On LinkedIn, there is a character limit of 700 characters for posts before the “see more” link appears. This allows users to write shorter posts that fit entirely in the feed, while still giving the option to write longer posts behind the “see more” link. The 700 character limit has been in place since LinkedIn increased it from 200 characters in November 2020.
Why LinkedIn Has a Character Limit
LinkedIn instituted a character limit on posts to balance allowing users to share longer thoughts while keeping the main feed experience uncluttered. Some reasons LinkedIn limits post length include:
- Keeping the feed skimmable – With short snippet posts, users can quickly scroll through and digest lots of information.
- Encouraging scannability – Long walls of text are hard to parse quickly. Shorter posts are easier to scan.
- Preventing noise and irrelevance – Lengthy posts may lose focus or contain extraneous details.
- Maintaining post quality – A tight character restriction encourages more precise, thoughtful posting.
- Retaining context in the feed – Long posts take users out of the feed, disrupting the experience.
- Reducing spam and abuse – Short limits help deter spammers and trolls.
So in summary, LinkedIn believes restricting post length improves the ability to rapidly consume posts and keeps the feed clean and focused.
What Happens After 700 Characters
When you reach 700 characters in your LinkedIn post, a “See more” link automatically appears at the end of your text. This collapsible link allows viewers to expand your post if they want to read the full content. Here’s what happens after 700 characters:
- A “See more” link is added seamlessly after your 700 characters of text.
- Clicking “See more” expands your full post text within the feed.
- There is no absolute character limit. You can write posts of any length.
- Longer posts may require more scrolling to consume the full content.
- Embedded images, links, and hashtags still function normally.
- The first 700 characters display in post previews and snippets.
So in essence, the first 700 characters are shown, and anything after is collapsed until the user chooses to expand it. This retains brevity while permitting longer posts.
Tips for Working With the 700 Character Limit
Here are some tips for writing effective LinkedIn posts within the 700 character limitation:
- Frontload your most important information within the first paragraph.
- Use concise language – avoid rambling or flowery text.
- Break long posts into multiple shorter posts for better reach.
- Place key points before extraneous details or background context.
- Use bullet points, numbered lists, or subheaders for scannability.
- Review and edit before posting to tighten up wording.
- Add relevant hashtags strategically within the first 700 characters.
- Include a strong call-to-action before the “See more” break.
Following these tips will help you maximize the effectiveness of your posts within the first 700 characters that people see. This retains engagement while still permitting you to write lengthy posts if needed using the “See more” function.
History of LinkedIn’s Post Character Limits
LinkedIn’s post character limits have increased over time as the nature of social media has evolved:
- Pre-2009: No character limit existed. Posts could be infinitely long.
- 2009 – 2012: A limit of 140 characters was introduced, mirroring the length of a Tweet.
- 2012 – 2020: The limit expanded to 200 characters as users sought more flexibility.
- November 2020 – Present: The 700 character limit launched, matching modern post length expectations.
The evolutions show LinkedIn adapting its policies based on user behaviors and demands. While early limits mirrored the brevity of Twitter, users ultimately sought greater freedom of expression as social media matured.
Character Limits for Other LinkedIn Post Types
Beyond regular text posts, LinkedIn enforces other character limits for different post formats:
- LinkedIn long-form articles: No hard limit but best practices recommend ~3,000 words.
- LinkedIn SlideShare presentations: Descriptions limited to 500 characters.
- LinkedIn video descriptions: Limited to 150 characters.
- LinkedIn event descriptions: Limited to 300 characters.
- LinkedIn job posts: Titles limited to 100 characters, summaries to 700 characters.
- LinkedIn company/product page descriptions: 2,000 character limit.
So in summary, while regular posts have a 700 character “See more” limit, other formats like long-form posts, videos, events, and jobs have differing limits tailored to their unique purposes.
Does the 700 Character Limit Include Spaces/Punctuation?
Yes, the 700 character limit that triggers the “See more” link includes spaces, punctuation, emojis, tags, and all other non-letter characters.
The only things not counted against the limit are:
- Hashtags
- Mentions of other users (using @)
- LinkedIn standardized job titles
- Names of companies, universities, etc.
But all other characters – including spaces, commas, periods, carriage returns, symbols, etc. – are counted and contribute to reaching the 700 character “See more” threshold.
Using Third-Party Tools to Post on LinkedIn
When using third-party social media management tools to post on LinkedIn, the 700 character limit also applies:
- Tools like Hootsuite and Sprout Social must adhere to LinkedIn’s post length restrictions.
- Scheduling a lengthy post will automatically insert a “See more” break at 700 characters.
- Tools may display preview warnings when approaching the 700 character threshold.
- To avoid being cut off unintentionally, keep an eye on character counts in your tool’s composer.
So if using tools to post, be mindful that LinkedIn’s post limits are enforced no matter the publishing method. Keep post text tight within those third-party composers.
Why Did LinkedIn Increase from 200 to 700 Characters?
In November 2020, LinkedIn increased its post character limit from 200 to 700 for several key reasons:
- User demand – Members wanted more flexibility for expression.
- Matching other networks – 700 characters aligned better with places like Facebook.
- Reflecting rising post length – Analytics showed posts getting longer organically.
- Enabling richer storytelling – More characters permitted more substantive narratives.
- Driving engagement – Early tests revealed increased interaction with longer posts.
The move to 700 ultimately gave users more creative control and helped future-proof LinkedIn as post lengths increased everywhere. Initial data showed it improved engagement.
Does LinkedIn Have a Word Limit Instead of Character Limit?
No, LinkedIn enforces post length limits based purely on the number of characters used rather than counting words.
The “See more” break always appears after exactly 700 characters – not at a certain word count. This character-driven approach gives consistent, predictable limits regardless of language used.
While a word limit would be simpler conceptually, actually implementing it fairly across languages with different average word lengths is difficult. Hence, LinkedIn relies solely on character counts.
