As of 14th December 2023 the ability to add carousel style posts was removed from LinkedIn, although Carousel Ads are still available.
You can, however, create a carousel style post by uploading PDFs – each page then acts like a slide. Visual posts outperform all others on social media platforms, and PDF carousel slides are a great way of providing it, because the swipeable, bite-sized chunks of information attract and engage users’ attention.
How do I create PDF carousels on LinkedIn?
It’s very straightforward to publish a PDF carousel on LinkedIn.
- Start a post.
- Write your post content and hashtags, focus on features, benefits and what’s in it for the reader, then click the plus sign at the bottom. This will display more options including ‘Add a document’. This will bring up a popup window for you to choose the document to upload.
- Give your document a title to help it to get found and make sure that it looks OK in the preview.
- Publish.
LinkedIn PDF Carousels
PDF carousels on LinkedIn can be a great way to grab attention quickly with a strong visual. The concise format encourages users to swipe through a few slides – a far easier way to consume lengthier content than to read a lengthy post.
Pros: Easy to digest, better for storytelling, encourages engagement.
Cons: Limited space for detailed information.
Page sizes for PDF Carousels on LinkedIn
The key thing is to make sure that the slide / page content is bold and readable at the dimensions they will be displayed at when viewed on any device. So the content should be quite bold and largely visual, rather than long blocks of text.
- Dimensions: PDF carousel posts on LinkedIn can be formatted in three different aspect ratios: square (1:1) at 1080 x 1080 pixels, portrait (4:5) at 1080 x 1350 pixels, or landscape (16:9) with dimensions of 1280 x 720 pixels.
- Number of pages: You can upload up to 300 pages, but three to ten pages is best to engage, but not overwhelm your audience.
- Max File Size: 100MB – Flatten the file using a free compressor tool to reduce loading time.
Great content to add as PDF Carousels on LinkedIn
- More visual content such as include infographics, research, insights and charts.
- A series of client testimonials or quotes.
- Segmented reports or other long-form content can be published as a series of themed PDF carousels, keeping the audience coming back for more.
- Tutorials and how-to guides.
Tips for PDF Carousel Content That Converts
- Use a cover image or slide – this gives viewers an insight into the rest of the content and will increase views.
- Do not crowd information on a page. Use brief sentences and generous spacing for clarity.
- Consistency is key, so stick to your brand guidelines.
Viewers can like, comment, and share your post, and the analytics provide insights into the number of views and engagements for each card within the carousel.
Make sure that you include a CTA at the bottom of your post. For example, ask readers to check out your products or services, subscribe to your newsletter, or check out a longer or more detailed blog or video related to the post subject.
[Originally published in January 2020, updated October 2024]