How to Link a Website on a LinkedIn Post

Sharing a link on your LinkedIn post is one of the most direct ways to turn your professional network into website traffic, leads, and customers. Making sure that link gets clicks, however, requires more than just a copy-paste. This guide will walk you through exactly how to add a link to a LinkedIn post, the different strategies you can use, and the best practices to get the most engagement and traffic from every link you share.

Why Sharing Links on LinkedIn Is a Game-Changer

LinkedIn isn't just a platform for job searching, it's a powerful content distribution engine. When a professional on LinkedIn shares a link, it's a personal endorsement. You're not just posting a URL, you're staking your reputation on the quality of the content behind it. Doing this effectively does three key things for your personal brand or business:

• Generates Leads and Conversions: Every link is an opportunity. It could lead to a free resource download, a webinar registration, a consultation booking, or a product page. By strategically sharing links with clear calls-to-action, you create a direct pipeline from LinkedIn to your business goals.
• Establishes Authority and Credibility: Consistently sharing valuable, insightful content from your own website positions you as an expert in your field. It shows that you’re not just a passive participant in your industry but an active contributor creating value for your network.
• Drives Targeted Traffic: The audience on LinkedIn is professionally-minded. When you share a link to a blog post, case study, or company update, you're sending highly relevant traffic directly to your website - people who are already interested in your industry and expertise.

How to Post a Website Link on LinkedIn: Your Step-by-Step Guide

There are a few different ways to share a link on LinkedIn, and the best method often depends on your specific goal. Let’s break down the most common approaches, from the most straightforward to more strategic alternatives.

The Standard Method: Pasting a Link to Generate a Preview

This is the simplest and most common way to share a link. LinkedIn automatically creates a clickable preview card that pulls in an image, a title, and a short description from the website.

How to do it:

1. Navigate to the LinkedIn homepage and click “Start a post.”
2. In the text box, write some introductory text to give context to your link. This is your "hook" to get people interested.
3. Paste the URL of the website you want to share directly into the text box.
4. Wait a moment for LinkedIn to generate the link preview. It will appear below your text.
5. Once the preview appears, you can actually delete the URL from your post text for a cleaner look. The clickable preview card will remain.
6. Add your finishing touches, like relevant hashtags and tagging any individuals or companies, then click “Post.”

When to use this method: This is a great all-around choice, especially when your goal is purely to drive traffic. The large, clickable image and clear headline are designed to get clicks.

The Image Post Method: A Visually-Driven Approach

LinkedIn’s algorithm often favors visually engaging content, sometimes giving more reach to posts with native images or carousels than to simple link posts. This strategy leverages that preference.

How to do it:

1. Start a new post, but instead of pasting a link, click the image icon to upload a high-quality, attention-grabbing picture, infographic, or even a PDF document as a carousel.
2. Write your companion text for the post. Explain what the image is about and what value readers will get by following your call-to-action.
3. Place the full URL you want to share directly within the description text of your post. Make sure it's a clean, full link (e.g., https://www.yourwebsite.com/blog-post).
4. Add hashtags and tags, and then publish.

When to use this method: Use this when you have a very strong visual (like an infographic, chart, or powerful photo) that can tell a story on its own. It's excellent for posts aimed at maximizing engagement (likes, comments, reposts) while still providing a path to your website for the most interested readers.

The "Link in the First Comment" Approach: A Once-Popular Tactic to Avoid

You’ve likely seen posts that say "Link in comments!" This was a popular tactic based on the theory that LinkedIn's algorithm penalized posts with external links because they take users off the platform. By putting the link in the comments, creators hoped to "trick" the algorithm into giving their post more reach first.

Why You Should Reconsider This Strategy Today

• It Creates a Poor User Experience (UX): You’re making your audience do extra work. Instead of a simple click, they have to stop, find the comment section, and then find your specific comment, which can significantly decrease your click-through rate.
• The Algorithm Has Evolved: LinkedIn knows what people are doing. Many social media experts and LinkedIn itself have indicated that this "game" no longer provides any significant advantage and may even be seen as a spammy tactic by the platform and its users.
• It Looks Self-Serving: It can make your post seem more about "gaming" the algorithm rather than providing value to your network.

Transparency and ease of use almost always win out in the end.

Best Practices for Sharing Links for Maximum Engagement

Now you know the methods. But sharing a great link is more than just a copy-and-paste job. To make your link posts truly effective, follow these best practices to ensure they are seen, clicked, and valued.

• Always Add Context: Never just drop a link. In your post text, explain what the link is, who it's for, and why your network should care enough to click. Ask a question, share a compelling statistic, or state a bold opinion related to the content.
• Write a Strong Hook: The first line of your post is the most important. It needs to grab attention and stop the scroll. Make it intriguing, relatable, or urgent to encourage people to read the rest of your post and click your link.
• Use Custom Visuals When Possible: While LinkedIn's link preview is good, a custom image or a short video can be even better. A visually compelling graphic can make your post stand out far more than the standard link preview card.
• Include a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA): Don't just share what the link contains - tell people what you want them to do next. Use simple, direct CTAs like "Read the full analysis here," "Download the free guide," or "What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below."
• Use Relevant Hashtags: Add three to five relevant hashtags to help people outside your immediate network discover your content. Use a mix of broad industry hashtags (e.g., #marketing) and more niche topics (e.g., #contentstrategy).

Final Thoughts

Success on LinkedIn comes down to providing consistent value, and sharing high-quality links is a cornerstone of that strategy. By moving beyond a simple copy-paste and thinking strategically about your hook, visuals, and call-to-action, you transform every shared link into an opportunity to build authority, drive traffic, and grow your professional presence.

Here at Postbase, we built our platform to make this process seamless. We focus on a simple, modern approach that helps you plan and schedule all of your social media content, including your LinkedIn link posts, from a single visual calendar. Our analytics help you see exactly which posts and strategies are driving clicks and engagement, helping you refine your approach without getting lost in overly complex tools or data.