How to Post a Press Release on LinkedIn

Dumping a link to your press release in a LinkedIn post and calling it a day is a missed opportunity. To truly capture the attention of journalists, investors, and potential customers on the world's largest professional network, you need to treat your announcement like the valuable content it is. This guide will walk you through several effective methods for publishing your press release on LinkedIn, transforming it from a static document into an engaging conversation starter.

Why Your Press Release Belongs on LinkedIn

Before we get into the "how," let's quickly touch on the "why." Traditional press release distribution services are great for hitting wires, but they lack something critical: a built-in, highly-targeted audience. LinkedIn gives you direct access to a network of professionals actively looking for industry news and company updates. Posting here isn't just about sharing news, it's about starting conversations with the people who matter most to your brand.

By leveraging LinkedIn's native features, you can:

• Reach a targeted professional audience: Your connections, followers, and industry peers see your news directly in their feeds.
• Increase visibility and engagement: Well-crafted LinkedIn content gets more shares, comments, and reactions than a sterile link to a PDF.
• Boost your company's credibility: Publishing thought leadership and major announcements directly on the platform positions your company as an active and authoritative voice in its space.
• Drive traffic to your website: You can strategically direct interested readers to a dedicated newsroom, product page, or blog for more detail.

Method 1: Post as a LinkedIn Article (The Professional Standard)

If you want your press release to have a permanent, professional home on LinkedIn, the Article feature is your best option. It functions like a blog post, living on your profile or company page, and it is even discoverable through search engines like Google. This method gives you the space to publish the full text of your press release with rich formatting.

Step-by-Step Guide to Publishing a LinkedIn Article:

1. Start a post: From your LinkedIn homepage, click the "Write article" button below the standard "Start a post" box. This will open LinkedIn's publishing tool.
2. Craft a Killer Headline: Don't just copy-paste the press release headline. Make it compelling for a social media audience. For example, instead of "ABC Corp Launches Innovative Widget XYZ," try "ABC Corp's New Widget is Set to Change How The Industry Works."
3. Add a Header Image: An eye-catching, high-quality image is essential. This could be a product shot, a photo of your team, or a branded graphic that visualizes the news. The ideal size is 1920x1080 pixels.
4. Paste and Format Your Content: Copy the body of your press release into the article editor. Now, break up those dense paragraphs. No one wants to read a wall of text. Use LinkedIn's formatting tools to make it scannable:
   • Use the H1/H2 headings for sub-sections.
   • Bold key phrases and data points.
   • Use the blockquote feature for powerful quotes from your CEO or key stakeholders. This makes them stand out.
   • Incorporate bullet points to list features, benefits, or key takeaways.
5. Embed Multimedia: Articles allow you to embed images, videos, and slides directly within the text. If your press release is about a new product, embed the product demo video right in the middle of the article to add context and increase engagement.
6. End with Contact Info: Just like a traditional press release, include your media contact information or a link to your company’s press kit at the bottom.
7. Hit "Publish": Once you publish, you’ll be prompted to write a short introductory post to share your new article with your network. Use this space to add context, ask a question, and include relevant hashtags.

The biggest benefit here is longevity and professionalism. The article becomes a piece of searchable, shareable content that establishes your authority on the platform.

Method 2: Create a Carousel Post (To Maximize Engagement)

People love to swipe. The Document Post (or carousel) feature is one of the most engaging formats on LinkedIn because it encourages this interactive behavior. Instead of posting your press release as a single block of text, you can break it down into a visually appealing, multi-page PDF or slide deck.

How to Turn Your Press Release into a Carousel:

1. Summarize the Key Points: You can't fit the whole press release on slides. Instead, distill it into its most critical components:
   • Slide 1: The Bombshell Headline. Use a big, bold font and a compelling image.
   • Slide 2: The "What." In one or two sentences, explain what the announcement is.
   • Slide 3: The "Why It Matters." Explain the impact on the industry or your customers.
   • Slide 4: The Big Quote. Grab the most powerful quote from your CEO or a client.
   • Slide 5: The Key Data Point. Is there a statistic or figure that grabs attention? Put it on its own slide.
   • Slide 6: The Call to Action. Tell people where to go to learn more, with a clear URL (e.g., "Read the full announcement at yoursite.com/news").
2. Design Your Slides: Use a tool like Canva or PowerPoint to create a simple, clean slide for each point. Keep text minimal and use your brand's fonts and colors for a cohesive look. Export the final document as a PDF.
3. Upload to LinkedIn:
   • Click "Start a post" on your LinkedIn feed.
   • Click the document icon (it looks like a piece of paper) and select "Choose file."
   • Upload your PDF. LinkedIn will convert it into a swipeable carousel.
   • Write an engaging introductory sentence or two in the post text to entice people to click through the slides.

This method works because it transforms a text-heavy announcement into a snackable, visual story, which often results in higher engagement and longer dwell time on your post.

Method 3: The Optimized Text & Image Post (For Driving Traffic)

Sometimes, your main goal is to drive your LinkedIn audience to a specific destination, like the official press release on your company's blog or a major news outlet that covered your story. In this case, a standard post with a link is fine - as long as you optimize it correctly.

Anatomy of an Effective Announcement Post:

• A Strong Opening Line: The first two sentences are all that people see before clicking "see more." Don't waste them. Start with the most impactful part of your announcement. Ask a question or use an emoji to grab attention.
• A Compelling Summary: Briefly explain the news in the body of the post. Use clear, concise language and break it up with paragraph breaks for easy reading on mobile.
• A Custom Visual: Never rely on the default link preview thumbnail. They are often low-resolution and cropped oddly. Instead, create and upload a dedicated, high-quality image or short video clip related to the announcement. Visuals dramatically boost performance.
• Strategic Hashtags: Use a mix of broad and specific hashtags. Include your company name (#CompanyName), the topic (#ProductLaunch, #CompanyNews), your industry (#SaaS, #MarketingTech), and a broader news tag (#PressRelease). Aim for 3-5 well-researched tags.
• Tag Relevant People & Companies: Is your announcement a partnership? Tag the partner company (@CompanyName) and their CEO. Did you quote an industry expert? Tag them (@ExpertName). This notifies them and pulls their networks into the conversation. Just be sure the tags are relevant and not spammy.
• A Clear Call to Action (CTA): Don't just paste the link. Frame it with a CTA. For example: "Get all the details in our official announcement here: [Your Link]" or "See what [Journalist Name] at [Publication] had to say about it: [Link to article]."

Amplify Your Reach: A Post-Publication Checklist

Posting the press release is only the first step. The real magic happens in what you do next to amplify it.

Leverage Your Team

The most powerful distribution network you have is your own team. After posting the announcement on your Company Page, share the link internally and encourage employees to share it from their personal profiles. Ask them to add their own perspective or commentary, like "I'm so proud of the team for launching this..." This humanizes the announcement and dramatically expands its organic reach.

Engage with Comments

Monitor the post for comments and questions. Respond to every single one promptly. Engagement signals to the LinkedIn algorithm that your content is valuable, causing it to show your post to more people. This is your chance to interact with journalists, potential customers, and partners directly.

Share in Relevant Groups

Are you a member of any LinkedIn Groups related to your industry? You can share your post there, but with one important rule: add value, don't just spam. Don't just drop the link. Frame it in a way that is relevant to the group's members. For example: "I thought this group would be interested in our latest data on X, which we released today. Happy to answer any questions about our findings." Always check group rules about promotion before posting.

Final Thoughts

Turning a press release into effective LinkedIn content is about shifting your mindset from broadcasting to publishing. By choosing the right format - whether a detailed Article, an engaging carousel, or an optimized post - and actively promoting it after you hit 'publish', you can capture the attention your big announcement deserves.

I know how much effort goes into coordinating these big announcements. We've wrestled with calendars and scheduling tools for years, which is why we built Postbase with a clean, visual-first calendar. It allows us to plan major releases and campaigns weeks in advance, see exactly where they fit alongside everyday content for different platforms like LinkedIn, and schedule everything to go live at the perfect moment without any stress.