Yes, it is possible to schedule LinkedIn posts so they are published at a later date and time. LinkedIn provides a built-in scheduling feature that allows users to plan their posts in advance and set a specific date and time for them to go live.
Why schedule LinkedIn posts?
There are several reasons why scheduling LinkedIn posts can be beneficial:
- Allows you to plan and space out your posts – Scheduling removes the need to manually post content everyday and gives you control over the frequency and timing of your posts.
- Post at optimal times – Scheduling posts for times when your target audience is most active on LinkedIn can help increase engagement.
- Maintain a consistent presence – Scheduling content in advance ensures there are always new posts going out even if you can’t post manually.
- Post when away – Scheduling allows you to keep posting even if you are on vacation or unable to access LinkedIn.
- Save time – Creating content in batches and scheduling it out saves time compared to posting individually everyday.
How to schedule LinkedIn posts
LinkedIn has built-in functionality that allows scheduling posts directly from your LinkedIn account. Here are the steps to schedule posts on LinkedIn:
- Click on the ‘Write an article’ button on your LinkedIn homepage. This opens up the posting editor.
- Compose your post as required – text status update, images, links, hashtags etc.
- Once your post is ready, click on the calendar icon next to the ‘Post’ button.
- This will open up the scheduling options. Select the date and time you want the post to be published.
- You can also choose to repeat the post daily, weekly or monthly if required.
- Click ‘Schedule’ once you have selected the date and time options.
- Your post will now be scheduled and will go live at the predetermined time and date.
- You can access and manage all your scheduled posts from the ‘Scheduled’ tab on your homepage.
Tips for scheduling effective LinkedIn posts
To get the most out of scheduling LinkedIn posts, here are some tips to follow:
- Schedule at optimal times – Study your audience and schedule posts when most of your connections are active on LinkedIn.
- Space out your posts – Don’t schedule all your posts to go out at the same time. Spread them out evenly.
- Mix up your content – Use a variety of content types including articles, images, videos, links etc.
- Include relevant hashtags – Research and include hashtags your audience finds valuable.
- Follow posting best practices – Ensure your posts are engaging and use links, media, hashtags judiciously.
- Analyze your results – Check the engagement and views on your scheduled posts to refine your strategy.
- Stay on top of comments – Keep an eye on your scheduled posts for comments and reply promptly.
Third-party scheduling tools
In addition to LinkedIn’s built-in scheduling, there are also several third-party social media management platforms that allow scheduling LinkedIn posts:
- Hootsuite – Social media management platform with a robust scheduling system for planning posts in advance.
- Sprout Social – All-in-one social media tool that provides options for scheduling and optimizing LinkedIn posts.
- Buffer – Popular social media scheduler that works seamlessly with LinkedIn.
- Sendible – Social media marketing platform with scheduling and analytics capabilities.
- AgoraPulse – Provides advanced scheduling, monitoring and team collaboration features.
- MeetEdgar – Uses AI to recycle evergreen content by automatically rescheduling posts.
The main advantage these tools provide over LinkedIn’s native scheduling is the ability to plan and manage posts across multiple social networks from one dashboard. They also typically provide more flexibility and features around scheduling options.
LinkedIn API for developers
LinkedIn also provides scheduling capabilities through its APIs which can be leveraged by developers:
- The Share API allows creating, scheduling and managing posts programmatically.
- Developers can build custom scheduling interfaces and tools using the Share API.
- Scheduling is available for standard posts as well as Sponsored Content ads.
- Advanced options like repeat scheduling, targeting, optimal timing etc. can be built via the API.
- Analytics can also be extracted to refine schedules and timing.
For companies and developers building social media or marketing tools, the LinkedIn API provides robust programmatic access to scheduling functionality.
Best practices for scheduling success
While scheduling LinkedIn posts is easy, following some best practices can help boost results:
- Get your timing right – Analyze when your followers are most active and schedule posts accordingly.
- Space out your posts – Don’t bombard your audience by scheduling too many posts together.
- Post consistently – Scheduling content regularly is key to maintaining visibility.
- Rotate your post types – Mix up text, links, images, videos to keep it engaging.
- Make content shareable – Create content people will be eager to like, comment and share.
- Use relevant hashtags – Include hashtags your audience cares about and follows.
- Be responsive – Keep on top of comments and engagement on your scheduled posts.
- Analyze and improve – Use LinkedIn’s analytics to refine your scheduling strategy.
Getting these scheduling fundamentals right is key to creating an effective queue of content that delivers value for your audience and followers.
Typical questions and issues
Here are some common questions and potential issues that can come up when scheduling LinkedIn posts:
How far in advance can I schedule posts on LinkedIn?
You can schedule posts on LinkedIn up to 60 days in advance. Any posts scheduled beyond 60 days will not be published.
Can I schedule content to repeat?
Yes, when initially scheduling your post, you have the option to repeat it daily, weekly, monthly or yearly.
What’s the best time to schedule LinkedIn posts?
The best times are Tuesday – Thursday before or after regular work hours when engagement is highest. Scheduling for 7-9 AM, 12-1 PM or 5-6 PM tends to work well.
Can I edit posts after scheduling?
Yes, posts can be edited any time before the scheduled publish date. Just access the post from the ‘Scheduled’ tab and click ‘Edit’ to make changes.
What happens if I schedule duplicate posts?
If you attempt to schedule multiple identical posts for the same date, LinkedIn will only publish one of the duplicates.
Can I schedule without using the LinkedIn interface?
Third-party social scheduling tools provide interfaces for planning and scheduling LinkedIn content if desired.
The future of LinkedIn scheduling
LinkedIn scheduling capabilities are likely to become more robust over time with features like:
- More flexibility around scheduling options and intervals.
- Tighter integration with LinkedIn Pages analytics for optimizing timing.
- Potential for scheduling content across multiple LinkedIn pages.
- Suggestions for optimal times and dates based on past performance.
- Enhanced repeating schedule options.
- Ability to schedule content targeting specific interests, groups or audiences.
As LinkedIn continues enhancing its platform, expanded scheduling functionality will help creators plan and target content more effectively.
Conclusion
Scheduling LinkedIn posts is a simple and effective tactic for spacing out your content, saving time, and engaging your audience when they are most active. Using both LinkedIn’s built-in scheduler and third-party tools gives you flexibility. Apply best practices around timing, post mix, and value-focused content. Keep experimenting with your schedule to optimize it based on the performance of your posts. With the right scheduling strategy, you can maintain a consistent and compelling presence that strengthens relationships with your LinkedIn connections.
