How to Add Attachments in a LinkedIn Post

Adding an attachment to your LinkedIn post is one of the easiest ways to stop the scroll and turn a simple text update into a dynamic, engaging piece of content. Beyond just getting more eyes on your words, knowing how to properly use attachments like images, videos, and documents can transform your profile into an authority hub for your industry. This guide provides a complete walkthrough of how to add any type of attachment on LinkedIn, packed with actionable tips to make sure your content doesn't just get seen, but gets remembered.

Why Bother with Attachments on LinkedIn?

Before we jump into the "how," let's quickly cover the "why." In a feed cluttered with text-only updates, attachments function as visual signposts that demand attention. But their benefits go much deeper than just grabbing eyeballs.

• Increased Visibility: The LinkedIn algorithm tends to favor content that keeps users on the platform longer. Rich media like native videos and multi-page document carousels do exactly that, often leading to better organic reach than posts that link out to external websites.
• Deeper Value and Storytelling: You can only say so much in a caption. An attachment allows you to share a multi-page guide, a detailed case study, a personal portfolio, or a behind-the-scenes video. It’s your opportunity to provide real, tangible value that builds trust and demonstrates expertise.
• Enhanced Engagement: Interactive formats like document carousels and videos invite your audience to actively participate rather than passively consume. Asking them to "swipe to see the results" or "watch until the end for a surprise" creates a more involved experience, leading to more likes, comments, and shares.
• Brand Building: Consistent visual branding across your attachments - using your brand colors, fonts, and logo in image templates and document slides - reinforces your professional identity and makes your content instantly recognizable.

In short, attachments are not just an add-on, they are a core feature for creating high-impact content on LinkedIn. Now, let's get into how to use them effectively.

How to Add Image Attachments

Images are the most common type of attachment, perfect for sharing event photos, infographics, team highlights, or concept mockups. LinkedIn allows you to share a single image or create a stylish-looking carousel with multiple images.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. On your LinkedIn homepage, click the Start a post text box at the top.
2. In the pop-up window, locate the icons at the bottom and click on the Add media icon (it looks like a small landscape picture).
3. Your file explorer will open. Select the image or images you want to upload. To select multiple images, hold down Ctrl (on Windows) or Command (on Mac) while clicking on the files.
4. Once your images are loaded into the post composer, you have a few editing options. You can tag people, crop the image, adjust brightness/contrast, or add alt-text by clicking on the Alternative text option. (We cannot recommend this enough!)
5. After making your edits, write a compelling caption in the text box. Ask a question, provide context for the photos, and include relevant hashtags.
6. Click the Post button to publish it to your feed.

Pro Tips for Image Posts

• Create Image Carousels: If you upload 2-9 images, LinkedIn automatically arranges them into a clickable collage or carousel. This is a fantastic way to tell a story or break down a complex topic into digestible visual steps. Think of it like a mini-presentation.
• Prioritize Accessibility with Alt Text: Always add descriptive alt text to your images. This text is read aloud by screen readers for visually impaired users, helps search engines understand your image content, and displays if an image fails to load. Be concise but descriptive. For example, instead of "chart," write "Bar chart showing a 25% increase in Q3 customer engagement."
• Keep it High-Quality: Use high-resolution images that are clean and sharp. Grainy, blurry, or pixelated photos look unprofessional and will cause people to scroll right past.

How to Add a Video Attachment

Native video (video uploaded directly to LinkedIn) consistently outperforms links to external video platforms like YouTube or Vimeo. It autoplays in the feed, capturing attention immediately, and the algorithm gives it preferential treatment.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. From the LinkedIn homepage, click on Start a post.
2. At the bottom of the composer, click the Add media icon and then select the video file from your computer.
3. LinkedIn will begin processing your video. While it's uploading, you’ll see options to select a thumbnail and upload a caption file.
4. Choose a Thumbnail: LinkedIn will auto-select a frame, but you can also upload a custom thumbnail. A great thumbnail with a title or an engaging image can dramatically increase views.
5. Upload Captions: Click Select file under Video captions to upload an SRT (SubRip Subtitle) file. This is incredibly important, as up to 85% of social media videos are watched with the sound off. Captions make your content accessible and ensure your message lands.
6. Write your caption text, include 3-5 relevant hashtags, and tag anyone mentioned.
7. Click Post to share.

Pro Tips for Video Posts

• Hook Them in 3 Seconds: The first few seconds are critical. Start with a bold statement, a captivating visual, a question, or a surprising statistic to prevent people from scrolling away.
• Think Square or Vertical: While landscape video works, square (1:1 aspect ratio) and vertical (4:5 or 9:16 aspect ratio) videos take up more screen real estate on mobile devices, making them more immersive and effective.
• Keep it Short and Sweet: LinkedIn allows videos up to 10 minutes long, but the sweet spot for engagement is typically between 30 and 90 seconds. Get straight to the point and deliver immense value from your expertise quickly.

How to Add a Document Attachment (the PDF Carousel)

Document sharing is perhaps the most underrated and powerful feature on LinkedIn today. When you upload a PDF, PowerPoint, or Word document, LinkedIn transforms it into an elegant in-feed carousel that users can click through slide-by-slide - without ever leaving the platform.

This is the perfect format for sharing presentations, case studies, checklists, reports, excerpts from an eBook, or tactical guides.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Click Start a post at the top of your LinkedIn feed.
2. In the compose window, click the three-dot More icon and then choose Add a document (at the time of publication, this option is now located here instead of next to the primary media icons).
3. Select a PDF, DOC, DOCX, PPT, or PPTX file from your computer to upload.
4. In the next screen, you’ll see a preview of your document. At the top, there is a field to add a descriptive title for your document. This is important! The title you write here will be displayed above the carousel in the feed. Make it informative and compelling, like "5 Steps to Improving Your LinkedIn Profile" instead of "New Document."
5. Once you've added your title, click the Done button in the lower right.
6. Now you’re back in the post composer. Write an engaging caption that teases the content inside the document and encourages people to flick all the way through your content. You can write an open-ended question that they will understand after reading your content, and want to come back to your comment section and chat with you about it afterwards.
7. Click Post to share.

Pro Tips for Document Posts

• Treat the First Page Like a Title Slide: Your document’s cover page is all most people will see, so make it pop. Use a bold title, a vibrant background color, compelling imagery, and your branding. It needs to be enticing enough to earn that first click.
• Use a Landscape or Square Format: Design your document pages in a landscape (16:9) or square (1:1) format. Vertical documents are often shrunk down and difficult to read in the LinkedIn viewer.
• Embrace Visuals Over Text: Keep text to a minimum on each page. Use large, readable fonts, bullet points, icons, charts, and images to convey your ideas. Think of it less as a document and more as a presentation slideshow.
• End With a Call-to-Action (CTA): The very last slide is your prime real estate. Use it to ask a question, prompt people to share their thoughts in the comments, or direct them to contact you via DM for a free download or more information on your services. "What was your biggest takeaway? Let me know below!" works wonders.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to add attachments to your LinkedIn posts elevates your content from a simple status update to a valuable resource. Whether you're sharing an insightful infographic, a behind-the-scenes video, or an expert guide crafted as a PDF carousel, using attachments is a simple but incredibly potent way to build authority, share your unique knowledge, and create more meaningful connections with your professional network.

As you begin creating more of this dynamic content - document carousels for LinkedIn, short-form videos for other platforms - keeping it all organized can feel a little chaotic. For that, we built Postbase with today's content formats at its core. Our visual calendar lets you plan and see exactly where all your posts - from LinkedIn documents to Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts - fit into your strategy. It’s a modern way to see everything in one place, schedule it flawlessly, and ultimately, manage social media without a headache.