Carousels are image or video slides that rotate through on platforms like LinkedIn. They allow you to showcase multiple pieces of content in a condensed format that takes up minimal space in the feed. But do they actually work to capture attention and drive engagement on LinkedIn specifically? That’s the key question many marketers and advertisers want answered when considering using carousels in their LinkedIn marketing campaigns and content strategy.
What are the benefits of using carousels on LinkedIn?
There are a few potential advantages to using carousels on LinkedIn:
1. Increased engagement
Carousels stand out visually on LinkedIn, which can help capture more initial attention compared to static posts. The rotating slides and movement can entice viewers to engage. One study by Social Insider found carousels on LinkedIn had a 28% higher click-through rate compared to regular photo posts.
2. Convey more information
With each slide, you can communicate more information than you could in a single image or video post. You can use the multiple slides to tell a story, show different facets of a product/service, or provide a series of tips. It allows you to pack more value into one post.
3. Keep audience interested
The sliding motion can keep viewers engaged as they actively click through the slides. It feels more interactive than a stagnant post and makes the audience an active participant rather than just a passive viewer.
What are the downsides to LinkedIn carousels?
However, there are also a few potential drawbacks or challenges to consider with LinkedIn carousels:
1. Limited space per slide
Each individual slide has restricted space, so you can’t fit as much information as you could in a typical written post. You need to condense your messaging into short headlines, captions, or summaries.
2. Can be overused
If every post you publish is a carousel, it starts to lose its uniqueness and appeal for your audience. Use them sparingly for the right messages rather than all the time.
3. Technical issues
There may be technical problems like slides not loading or advancing properly, which could frustrate viewers. Test them thoroughly before publishing.
Best practices for using LinkedIn carousels
If you do want to utilize LinkedIn carousels, here are some best practices to optimize them:
Keep it short and scannable
Write short headlines and minimal text for each slide – think bullet points. Make content easily scannable.
Include strong visuals
Vibrant, high-quality photos and videos will make the biggest visual impact. Avoid cluttered or blurry visuals.
Limit to 5-7 slides
Research suggests stick to 5-7 slides total. Any more and you risk losing the viewer’s interest.
Tell a story
Use the progression of slides to tell a cohesive story or convey useful tips. Don’t just slap together random visuals.
Utilize captions thoughtfully
Write clear, concise captions to summarize the key point or actionable tip from each slide.
Use strategically
Consider carousels for showcasing case studies, product benefits, thought leadership content, etc. Evaluate if it fits your goal.
Check performance
Leverage LinkedIn’s analytics to see engagement on your carousels. Double down on what resonates best with your audience.
Types of content that work well in LinkedIn carousels
Based on an analysis of top-performing examples, here are some specific types of content that tend to excel when presented in carousel format on LinkedIn:
Product Benefits/Features
Showcase the key selling points, capabilities, or features of a product across slides. Adds visual interest to demonstrate the product.
Industry Statistics/Trends
Present relevant statistics, data points, and trends about an industry in easily digestible bites. Creates visual impact.
How-To Tutorials
Walk through the steps of a process across slides. The carousel can mimic the progression of a tutorial.
Customer Success Stories
Use each slide to tell or highlight a different customer story. Carousels bring testimonials to life.
Conference Highlights/Recap
Share event photos, key quotes, product reveals, and more from a conference or event across the carousel.
Company Milestones
Celebrate important company milestones like anniversary, new funding rounds, product launches, etc. with visuals and statistics.
Listicles
Lists and tips presented across slides perform well. Example: “10 Ways to Boost LinkedIn Engagement.”
Should you use single image or video carousels?
When creating a LinkedIn carousel, you have two main options – either post a series of image slides, or use a single video clip and split it into slides. Which is better? Here’s an analysis:
Benefits of Image Carousels
– More visual variety and impact
– Flexibility with image selection and captions
– Images load faster than video
– Viewers control pauses between slides
Benefits of Video Carousels
– Motion keeps audience engaged
– Splitting video into slides retains viewers better than scrolling
– Viewers don’t need to click, video advances automatically
– Can repurpose existing video assets into carousels
In general, image carousels have greater formatting flexibility and visual impact. But video carousels can be more immersive if the content aligns. Test both formats and see which garners better engagement. Consider mixing up image and video carousels too.
Tips for creating engaging LinkedIn video carousels
If you do want to create video carousels for LinkedIn, here are some tips to maximize engagement:
Choose short videos
Slides are limited to 10-20 seconds each. Pick video content that can be split up accordingly. Long videos won’t work well.
Hook with the opening shot
The opening video slide auto-plays, so make sure it captivates attention right away.
Spotlight key moments
Identify the segments with visual highlights, key messages, etc. to feature as individual slides.
Avoid too much text
Reading a lot of text while video plays becomes distracting. Use images or graphics to convey tips.
Enhance with captions
Clear, concise captions reinforce the core message from each video clip.
Use chapter-style titles
Name each video slide as if they are chapters to pique interest and link together conceptually.
Check pacing and transitions
Ensure video segments have smooth transitions and logical pacing from slide to slide.
Lead into call-to-action
End with a strong CTA slide telling viewers what action you want them to take.
Top examples of high-performing LinkedIn carousels
Here is an analysis of real LinkedIn carousels from brands that generated strong engagement. The examples showcase some best practices in action:
Salesforce
Salesforce leveraged an image carousel to highlight diverse career paths at the company. The consistent image style with different photos and captions conveys the range of opportunities available.
Hootsuite
This video carousel from Hootsuite uses chapter-style titles and strong visuals to teach a LinkedIn tip. The succinct tips and clear captions reinforce the how-to lesson.
HubSpot
HubSpot generated high engagement on this carousel promoting an ebook. The visuals bring the statistics and data points to life in more compelling ways.
Sprout Social
Sprout Social uses an informational carousel to share data around social media trends. The statistics catch attention while the captions contextualize each data point.
Nvidia
This product-focused carousel from Nvidia uses strong visuals to highlight different features and capabilities. The captions reinforce the key benefits of the product.
Conclusion
In summary, carousels can be an effective format for LinkedIn when used strategically for the right messaging. The rotating visual content can capture attention in the feed and deliver information through a series of compact slides.
To maximize impact, ensure your carousel focuses on scannable tips, compelling visuals, and a cohesive narrative. Test different formats like image-based and video carousels to see what resonates most with your target audience. Use them thoughtfully as part of a varied content strategy, and analyze performance to double down on what works. With the right approach, carousels can definitely enhance your LinkedIn marketing and engagement.