Want to create a LinkedIn carousel that grabs attention? Learn how to design and share engaging carousel posts to boost visibility, storytelling, and engagement. Get step-by-step tips now!

According to a recent study, LinkedIn Documents, unofficially referred to as ‘LinkedIn Carousels,’ registered the highest engagement rate by impression (18.2%) compared to photo collages (14%), single photos (5.1%), and articles (4.4%).

However, carousels only account for 4% of all brand LinkedIn posts, underlining a missed opportunity for enhancing user engagement on the platform.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to create visually appealing LinkedIn carousels, including their specs, and ways to avoid common design mistakes that could cause readers to drop off.

TL;DR – How to Create a Carousel Post on LinkedIn

Can’t read the whole article at the moment? Here’s a brief guide for creating LinkedIn carousels:

1. Define the purpose of the LinkedIn carousel and pick an interesting topic to address.
2. Determine the best tool for creating the slides.
3. Design visually appealing slides that incorporate high-quality images for effective engagement.
4. Tell a story from the first to the last slide.
5. Maintain visual hierarchy by using larger fonts for headings and standard font sizes for the content.
6. Upload the PDF files on LinkedIn documents and publish the post.

Once you have published the LinkedIn carousels, we recommend leveraging cross-platform promotion to enhance reach and engagement. For example, you can share links to the carousels on your social media platform. Additionally, consider embedding the LinkedIn carousels on your website to provide dynamic content for your visitors and direct them to your profile.

Our SociableKIT widget provides a seamless way to showcase LinkedIn carousels on a website. Integrate your LinkedIn page posts into your website, then use our automatic and manual moderation feature to filter the content and ensure only carousels appear on the feed. Our widget also lets you personalize the feed’s appearance to complement your website theme or brand colors.

Create a SociableKIT widget today and curate an engaging LinkedIn feed for website visitors!

What is a LinkedIn Carousel?

A LinkedIn carousel is a slideshow-style visual that lets your audience swipe through to engage with the content. Usually, the posts in the carousel are arranged sequentially to grab readers’ attention and tell a story as they scroll from start to finish.

There are two main types of LinkedIn carousels:

• LinkedIn Carousel Ads: This feature lets you create swipeable images and text cards on LinkedIn to enhance user engagement. However, this option is limited to paid ads, as the organic LinkedIn carousel feature was removed in December 2023.
• LinkedIn Documents: This feature lets you share PDF or PowerPoint documents on LinkedIn as a multipage slide deck.

Why Carousels Stand Out in LinkedIn’s Feed

Below are essential reasons why carousels attract attention when they appear on a LinkedIn feed:

• Interactive Element: Carousels entice readers to swipe through multiple slides, increasing their dwell time on a LinkedIn post.
• Visual Appeal: Visuals, including dynamic images and infographics, grab users’ attention as they scroll through their LinkedIn feeds.
• Storytelling Features: Carousels are suitable for storytelling as they break complex information into digestible bits (slides) to keep readers engaged.
• Algorithm-Friendly: LinkedIn’s algorithm favors posts with high engagement rates and dwell time, and carousels often outperform most static posts when comparing these metrics.

Benefits of Using LinkedIn Carousels

Wondering whether to incorporate carousels in your LinkedIn posts? You should, and here’s why:

• Effective Engagement: Well-designed and organized LinkedIn carousels persuade readers to swipe to subsequent slides, encouraging them to spend more time on your posts.
• Brand Visibility: You can leverage unique formats or create carousels with your brand colors and theme to differentiate your LinkedIn posts from your competitors and increase recall value.
• Opportunities for Inserting CTAs: You can insert compelling call-to-action (CTA) statements at the end of the carousel to enhance conversion rates.
• Suitable for Diverse Content: LinkedIn carousels are compatible with various content types, including infographics, event recaps, and case studies.
• Downloadable Content: Users can download your LinkedIn carousels for offline reading or to share the content with lookalike audiences, promoting your brand through word of mouth.

How to Create a LinkedIn Carousel

Follow our step-by-step guide to create an engaging LinkedIn carousel:

1. Outline the Purpose or Goal: Determine what you want to achieve with the carousel—educate, inspire, or promote.
2. Pick a Design Tool: Choose a suitable tool for creating the slides: PowerPoint, Canva, or Adobe Illustrator.
3. Create the Slides: Start with an attention-grabbing cover slide that will entice readers to swipe the carousel.
4. Add Content Sequentially: Dedicate each slide to a main idea or step.
5. Format the Carousel: Use large fonts for readability and maintain a consistent design theme across the slides.
6. Export as PDF: Save the slides as a PDF, ensuring they do not exceed the file limit (100MB or 300 pages).

Linkedin Carousel Specs

Recommended specs for LinkedIn carousel ads:

• Minimum of two slides and a maximum of 10
• Supported formats: JPG, PNG, and GIF
• File size: Below 10MB

Optimal specs for LinkedIn Documents:

• Supported formats: PDF, DOC, DOCX, PPT, and PPTX
• Page Limit: 300 pages or one million words
• File size: Below 100MB
• Aspect Ratio: Vertical, horizontal, or square

Linkedin Carousel Size

Size recommendations for LinkedIn carousel ads:

• 1080 x 1080 image dimension
• 1:1 aspect ratio

Optimal carousel size for LinkedIn documents:

• Letters: 8.5 x 11 inches
• Tabloidx: 11 x 17 inches
• Legal Documents: 8.5 x 14 inches
• Statements: 5.5 x 8.5 inches
• Executive Statements: 7.25 x 10.5 inches

LinkedIn Carousel Examples

Below are examples of well-crafted LinkedIn carousel posts for inspiration:

Example #1: Thought-Provoking LinkedIn Carousel 

This example by Microsoft illustrates how to leverage LinkedIn carousels to initiate conversations about industry trends. Here’s what we liked about the post:

• Leverages dynamic visuals to grab readers’ attention.
• Brief (five slides) to not overwhelm readers with information, which could cause them to disengage.
• Uses Microsoft’s theme colors subtly to enhance the brand’s recall value.
• Concludes with a concise CTA.

Example #2: Using LinkedIn Carousel for Thought Leadership

The Americas Continental Health Alliance (ACHA) strategically uses its LinkedIn Documents carousel posts to share expert insight on various healthcare-related topics and establish authority in the sector. 

In this example, ACHA shares research-backed commentary on the use of digital biomarkers in healthcare, including some use cases and research gaps. 

Example #3: LinkedIn Carousel to Stimulate Engagement

LinkedIn carousels are not solely meant to establish industry thought leadership. This example by McDonald’s shows how you could leverage LinkedIn carousels to initiate engagement with your followers. 

The post was effective, with readers sharing their dopamine triggers in the comment section.

How to Post a Carousel on LinkedIn

Posting a LinkedIn carousel is straightforward and should take only a few minutes, even if you are a first-time user.

Here’s a simple guide for publishing a LinkedIn carousel:

1. Log in to your LinkedIn profile.
2. Click to start a post and select Add a document.
3. Upload the document from your computer or cloud storage such as Dropbox or Google Drive.
4. Add a document title (optional) and click done.
5. Write a caption or introductory text for the LinkedIn carousel.
6. Click Post to publish the carousel or schedule it to go live later.

If you have embedded your LinkedIn page posts, the new carousel should reflect on your website shortly after you publish. This helps entice your website visitors to follow the link to your LinkedIn profile for effective engagement.

Otherwise, you are missing out on the opportunity to increase traffic to the carousel, which stimulates engagement from other readers.

Ready to embed LinkedIn carousels on your website for effective cross-platform promotion? Use our SociableKIT widget to curate an engaging carousel feed for your audience. Our plans are affordable (check our pricing page) and cater to different users, including people looking to enhance their LinkedIn personal brands.

Create a SociableKIT widget and join thousands of LinkedIn members who use it to embed their profile posts and moderate the content to display only the carousel feed!

Common Mistakes to Avoid in a LinkedIn Carousel Post

While posting a LinkedIn carousel is straightforward, you may make some mistakes while creating the actual post.

Below are common missteps that reduce the effectiveness of your LinkedIn posts and how to avoid them:

Content Overload

Stuffing content into your LinkedIn carousels often overwhelms readers, causing them to abandon your posts. It also means the slides have little to no space for incorporating visuals to grab readers’ attention or provide context for the shared information.

Instead, aim for simplicity and readability by keeping the slides concise and only including the main points.

Low-Resolution Graphics

Poor-quality images could make your LinkedIn carousels look unprofessional, tarnishing your brand image. The visuals could also impact your post’s perceived credibility and significance.

Use clean, dynamic visuals to grab readers’ attention quickly when they scroll to the LinkedIn carousel and keep them engaged until they swipe to the last slide.

Overlooking Mobile Optimization

Not designing your carousels to be mobile-friendly locks out smartphone users, who form a significant portion of LinkedIn active members.

Optimize your LinkedIn carousel posts for mobile phones to encourage readers to engage with your content throughout the day. We recommend testing how the slides appear on mobile to ensure users have a seamless experience.

Unclear CTA

Ending your LinkedIn carousel without a CTA beats the purpose of publishing the post, especially if it was meant for lead generation or authority positioning. It also results in missed opportunities to initiate engagement in the comment section to help you build a community.

Instead, craft a compelling CTA and strategically place it at the end of the carousel. This will encourage readers to undertake the target action, such as signing up for your newsletter or free demo.

Neglecting Consistent Branding

Not incorporating your brand colors, theme, and fonts passes up the chance to enhance your brand’s visibility and recognition on LinkedIn.

Blend your brand theme subtly into each carousel slide. Also, identify opportunities to include your company logo and tagline as you build up to the CTA.

Ignoring Analytics

Publishing LinkedIn carousels regularly without monitoring previous posts’ performance metrics can cause you to miss improvement opportunities. You might end up including the same mistake in subsequent carousels, impacting the posts’ effectiveness and desired engagement level.

Leverage LinkedIn insights and third-party analytics tools to monitor how readers interact with your content and refine your carousels to enhance engagement.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Let’s address the most commonly asked questions about using LinkedIn carousels effectively:

Should You Include Links in a LinkedIn Carousel?

Yes. You could include links in a LinkedIn carousel to drive traffic to your website. 

However, place the link toward the end of the slides to avoid distracting readers as they engage with the slides.

How Long Should Each Slide in a LinkedIn Carousel Be?

Aim for about 20-30 words per slide to avoid overwhelming your readers. 

This allows enough space to incorporate dynamic visuals for effective audience engagement.

How Can You Repurpose LinkedIn Carousel Content for Other Platforms?

The best way to repurpose LinkedIn carousel content for other platforms is by sharing it on your social media pages and on your website. 

For example, you can embed LinkedIn page posts on a website where visitors can interact with the content without switching tabs.

Conclusion

Sharing visually appealing LinkedIn carousels helps boost your profile’s engagement, enhancing your visibility on the platform. You could also use carousels to publish expert insight on industry trends, positioning your brand as a thought leader in your field.

Promote your LinkedIn carousel posts on other platforms to drive more traffic to your profile, further boosting your brand’s visibility. Besides posting the LinkedIn carousel on social media, integrate the posts on your website to appeal to a larger, diverse audience. 

Website visitors who engage with the carousels can easily find and follow your LinkedIn profile, growing your community. On the other hand, embedding SEO-focused LinkedIn posts on your website helps increase your website’s visibility to search engines, improving your SERP ranking in organic searches.

SociableKIT simplifies the integration process, letting you set up and customize the feed within two minutes, even as a beginner. The widget also refreshes regularly, so new carousels reflect on your website, providing fresh content for visitors.

Create a SociableKIT widget today to showcase LinkedIn profile posts on a website and curate the feed to include carousels for effective visitor engagement!