Which format should a founder start with?

Start with educational carousels for growth and personal story posts for trust. Add conversion posts (case studies, lead magnets) once you have an audience to convert.

How many conversion posts should I run?

Roughly one in ten. If most of your posts are asks, you burn the audience before it is warm. Earn attention first, then convert a small, deliberate slice of it.

What is the difference between a growth and a conversion post?

Growth posts are built to reach new people (broad, shareable, saveable). Conversion posts are built to turn your existing audience into leads (case studies, lead magnets, offers). You need both, in the right ratio.

Do I need to design carousels, or is text enough?

Text posts work, but carousels and infographics reach and save far better. If you only do one designed format well, make it the carousel.

All playbooks

LinkedIn6 min read· Updated July 2026

What to post on LinkedIn

Most people post whatever comes to mind, then wonder why nothing converts. The fix is knowing which formats grow your audience and which ones turn that audience into leads, then running a deliberate mix of both. Here is the full map.

Two questions decide every post

Before you write anything, place the idea on two axes. Horizontally: is this post built for growth (reaching new people) or conversion (turning existing attention into leads)? Vertically: how much effort does it take to make?

You want a portfolio across all four corners. Lean too far into easy growth and you build an audience that never buys. Lean too far into hard conversion and you run out of people to convert to.

16 LinkedIn formats, mapped

DifficultEasyConversionGrowthReactive trend postIn-depth broad carouselNiche how-to videoNiche cheat sheetBroad topic cheat sheetVideo testimonialViral videoMotivational quotePersonal story postPersonal tools and systemsCase study postReactive news postSharing processesLead magnet postResources or tools postMilestone celebration

Growth

In-depth broad carouselNiche cheat sheetBroad topic cheat sheetViral videoMotivational quotePersonal tools and systemsReactive news postResources or tools post

Conversion

Reactive trend postNiche how-to videoVideo testimonialPersonal story postCase study postSharing processesLead magnet postMilestone celebration

How to read the map

Top-right (hard growth): your reach engines. Carousels, cheat sheets, and viral videos travel furthest but cost the most to make. Aim for one or two a week.

Bottom-right (easy growth): reactive news and resource posts. Fast to produce, good for staying visible between bigger pieces.

Left side (conversion): case studies, lead magnet posts, and process breakdowns. These convert the audience your growth posts earned. Fewer of these, but they carry the pipeline.

FAQ

Frequently asked

Quick answers on this topic.

Three to five times a week is enough to build real visibility. Consistency matters more than volume, and a planned mix of formats beats posting more of the same thing.