How to Post a Video and Photo Together on LinkedIn

Want to combine a sharp, eye-catching photo with an engaging video in a single LinkedIn post? It’s a powerful way to stop the scroll and deliver more value, but you’ve probably noticed there’s no simple button for it. This guide will show you the exact workarounds to successfully post a video and photo together on LinkedIn, creating a professional and interactive experience for your audience.

Why Can't You Natively Post a Photo and Video Together?

First, let's address the elephant in the room. LinkedIn's post creator forces you to choose one media type at a time. When you select "Add a photo," the "Add a video" option becomes unavailable, and vice versa. This is a platform limitation designed to streamline post creation, but it limits creative marketers who want to combine the instant stopping power of an image with the in-depth storytelling of a video. While you can post multiple photos or multiple videos (in some cases), you can't mix and match them directly.

But that doesn't mean it's impossible. With a clever workaround using LinkedIn's document-sharing feature, you can create a seamless, interactive carousel post that contains both your image and your video. Let's break down exactly how to do it.

Method 1: The PDF Carousel Post (The Best and Most Professional Solution)

The most effective method involves converting your assets into a PDF document, which LinkedIn displays as an interactive carousel that users can click or swipe through. This method looks incredibly polished and keeps your audience on your post without sending them to another platform.

Step 1: Get Your Assets Ready

Before you begin, you need two things:

• Your Photo: This will act as the "cover" of your post. It could be the main photo you want to share, a visually appealing title card, or a customized graphic with a headline that teases the video content. This is the first thing people will see, so make it count.
• Your Video: This should be the core content. Make sure it's edited, has subtitles (as many people browse with the sound off), and is saved as a common file type like .MP4.

Step 2: Create a Multi-Page Design in Canva (or a Similar Tool)

Free design tools like Canva are perfect for this. They allow you to easily embed a video into a presentation-style format that you can then export as a PDF.

Here’s the process using Canva:

1. Choose a Template: Log in to Canva and create a new design. A "Presentation (16:9)" or a custom square design (e.g., 1080x1080 pixels) works well for the LinkedIn feed.
2. Design Your First Page (The Photo): Upload the photo you prepared in Step 1 and place it on the first page of your design. This is your hook. Treat it like a magazine cover. Add a bold title and maybe an instruction like "Swipe to watch the demo!" or a "Play" icon graphic to signal that there's a video inside.
3. Add a New Page for Your Video: Click "Add Page" below your first slide.
4. Upload and Embed Your Video: In the left-hand menu, go to "Uploads" and upload your video file. Once it’s uploaded, simply drag and drop the video onto the second page. Canva will automatically embed it. You can resize it to fill the page or position it however you like.

Pro Tip: Your video won't autoplay inside the PDF. It's often helpful to take a screenshot of an interesting frame from your video, use that as the image on the slide, and place a transparent "Play" button icon over it. When a user clicks, the video you embedded will play.

Step 3: Download Your Design as a PDF

This is the most important step. Don't download your design as a video or image file. In Canva, click the "Share" button in the top right, select "Download," and choose "PDF Standard" from the file type dropdown menu. Make sure you select "All pages" for the download. This will package your image slide and your video slide into a single, interactive PDF file.

Step 4: Upload the PDF to LinkedIn

Now, head over to LinkedIn to create your post:

1. Start a new post on your LinkedIn profile or company page.
2. Click the "Add a document" icon (it looks like a piece of paper with a folded corner). It's located next to the photo and video icons.
3. Select "Choose file" and upload the PDF you just downloaded from Canva.
4. LinkedIn will take a moment to process the file. You'll see a preview of your document. Give your document a descriptive title, as this will appear at the top of the Carousel view.

Step 5: Craft Your Caption and Post

Once your PDF carousel is loaded, the final piece is the caption. Your caption should give context and encourage engagement.

• Explain What to Do: Explicitly tell your audience to "swipe right" or "click through the slides" to watch the video. Don't assume they'll know how to interact with the carousel.
• Provide Context: Explain what the post is about. The photo sets the scene, and your caption should build curiosity for the video. For example: "We redesigned our dashboard from the ground up (slide 1). Swipe to see a full walkthrough of the new features! (slide 2)."
• Add Relevant Hashtags: Use 3-5 relevant hashtags to increase your post's visibility among professionals interested in your topic.

Once you hit "Post," your photo and video will appear together in a clean, professional carousel format that demands interaction and keeps users engaged directly on your content.

Method 2: The 'Link in Comment' Method (A Simpler Alternative)

If you're short on time or don't want to use a design tool, this method is a quick-and-dirty alternative. It leverages the high visibility of a native image post while guiding traffic to your video, although it does introduce more friction for the user.

Step 1: Host Your Video Online

First, upload your video to a platform like YouTube, Vimeo, or a cloud service that provides a public shareable link. YouTube is often best because it provides a familiar, trustworthy player for users.

Step 2: Create a High-Impact Image Post on LinkedIn

Start a new post on LinkedIn and click the "Add a photo" icon. Upload your picture. This image needs to be compelling enough on its own to stop someone from scrolling. It can be a high-quality product shot, a team photo, or a branded graphic that poses a question.

Step 3: Write a Teaser Caption

Craft your caption to grab attention and build anticipation for the video. Importantly, you need to direct people to the comments for the link. End your post with a clear call-to-action, such as:

• "For a full video tutorial, check out the link in the first comment below! 👇"
• "I explain the entire process in a quick video. Watch it via the link in the comments."

Step 4: Post and Immediately Add the Comment

Publish your post. As soon as it's live, be the first one to comment and paste the link to your video. Pinning your comment (if you have the option) keeps it at the top so it doesn't get lost. While this method is less integrated, some creators prefer it because they believe the LinkedIn algorithm prioritizes native image posts over posts with external links in the caption. Posting the link in the comments is a widely-used strategy to try and bypass any potential algorithmic penalty.

Why Does This Mixed-Media Approach Work so Well?

Combining a photo and video isn't just a technical trick, it's a smart content strategy. Here’s why it resonates so well with audiences on professional platforms:

It Stops the Scroll and Tells a Deeper Story

A striking, static image can often capture attention faster than the first few seconds of a video. It acts as the "billboard" for your post. Once you have their attention, the video can deliver the more nuanced, detailed message, whether it’s a tutorial, a behind-the-scenes look, or a personal testimonial. You get the best of both worlds: the immediate visual impact of a photo and the rich narrative of a video.

It Boosts Dwell Time and Engagement

The PDF carousel method requires the user to actively engage by clicking or swiping. This little bit of interaction tells the LinkedIn algorithm that your content is interesting. Longer "dwell time" (how long a user spends on your post) is a strong positive signal that can increase your post's reach. You're giving your audience a more interactive, layered piece of content to consume right there in the feed.

It’s Perfect for Versatile Content

Think of the possibilities:

• Product Marketing: A beautiful product shot as the cover, followed by a video demo.
• Personal Branding: A professional headshot, followed by a video of you introducing yourself or sharing a key insight.
• Data Storytelling: An infographic as the static image, followed by a video where an expert breaks down the data.
• Event Promotion: A branded event banner as the cover, followed by a highlights reel from last year's event.

Final Thoughts

While sharing a photo and a video in one LinkedIn post isn't a one-click process, the PDF carousel method provides a seamless and highly professional solution. It elevates your content beyond a standard post, encourages audience interaction, and allows you to tell a richer, more complete story that captures attention and delivers an incredible amount of value.

Once we mastered creating these mixed-media posts, we realized scheduling and planning them ahead was key to a consistent strategy. In our experience, using a visual content calendar is a game-changer for organizing more complex posts like these. With a tool like Postbase, we can see exactly where a carousel, a Reel, or a simple text update fits into our weekly schedule across all platforms, ensuring every piece of content works together. It takes the guesswork out of planning and lets us focus on creating great content that really stands out.