Do images or carousels help LinkedIn text posts?

Across hundreds of LinkedIn posts by founders over the past year, posts with an image or carousel averaged about 150 percent more likes than plain text posts. Video posts averaged about 45 percent more

Do LinkedIn posts with an image really do better?

On average they do, and the gap above is a wide one. Those figures cover hundreds of LinkedIn posts by founders over the past year. The comments tell a similar story, which matters because comments start the conversations that likes never do.

Image and carousel posts also drew about 250 percent more comments than plain text posts

An average across many posts is not a controlled test, though, so it can't prove the image caused the difference. Founders who take the time to add a picture may also be putting more care into the words, and a few strong posts can pull an average up a long way. Read the gap as a reason to try visuals, not a law.

What kind of image actually helps?

Pick an image that carries the point instead of decorating it. A useful test for any visual you add is whether someone who saw only the picture would learn something about the post.

• A chart or a number from your own work, such as how long onboarding takes now against a year ago, as long as it is true and yours to share.
• A sketch or a whiteboard photo of the framework you are explaining in the text.
• A photo from the day, such as the team at an event or the prototype on your desk, which shows the real business behind the post.
• A clear photo of you, which helps people who only know your name put a face to it.

In our view, stock photos and generic quote cards add work without adding much, since readers have seen so many of them that they rarely stop for another.

Are carousels and document posts still worth making?

They can be, for the right idea. LinkedIn's help page on documents still covers uploading PDF, Word and PowerPoint files of up to 100 MB and 300 pages to a post, and its guide to how content is distributed lists documents among the updates members can share. LinkedIn does change its formats from time to time, so check what the post composer offers before you design a deck.

A carousel suits a step by step process, a short checklist or a before and after, where each slide moves the reader one step on. It takes longer to make than a photo, so save it for ideas that genuinely have steps. Put the hook on the first slide, keep one thought per slide, and make the type big enough to read on a phone.

Should every post have a visual then?

No. A sharp opinion or a short story often lands best as plain text, because nothing pulls the eye away from the words. Video is a third option, and a real clip of you talking is something no template can copy, which is why it belongs in the mix as well. If you are new to it, getting comfortable on camera is easier than it looks.

The practical answer is variety. Rotate text posts, image or carousel posts and videos across the week, notice which ones your readers respond to over a month, and lean towards what works without dropping the others entirely.