Introduction
In a sea of content on LinkedIn, it can be challenging to grab your audience's attention and make your brand stand out. With over 800 million users on the platform, you'd need unique ways to distribute engaging content that's likely to boost your online visibility.
LinkedIn carousels have emerged as a powerful tool to tell stories, showcase brand personality and drive engagement on the platform. But what does it take to generate those that scale your brand presence?
We'll walk through:
The key ingredients of a successful LinkedIn carousel
Insights from top LinkedIn creators
Practical tips and strategies to grow your brand with content
Key Takeaways
LinkedIn carousels are interactive in nature. Your audience will be able to scroll through a series of eye-catching visuals to understand your key message more easily.
Carousels can generate about 1.8-2.3X more reach on LinkedIn compared to most of the LinkedIn content on the platform.
4 things to check off when creating a carousel: (1) Type of format: What format should you go for (2) Visuals: How's your carousel going to look like (3) Content: What are you sharing about (4) Distribution: When and where are you posting it
Why LinkedIn carousels work
1. Highly interactive and engaging
Carousels generate high engagement rates as the nature of the content is relatively more interactive - LinkedIn users will have to swipe and scroll to read more from the series. Most of the time, the carousels are coupled with eye-catching visuals to grab audience's interest.
All these helps LinkedIn creators to tell their brand story and showcase their industry expertise in a straightforward and compelling manner.
Carousels also take up more space in the feed than textposts, increasing the likelihood to be seen by LinkedIn users. This gives your content a better chance of standing out and attracting clicks, which can lead to increased engagement and conversions.
2. Reach boosters
Top LinkedIn creators leverage on carousels as part of their content strategy as carousels have a higher reach compared to other types of LinkedIn content.
Justconnecting shows that carousel post has 1.8x to 2.3x more reach than other formats.
Taplio research says that same: Carousels (see image bar) outperform other content types in terms of reach.
What does it take to create a good LinkedIn carousel
Think of it this way: To bake a cake successfully, you'd need the right ingredients and approach to achieve the desired outcome. The same goes to creating LinkedIn carousels, there's a certain combination of elements - They'd help boost your content reach, ultimately reeling in a wider pool of audience who crave for what you have to share on LinkedIn.
Ingredient 1: Type of Format
1. Listicles
Listicles are like the bite-sized appetizers of the carousel world - they deliver quick, valuable information in a visually appetizing format. Typically featuring a number in the title, these posts are easy to consume and leave you wanting more.
For instance, look at "17 AI tools other than ChatGpt" by Sam Szuchan. It’s a quick and easy reference guide for anyone looking for AI tools beyond ChatGpt.
2. How-Tos
These carousels present step-by-step instructions and practical advice that offer solutions to a range of problems. They help readers implement strategies or acquire new skills, making them a valuable resource.
3. Personal Experience
Carousels that showcase personal experiences are great tools to connect with your audience on a deeper level. Why? This gives a chance for them to resonate with your personal stories and see your personal side (after coming across your expertise content).
These types of carousel posts showcase the author's journey, insights, and lessons learned from their own experiences. By doing so, you can build trust and relatability with their audience, ultimately strengthening their credibility and reputation.
4. Inspirational
Inspirational carousels have the power to uplift and motivate audiences by sharing success stories, personal growth journeys, and positive messages. They have a significant influence on audience, often accompanied by powerful visuals that help end the content on a high note.
For example, "Conquering the Mountain" (Sam Browne) is an inspirational carousel post that encourages his audience to overcome obstacles and reach new heights. With a focus on positivity and personal growth, these carousels can help his audience find inspiration and motivation in their own lives.
5. Educational
These posts break down complex ideas into digestible pieces of information. They aim to teach or inform the audience on a specific topic or concept - Usually the end goal is to make audience feel that the content is useful, insightful and helpful.
Most of the time, it's effortful to crunch factual information. But packaging info in a carousel format help event the most complex topics feel more manageable. It breaks down info into smaller pieces, which audience can process them faster and more easily. With its interactive nature, they also make learning a more engaging experience for audience.
For instance, take Josue Valles's post on psychology and marketing.
Ingredient 2: Visuals
1. High-quality images
Use clear, relevant images that catch the viewer's attention.
Avoid using low-quality or generic stock photos.
Use free or paid resources such as Unsplash, Pexels, or Shutterstock.
2. Colour scheme
Select a colour scheme that matches your brand and visually appeals to your audience.
Use tools like Canva or Adobe Color to create a consistent colour palette for your carousel posts.
3. Typography
Choose typography that complements your post's overall design and is easy to read.
Try different fonts, sizes, and styles to create a unique look for your carousel posts.
4. Design elements
Use icons, illustrations, or graphics to enhance your message and visually appeal to your audience.
Use tools such as Iconfinder or Freepik to find design elements that align with your style and message.
Ingredient 3: Content
1. Clear message
Make sure your carousel post has a clear and easy-to-understand message.
Don't confuse them with fancy words or jargon.
2. Provide value
Give your audience something valuable that they can use or learn from.
E.g., tips, strategies, resources, or personal experiences
3. Storytelling
Engage your audience and create an emotional connection with storytelling.
Use personal experiences, anecdotes, or relatable situations to get your message across.
4. Call to action
Include a clear call to action that motivates your audience to take action.
E.g., commenting, liking, sharing, visiting a website, or subscribing to a newsletter
Ingredient 4: Distribution
1. Timing
Publish your carousel post when your audience is most active and engaged.
Use social media analytics tools like Hootsuite or Sprout Social to figure out the best time to post on different social media platforms.
2. Hashtags
Include relevant hashtags in your carousel post to boost its visibility and reach.
Use tools like Hashtagify or All Hashtag to find popular hashtags that fit your topic or niche.
3. Promotion
Promote your carousel post through different channels to get more exposure and engagement.
Share it on other social media platforms, email it to your subscribers, or embed it on your website or blog.
Final Thoughts
Carousels are an excellent way to captivate your audience and drive engagement on LinkedIn.
With the right recipe, a combination of:
a visually appealing format and design,
valuable content,
and effective distribution;
You can create a carousel that stands out and delivers valuable content to your audience.
Get creative with your designs and experiment with different types of content. As long as the intention is to add value to those who matter, carousels can be an effective tool to help your audience find a way to you in this crowded market.
About us
We're a team of content marketing strategists and social sales specialists supporting business leaders in growing their personal brands on LinkedIn.
Our core focus is on creating targeted and value-packed content with real stories/ideas to help achieve your goals on social media.
Learn more about scaling your personal brand on LinkedIn here.