Can you send hyperlinks on LinkedIn?

Yes, you can include hyperlinks in posts and messages on LinkedIn. LinkedIn allows users to include clickable links that direct readers to external websites or other LinkedIn content. This can be a great way to share resources, cite sources, and drive traffic to other sites.

Adding Hyperlinks in LinkedIn Posts

Including hyperlinks in regular LinkedIn posts and articles is straightforward. When composing your post in the LinkedIn post editor, simply highlight the text you want to turn into a link and click the chain link icon in the formatting toolbar. This will open up a box where you can enter the URL you want the text to link to. Once you insert the link, the chosen text will appear as underlined and clickable.

For example, if you wanted to link to your company’s website, you could highlight the text “My Company” and insert your company’s URL. LinkedIn will automatically turn “My Company” into a clickable link that brings readers to that website when clicked.

You can add as many hyperlinks as you want within a post in this way. Just highlight any words or phrases you want to link and add the URLs.

Inserting Links in LinkedIn Messages

LinkedIn also gives you the option to include links in messages sent directly to your connections. The process works similarly to adding links in posts.

When composing a message, highlight the desired anchor text and click the chain link icon to bring up the URL dialog box. Add the link and your chosen words will appear clickable within the message. Recipients can then click the link to be directed to the linked site.

Using this technique, you could share links to articles, websites, or LinkedIn profiles with your connections directly through one-on-one LinkedIn messaging.

Link Best Practices

When including links on LinkedIn, keep the following best practices in mind:

• Use relevant, descriptive anchor text. Don’t just say “Click here!” Make the anchor text a brief but informative description of what the link contains.
• Link to high-quality, trustworthy sites. Don’t link to sketchy or spammy sites.
• Vary your anchor text. Avoid repeating the exact same anchor text multiple times.
• Include a call to action. After the link, add a note encouraging readers to click it (e.g. “Check out our latest article here!”)

Why Add Links?

Including hyperlinks in your LinkedIn posts and messages can provide many benefits:

• Share valuable resources – You can link to helpful articles, research reports, useful tools, and other informative assets to provide value to your connections.
• Support your claims – Hyperlinks allow you to cite sources and back up any facts or statistics you mention in your posts.
• Drive traffic – You can use links to send readers to your website, blog, or other online content you want to promote.
• Strengthen credibility – Linking to authoritative third-party sources can add legitimacy and trust.
• Improve post engagement – Including clicks can get more readers to interact with your posts through likes, comments, and shares.

Link Restrictions

While LinkedIn allows most appropriate hyperlinks, there are some link restrictions to be aware of:

• You cannot include links in your profile headline or summary sections due to spam risks.
• Avoid linking excessively within a single post, as too many links may flag it as spam.
• Don’t use shortened or obscure URLs – LinkedIn will often block these.
• Links to inappropriate, malicious, or spammy sites are prohibited.

Pro Tips

Use these pro tips to add links successfully and effectively on LinkedIn:

• Test that your links work by clicking them before posting.
• Use descriptive display text rather than just the URL itself.
• Link within context – hyperlinks should relate clearly to your post’s topic.
• Vary where you place links within your posts for better flow.
• Limit to 1-2 highly relevant links per post as a best practice.
• Always include surrounding text – don’t just post a standalone link.
• Shorten excessively long URLs using link shorteners like bit.ly.

Linking to Other LinkedIn Content

You can also use links to connect your posts to other content on LinkedIn:

• Link to other people’s profiles by using the @ symbol (e.g. @JohnSmith).
• Link to LinkedIn Groups by typing the full group name.
• Link to your own or others’ posts and articles using LinkedIn’s URL.
• Link to LinkedIn Company pages with the company name.

These types of links make it easier for readers to navigate LinkedIn and engage with the people, groups, and content you reference.

Conclusion

Hyperlinks are a great way to provide value, cite sources, and drive engagement with your professional community on LinkedIn. By following LinkedIn’s policies and link best practices, you can effectively include links in your posts and messages.

Just make sure to test your links, use descriptive text, link to reputable sites, and include links in context. With strategic and thoughtful use of hyperlinks, you can boost views, clicks, and overall reach on LinkedIn.