The algorithm giveth and the algorithm taketh away. Such is the cycle of social media. After launching their native carousel post format<\/a> in July 2022, LinkedIn announced<\/a> their removal of it less than a year later.<\/p>\n Why? Apparently because of user feedback<\/a> that LinkedIn carousels (and link stickers and profile videos) weren\u2019t hittin\u2019 the mark for content creators on the platform.<\/p>\n That\u2019s a bit strange, considering LinkedIn carousels get 5 times as many clicks<\/a> as any other post format.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t worry, though: there\u2019s still a way to make LinkedIn carousel posts<\/strong>. It\u2019s called the \u201cLinkedIn document post\u201d or \u201cPDF post hack,\u201d and it\u2019s been around a lot longer than the actual LinkedIn carousel format.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how to create LinkedIn carousel document posts and ads that get you noticed.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Bonus:<\/strong> Download a free step-by-step guide<\/strong> to\u00a0combining organic and paid social tactics into a winning LinkedIn strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n A LinkedIn carousel is a content format that viewers swipe through to see multiple images or videos within a single post, like a flipbook. Many social platforms, like Instagram and Facebook, have carousel post formats.<\/p>\n LinkedIn carousel posts used to look like this:<\/p>\n Source: <\/em>Hootsuite on LinkedIn<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Since June 2023, you can\u2019t showcase multiple images or videos as a carousel like that anymore, but you can<\/strong> make a document-based carousel post like this:<\/p>\n Source: <\/em>Nicholas Petroski on LinkedIn<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n The only limitation with document carousels vs. traditional carousel posts is you can\u2019t use video files.<\/p>\n LinkedIn carousel ads are still a valid format. So while you\u2019ll need to create organic carousels with PDFs, go ahead and prep those image-based carousel ads!<\/p>\n Source: <\/em>The Home Depot on LinkedIn<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Since actual carousel posts aren\u2019t around anymore, here\u2019s what you\u2019ll need to create document carousel posts on LinkedIn:<\/p>\n Additionally, while either page orientation works, we recommend using an A4 or US letter size landscape orientation for your document for better visibility.<\/p>\n For carousel ads, the current specs are:<\/p>\n We know carousel posts outperform nearly every post type on other platforms, even getting 3 times more engagement<\/a> than Reels on Instagram. What about on LinkedIn?<\/p>\n Let\u2019s find out.<\/p>\n To prove the hypothesis that LinkedIn carousels also lead the pack in engagement, I did what any good scientist would: I tested it myself.<\/p>\n Since actual LinkedIn carousel posts don\u2019t exist anymore, I tried this with the PDF document method. (Exact steps to create these are in the next section.)<\/p>\n A few things to know about this mini-experiment:<\/p>\n Try Hootsuite for free<\/a><\/p>\n Here are the posts:<\/p>\n And here are the results:<\/p>\n What do these results tell us? Well, for one, I\u2019m not very popular.<\/p>\n Secondly, that yes, document carousel posts do seem to do better on LinkedIn<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Why do LinkedIn carousel posts perform so much better? It could be because their visual nature makes them more eye-catching on your LinkedIn feed, making it more likely you\u2019ll stop and read it.<\/p>\n Or, it could be because people want research and data on LinkedIn: 77% of technical users<\/a> say it\u2019s their favorite type of content.<\/p>\n Source: <\/em>Statista<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Statistics and infographics go together like peanut butter and jelly. Ergo, document carousel posts are the peanut butter to LinkedIn\u2019s jelly.<\/p>\n It\u2019s science<\/em>.<\/p>\n In case you skipped ahead, native image and video carousels on LinkedIn are gone. These are the steps for a nifty workaround: LinkedIn document posts that look like<\/em> carousel posts.<\/p>\n Document posts have been around on LinkedIn for several years and they function much the same way a carousel post used to: multiple frames users can swipe through.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re already using Hootsuite to manage your social media marketing, we\u2019ve got good news! You can now post and schedule LinkedIn PDF carousels right alongside your other social posts.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how to get started.<\/p>\n 1. Under Create, click Post<\/strong><\/p>\n Add your PDF file in the media section of the Composer window.<\/p>\n Make sure to give your file a descriptive and engaging name\u2014this title will show up when your post is published on LinkedIn.<\/p>\n 3. Publish or schedule your PDF carousel!<\/strong><\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve added your caption, go ahead and click\u00a0Post now\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0Schedule for later<\/strong>. That\u2019s it!<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve scheduled your PDF carousel, it\u2019ll show up in Planner with a handy PDF label.<\/p>\n Not using Hootsuite yet? No problem. Here\u2019s how to post a PDF carousel using LinkedIn.<\/p>\n 1. Click \u201cStart a post\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Sign in to www.linkedin.com<\/a> and click Start a post<\/strong> at the top.<\/p>\n 2. Create your LinkedIn carousel post<\/strong><\/p>\n Type in the main text content like you would for any other post. Then click the three dots icon and the document icon to attach your PDF, PowerPoint, or .DOC\/.DOCX file.<\/p>\n Upload your document, give it a title (which is publicly viewable), and click Done<\/strong>.<\/p>\n You can also create a document carousel post from the mobile app by tapping Post<\/strong>, then under More<\/strong>, choose Document<\/strong> to attach your PDF.<\/p>\n 3. Post it<\/strong><\/p>\n That\u2019s it! Click Post<\/strong> and you\u2019re done.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what your carousel document post will look like:<\/p>\n You could also leave a comment on your new LinkedIn carousel document post with a link to a landing page where people can download the PDF, or read the report, in full.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note when you upload a PDF to LinkedIn, it becomes publicly downloadable. But a lot of people don\u2019t know that, and the download link is hidden in the full screen view at the top right, so it\u2019s unlikely people will download it that way.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why it\u2019s still effective to link people over to a landing page to attempt to capture their email in order to download the PDF. Get those leads, bebe<\/em>.<\/p>\n Interestingly, LinkedIn has kept the image carousel post format for paid ads. Here\u2019s what they look like:<\/p>\n Source: <\/em>Motto on LinkedIn<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n First off, you need a LinkedIn Company Page in order to run ads. Setting yours up from scratch? Optimize your Company Page<\/a> for discovery and engagement first.<\/p>\n Once you have a Company Page, here\u2019s how to create a carousel ad:<\/p>\n 1. Create a new campaign<\/strong><\/p>\n Log in to www.linkedin.com<\/a> and head to Campaign Manager<\/a>. Click Create<\/strong>, then Campaign<\/strong>.<\/p>\n 2. Enter advanced mode<\/strong><\/p>\n You can only create carousel ad formats in \u201cadvanced mode\u201d so click on Advanced<\/strong> at the top to switch over. It will ask you to create a new ad group.<\/p>\n 3. Choose an objective<\/strong><\/p>\n Give your ad group a name and choose your objective. I chose \u201cwebsite visits\u201d since I want people to click a link.<\/p>\n 4. Set your budget<\/strong><\/p>\n Like on other platforms, you can set either a lifetime or daily budget. You can have the system optimize your ad spend, which is a good idea for most LinkedIn users, or you can set manual bids (recommended for super advanced pros only!).<\/p>\n Fill out the budget and your date range and click Next<\/strong>.<\/p>\n 5. Choose your target audience<\/strong><\/p>\n You can get super specific with audience targeting in advanced mode, including uploading your own custom audience. LinkedIn also has built in audiences based around certain profile attributes, like users who have at least a Bachelor\u2019s degree or work in specific fields.<\/p>\n For example, I chose marketing professionals.<\/p>\n Obviously, your geographic and demographic targeting will be unique to your needs.<\/p>\n 6. Choose the carousel format<\/strong><\/p>\n Now we\u2019re at the good part: the actual carousel creation. Choose the carousel ad format:<\/p>\n The last (optional) setup task is defining your conversions for accurate campaign tracking. Again, these are specific to your campaign, so check LinkedIn\u2019s help section for how to set up conversions<\/a> exactly the way you need them.<\/p>\n Then, click Next<\/strong>.<\/p>\n 7. Create the carousel ad<\/strong><\/p>\n Click Create new ad<\/strong>. Add a name for your ad (for your own tracking purposes), and the actual ad copy and link URL.<\/p>\n After that, you can add up to 10 image cards. Each one can link to a different URL, or have them all link to the same place. You need to add a short headline (max 45 characters) for each card.<\/p>\n 8. Save and activate your campaign<\/strong><\/p>\n Once you\u2019re done creating your carousel ad, click Save<\/strong> at the bottom to add it to your campaign.<\/p>\n Repeat the process to create additional carousel ads within that group, or go ahead and activate your campaign from Campaign Manager to start running your ad(s).<\/p>\n Want some super-specific tips to maximize conversions? Check out our carousel ads guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n This carousel catches your eye right away with its bold background color on the first slide.<\/p>\n Source: <\/em>Dan Nelkin on LinkedIn<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Steal this: <\/strong>Pair a bright color along with a catchy headline to get attention, then deliver value in your remaining slides.<\/p>\n People want data, stats, and to learn something new from LinkedIn. Adobe knows this, and frequently offers relevant advice for their creative professional audience.<\/p>\n Source: <\/em>Adobe on LinkedIn<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Steal this: <\/strong>Use document carousel posts to teach people a skill, or communicate new information about your industry.<\/p>\n Carousel posts don\u2019t always need to be educational or have fancy infographics. Share photos from a recent community or office event and talk about values that matter.<\/p>\n Source: <\/em>Hootsuite on LinkedIn<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Steal this: <\/strong>Put together a photo slideshow of a recent event you sponsored or just share photos from around the office. Let customers and prospective employees see what your company is all about.<\/p>\n Brandwatch\u2019s headline caught my attention because it\u2019s different from what we normally see, pushing tips that are new, unique, amazing, proven, etc. Instead, their headline promises \u201cunoriginal tips that work.\u201d Honest and descriptive.<\/p>\n Source: <\/em>Brandwatch on LinkedIn<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Steal this: <\/strong>Yes, catchy headlines can get clicks, but don\u2019t overthink it. Sometimes the best headlines are the most honest, or the most\u2026 unoriginal.<\/p>\n Canva knows their product has a ton of features, so sharing tutorials as carousels helps quickly teach users something new and keep people using their product.<\/p>\n Source: <\/em>Canva on LinkedIn<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Steal this: <\/strong>Any company can create step-by-step tutorial carousels, but it\u2019s especially fitting for software firms or consultants and coaches. It\u2019s also a perfect way to repurpose videos or blog posts into LinkedIn carousels.<\/p>\n Since LinkedIn carousel posts get so many more clicks and much more engagement than other formats, they\u2019re great for promoting events. Google uses a document carousel post here to promote their free webinar.<\/p>\nWhat\u2019s a LinkedIn carousel?<\/span><\/h2>\n
LinkedIn carousel post<\/h3>\n
![\"Example](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-3-620x382.jpg?resize=620%2C382&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Example](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-document-post-example-620x595.jpg?resize=620%2C595&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\nLinkedIn carousel ad<\/h3>\n
![\"Example](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-4-620x594.jpg?resize=620%2C594&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\nLinkedIn carousel specs<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Do carousel posts do better on LinkedIn? [Experiment!]<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-2-scaled-1-620x519.jpg?resize=620%2C519&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"3](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-5-620x349.jpg?resize=620%2C349&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Experiment](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/experiment-results-analytics-620x156.jpg?resize=620%2C156&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"LinkedIn](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-7-620x563.jpg?resize=620%2C563&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHow to post a carousel on LinkedIn: 2 methods<\/span><\/h2>\n
How to post a LinkedIn carousel using Hootsuite<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2024-03-19-at-2.35.44%E2%80%AFPM-310x509.png?resize=310%2C509&ssl=1\")
<\/a>2. Select your LinkedIn profile and create your post as usual<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2024-03-19-at-2.48.14%E2%80%AFPM-620x534.png?resize=620%2C534&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHow to post a carousel using LinkedIn<\/h3>\n
![\"Adding](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-9-620x244.jpg?resize=620%2C244&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Adding](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-10-620x660.jpg?resize=620%2C660&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Adding](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-1-620x671.jpg?resize=620%2C671&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Example](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-11-620x613.jpg?resize=620%2C613&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Scrolling](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-21.gif?resize=605%2C971&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-12-scaled-1-620x401.jpg?resize=620%2C401&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHow to create a carousel ad on LinkedIn<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Example](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousel-ad-example-1-620x636.jpg?resize=620%2C636&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Setting](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-13-620x331.jpg?resize=620%2C331&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Advanced](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-14-620x381.jpg?resize=620%2C381&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Picking](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-15-620x268.jpg?resize=620%2C268&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Budgeting](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-16-620x428.jpg?resize=620%2C428&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Setting](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-17-620x739.jpg?resize=620%2C739&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Selecting](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-18-620x294.jpg?resize=620%2C294&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Creating](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-19-620x935.jpg?resize=620%2C935&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Campaign](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-20-620x250.jpg?resize=620%2C250&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n10 LinkedIn carousel examples<\/span><\/h2>\n
1. Start with a bold color<\/h3>\n
![\"Example](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-22-620x1048.jpg?resize=620%2C1048&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n2. Educate your audience<\/h3>\n
![\"Example](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-23-620x948.jpg?resize=620%2C948&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n3. Showcase your company culture and values<\/h3>\n
![\"Example](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-24-620x1115.jpg?resize=620%2C1115&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n4. Use a contrarian headline<\/h3>\n
![\"Example](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-25-620x770.jpg?resize=620%2C770&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n5. Share a tutorial<\/h3>\n
![\"Example](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-26-620x775.jpg?resize=620%2C775&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n6. Promote an event<\/h3>\n
![\"Example](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/linkedin-carousels-27-620x940.jpg?resize=620%2C940&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n