Mastering LinkedIn Post Formats

If you're posting on LinkedIn and not seeing the results you want, it might not be your content—it might be the format.

According to the 2025 Algorithm Insights Report by Richard van der Blom, not all LinkedIn post formats are created equal. In fact, the right format can dramatically boost your visibility, engagement, and business results.

Here’s a breakdown of the top-performing LinkedIn post formats in 2025 and how to use each for maximum impact:

1. Text + Image Posts (Most Popular & Widely Effective)

Use When: You want to blend storytelling, personal branding, or thought leadership with strong visual appeal.

Best Practices:

• 700–900 characters in caption length

• Vertical images (especially on mobile) perform best

• Include people in photos when appropriate (especially for personal posts)

• Infographics generate 2.4x engagement

• Avoid generic stock photos; use original or personal imagery

Pro Tip: Posts with clear formatting, multiple images (up to 4), and readability scores between 0–4 consistently outperform others.

2. Video Posts (High Engagement, High Reward)

Use When: You want to deliver quick value, explain a concept, or show behind-the-scenes.

Best Practices:

• 1–2 minutes in length is the sweet spot

• Vertical videos perform 80% better than horizontal

• First 3 seconds must include a hook (question, stat, story)

• Use captions (35% of users watch without sound)

• Post natively—don’t link to YouTube

Pro Tip: Use video to build trust. Talk like a human. Keep it simple, useful, and emotionally resonant.

3. Document Posts (Carousels)

Use When: You want to share frameworks, playbooks, step-by-step guides, or swipe files.

Best Practices:

• Ideal document length: 8–12 slides

• Slide consumption must exceed 35% to avoid algorithm penalty

• First slide must hook with an image + teaser text

• Keep captions under 100 characters

• CTA on the last slide (comment, share, DM)

Pro Tip: LinkedIn tracks how many slides users swipe. Short, punchy carousels optimized for mobile outperform dense whitepapers.

4. Text-Only Posts (Declining, but Still Valuable)

Use When: You have strong thought leadership, educational content, or stories that don’t need visuals.

Best Practices:

• 1000+ characters or 300–400 words

• Use line breaks, short sentences, and strong hooks

• End with a clear call to engage (e.g., "What's your take?")

• Avoid back-to-back text-only posts (spread them out)

Pro Tip: Early engagement is key. These posts rely heavily on performance in the first 60 minutes.

5. Polls (Underused but Effective When Done Right)

Use When: You want to generate engagement quickly or qualify interest in a topic.

Best Practices:

• Use 3 answer options (best engagement)

• 7-day duration gets best results

• Ask a question people care about

• Add context in the intro

• Follow up with a summary post after the poll ends

Pro Tip: Encourage voters to explain their answer in the comments—this drives reach far beyond the vote.

Final Thought:

Stop guessing and start with the right formatting.

If you're not adapting to how LinkedIn's algorithm favors format, you're leaving reach, engagement, and business growth on the table.

Use the insights above as your cheat sheet. Post with intention. And test different formats until you find what your audience craves.

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