How to Post a Carousel on LinkedIn (Step-by-Step Guide)

If you have ever spent time creating a LinkedIn post only to watch it quietly disappear, you are not alone. Many creators face the same problem: they have useful ideas, but the format doesn’t give those ideas enough room to breathe. Long text gets skipped. Short posts lack depth. And visuals feel hard to get right. That’s where LinkedIn carousel posts come in.

Carousels let you break ideas into clear steps, tell stories slide by slide, and guide readers rather than asking them to read a wall of text. When done well, they keep people swiping, saving, and engaging—without needing advanced design skills.

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn exactly how to create and post a LinkedIn carousel, even if you’ve never made one before. We’ll cover what they are, why they work, common mistakes, and tools that make the process easier—so you can confidently publish your first (or next) carousel.

What Is a LinkedIn Carousel Post?

A LinkedIn carousel is a post that allows users to swipe through multiple slides in a single post. Each slide can contain text, images, charts, or a mix of all three.

Technically, LinkedIn doesn’t call them “carousels.” They’re usually uploaded as

• PDF documents, or
• Multiple images in one post

But in practice, everyone refers to them as carousel posts.

Common Types of LinkedIn Carousels

• Step-by-step guides
• Tips and hacks
• Mini case studies
• Story-based posts
• Data and insights
• Frameworks and checklists

Why Carousel Posts Work So Well on LinkedIn

Before we get into the “how,” it’s important to understand why carousels perform better than many other formats.

1. They Increase Dwell Time

When someone swipes through slides, they spend more time on your post. LinkedIn’s algorithm loves this.

2. They Encourage Interaction

Swiping is a form of engagement. The more people interact with your post, the more LinkedIn shows it to others.

3. They’re Easy to Consume

Instead of reading a long block of text, users get bite-sized information, one slide at a time.

4. They Work on Desktop and Mobile

Carousels look good on both desktop and mobile, which is where most LinkedIn users scroll.

What You Need Before Posting a Carousel

Before uploading anything to LinkedIn, make sure you have these basics ready:

1. A clear topic
2. A simple structure (start → middle → end)
3. Slides designed in the right size
4. A short caption to introduce the carousel

Don’t worry if you’re not a designer. We’ll cover sizing, tools, and formatting in detail.

Step-by-Step: How to Post a Carousel on LinkedIn

Let’s break this down into simple, actionable steps.

Step 1: Decide the Goal of Your Carousel

Ask yourself one question:
What should the reader gain after swiping all slides?

Examples:

• Learn something new
• Save the post for later
• Comment on their opinion
• Follow you for more content

Having one clear goal will shape everything—from the headline to the last slide.

Step 2: Outline Your Carousel Content

Before designing anything, outline your slides.

A simple and proven structure is

1. Slide 1 – Hook
   • Big, clear headline
   • Make people want to swipe
2. Slides 2–6 – Value
   • Tips, steps, or insights
   • One idea per slide
3. Slide 7 – Summary or CTA
   • Recap
   • Ask a question or suggest an action

Example outline:

• Slide 1: “How I Grew to 10,000 LinkedIn Followers”
• Slide 2: Posting consistently
• Slide 3: Writing for one person
• Slide 4: Using carousels
• Slide 5: Engaging in comments
• Slide 6: Learning from analytics
• Slide 7: “Follow for more LinkedIn growth tips.”

Step 3: Design Your Carousel Slides

Recommended Size for LinkedIn Carousels

• 1080 × 1080 px (square)
• 1080 × 1350 px (portrait—performs very well on mobile)

Both work, but portrait slides often take up more screen space on mobile.

Design Tips (Very Important)

• Use large, readable text
• Avoid clutter
• Stick to 1–2 fonts
• Use consistent colors
• Leave enough white space

You don’t need fancy designs. Clear beats pretty every time.

Step 4: Choose the Right Tool to Create Your Carousel

You can create carousels using:

• Canva
• PowerPoint
• Google Slides
• Figma

Many LinkedIn creators also use specialized tools to improve writing, formatting, and analytics.

AuthoredUp is an all-in-one LinkedIn content creation and analytics tool.  Some creators use it mainly for writing and analyzing text posts, while others pair it with design tools for carousel creation. Depending on your needs, you may also explore an AuthoredUp alternative if you’re looking for different features, pricing, or workflow styles.

Step 5: Export Your Carousel Correctly

Once your slides are ready, you need to export them in the correct format.

Best Option: PDF

• Export all slides as one single PDF file
• This creates the smooth swipe experience on LinkedIn

Alternative: Images

• Upload multiple images in one post
• Still works, but PDF carousels often feel cleaner

Make sure:

• File size is reasonable
• Slides are in the correct order

Step 6: Write a Strong LinkedIn Caption

Your caption matters more than most people think.

What a Good Caption Should Do

• Hook the reader in the first 2 lines
• Explain what the carousel is about
• Encourage interaction

Simple Caption Structure

1. Hook
2. Context
3. Call to action

Example:

Most people fail on LinkedIn because they overthink content.

I broke down my exact carousel strategy in this post.

Swipe through and let me know which slide helped you most. 👇

Avoid writing very long captions for carousel posts. Let the slides do the heavy lifting.

Step 7: Upload the Carousel on LinkedIn

Now comes the actual posting part.

How to Upload a Carousel (PDF Method)

1. Go to LinkedIn Home
2. Click Start a post
3. Click the Document icon
4. Upload your PDF
5. Add a title (this appears above the carousel)
6. Paste your caption
7. Click Post

That’s it. Your carousel is live.

Step 8: Post at the Right Time

Timing isn’t everything, but it helps.

General Best Times (Based on Creator Data)

• Tuesday to Thursday
• 8 AM – 11 AM (local time)

More important than time is consistency. Posting regularly trains your audience (and the algorithm) to expect content from you.

Step 9: Engage After Posting (Very Important)

The first 60–90 minutes after posting are critical.

Do this:

• Reply to every comment
• Ask follow-up questions
• Like thoughtful responses

This signals LinkedIn that your post is worth showing to more people.

Best Practices for High-Performing LinkedIn Carousels

Here are some proven tips used by top LinkedIn creators:

1. One Idea per Slide

Don’t overload slides with information.

2. Strong First Slide

If slide 1 doesn’t hook, no one swipes.

3. Use Simple Language

Write as you speak. Avoid jargon.

4. Add a CTA on the Last Slide

Examples:

• “Save this post.”
• “Comment ‘Guide.’”
• “Follow for more.”

5. Stay On-Brand

Use consistent colors, tone, and style so people recognize your content.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even good content can fail because of small mistakes.

1. Tiny Text

If it’s hard to read on mobile, people will skip.

2. Too Many Slides

7–10 slides are usually enough.

3. Weak Hook

A boring first slide kills engagement.

4. No Engagement Prompt

Always guide people on what to do next.

Carousel vs. Text Posts: Which Is Better?

Both work, but they serve different purposes.

Carousel posts:

• Better for education
• Higher saves
• More structured

Text posts:

• Better for stories
• Opinions and experiences
• Faster to create

The best strategy is to use both.

How to Measure Carousel Performance

After posting, track:

• Impressions
• Saves
• Comments
• Profile visits

High saves usually mean high value. High comments mean a strong emotional or practical connection.

Over time, look for patterns:

• Which topics perform best
• Which slide styles get more engagement
• Which hooks work

Final Thoughts

Posting a carousel on LinkedIn isn’t complicated—but doing it well takes clarity and practice.

To recap:

1. Pick one clear idea
2. Outline before designing
3. Use simple, readable slides
4. Upload as a PDF
5. Write a short, strong caption
6. Engage after posting

Carousels are one of the most powerful ways to build authority, grow your audience, and share value on LinkedIn. You don’t need advanced design skills or expensive tools—just clear thinking and consistency.

If you start experimenting today, you’ll quickly learn what resonates with your audience. And that’s when LinkedIn content starts working for you, not against you.