LinkedIn’s carousel posts allow you to create slideshow-style posts with up to 10 images or videos and accompanying text. Carousel posts stand out in the LinkedIn feed and are great for telling a story or showcasing products/services. However, creating a quality carousel post takes time. That’s where scheduling comes in handy! Scheduling carousel posts in advance lets you work when you have time, without worrying about posting at peak times.
Benefits of Scheduling Carousel Posts
Scheduling carousel posts on LinkedIn has several benefits:
- Plan when your posts go live for maximum impact
- Create content when you have time without rushing
- Post consistently without daily effort
- Test what post times/days work best for your audience
- Keep a queue of ready-to-go posts for busy times
- Avoid scrambling for content last minute
Whether you manage social media for a business or your own brand, scheduling is a lifesaver! Let’s look at how to easily schedule carousel posts on LinkedIn.
Step 1: Create Your Carousel Post
Start by creating your carousel post in LinkedIn’s post editor.
- Click “Start a post” on LinkedIn’s homepage or from your profile page
- Select “Carousel” from the formatting options
- You can add up to 10 images/videos
- Add a caption and description text for each slide
- Customize the post with tags, mentions, etc.
- Once it’s ready, click “Save as draft” instead of posting
Saving as a draft lets you schedule the post for later.
Step 2: Install a Social Media Scheduling Tool
To schedule any LinkedIn post, including carousels, you need a social media scheduling tool. These tools connect to your LinkedIn account and allow you to plan posts in advance on a calendar. Popular options include:
- Hootsuite
- Sprout Social
- Buffer
- Sendible
- Agorapulse
Most tools offer plans ranging from free versions with limited scheduling to robust paid options for businesses and agencies. Look for a tool that integrates cleanly with LinkedIn and makes it easy to queue up carousel posts.
Step 3: Connect Your LinkedIn Account
Once you choose a scheduling tool, connect your LinkedIn account to it:
- In the tool, find the option to add/connect a LinkedIn account
- Enter your LinkedIn login credentials when prompted
- The tool will ask permission to connect to your account
- Make sure to check the box to grant access to schedule posts
The scheduling tool will sync with your LinkedIn profile and draft posts. Depending on the tool, it may also pull in your posting history and account analytics to use for reporting.
Step 4: Schedule Your Post
Now you’re ready to schedule your carousel post:
- In your scheduling tool, go to the calendar or posting layout
- Find the draft carousel post you created
- Choose the date and time you want the post to publish
- Some tools allow you to set a recurring schedule
- Add the post to your calendar – that’s it!
The scheduling tool will publish the post on your chosen date/time automatically.
Step 5: Manage and Optimize Your Schedule
The best thing about scheduling content in advance is being able to see your entire posting calendar. Take advantage of scheduling to:
- Space out your posts consistently
- Vary post types and topics
- Experiment with different posting days/times
- Analyze performance to double down on what works
- Ensure you always have posts ready to go
Check your scheduling tool regularly to queue up fresh content and make adjustments as needed.
Pro Tip: Re-Share Old Content
Scheduling is also useful for re-promoting your previously published updates. Simply reschedule your best old posts, including carousels, to keep spreading them farther across your audience. Mix in fresh content to avoid looking spammy.
Benefits of LinkedIn Carousel Posts
Now that you know how to schedule carousel posts on LinkedIn, let’s look at why they’re worth the extra effort:
- Showcase products, services, processes, etc through a “slideshow”
- Combine images, video, captions in one post
- Add up to 10 slides to tell a detailed story
- Stand out visually in the LinkedIn feed
- Catch viewers’ attention as they scroll through posts
- Increase engagement through tapping on the slides
Whether you want to highlight company culture, walkthrough a methodology, or launch a new product line, carousels help deliver your message memorably.
Ideal Uses for LinkedIn Carousel Posts
What types of updates should you share as carousels versus regular posts?
| Good for Carousel Posts | Better as Regular Posts |
|---|---|
| Product launches/releases | Industry news sharing |
| Event highlights and recaps | Job openings |
| Office tours or company culture | Links to articles/blog posts |
| Tutorials and guides | Employee or company achievements |
| Case studies and client success stories | Thought leadership commentary |
| Lookbooks and product/service galleries | Links to webinars/videos |
| Presentations and slide decks | Special promotions and sales |
Get creative with your own carousel posts on LinkedIn using the ideas above!
Tips for Creating Engaging Carousel Posts
Not all carousel posts are made equal. Follow these best practices to develop carousels that captivate audiences:
- Use brief but descriptive captions on each slide, up to 150 characters
- Vary your slide media – mix images with videos, graphics, GIFs
- Make sure images are high resolution and text is readable
- Tell a cohesive story or convey a process from start to finish
- Use calls-to-action to direct people where to go/what to do next
- Limit each carousel to one main topic or narrative
- Stick to 5-7 slides max to avoid overwhelming your viewer
- Add your company name/handle and relevant hashtags
Following LinkedIn’s carousel best practices will drive more liking, commenting, and sharing of your posts.
Analyze Your Carousel Post Results
How do you know if your carousel updates are generating results on LinkedIn? Monitor their engagement rate compared to regular posts.
- Engagement rate = Total engagements divided by total followers
- Calculate for each post or post type over a period of time
- Benchmark against your average rate and LinkedIn’s average by industry
- A good engagement rate is between 2-5% for company profiles
If your carousel engagement starts trending lower over time, try switching up your content approach and style.
Explore Additional LinkedIn Post Options
Carousel posts are just one of several formatting options available to make your LinkedIn content more eye-catching, including:
| Post Format | Description |
|---|---|
| Long-form posts | Publish blog post content natively in LinkedIn feeds |
| Polls | Survey your connections and followers |
| Q&A posts | Crowdsource questions and host discussions |
| Live video | Broadcast real-time footage to your audience |
| Carousels | Combine multiple slides of images/video in one post |
| Focus mode | Spotlight text and images to maximize engagement |
Take advantage of LinkedIn’s creative post options to test and determine what resonates most with your followers. The more engaging your content, the farther your messages will spread.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Let’s review some common questions around scheduling LinkedIn carousel posts:
Q: Is there a limit to how many carousel posts I can schedule?
A: There is no set limit on scheduling carousel or other post types on LinkedIn. However, keep quality in mind over quantity and focus on a sustainable cadence. Posting too frequently looks spammy.
Q: Can I edit my carousel after scheduling the post?
A: Yes, in your scheduling tool you can continue to edit any aspect of the post (content, images, timing, etc.) even after adding it to your calendar. Updates sync back to the scheduled version.
Q: What happens if my account disconnects before a scheduled post goes live?
A: As long as you reauthenticate your scheduling tool with LinkedIn before the post’s date, your content will still publish as planned. However, any scheduled posts will not go live if the disconnect isn’t fixed.
Q: Is posting carousels too frequently bad for my LinkedIn engagement?
A: It’s best to mix up your post formats over time. Carousels do tend to perform well, but too much of any single format can cause audience burnout. Limit carousels to a few times per week or month.
Q: Can I preview how my carousel will look once posted?
A: Some social media tools allow you to preview scheduled posts, but otherwise you will have to publish your carousel to see how it looks live on LinkedIn. Previewing can help catch formatting issues.
Conclusion
Scheduling LinkedIn carousel posts is a great way to add visual storytelling to your content strategy. By planning your posts in advance using a social media tool, you can develop memorable carousels at your convenience and maximize their impact. Remember to keep your slides focused, captions concise, and imagery captivating.
Start putting together your own stunning carousels that generate views, shares, and leads. With an effective scheduling approach, you can showcase your brand story on LinkedIn in an entertaining way that deepens engagement. Just don’t let your carousels stagnate—continually test new ideas and analyze performance. Keep your audience wanting to swipe for more!
