Types of posts on LinkedIn.
Learn about the different ways to share content on LinkedIn and how you can reach your audience more effectively.
Why post on LinkedIn?
Posting regularly about your nonprofit’s work on LinkedIn is a great way to reach new supporters and build trust with potential donors, job candidates, and volunteers.
There are many types of LinkedIn posts, each with unique benefits and best practices. Explore all the post types available on LinkedIn below to learn how to leverage each to grow and engage with your organization’s following.
1. Text-only posts
Text-only posts are exactly what they sound like: posts where the text does all the talking.
Why use them?
Text posts can be useful for driving engagement. Consider posing a question to catch your audience’s attention and encourage them to comment. Or, use a list to summarize takeaways, wins, or ways people can help.
How to use them
Text-only posts are typically effective when they quickly prompt your audience to do something, such as responding or clicking through to learn more. Use these posts to make a brief announcement or ask a direct question your audience will feel compelled to respond to when they see it in their feeds.
Best practices
• Avoid big blocks of text, which can be cumbersome to read. Remember, many people will be viewing your post on a mobile device, so try to be as succinct as possible.
• Make your first sentence engaging, especially for longer posts that will get cut off beneath a “read more” line. Give people a reason to keep reading.
• Use emojis to add some color and personality to your text posts — if it’s appropriate for the message and fits with your nonprofit’s brand.
Example:
Ask your audience what about your organization or your cause they’d like to learn more about. Answer their questions in the comments to start an engaging conversation.
2. Single-image posts
A single-image post is a photo, screenshot, infographic, or other static visual accompanied by optional text.
Why use them?
An eye-catching visual can capture the attention of your audience quickly and tell a richer story than using text alone. Posts that include at least one image typically get two times more comments than those without.
How to use them
Single-image posts are surprisingly versatile. Sometimes you’ll want the image itself to be the star, in which case you should include only a small amount of text and an image that tells the story. In other cases, you’ll want to include a longer explanation to give the image more impact. Either way, be sure to use an image that grabs attention and makes an impression.
Best practices
• Use clear, high-quality images to create a professional appearance. The optimum image size is a minimum of 552 x 276 pixels, and the maximum image size is 5MB.
• Always include text with your image posts to provide context and drive action.
• Add descriptive alt text to improve the accessibility of your posts. Alt text is heard by members using voice-over screen readers and is not seen by other members. You can add alt text by clicking the pencil icon when uploading images via desktop.
Example:
The most effective single-image posts tend to feature real people. You could create a post thanking one of your most dedicated volunteers for all their help, then (with their permission) include a picture of that volunteer in action to bring their story to life. Be sure to tag your volunteer in the post so they see it and can share it on their own feed!
3. Multi-image posts
Multi-image posts allow you to showcase multiple static images in an engaging collage that people can click and expand to view more detail.
Why use them?
Using several eye-catching visuals allows you to share more context and can drive increased engagement with your post.
How to use them
Turn to multi-image posts when you can use a series of images to tell a single, connected story. Leverage this post format to visually create the impression of continuity and build upon the central idea of your post.
Best practices
• Post clear, high-quality images. Include descriptive alt text to improve accessibility. Use accompanying post text to provide context for the series of images.
• Coordinate sizing and formatting for all the images you include to make sure none of the images end up looking shrunken, distorted, or cropped.
• Consider how the images will stack alongside one another in the post. For example, multi-image posts with two images will display differently than posts that feature four images.
Example:
Multi-image posts are great for summarizing nonprofit initiatives where you took numerous pictures. For instance, if your organization’s volunteers helped out at an on-site event, take pictures during the event and post them to highlight different aspects of the event and celebrate the multitude of volunteers involved.
4. Native videos
A native video post is video content shared with your followers on LinkedIn (note: the platform supports a range of file types).
Why use them?
Video can heighten the emotion of your message and create a more personal connection between you and your audience. Unlike embedded videos, such as YouTube links, native videos autoplay on members’ LinkedIn feeds, making people more likely to pause and watch.
How to use them
Videos can help you succinctly, impactfully deliver an important message or drive a central point in the most direct way possible. Use short videos to grab your viewers’ attention quickly and then make a succinct, memorable point about your organization, your cause, or your people.
Best practices
• Include post text along with your video to provide context and encourage people to stop scrolling and watch.
• Prioritize short videos that your audience can quickly digest. Videos can be up to 15 minutes long, but many people won’t watch for the full 15 minutes. Aim for videos between 30 and 60 seconds long as they tend to perform better than longer videos.
• Add closed captions to improve accessibility (learn more about closed captioning).
• Find many more tips and tricks for excelling with video as a nonprofit.
Example:
Try filming a brief interview where you ask one of your volunteers or employees about their favorite memory with your nonprofit. Their genuine passion can make for a video your audience instantly connects with.
Additional resources:
5. Articles
Post editorial-style articles directly on the LinkedIn platform from your nonprofit’s LinkedIn Page.
Why use them?
When you publish an article on LinkedIn, your followers and supporters can comment on the article directly and easily share it with their networks. Additionally, if you @mention another member or organization in the article, they’ll get a notification about the mention, making them more likely to see and engage with your content. You might use articles to share announcements, details about a new campaign, thought leadership, or insights to inform and educate your audience.
How to use them
Articles are a great way to educate your readers on more in-depth information you’d like to get across. They provide you with the room to more thoroughly contextualize a complex topic without confusing or overwhelming your readers. You might use articles to share thought leadership, long-form stories, or other insights to inform your audience.
Best practices
• Make your articles easier to read. Aim for less than 1,000 words and consider using bulleted lists.
• Embed images, videos, rich media (ex: Instagram posts), and slides within your articles to break up the text. You can also add a cover image at the top of your article that will appear when you share the article on your Page and elsewhere.
• Include a question or call-to-action at the end of your article to drive engagement.
Example:
If you’d like to share information about fresh research or data relevant to your cause, you could write an article explaining the new insights and why they are crucial to your cause.
6. Newsletters
Publish a recurring series of newsletters directly on LinkedIn.
Why use them?
The newsletter feature on LinkedIn allows your team to quickly create and publish professional, eye-catching newsletters from your nonprofit’s LinkedIn Page. When you create your first newsletter, all existing followers of your Page will be notified, encouraging them to subscribe. Subscribers may also receive push and/or email notifications, depending on their settings.
How to use them
Use newsletters to provide regular updates on the relevant topics your audience is most interested in hearing about from you, staying top of mind and keeping readers informed. You might highlight upcoming events, recap some of your best recent content, or provide updates on a timely subject.
Best practices
• Presentation matters. Give your newsletter a compelling name, add a logo, and write a short description about what people can expect while reading.
• Try to maintain a regular posting schedule so subscribers look forward to new editions of your newsletter. Indicate the cadence on the newsletter’s landing page (ex: daily, weekly, biweekly, or monthly) to set expectations.
• Add subheadings and images within your newsletter to break up text and make it more enjoyable to read.
Example:
First, find out what your audience wants to read about. If it’s volunteer opportunities, center your newsletter around upcoming ways they can help. If it’s the progress you’re making toward your cause, include an update on actions taken and the impact they’ve had in every edition. This monthly “action report” can help reinvigorate your followers and remind them to keep supporting you.
7. Documents
Upload and share PowerPoint presentations, Microsoft Word documents, and PDFs with your supporters.
Why use them?
Easily share resources and information, such as annual reports and research, by uploading documents directly to LinkedIn.
How to use them
Use the document post text to briefly contextualize what the attached material is, how it relates to your audience specifically, and why they should care about it. The objective of this post is to provide just enough intriguing context to get your LinkedIn follower to click through to the full document.
Best practices
• Use @mentions to give credit (ex: to a research partner that helped you create a report or to an employee who was instrumental in creating the content). This not only recognizes people’s work but encourages them to engage with the post.
• Give your document a relevant title when prompted after uploading so people know what to expect from it.
• Add an executive summary if you’re uploading a larger document (ex: a 25-slide deck) to let people know why it’s worth reviewing the whole thing.
Example:
If you’ve just published your annual impact report, and want to share it with your audience, leverage a document post. include a small summary in your post telling your followers what they’ll learn from clicking in and reading the attached material. Start with the elements of the document you think they’ll be most interested in (i.e., the number of people helped, a list of actions taken, etc.).
8. Celebrate an occasion
Acknowledge occasions and milestones using your own images or animated assets that LinkedIn has created for you.
Why use them?
Use the “Celebrate an occasion” feature to give kudos, announce project launches, mark milestones, or welcome new members to the team.
How to use them
Celebration posts aren’t just exciting for your team or the people you’re celebrating; framed correctly, you can use them to generate excitement for your followers too. By briefly explaining why you’re so excited, you can get your followers to share in that excitement and maybe even share to their own networks.
Best practices
• Tag relevant people and pages (ex: when welcoming a new team member) to encourage engagement.
• Use the “Give Kudos” celebration option as a powerful employee engagement tool.
• Personalize the suggested messaging from LinkedIn to share more details about what you’re celebrating and why.
Example:
Even if you’re celebrating something internal, like a new hire, you can take this opportunity to incorporate your followers into this moment. Perhaps you can share how this new hire will support your mission, inviting your audience to welcome them to your organization. Tie all your celebration posts back to the goals your followers care about (i.e., making a difference in your cause), and you might brighten your followers’ day in a memorable way.
9. Polls
Run a poll with up to four options (max. 30 characters per option) on LinkedIn. Your poll can be open for one day, three days, one week, or two weeks.
Why use them?
Polls are a quick and easy way to generate engagement. Use them to gather information about your audience (ex: about the type of content they’d like to see or their opinion on a trend). Or, consider quizzing them on fun facts about your nonprofit or cause, then posting the correct answers.
How to use them
The most effective polls gather information and generate engagement at the same time. Ask a question that your followers might be deeply interested in learning more about or understanding better. Once the poll has closed, utilize the answers to follow up with a second post, sparking a conversation. The goal of your polls should always be to make your followers feel heard and understood.
Best practices
• Keep your questions clear and concise. If it’s confusing how the answers correspond, people either won’t engage or it may skew the results.
• Avoid overusing polls. If you run multiple polls a week, your audience may get bored of them. It’s best to save them for when you have something good to ask.
• Try not to set and forget your polls. LinkedIn allows you to see poll participants and their answers, meaning you can follow up with respondents if you choose. People can also comment on the poll, and you can respond to their comments to generate further engagement.
Example:
Try asking your audience what kind of content they’d like to see more of from your nonprofit, then provide them with several options you’re actually prepared to follow through on. You could even ask them to provide the reasons why they chose one type of content or another in the comments below.
10. Reposting content
You’re not limited to posting your own original content on LinkedIn. With LinkedIn’s reposting feature, you can reshare content from other people or Pages, with the option to incorporate additional post text of your own.
Why repost content?
Reposting content related to your nonprofit demonstrates to your followers that your organization is actively interested in and engaged with the latest news related to your cause. In addition to building community and conversation, sharing relevant content from others can also help ease the demands of content planning and production associated with developing net-new original content to post.
How to use reposted content
Think of reposting content as an opportunity to demonstrate your nonprofit’s awareness and to start conversations with your followers. It can also be a way to easily highlight key leaders within your organization, corporate sponsors, or trending news topics that are relevant to your cause.
Best practices
• Always add context to what you repost. When you repost content on LinkedIn, you’ll have the option to “Add your thoughts” and write additional text to accompany your repost. Take this opportunity to spark a conversation or showcase your nonprofit’s expertise.
• Follow the 3:1 ratio: For every post featuring original content your nonprofit publishes, try to find and repost three posts from other sources.
• Start conversations: Try using the content you repost to open a dialogue. For example, you could ask a question in the post text you write to accompany a reposted piece of content. Then, you could respond to the answers you receive in the comments.
Example:
If a volunteer posts a video to their personal LinkedIn page, sharing an inspiring story about a recent experience they had while volunteering, consider reposting this content to your organization’s Page, tagging the volunteer and adding additional context behind their story, and thanking them for their support.
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