How to Embed a Link in a LinkedIn Post

Sharing a link on your LinkedIn post seems simple enough, but getting people to actually click on it requires more than just a copy and paste. To drive real traffic and engagement, you need to turn a standard URL into an irresistible resource. This guide will walk you through exactly how to embed links in your LinkedIn posts, optimize them for maximum clicks, and use different strategies to stand out in the feed.

The Essential Method: How to Add a Link with a Rich Preview

This is the most direct way to share a link on LinkedIn, and when done right, it's highly effective. The platform automatically creates a "rich preview" - a clickable visual box with an image, title, and description from the linked page. Here's the step-by-step process.

1. Start a New Post: On your LinkedIn homepage, click "Start a post".
2. Copy Your URL: Go to the article, blog post, or webpage you want to share and copy the full URL from your browser's address bar.
3. Paste the Link: Back in the LinkedIn post editor, paste the URL. Wait a few seconds for LinkedIn to work its magic. A link preview box should appear below your text.
4. Clean Up Your Post: This is a small but important step. Once the preview box has successfully generated, you can - and should - delete the long, clunky URL from your text. The preview box itself is now the clickable element, leaving your post looking a lot cleaner.
5. Write Your Compelling Copy: This is where you sell the click. Craft a caption that provides context, sparks curiosity, or summarizes the main takeaway of the link. We'll cover how to do this well in the best practices section below.
6. Add Hashtags: Include 3-5 relevant hashtags to expand your post’s reach to users following those topics.
7. Click "Post": Your post will now appear in the feed with a clean caption and an engaging, clickable visual preview.

The success of this method hinges on the quality of that visual preview. If the image is blurry, cropped weirdly, or missing altogether, users are far less likely to trust and click your link.

Controlling Your Link Preview: A Pro's Guide to Open Graph Tags

You may have noticed that some link previews on LinkedIn look great, while others look broken or unprofessional. This isn't random. LinkedIn pulls the preview's image, title, and description from the linked page's metadata - specifically, its Open Graph (OG) tags.

In the past, LinkedIn let you quickly customize the image and title right in the post editor. Unfortunately, that feature is no longer available. Now, control happens at the source. If you're sharing a link to your own website or blog, you have the power to define exactly how it appears.

What are Open Graph Tags?

OG tags are snippets of code in the <,head>, section of your webpage's HTML that tell social platforms like LinkedIn how to display a preview of your content. The three most important ones are:

• og:title: The headline that appears in the preview. It should be compelling and concise.
• og:image: The URL for the image you want displayed. LinkedIn recommends images that are 1200x627 pixels for the best results.
• og:description: The short summary that appears under the title. It should give a clear idea of what the content is about.

How to Check and Refresh Your Link Preview

If you've updated your OG tags but LinkedIn is still showing an old, cached version of your preview, you need to give it a nudge. LinkedIn's Post Inspector tool is built for exactly this.

1. Navigate to the LinkedIn Post Inspector.
2. Paste your URL into the field and click "Inspect."
3. The inspector will show you exactly how your link preview will look on LinkedIn and will also list any missing or problematic metadata it finds.

Running a URL through the Post Inspector not only shows you a preview but also forces LinkedIn to clear its cache and fetch the latest version of your page. If you've just updated your blog post's featured image or title, this tool is your best friend.

Smart Alternatives: 3 Other Ways to Share Links on LinkedIn

Posting a direct link isn't the only way to drive traffic. Depending on your goal and content format, these alternative methods can sometimes deliver even better engagement.

1. Share a Link in a Document (The Carousel Post)

Carousel posts, which let users click through the pages of a document without leaving the feed, are incredibly engaging. You can easily leverage this format to promote a blog post or report.

How it works:

• Take the key points from your article and create a simple, visually appealing PDF or presentation (Canva is great for this). Each slide should highlight one main idea.
• In the LinkedIn post editor, click the document icon (“Add a document”).
• Upload your PDF file.
• Give your document a descriptive title.
• Write your post, explaining what readers will learn from the carousel. You can add the direct link to the full article in the post copy for a direct CTA.

Why it's effective: Document posts get people to stop scrolling and start interacting. By giving them valuable content upfront in the carousel, you build trust and make them more likely to click the final link to learn more.

2. Write a LinkedIn Article

Instead of sending users off-platform, you can bring your content directly to LinkedIn through its native article feature. This is ideal for establishing thought leadership and positioning yourself as an expert.

How it works:

• On the LinkedIn homepage, under the "Start a post" box, click "Write article".
• This will open a full-fledged blog editor. You can write your piece, format it with headers, add images, and embed hyperlinks directly into the text just like you would on your own website.
• When you publish, LinkedIn creates an article page and a feed post announcing it to your network.

Why it's effective: LinkedIn's algorithm tends to favor its own native features. Because you're keeping users on the platform, your article post may receive better initial reach. It's also a powerful way to repurpose existing blog content for a new audience.

3. Use the Dreaded "Link in Comments" (With a Modern Twist)

The old-school tactic of saying "link in comments" was based on the theory that LinkedIn's algorithm suppressed posts with external links. While LinkedIn has stated this is largely a myth and user experience suffers when folks have to hunt for the link, there's a refined way to think about this.

Don't just post a great photo with a caption that says "check the comments!" That's lazy and frustrating. Instead, use this method thoughtfully when your goal is to spark a conversation before sending people away.

How it works:

• Craft a post focused entirely on generating conversation. This could be a text-only post telling a story, a poll, or a video asking a question.
• After publishing, be the first one to comment and add your link with a short explanation like, "If you'd like to read more on this topic, here's the full guide..."

Why it can work (sometimes): This strategy prioritizes immediate engagement (likes, comments on your story) over immediate clicks. The initial flurry of interaction without an external link could signal to the algorithm that your post is high-quality, potentially boosting its reach. Use this one sparingly and test it to see if it works for your audience.

Best Practices for Writing Link Posts that People Actually Click

Regardless of which method you choose, the text of your post is what bridges the gap between seeing your content and taking action.

• Give Your Audience a "Why": Don't just announce your new blog post. Tell people what's in it for them. Start with a hook that addresses a pain point, asks a provocative question, or shares a surprising statistic from the article.
• Summarize the Juice: Pull out the single most interesting quote, data point, or takeaway from your content and put it in the post. Give people a taste of the value, and they'll be more likely to click for the full meal.
• Include a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA): Don't leave your audience guessing. Guide them with clear instructions. Phrases like "Read the full breakdown in the link below," "Click here for all three tips," or "What do you think? Drop a comment after you read" work well.
• Tag People and Companies: If your content mentions another person, influencer, or company, tag them in the post. This notifies them of the mention and can significantly expand your reach if they choose to share or engage with it.

Final Thoughts

Mastering how you embed links on LinkedIn is a huge step toward driving meaningful traffic from the platform. It's about shifting from just dropping URLs to thoughtfully framing your content so your audience feels compelled to engage with it, whether through a striking link preview, an interactive document, or an insightful article.

Trying to manage all these different strategies, calendars, and content formats can feel overwhelming, which is why we built Postbase. From a single visual calendar, you can plan and schedule all your content, including your LinkedIn link posts, carousels, and videos. Our goal is to make it easy to see what's working with clean analytics so you can focus less on wrestling with confusing tools and more on creating better content.