How to Add a Link to Text in a LinkedIn Post

Trying to make specific text in a LinkedIn post clickable, just like you would on your website or in an email, can feel surprisingly complicated. It seems like a simple feature, but it's one of the most common points of confusion for marketers and professionals using the platform. This guide will walk you through exactly how linking on LinkedIn works, clarify what you can and can't do, and provide the best strategies for effectively sharing links in your posts to drive traffic and engagement.

The Big Question: Can You Really Hyperlink Text in a LinkedIn Post?

Let's get this out of the way first: No, you cannot directly hyperlink a specific piece of text within the body of a standard LinkedIn post. Unlike a blog editor or an email client, LinkedIn’s post creator doesn’t support the HTML <,a href="">, tag that creates custom anchor text links. You can't highlight a phrase like "read my latest article" and embed a URL into those words.

Pasting a raw URL into your post will make the URL itself clickable, and LinkedIn will often generate a link preview below it, but you lose the clean, professional look of hyperlinked text. So, if you've been searching for a hidden menu or keyboard shortcut to accomplish this, you can stop - it simply doesn't exist as a native feature for regular posts.

But that doesn't mean you're out of options. While you can't embed a link into specific words, there are several powerful and effective strategies to share links on LinkedIn that drive clicks and maintain a high-quality feel for your content.

Why LinkedIn Restricts Direct Text Hyperlinks

Like all social media platforms, LinkedIn's primary goal is to keep users on its site for as long as possible. When you post a link that takes someone off the platform, you're working against that goal. The algorithm generally prioritizes content that fosters engagement within LinkedIn itself - comments, shares, and posts that don't immediately send users away.

By making it slightly less seamless to embed external links, LinkedIn subtly encourages creators to produce native content like text posts, videos, articles, and documents that keep the conversation on the platform. Understanding this simple incentive helps explain why many popular workarounds and strategies have emerged.

Effective Strategies for Sharing Links in Your LinkedIn Posts

So, how do you get your audience from your post to your website, blog, or landing page? Here are the four best methods used by top creators and brands, from the simple and direct to the more creative.

Strategy 1: The Classic Link in the Post Body

This is the most straightforward method. You simply paste the URL directly into the text of your post. While it's not as elegant as hyperlinked text, it’s clear, direct, and universally understood by users.

How to do it effectively:

• Place it strategically. Many creators place the link at the very end of their post, after providing several lines of valuable text. This hooks the reader with the content first before presenting them with an action to take.
• Use a clean URL. Long URLs with lots of tracking parameters look messy. Use a URL shortener like Bitly to create a clean, short, and even branded link. This also gives you the added benefit of tracking click-through rates.
• Let the preview generate, then remove it (sometimes). When you paste a link, LinkedIn automatically generates a preview box with a featured image and headline. This can be great for visual appeal. However, some believe that posts without link previews get more organic reach. You can test this by clicking the 'X' on the preview box before you post.

Example:

“Building a brand on social media feels impossible when you’re fighting clunky tools. We spent years dealing with unreliable schedulers and confusing dashboards, so we finally built our own solution.

👉 Read the full story behind why we started our company and the future of social media management below!

your.link/our-story”

Strategy 2: The "Link in the First Comment" Method

This is an extremely popular strategy designed to "trick" the algorithm. The theory is that the LinkedIn algorithm initially promotes posts without external links more heavily. By putting the link in the first comment instead of the post body, you give your content a better chance of gaining initial traction and reaching a wider audience.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Write your post. Craft engaging content that tells a story, asks a question, or shares valuable insights. End your post with a clear call-to-action (CTA) telling people where to find the link, such as "Link in the first comment!" or "Check the comments for a free download 👇".
2. Publish your post. Post the content without any links in the body.
3. Immediately add your comment. As soon as the post goes live, navigate to it and be the first person to comment. Paste your URL into the comment section.
4. Pin your comment (if available). On some post types, like those on Company Pages, you may be able to "pin" your comment to keep it at the top of the thread. For personal posts, you'll have to rely on it being the first comment.

The effectiveness of this method is debated, with some social media managers swearing by it and others seeing no discernible difference. It's worth testing to see what works best for your audience and content style.

Strategy 3: Using the Dedicated "Add a Link" Button

LinkedIn has a built-in feature specifically for adding a link to a post, which creates a large, clickable preview banner. This is distinct from just pasting a link into the text box and is often the best choice for visually driving clicks to articles or landing pages.

How to use it on Desktop:

1. Click "Start a post."
2. Look for the link icon at the bottom of the post creator window (it often looks like a chain link).
3. A pop-up will appear prompting you to paste your URL.
4. Paste the link and click "Add." Wait a moment for LinkedIn to generate the title and image preview.
5. You can add your post text in the main text area above the preview banner and click "Post."

How to use it on the Mobile App:

1. Tap the "+ Post" button.
2. In the post creation screen, tap "Add a link" which appears with a link icon.
3. Paste your URL into the field provided and tap the "Add" button.
4. LinkedIn will generate the preview. Add your commentary in the text field above and post as usual.

This method produces the cleanest and most professional-looking link share. The entire preview banner becomes a massive, unavoidable call to action, which is fantastic for driving traffic to visually compelling content.

Strategy 4: Embedding Clickable Links in a Document Post (The Cleverest Workaround)

This is the closest you can get to true text hyperlinking on LinkedIn. The platform's "Document Post" feature allows you to upload a PDF or PowerPoint slide deck that users can scroll through directly in their feed. Crucially, any hyperlinks you embedded in that document before uploading it will remain clickable.

This method transforms your post into an interactive carousel, which is highly favored by the algorithm for its ability to keep users engaged on the platform.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Create your document. Use a tool like Google Docs, Microsoft Word, Canva, or PowerPoint. You can create a multi-page PDF guide, an attractive slide presentation, or even just a simple one-page document.
2. Add your hyperlinks. Within your creation tool, hyperlink key text just like you normally would. For example, in a slide about your "5 Top Marketing Tips," you could hyperlink the phrase "Download the full guide here."
3. Save it as a PDF. This is the key step. Export or save your final document as a PDF file.
4. Upload to LinkedIn. Start a new post on LinkedIn, and instead of typing in the main box, click the option to "Add a document" (it usually looks like a piece of paper icon).
5. Select your PDF. Upload the file you just created.
6. Add a title and description. Give your document an engaging title and write your post text to introduce the content and encourage people to click through the slides.

This strategy not only lets you include beautifully formatted hyperlinks but also gives you a highly engaging content format that stands out in the feed.

Best Practices for Nailing Your LinkedIn Link Strategy

Regardless of the method you choose, a few universal principles will help you get more clicks and drive better results.

• Always Have a Strong Call-to-Action (CTA). Never assume people know what you want them to do. Use clear, direct language like "Click the link to register now," "Read the full case study here," or "Get your free template."
• Engage With Comments. When someone comments on your post, respond as quickly as possible. This boosts the post's visibility in the algorithm and keeps it in your audience's feed for longer, giving more people a chance to see and click your link.
• Give Your Audience a Reason to Click. What value is waiting for them on the other side of that link? Tease the content to build curiosity. Instead of "Check out our new blog post," try "Our latest blog post breaks down the three mistakes 90% of startups make in their first year. Which one are you making? Find out here."
• Track Your Results. Use Bitly links or UTM parameters to track which posts are driving the most traffic. Paying attention to your analytics will help you understand what kind of content and what types of CTAs resonate most with your audience, allowing you to refine your strategy over time.

Final Thoughts

While you can't embed a clickable link directly into text in a standard LinkedIn post, you have several powerful strategies to effectively share URLs. You can paste a link directly, use the "link in comment" method, leverage the dedicated "Add a link" button for a clean preview, or upload an interactive document with clickable text. The best approach depends on your specific goal and the content you're sharing.

Trying to manage all these different strategies across multiple clients or platforms can become its own full-time job. That's why we built Postbase to make content planning simple and visual. With our content calendar, you can plan and schedule weeks of content at a glance, assign the right links to the right posts, and see a clear overview of your entire LinkedIn strategy, all in one place - without getting lost in spreadsheets or clunky interfaces.