How to Do Bullets on LinkedIn

Tired of your LinkedIn content blurring into a giant wall of text? Using bullet points is the simplest way to make your posts and profile stand out, improve readability, and get your message across quickly. This guide will walk you through exactly how to add bullets on LinkedIn and, more importantly, how to use them effectively to highlight your skills, achievements, and ideas.

Why Bother with Bullets on LinkedIn? (The Scannability Factor)

LinkedIn is a fast-moving platform. Professionals scroll through their feeds quickly, scanning for information that's immediately relevant and easy to digest. Large blocks of text are a major roadblock. They feel like a chore to read, causing most people to simply scroll past.

Bullet points solve this problem. They create visual space, break up lengthy paragraphs, and signal to the reader exactly what to pay attention to. Think about it:

• They Grab Attention: Each bullet acts as a mini-headline, drawing the eye down the page.
• They Boost Readability: Information presented in a list is far easier to understand and remember than when it's buried in a paragraph.
• They Highlight Key Information: Bullets allow you to emphasize your most important accomplishments, skills, or takeaways without them getting lost.
• They Look Professional: A well-formatted list looks clean, organized, and intentional, which reflects well on your personal brand.

In short, using bullets transforms your content from intimidating to inviting. It's a small formatting change that has a huge impact on how your audience engages with what you have to say.

How to Add Bullet Points on LinkedIn: Two Simple Methods

LinkedIn's editor doesn't have a built-in button for creating bullet points, but getting them into your profile or posts is incredibly easy. Here are the two most common and reliable methods.

Method 1: The Quick Copy and Paste (Recommended)

This is the most straightforward and consistent method, guaranteeing your bullets will look the same across all devices (desktop, mobile, etc.). Simply find the bullet style you like below, highlight it, copy it (Ctrl+C or Cmd+C), and paste it (Ctrl+V or Cmd+V) right into the LinkedIn text editor.

Copy these common bullet point symbols:

• Standard Round Bullet: •
• Open Circle Bullet: ○
• Arrow Bullet: ➤
• Check Mark: ✓
• Diamond Bullet: ◆
• Hyphen/Dash: -
• Asterisk: *

You can create your list in a simple text editor first, then copy and paste the entire formatted list into LinkedIn. This is also a great way to use emojis as unique bullet points if that fits your brand's voice.

Method 2: Using Your Keyboard (Alt Codes and Mac Shortcuts)

If you're a fan of keyboard shortcuts, you can generate the standard bullet point without leaving your keyboard. This is a bit faster but requires a little memorization.

For Windows Users:

To create the standard solid bullet (•), you need a keyboard with a number pad. Hold down the Alt key while typing one of the following codes on the "numpad."

• Hold Alt + type 7 = •
• Hold Alt + type 9 = ○

Note: This will not work with the number keys along the top of your keyboard, you must use the numeric keypad on the side.

For Mac Users:

Creating bullets on a Mac is much simpler and doesn't require a separate number pad.

• Hold Option + type 8 = •

While this method is handy for a quick bullet, the copy-and-paste method offers more variety and ensures universal consistency.

Where to Use Bullet Points on Your Profile for Maximum Impact

Knowing how to make bullets is just the first step. Knowing where to place them is what makes your profile come alive.

In Your "About" (Summary) Section

Your "About" section is your professional elevator pitch. Many people make the mistake of writing a dense, multi-paragraph essay here. Instead, use bullets to create a skimmable overview of who you are and what you do. Consider creating lists for things like:

• Your Specialties: e.g., "My areas of expertise include: • SEO Content Strategy • Social Media Marketing • Brand Voice Development"
• Who You Help: e.g., "I partner with: • B2B SaaS Startups • E-commerce Brands • Individual Thought Leaders"
• What You Offer: e.g., "Services offered: • Content Marketing Audits • Blog Management • LinkedIn Ghostwriting"

This formatting allows a recruiter or potential client to understand your value in five seconds or less.

In Your Experience Section

This is arguably the most important place to use bullet points on your LinkedIn profile. Don't just list your job duties in a paragraph. Transform them into a showcase of your accomplishments.

Every role in your experience section should have between three and five bullet points that highlight your specific achievements. This changes the narrative from "Here's what I was supposed to do" to "Here's the impact I made."

Let's look at an example.

Before bullet points (as a paragraph):
"In my role as Social Media Manager, I was responsible for content creation schedule across all platforms, community management, and running our paid advertising campaigns. I also worked on improving our follower growth and engagement metrics and reported on campaign performance to leadership."

After using effective bullet points:
"As Social Media Manager, I delivered measurable results across key growth areas:"

• Grew our organic social media following by 45% in one year by implementing a content pillar strategy focused on short-form video.
• Managed a $50k quarterly ad budget, generating over 500 MQLs with an average CPA of $95, a 15% improvement over the previous year.
• Increased average post engagement by 200% by revamping community management protocols and launching a user-generated content initiative.
• Developed and executed a multi-platform launch campaign for our new flagship product, resulting in a 30% increase in website traffic from social channels.

The difference is night and day. The "after" version is powerful, concise, and focused on quantifiable results.

Using Bullets in Your LinkedIn Posts, Articles, and Comments

Bullet points are not just for your profile, they are a superpower for your content strategy.

Creating Engaging LinkedIn Posts with Lists

On the feed, scannability is everything. Use bullet points or numbered lists to structure your posts. This is an extremely common and effective format for sharing tips, takeaways from an event, or a summary of an article.

For example:

"I just finished reading 'Atomic Habits' for the third time. It never gets old. Here are 3 simple ideas from the book you can apply this week to build a better system:

✓ Habit Stacking: Pair a new habit with one you already do. (e.g., After I pour my morning coffee, I will meditate for one minute.)

✓ The Two-Minute Rule: Downscale your habits until they can be done in two minutes. (e.g., "Read before bed" becomes "Read one page.")

✓ Environment Design: Make good habits obvious and bad habits invisible. (e.g., Leave your gym clothes out the night before.)

What's one small habit you are working on?"

This format is clear, valuable, and prompts engagement. The symbols or emojis add a bit of personality, too.

Structuring LinkedIn Articles for Readability

When writing a long-form article on LinkedIn, using bullets is non-negotiable. They are perfect for:

• Outlining the key takeaways at the beginning.
• Summarizing main points within a section.
• Listing steps in a process or tutorial.
• Breaking down data points or statistical findings.

Treat every article as something to be scanned first and read second. Bullets, subheadings, and bold text are your best friends in guiding the reader's eye.

Best Practices for Writing Killer Bullet Points

Now that you know the how, where, and why, let's cover the final piece: a few simple rules for writing truly effective bullet points.

• Keep it Symmetrical: This is also known as parallel structure. If you start one bullet with a verb, start them all with a verb. If one is a noun phrase, keep them all that way. This consistency is both grammatically correct and satisfying to read. For example, "Managed," "Developed," and "Increased" all follow the same verb-based pattern.
• Lead with an Action Verb: Start your profile experience bullets with a strong verb that tells a story. Instead of "Responsible for...," use words like "Orchestrated," "Accelerated," "Negotiated," "Launched," or "Optimized."
• Quantify Everything You Can: Numbers attract the eye and demonstrate concrete impact. Instead of "Improved website traffic," say "Grew organic website traffic by 30% in 6 months." Add numbers, dollars, and percentages wherever possible.
• Don't Go Overboard: A post that is nothing but a huge list of bullets can be just as ineffective as a wall of text. Aim for lists of 3-7 items. For longer lists, consider grouping them under subheadings. Choose the format - paragraph or list - that best serves the information.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to add bullet points to your LinkedIn presence is a simple technical skill, but using them strategically is a communication power-up. They help you concisely showcase your achievements, share your expertise in a digestible way, and command attention in a crowded feed.

Organizing all of this in advance can be a huge time-saver. By preparing content in a planner built for visual layouts, we can format our posts with lists and bullets ahead of time and see what our monthly content looks like at a glance. We built Postbase with a visual calendar that allows our team to stage and schedule weeks of perfectly formatted posts in advance, so we can focus on the work itself rather than last-minute formatting.