Uploading an social video to LinkedIn is a super straightforward process that can massively enhance your online presence and engagement. The steps below are simple, easy to follow and written so you can work through them at your own pace.
We’ll look at how to upload your video, add captions, choose a thumbnail and either post or schedule your content to get the most from your video.
Step 1 – Start Your Post
First, navigate to LinkedIn.com using your desktop or laptop. You can upload from mobile, but the desktop version gives you full control, especially when it comes to optimisation with things like captions and thumbnails.
- Click on ‘Start a Post’ at the top of your LinkedIn feed to begin a new post.
- Then click the ‘Add Media’ icon in the bottom left
- Select your video file
Recommended video specs
LinkedIn accepts MP4 files that are under 500MB and under 10 minutes long. We’ll always send you files that sit comfortably within these limits, so you don’t need to worry about compression or resizing.
To double check your file size:
On Windows: Right click your video file and select ‘Properties’. You’ll see the file size listed under ‘Size’.
On Mac: Right click your file and select ‘Get Info’. The file size will show next to ‘Size’ in the information window.
Once you’ve selected your video, it will begin uploading. This won’t publish your post yet – you’re still in the setup stage. Depending on your internet connection, the upload might take a minute or two, so just let it finish before moving on.
Step 2 – Captions
Most audiences explore social platforms on mobile, and for that reason, people mostly watch videos with the sound off, so captions are essential to help your message land clearly.
Captions are simply the spoken text displayed on screen so viewers can follow along without audio.
There are two types you might come across:
Closed captions
Closed captions are captions that can be toggled on and off by the viewer. They aren’t built into the video itself. If your edited, finished video doesn’t have any visible captions, this is the type you’ll want to use.
You have two options on LinkedIn: you can let LinkedIn generate auto captions for you, or you can upload your own SRT file for better accuracy.
An SRT file is a simple text document containing timecodes and caption lines, and you can edit it easily in Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac) if you need to adjust anything.
To upload your own closed captions, open the captions panel and select ‘Upload SRT file’. LinkedIn will then attach the file to your video.
Open captions
Open captions are captions that are burned directly into your video. They are always visible and can’t be turned off. If your video already includes open captions, you don’t need to upload any closed captions or use LinkedIn’s auto-caption option.
However, you’ll need to make sure LinkedIn doesn’t generate additional captions on top of the ones already in your video. After uploading, click the ‘CC’ button at the bottom and you’ll see an option called ‘Add auto captions’. Switch this off. Leaving it on would result in a second layer of captions being added, which can look messy and confuse viewers.
Step 3 – Video Thumbnail
A thumbnail is the still image that represents your video before it plays. It’s the first thing people see, and it has a big impact on whether someone decides to watch.
Sometimes the thumbnail is visible only for a split second before the video loads, but it’s also shown on your profile, in your posts list and anywhere your video appears across LinkedIn. So it’s important to choose something eye-catching that encourages people to click.
To do this, simply click the ‘Video thumbnail’ icon at the bottom and upload your own image.
Without a custom thumbnail, LinkedIn will automatically use the first frame of your video, which may not always give the best impression (or may be completely blank!).
Once you’ve added your chosen thumbnail, click ‘Add’, then ‘Next’ to move on to your post description. This is where you can give a short summary of your video and why it’s worth watching.
Step 4 – Post or Schedule
When everything is ready, you can either post your video straight away or schedule it for later.
Scheduling is helpful when you want your content to appear at a specific time or if you prefer to plan ahead. You can still edit a scheduled post before it goes live, so there’s no pressure to get everything perfect first time.
If you’re working with us, you’ll usually receive several versions of your social video. This gives you the freedom to schedule multiple posts over several days, weeks or even months to get more long-term value from your content.
By following these steps, you can maximise the impact of your video content on LinkedIn, ensuring it looks professional and reaches the right people. Whether you’re sharing insights, promoting your services or showcasing your expertise, an optimised video upload helps your content land with clarity and confidence.
