to understand what works and what doesn’t.
Once you pinpoint the winning strategies, you can tailor them to suit your industry.
Today, I’m sharing several post types that have driven significant visibility across various sectors, designed by some of LinkedIn’s top content creators. Let’s dive in!
TL;DR: The top LinkedIn post types for boosting visibility and engagement are video content, personal branding, educational carousels, advice posts, and storytelling. The key is to test, refine, and adapt these formats consistently to build a strong presence and attract organic leads.
Why Choosing the Right LinkedIn Post Type Matters
You might wonder: is it really important to use external formats or visual content alongside well-crafted text?
The answer is yes—visual elements are crucial.
Posts that include an image or some form of visual content tend to grab more attention, making them significantly more impactful.
These elements enhance visibility and engagement, increasing the chances of your post being seen, commented on, and shared.
The next question is: which post format works best on LinkedIn? The key is to identify the formats available, test them, and analyze what resonates with your audience.
Observe what successful creators in your industry are doing and which formats they use. Finally, establish your own visual identity—it will help you stand out and extend your reach by effectively leveraging the power of visual content.
How Post Types Impact Your Visibility on LinkedIn
To begin, it’s essential to identify the types of posts and formats that align with your goals. As you develop your strategy, carefully select and experiment with different formats to determine what resonates best with your audience.
Let’s start with the classic text-only post. While simple, this format has significantly evolved over time.
We’ve shifted from long, dense paragraphs that resemble articles to more dynamic, reader-friendly posts that engage directly with the audience.
The tone has also shifted to a more conversational style, directly addressing the reader rather than using a formal third-person approach.
Next, let’s consider posts with added visual content.
These could include simple images—but not just any image. For maximum impact, focus on visuals that add value, such as:
Behind-the-scenes shots to create authenticity,
Carousel posts that break down content into detailed slides (ranging from 9 to 24 slides), or
Short 30-second videos that explain concepts in a dynamic, storytelling format.
Each of these formats has evolved to meet the demands of LinkedIn’s audience.
When used thoughtfully, they can boost visibility and position you as a more authentic and relatable creator compared to others.
Why Variety Keeps Your Audience Engaged
Once you’ve identified the formats that work best for you through testing, you’ll likely find a couple of post types that consistently deliver strong results.
However, it’s important to avoid overusing these formats.
Repeating the same type of content too often can overwhelm or bore your audience, leading to diminishing engagement over time.
To keep your content fresh and appealing, it’s essential to introduce variety in your post formats.
This approach not only keeps your audience engaged but also prevents burnout for you—especially if certain formats require significant time and effort to produce.
Additionally, staying alert to emerging trends can help you innovate. Subtly incorporating these trends into your content keeps it relevant and engaging over time.
For example, a recent LinkedIn trend involves using a pyramid structure in text posts to present quotes or statements.
This visually appealing format is both easier to read and more engaging, drawing readers in and encouraging interaction.
The result? Increased visibility and higher levels of audience engagement
10 Most Effective LinkedIn Post Types You Should Try
We’ve taken a deep dive into LinkedIn to analyze content that stands out and grabs attention.
These are the types of posts that can make a real difference in your LinkedIn strategy and are worth gradually incorporating into your content plan.
Here’s a list of the top 10 post types you should try.
1 - Video Content
The first on the list is video content, currently one of the most effective and widely used formats.
And no, we’re not talking about long, horizontal videos. What works best are short, vertical videos—around 30 seconds long—that focus on a highly specific topic.
The key is to keep the video dynamic with movement and engaging audio. A touch of text at the top for context is helpful, but the video itself should do most of the storytelling.
One major advantage of this format is its ability to humanize your content by allowing people to see you.
Putting a face to your brand or message fosters a deeper, more authentic connection with your audience.
Recently, we’ve seen top creators like Jasmin Alic and Lara Acosta dedicate significant effort to video content.
It’s quickly becoming a cornerstone of their online strategies and one of the leading formats driving their success.
2 - Personal Branding Posts
The second type, while not new, remains one of the most impactful: personal branding posts.
These posts involve sharing something personal or meaningful that allows your audience to connect with you on a human level.
It’s about telling a story that reflects your personality, thoughts, or experiences.
These posts are powerful because they humanize you, making you more relatable and approachable.
In fact, many brands today leverage personal branding by selecting employees or external representatives to share authentic, personal insights on behalf of the brand.
This strategy puts a face to the company, making it more recognizable and trustworthy.
People often relate more to a person than to a logo, which is why personal branding remains a cornerstone of modern social media engagement.
3 - Educational Carousel Content
The third type of post to incorporate into your LinkedIn strategy, if you haven’t already, is the carousel post.
Although carousel content has been around for some time, it remains one of the most effective formats for driving visibility and engagement.
Carousels allow you to share valuable information in a visually dynamic way by breaking it into slides.
Each slide highlights a key point, and when paired with visuals, the content becomes more engaging and easier for your audience to absorb.
What makes carousel posts particularly powerful is their interactive nature.
People are naturally inclined to swipe through the slides, making the experience feel more engaging.
By presenting content in digestible chunks, you not only capture attention but also keep your audience invested in your message.
4. Advice-Based Posts (Tips and Lists)
The fourth type of LinkedIn post focuses on offering advice or sharing actionable tips.
This format is particularly effective for engaging your audience because it provides immediate value.
Advice-based posts can take the form of a list of actionable steps, best practices, or insights related to your industry or area of expertise.
People are naturally drawn to content that helps them solve problems, improve skills, or gain knowledge. These posts tend to have high engagement potential, as they encourage readers to:
Act on the advice you've shared.
Share their own experiences or opinions in the comments.
Additionally, providing practical, easy-to-follow guidance builds credibility and positions you as a go-to resource in your field.
5. Share Your Learnings and Mistakes
The fifth type of post focuses on sharing your personal experiences, particularly your mistakes or failures.
This is a powerful way to connect with your audience because it shows authenticity and vulnerability.
People appreciate content that doesn’t just highlight successes but also acknowledges the challenges and setbacks you’ve faced.
By sharing your struggles, you offer a more realistic and relatable perspective. Reflecting on your mistakes not only helps others learn from them but also builds trust and credibility.
It shows that you are human, and that makes your content more engaging and impactful.
6. Analyze Other Content and Provide Explanations
The sixth type involves analyzing content from other creators and offering your own insights or commentary.
This can include breaking down successful posts, explaining why certain strategies worked, or offering your perspective on trending topics.
This type of post positions you as a thought leader who is always paying attention to industry trends and sharing valuable insights.
By analyzing others' content, you create opportunities for interaction while also showcasing your expertise.
7. Use Storytelling in Your Posts
Storytelling is one of the most engaging techniques you can use on LinkedIn to captivate your audience.
Instead of simply stating facts or offering advice, storytelling allows you to weave a narrative that pulls readers in emotionally and keeps them engaged throughout the post.
To do this effectively, start by setting the scene. Introduce a challenge or problem you faced, share the emotions involved, and explain the actions you took to overcome it.
Then, reveal the lesson learned or the result of your actions.
8. Podcast Extracts
The eighth post type involves sharing extracts from podcasts you’ve either hosted or been featured on.
This format is increasingly popular because it allows you to showcase valuable insights and conversations in a more dynamic way.
This type of content can attract a different segment of your audience who prefer audio-based learning and want to hear more of your insights in a conversational format.
Additionally, don’t forget to add subtitles to these videos, especially when sharing podcast extracts.
This ensures that even viewers watching without sound can still engage with your content.
9. Vlog Videos and B-Roll Videos
Within the world of video content, vlog videos and B-roll are simple yet powerful formats, especially if you're shy on camera.
They’re perfect for those who want to connect with their audience but prefer a more low-key approach.
Vlog videos allow you to show behind-the-scenes content, share your daily routine, or document your journey in a more informal and authentic way.
Vlogs create a personal connection, letting your followers see the real person behind the brand, which fosters trust and deeper engagement.
On the other hand, B-roll videos (supplementary footage) enhance storytelling by adding context. They’re often used to showcase products or services in action or illustrate your points more vividly.
Whether you're demonstrating how your product works, showing your workspace, or simply adding a bit of extra context, B-roll can make your content feel more dynamic and engaging without requiring a huge effort on your part.
10. Carousels to Showcase Client Work (Before-After)
The tenth post type, but no less important, is the carousel post, where you showcase the results of your work, especially through before-and-after images or case studies.
This format is incredibly effective for illustrating your impact, whether it's a client transformation, product improvement, or the results of a service you've provided.
Additionally, it's always better to show than to tell, and this is where you can put that into practice.
In these posts, the first image or slide shows the initial condition (before), followed by a series of images or slides that highlight the progress, process, or results (after).
This gives your audience a clear, visual comparison and tells a compelling story about the work you've done.
How to Choose the Right Post Type for Your Goals
Now that you’re familiar with the different post types that drive visibility, it’s important to use them strategically based on your goals and audience.
The key is to choose the formats that resonate the most with your business, message, and industry.
Start by identifying which post types align with the objectives you want to achieve. For example, if you're aiming to position yourself as an expert, educational posts or carousels might be the best fit.
Once you’ve found the post types that work for you, it’s important to repeat them consistently.
The more you use a specific format, the more recognizable you become.
Your audience will start associating that type of post with your content, making it easier for them to connect with you.
This consistency helps reinforce your brand and message, allowing you to build a stronger presence on LinkedIn over time.
Posts for Building Brand Awareness
This brings me to an important point: when we analyze the most effective posts for brand awareness, we notice a common thread.
These posts talk about the brand, but they don’t directly mention it. What does this mean? Essentially, the brand is woven into the message subtly, without explicitly discussing the company or its offerings.
The focus of the post is not on you, but on the customer—their needs, challenges, or questions.
This is incredibly important because it allows you to build brand awareness without repeatedly plastering your logo everywhere or overtly pushing a product or service.
Instead, you’re listening to your audience, engaging with them, and addressing their pain points in a way that provides value.
When your audience recognizes that you're consistently providing valuable, helpful information, they’ll naturally associate your brand with expertise and reliability.
Posts for Driving Traffic or Leads
At the end of the day, the ultimate goal of your content isn’t just about offering something directly.
It’s about building credibility and establishing yourself as an expert in your field.
Over time, as people become familiar with your knowledge and the value you provide, they will begin reaching out to you.
Rather than relying on paid campaigns, you’ll generate leads and clients organically. When someone in your industry is looking for solutions, they’ll think of you first, and your expertise will naturally draw them in.
The key here is consistency—by creating posts that reflect your understanding of the market and provide relevant insights, you’ll attract people who want to engage with your brand.
Gradually, this will lead to more inquiries and potential business opportunities, all without the need for direct sales tactics.
Posts for Engaging Your Network
Finally, the type of content you want to focus on is the kind that encourages genuine interaction.
Whether it’s through asking questions, sharing experiences, or giving your audience a call-to-action (CTA), your content should always spark interest in your niche and encourage people to connect with you.
Once you find the format that works best for your audience, take the time to refine it, experiment with different versions, and repost it in new ways.
You can even consider adding a CTA in your post's comments, directing your audience to your website, products, services, or more content.
This will allow you to build professional relationships, continuously engage with your network, and gradually convert interactions into valuable leads and clients.
