Quick Answer
Yes, you can put a PowerPoint presentation on LinkedIn by saving it as a PDF and uploading it to your LinkedIn profile or sharing it in a post. LinkedIn allows you to upload and share PDF documents, so converting your PowerPoint to PDF is the best way to add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Uploading a PowerPoint to Your LinkedIn Profile
Here are the steps for uploading a PowerPoint presentation to your LinkedIn profile:
- Open the PowerPoint presentation you want to upload and go to File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document.
- Save the PowerPoint as a PDF file on your computer.
- Go to your LinkedIn profile and click “Add profile section” under the “Background” heading.
- Select “Publications” from the dropdown menu.
- Click the “+” icon to add a new publication.
- Select “Upload” and choose the PowerPoint PDF you exported from your computer.
- Fill out the publication details like title, publication date, etc.
- Click “Save” to add the PowerPoint to your “Publications” section.
Once you’ve uploaded your PowerPoint PDF to your publications, it will be visible on your profile for other LinkedIn members to see. This is a great way to showcase presentations and projects you’ve worked on.
Sharing a PowerPoint in a LinkedIn Post
In addition to adding a PowerPoint to your profile, you can also share a presentation in a regular LinkedIn post. Here’s how:
- Export your PowerPoint to PDF like before.
- When composing a new post on LinkedIn, select “Image” from the toolbar at the bottom.
- Upload your PowerPoint PDF file.
- LinkedIn will automatically convert the PDF pages into images that you can scroll through in your post.
- Add any text or commentary to explain the post.
- Click “Post” to share it on your feed.
Posting your PowerPoint as a shareable image allows you to showcase your work to your connections and followers. The post will be visible on your profile and in the LinkedIn feeds of those who follow you.
Tips for PowerPoint PDFs on LinkedIn
Here are some tips to ensure your PowerPoint looks great when uploaded to LinkedIn:
- Simplify and pare down text – too much text can look cluttered on LinkedIn.
- Enlarge font sizes to ensure text is readable when viewed on screen.
- Reduce the number of slides to only key information.
- Use quality images that will retain resolution and clarity.
- Check that charts, graphics, and visuals are clear and impactful.
- Optimize tables and data to fit LinkedIn’s format.
Following these best practices will help your PowerPoint make a professional impression and effectively convey your content on LinkedIn.
Benefits of Sharing PowerPoints on LinkedIn
There are many advantages to posting your PowerPoint presentations on LinkedIn:
- Demonstrate Thought Leadership – Sharing insightful presentations positions you as an expert in your field.
- Showcase Your Work – Allow connections to view presentations you’ve created for clients or your company.
- Increase Visibility – Presentations added to your profile can be discovered in LinkedIn search.
- Promote Your Brand – Company or product presentations promote your business or organization.
- Get Feedback – Engage your network by allowing them to view and comment on your content.
- Generate Leads – Quality presentations may attract new business opportunities and connections.
In summary, uploading your PowerPoint decks to LinkedIn is an impactful way to connect with your network and demonstrate your thought leadership. Just remember to optimize the content for the LinkedIn platform to make the right impression.
Limitations and Drawbacks
While sharing PowerPoints on LinkedIn can be beneficial, there are some limitations to be aware of:
- Presentations with animations and transitions may not translate perfectly into PDF format.
- Text-heavy slides or small fonts may be difficult to read on screen.
- File size limitations may require you to split larger presentations into multiple PDFs.
- PowerPoint metadata and hyperlinks will be removed when converting to PDF.
- Presentations containing sensitive business data may not be suitable for sharing publicly.
- It can be time consuming to adapt presentations for the LinkedIn platform.
Being mindful of these drawbacks will allow you to create PowerPoint presentations that maximize impact on LinkedIn. Focusing on quality over quantity of slides and simplifying text and visuals will help your content look polished and professional.
LinkedIn Guidelines for Shared Content
When uploading presentations to LinkedIn, it’s important to follow their guidelines for shared media and documents:
- Files must be in PDF, JPEG, PNG, BMP, or GIF formats. PowerPoints must be converted to PDF.
- Images must be at least 50 px by 50 px.
- Presentations may be up to 100 MB in size.
- NSFW, illegal, or infringing content is prohibited.
- Respect copyright and give proper attribution when sharing content.
- Abide by LinkedIn’s user agreement and professional community policies.
Staying within these guidelines will ensure your PowerPoint presentations and other documents remain on LinkedIn and don’t get removed for policy violations.
Alternative Ways to Share Presentations
In addition to directly uploading your PowerPoints to LinkedIn, here are some other options for sharing presentations and slide decks:
- Embed a SlideShare presentation into a LinkedIn post.
- Screen record yourself delivering the presentation and share the video.
- Extract key slides and share them as image posts.
- Write a post summarizing your presentation and include a link to the full PDF.
- Livestream your presentation directly on LinkedIn.
These alternatives allow you to repurpose your presentations in different formats tailored for LinkedIn’s platform. An embedded video or SlideShare deck may generate more engagement than a standalone PDF.
Use LinkedIn Posts to Promote Your Presentation
Don’t just upload your PowerPoint and leave it at that. To maximize exposure, use your regular LinkedIn posting to promote that you’ve shared a new presentation:
- Write posts highlighting key ideas and insights from your deck.
- Share an eye-catching title slide image and link to the full presentation.
- Engage your network by asking for feedback and comments.
- Make multiple posts over time to keep the presentation top of mind.
- Consider sponsoring posts to reach a wider audience beyond your connections.
Promotional posts will notify your network about your new presentation and drive more viewers to check it out and share it further.
Conclusion
Posting your PowerPoint presentations on LinkedIn is an excellent way to display your thought leadership and expertise. By saving presentations as sharable PDFs and optimizing them for the LinkedIn platform, you can effectively showcase your work to your professional connections and followers. Combining uploaded presentations with promotional posts will help maximize your reach. Just be mindful of LinkedIn’s guidelines and best practices for sharing documents to ensure your PowerPoints look polished, engaging and professional.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Demonstrate thought leadership | May lose animations and transitions |
Showcase work to connections | Text-heavy slides may not read well |
Increase visibility and discovery | Limits on file size |
Promote brand and products | Time consuming to adapt content for LinkedIn |
Get feedback and comments | Can’t include sensitive business data |
Generate new opportunities |
Key Takeaways
- Convert PowerPoint to sharable PDF before uploading to LinkedIn
- Simplify and pare down text; enlarge fonts for readability
- Reduce slides to only key information
- Follow LinkedIn content guidelines and best practices
- Promote with regular posts to maximize exposure