LinkedIn: Links Boost Engagement by 13%

A recent study by LinkedIn has revealed surprising findings about user engagement on the platform. Contrary to the widely held belief that including links in posts reduces reach, the data shows that posts containing links actually see a 13% increase in engagement.

This challenges the previous strategy many marketers followed—avoiding links to maximise visibility. According to LinkedIn’s research, users are more likely to interact with posts that guide them to additional resources or relevant content.

In addition to links, the study highlights which content formats are currently performing best. Carousel posts stand out as the top format in terms of engagement, suggesting that users value interactive and visually rich content.

Video content is also gaining significant traction. LinkedIn reported a 53% rise in video posts on the platform, alongside an 87% increase in user engagement with video content.

This growing preference for multimedia formats points to an evolving trend where users want more dynamic and informative posts, rather than just plain text.

For professionals and brands trying to increase their LinkedIn presence, these insights are invaluable. They suggest a need to revisit posting strategies and experiment with link sharing, carousels, and video content.

The key takeaway is simple—don’t be afraid to include links if they add value. With the right approach, they can actually enhance engagement rather than limit it.

As user behaviour continues to shift, staying informed about platform-specific trends will be crucial for maintaining strong engagement levels.

Whether you’re a content creator, business owner, or digital marketer, these findings offer useful guidance for shaping your future LinkedIn strategy.

A recent study examining more than 577,000 LinkedIn posts has brought new insights that challenge widely accepted marketing strategies. The research found that posts containing links actually receive 13.57% more interactions and 4.90% more views than those without any links.

This goes against the traditional advice that including links in posts can hurt reach and engagement. For many marketers, the assumption has long been that external links reduce a post’s visibility due to platform algorithms prioritising content that keeps users on-site.

However, this new data suggests that links may, in fact, enhance a post’s performance by providing users with helpful resources or directing them to relevant information.

The study was conducted by Metricool and looked at nearly 48,000 LinkedIn company pages over the span of three years. It provides a substantial dataset that marketers can rely on when re-evaluating their content strategies.

These findings offer a fresh perspective for businesses and brands looking to boost their presence on LinkedIn. Rather than avoiding links altogether, this research supports the idea that carefully placed, value-driven links can contribute positively to post performance.

As the LinkedIn algorithm continues to evolve and user habits change, staying up to date with reliable data like this is key to maximising reach and engagement on the platform.

Link Performance Contradicts Common Advice

For quite some time, social media professionals have advised against including links in LinkedIn posts. The belief was that the platform’s algorithm would limit the reach of such posts to encourage users to stay on LinkedIn, rather than clicking away to external websites.

This idea became a common rule of thumb among marketers, many of whom avoided placing links in their posts altogether. Instead, they opted to add links in the comments or not at all, hoping to maintain visibility.

However, new findings suggest that this long-held assumption may not be accurate. Recent research challenges the notion that posts with links perform poorly on LinkedIn.

According to the data, around 31% of LinkedIn posts analysed included links to external websites. Surprisingly, these posts regularly outperformed those without any links in terms of engagement.

This contradicts previous beliefs and indicates that including a link doesn’t necessarily harm post visibility. In fact, it might actually encourage more interaction when used thoughtfully.

For marketers and content creators, this opens up an opportunity to revisit their LinkedIn strategies. Rather than avoiding links, it may be more effective to focus on sharing useful content that encourages clicks and conversations.

The research shows that including external links isn’t as detrimental as once thought — and could even be beneficial for driving meaningful engagement.

Content Format Performance Reveals Unexpected Winners

The study also revealed significant differences in how various types of content perform on LinkedIn. Not all formats are equally effective when it comes to capturing attention and encouraging interaction.

Carousels, also known as document posts, topped the list for engagement. These posts had the highest engagement rate of any format at an impressive 45.85%. It seems that LinkedIn users are happy to spend time clicking through multiple slides, making this a strong format for brands looking to share detailed or visual information.

Polls, on the other hand, appear to be an underused opportunity. Despite accounting for just 0.00034% of all posts in the study, they achieved a reach that was 206.33% higher than average. While few people are currently making use of polls, the data suggests they have strong potential for visibility and interaction.

Text-only posts, which are still widely used, performed the worst across all engagement metrics. These posts received the fewest interactions overall, highlighting the importance of incorporating visual or interactive elements into LinkedIn content.

For marketers and businesses, this serves as a reminder to diversify content formats. Leveraging carousels and experimenting with polls could significantly boost performance compared to relying solely on plain text.

As LinkedIn continues to evolve as a content platform, understanding what types of posts actually resonate with users is key to making the most out of your presence.

Practical Tips for Marketers

Based on the results of the study, there are some practical takeaways for marketers using LinkedIn that challenge traditional advice.

First, don’t be afraid to include links in your posts. Contrary to long-standing beliefs, adding a relevant link doesn’t harm your post’s performance. In fact, when used appropriately, links can actually increase engagement and help drive traffic more effectively.

It’s also important to vary the type of content you share. Carousels and polls have proven to be more engaging than other formats, so incorporating these more regularly into your strategy can yield better results. These content types offer a more interactive experience, which seems to appeal to LinkedIn users.

Additionally, LinkedIn may be more powerful than it gets credit for when it comes to driving traffic. With click-through rates increasing by 28.13% year-on-year, it’s worth investing time in creating content that encourages users to visit your website or external pages.

However, marketers should also manage their expectations when it comes to follower growth. The data shows that only 17.68% of LinkedIn accounts saw an increase in followers in 2024. Compared to other social platforms, building an audience on LinkedIn is a slower process.

Overall, the study suggests that a thoughtful mix of content types, along with a realistic approach to growth and traffic generation, can help marketers make the most of LinkedIn’s potential.

Looking Ahead

The latest report from Metricool presents compelling data that questions long-standing assumptions about LinkedIn marketing. One of the key insights, particularly relevant for SEO and content professionals, is that including links in posts can actually improve performance, not hinder it.

This finding directly challenges the widespread belief that external links reduce visibility on the platform. In fact, the evidence shows that links can boost engagement and reach, offering valuable opportunities for those aiming to drive traffic or conversions.

Given this, it’s important for marketers to revisit commonly accepted strategies. Just because a tactic was once considered best practice doesn’t mean it holds up today.

The digital landscape, and LinkedIn in particular, continues to evolve. What proved effective in the past may no longer deliver the same results as we head into 2025.

Marketers are encouraged to experiment and validate their strategies with up-to-date performance data, ensuring they stay ahead of changes in user behaviour and platform algorithms.