How to Add an Article to LinkedIn

Publishing an Article on LinkedIn gives you a powerful platform to share your expertise, build your professional brand, and connect with peers in a way a simple post can’t. This guide will walk you through exactly how to publish your first article, from finding the button to formatting your content for maximum impact. We'll also cover best practices that separate standout articles from the ones that get scrolled past.

Why LinkedIn Articles Are a Game-Changer

Before jumping into the "how," it's worth understanding the "why." While a standard LinkedIn post is great for quick updates and sharing links, a LinkedIn Article is a more substantial piece of content that works for you long after you hit publish. Think of it less like a status update and more like a blog post that lives permanently on your professional profile.

Here’s what makes them so valuable:

• Establish Thought Leadership: This is your space to go deep on a topic. You can share industry insights, break down complex subjects, or offer a unique perspective that showcases your knowledge and experience.
• Increase Your Reach: When you publish an article, your first-degree connections may get a notification. Even better, your article can be found via keywords on LinkedIn and can even show up in Google search results, reaching an audience far beyond your immediate network.
• Own Your Narrative: An article gives you a formatted, long-form canvas to tell a story. You're not limited to a character count. You can use headings, images, and videos to guide the reader through a detailed argument or guide.
• Fuel Conversations: A well-written article can become a resource that sparks discussion. People can comment directly on it, and you can use it as a high-value piece of content to share in your feed, in groups, or in private messages.

Post vs. Article: What's the Difference?

This is a common point of confusion, so let's clear it up. Understanding the difference is vital for a successful content strategy on the platform.

LinkedIn Post

A post is the standard format you see in your feed. It’s designed for short-form content.

• Length: Up to 3,000 characters.
• Lifespan: Ephemeral. It shows up in the feed for a day or two and then gets buried by new content.
• Purpose: Quick updates, sharing a link, asking a question, posting a photo or video. Great for visibility and immediate engagement.

LinkedIn Article

An article is essentially a blog post hosted on LinkedIn's publishing platform.

• Length: Up to 125,000 characters.
• Lifespan: Permanent. It lives in the "Articles" section of your profile forever and gets its own unique URL.
• Purpose: Long-form analysis, detailed guides, thought-provoking commentary, and evergreen content. Great for building authority and long-term search visibility.

Simply put: use a post for conversation starters and an article for deep, lasting insights.

How to Add an Article to LinkedIn: A Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to publish your masterpiece? The process is straightforward once you know where to look. Follow these steps, and you'll have your first article live in no time.

Step 1: Get Started from Your Home Feed

Log in to LinkedIn and go to your home page (the main feed). At the top, you'll see the same box you use to create a standard post. Right below that box, you'll see a few options. Click on "Write article."

Step 2: Enter the LinkedIn Publishing Tool

Once you click "Write article," you'll be taken to LinkedIn’s dedicated publishing interface. This is a clean, simple editor that should feel familiar if you've ever used a tool like WordPress or Medium. Take a moment to look around. You'll see fields for your headline, cover image, and body text.

Step 3: Craft a Compelling Headline

The first thing to do is write your headline. This is the most important part of your article, as it’s what will make people decide whether to click or scroll by. Make it clear, intriguing, and benefit-driven.

• Bad Headline: My Thoughts on Marketing
• Good Headline: 5 Common Marketing Mistakes Small Businesses Make (And How to Fix Them)

Step 4: Add a Visually Appealing Cover Image

Underneath the headline field, you’ll see a prompt to add a cover image. An article with a cover image gets significantly more views. This image will appear at the top of your article and also as the thumbnail when your article is shared across LinkedIn.

Tips for your cover image:

• Use a high-quality, professional-looking photo.
• The recommended size is 744 x 400 pixels.
• You can find great, free stock photos on sites like Unsplash, Pexels, or Canva.

Step 5: Write and Format Your Article

Now it’s time to add your content. You can write directly in the editor or paste your text from another program like Google Docs or Word. LinkedIn’s editor offers a suite of formatting options to make your article easy to read.

Highlight any part of your text to bring up the formatting toolbar. You can:

• Use H1 and H2 for your headings and subheadings.
• Bold, italicize, or underline text for emphasis.
• Create numbered and bulleted lists.
• Add blockquotes for highlighting quotes or key takeaways.
• Insert hyperlinks to external sites.

To add media like images, videos, or slides, click the little square icon that appears to the left of a new line. This allows you to embed rich media directly into the body of your article, which can break up text and make your arguments more engaging.

Step 6: Prepare to Publish

Once you're happy with your article, click the green "Next" button in the top right corner. This won't publish it immediately. Instead, it will bring up a preview pop-up where you can prepare the post that will be used to announce your article.

Step 7: Announce Your Article with a Great Post

This is a critical step many people overlook. When you publish an article, LinkedIn automatically creates a post in your feed to share it. The text you write in this pop-up is the caption for that post.

Don’t just write "Here’s my new article." Instead, create a teaser. Pull out a compelling quote, ask a provocative question related to your article, or summarize the main takeaway to entice people to click through and read the full piece.

Step 8: Add Relevant Hashtags

In the same pop-up, you can add hashtags to your introductory post. Use 3-5 relevant hashtags to help people discover your article. Choose a mix of broad industry tags (#marketing, #leadership) and more niche tags (#contentstrategy, #personalbranding).

Step 9: Click "Publish"

When you're ready, hit the "Publish" button. Congratulations! Your article is now live on LinkedIn. It will be shared with your network via the post you just crafted and will now have a permanent home on your profile.

Best Practices for Writing LinkedIn Articles People Actually Read

Knowing how to publish is just the first step. Here’s what it takes to write articles that resonate with a professional audience and build your brand.

Know and Write for Your Audience

Before you type a single word, ask yourself: Who am I trying to reach? What are their pain points? What do they care about? Your content should be tailored to provide value to that specific audience, whether they're junior designers, C-level executives, or small business owners.

Make It Easily Scannable

Few people on the internet read articles word-for-word. They scan. Make your article easy to digest by using:

• Short paragraphs: No more than 3-4 sentences each.
• Clear Headings & Subheadings: Guide readers through your main points.
• Bulleted Lists: Perfect for breaking down tips or steps (like this one!).
• Bold Text: Use it sparingly to draw attention to key phrases.

Include a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)

What do you want the reader to do after finishing your article? Don't leave them hanging. End with a clear, direct call-to-action. You could ask them to:

• "What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below."
• "If you found this helpful, give it a like or share it with your network."
• "For more insights on [topic], follow me here on LinkedIn."

Promote It Beyond the Initial Post

Don't just rely on the initial share. Your article is an asset. Over the next few days and weeks:

• Share it in relevant LinkedIn Groups.
• Grab quotes from the article and turn them into standalone posts, linking back to the full piece.
• If someone asks a question in your feed, and your article answers it, link them to it in a comment!

Engage with Every Comment

When people take the time to comment on your article, respond to them. This engagement tells the LinkedIn algorithm that your content is valuable, which can boost its visibility. It also builds community and shows that you’re an active, approachable expert in your field.

Final Thoughts

Publishing articles on LinkedIn is one of the most effective organic strategies for building professional authority and sharing your unique knowledge with the world. By moving beyond simple posts and embracing long-form content, you create lasting assets that showcase your expertise and start meaningful conversations.

After you publish a great article on LinkedIn, the next step is making sure people see it, which means promoting it with follow-up posts and engaging with the comments. Since we are managing content across multiple platforms, we built Postbase to make this easier. Our visual calendar lets us schedule promotional posts not just for LinkedIn but for all our channels from one place, ensuring our new content gets the attention it deserves without us having to hustle across different apps.