LinkedIn is a popular social media platform used by professionals and businesses to network, build their brand, and share content. With over 800 million users, LinkedIn posts can reach a wide audience and drive engagement. A key feature of LinkedIn is the ability to embed rich media content directly in your posts, such as images, videos, presentations, and documents. Embedding external content makes your posts more visually compelling and provides helpful resources for your connections. So can you embed something in a LinkedIn post? The short answer is yes, embedding content in LinkedIn posts is easy and encouraged.
What types of content can you embed in a LinkedIn post?
LinkedIn supports embedding a wide variety of content formats and sources in your posts. Here are some of the most popular types of content to embed:
- Images – JPG, PNG, GIF
- Videos – YouTube, Vimeo, Loom, Wistia
- Presentations – Google Slides, Microsoft PowerPoint, SlideShare
- Documents – PDF, Word, Excel
- Infographics – from Canva, Venngage, Piktochart, etc.
- Audio – podcast episodes, music clips
- Polls and surveys
- Maps and location markers
Essentially any media that has a publicly shareable link or embed code can be included in your LinkedIn posts. Some content requires whitelisting by LinkedIn first, like TikTok videos, but most major platforms are supported out of the box.
Why should you embed content in LinkedIn posts?
There are several key benefits to embedding external content directly in your LinkedIn posts:
- Increased engagement – Posts with embedded media tend to get more likes, comments, and shares.
- Enhanced storytelling – You can incorporate relevant images, videos, docs to tell a compelling story.
- Multimedia experience – Break up blocks of text and engage visual learners.
- Credibility and trust – Content from authoritative sources boosts your expertise.
- Convenience for audience – Views don’t have to leave LinkedIn to access the content.
- Improved brand awareness – For creators, embed content to showcase work and talent.
- SEO value – Embedded posts can help drive traffic and leads.
Overall, embedding strategic external content makes your LinkedIn feed more dynamic, expressive, and higher quality. This keeps your audience interested and engaged with your brand.
How to embed content in LinkedIn posts
The process for embedding external content into a LinkedIn post is simple and only takes a few steps:
- Copy the shareable link or embed code of the content you want to include. This is easily found on most platforms like YouTube, Google Drive, etc.
- When composing your LinkedIn post, paste the link or embed code on its own line.
- LinkedIn will automatically embed the content in the post body. For embed codes, you may need to click “Apply” to insert the content.
- Preview your post to ensure the embedded content looks correct.
- Adjust the placement or size of the embed as needed before publishing your post.
Here is a quick example of embedding a YouTube video:
- Get the YouTube video link from the Share button below the video. For example: https://youtu.be/abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
- Paste the full link on its own line when composing your LinkedIn post.
- The video will automatically be embedded after publishing.
That’s all there is to it! With the wide range of content that can be embedded, you have lots of options to make your LinkedIn posts more interesting and engaging.
Best practices for embedding content
To get the most value from embedded content, be sure to follow these best practices:
- Choose relevant, high-quality content from trusted sources.
- Only embed content that supports or enhances your post narrative.
- Set proper expectations by explaining what the embedded item is in your caption.
- Position large embeds like video at the top of your post for maximum impact.
- Optimize images and graphics for web embedding (compression, size).
- Use brief captions for each embedded piece of explain its significance.
- Check that links, embed codes, and content work before publishing.
- Use sparingly and mix with your own original commentary.
By being selective and strategic with embedded content, you create seamless LinkedIn posts that inform and engage your professional network.
Embedded content best practices by content type
The optimal use of embedded content varies based on the format. Here are best practices for the most popular embed types:
Images
- Choose high-resolution, eye-catching photos from free stock sites or your own sources.
- Resize large images to a maximum width of 590 pixels to fit the LinkedIn feed.
- Insert images after each 2-3 paragraphs to break up large blocks of text.
- Use alt text to improve accessibility and SEO.
Video
- Keep videos under 5 minutes long for the highest engagement.
- Place videos at the top of your post for maximum visibility.
- Link to original video for more context after embedded video.
- Mention the video source and relevant timestamps in your caption.
Presentations
- Upload presentation file to SlideShare to generate an embeddable link.
- Embed 2-3 relevant slides to highlight key ideas, stats, or frameworks.
- Use slide notes to explain key points from each slide.
- Link to full presentation on SlideShare for downloads.
Documents
- Upload PDFs, eBooks or other documents to Google Drive, Dropbox, etc to embed.
- Embed a representative page or excerpt rather than full doc.
- Highlight key excerpts, stats, or images from the document in your caption.
- Include link to download the full document.
Optimizing your use of each content format drives better results from your embedded LinkedIn posts.
Ideal use cases for embedded content
Here are some of the best scenarios to take advantage of rich embedded media in your LinkedIn posts:
- Blog content promotion – Embed excerpts from your latest blog post to promote it.
- Relevant news – Embed a news clip video and add commentary.
- Thought leadership – Share slides from your latest keynote or webinar.
- Storytelling – Use a mix of visuals to illustrate your experiences.
- Listicles/guides – Embed graphics, tools, or templates to create helpful resources.
- Product demos – Feature promo videos, screenshots, or tutorials.
- Events promotion – Share venue map, event slides, or video highlights.
- Research results – Embed data charts, figures, or methodology overviews.
Think strategically about when embedded media will most enhance your professional content for LinkedIn.
Limitations and drawbacks of embedded content
While embedding rich media in LinkedIn posts has many benefits, there are some limitations and potential drawbacks to be aware of:
- On mobile, embedded items may be cropped or difficult to view.
- Too many embeds could make your feed feel cluttered or overwhelming.
- Loading/buffering issues for videos or poor quality graphics.
- Creates dependency on third-party content reliability.
- Excessive self-promotion through embeds could turn off followers.
- Some formats like PDFs don’t embed natively on LinkedIn.
- Takes more work to manage multiple content sources in each post.
The key is to embed thoughtfully, choose quality over quantity, and test how embedded content displays on mobile before publishing.
LinkedIn post embed examples
To visualize how embedded content can be applied on LinkedIn, here are some real post examples from brands using rich media effectively:
HubSpot – Video
HubSpot often shares funny or insightful videos from their YouTube channel. The video is positioned at the top of the post to capture attention.
PayPal – Infographic
PayPal uses infographics to share data and tips visually. The graphic is well-designed and relevant to their audience.
Salesforce – SlideShare Presentation
Salesforce uploads decks to Slideshare then embeds key slides to highlight content from recent webinars and events.
Forbes – Tools and Templates
Forbes embeds helpful tools, like this free media kit template, in listicle-style posts with other resources.
Hootsuite – Blog Content
Hootsuite frequently embeds excerpts from their latest blog articles to extend their reach.
Testing different multimedia content types will reveal what resonates most with your unique audience.
Conclusion
Embedding visual content in your LinkedIn posts is a highly effective way to increase engagement, showcase thought leadership, and improve your professional brand presence. Images, videos, presentations, documents, and more can all be seamlessly integrated to create compelling stories and resources.
The key is to be selective with embedding only relevant, high-quality content that enhances your narrative for the optimal member experience. With these best practices in mind, you can embed content in your LinkedIn posts like a pro.