Video is the format that generates the most likes on LinkedIn — a median of 26 likes per post, based on our analysis of 516,144 publications. But length, framing, and the first 3 seconds are what separate a post that lands from one that disappears.
In short
→ Video is the #1 format by median likes (26), ahead of carousels (24), images (20), and text-only (11) → You have 3 seconds to hook the viewer before they scroll past → Vertical (9:16) or square (1:1) — landscape kills your reach in the mobile feed → Subtitles are non-negotiable: most videos are watched without sound → Aim for under 60 seconds for the feed, 2-3 minutes max if the content is dense
Video dominates every other format on likes
Across a corpus of 516,144 posts analyzed over 2020-2026, video comes out on top:
| Format | Median likes | |--------|-------------| | Video | 26 | | Carousel | 24 | | Image | 20 | | Text-only | 11 |
Text-only earns less than half the likes of video. That's not random: video captures dwell time — the time users spend on the post — and the LinkedIn algorithm treats that as a strong relevance signal.
Methodological note: this analysis is observational. Creators who publish videos are not a random sample. Correlation ≠ causation; sampling bias applies.
What length works for a LinkedIn video?
LinkedIn does not publish official numbers on optimal duration. But field signals converge:
→ Under 60 seconds: the dominant format for the mobile feed. The algorithm measures completion rate. The shorter your video, the more likely someone watches it to the end — which sends a strong positive signal. → 2 to 3 minutes: viable if the content is dense and structured (tutorial, experience debrief, client testimonial). But every extra second increases the drop-off rate. → Over 5 minutes: reserved for newsletter-style formats or replayed lives. In the standard feed, this is rarely optimal.
LinkedIn allows videos up to 10 minutes. Technical permission is not an editorial recommendation.
The 3 seconds that decide everything
The parallel with text posts is direct: in a written post, the first 200 characters make or break the hook. In video, it's the first 3 seconds.
Our study of 438,413 posts shows that 80% of viral posts have a strong hook from the very start, and 61% contain a concrete data point. The same logic applies to video:
→ Start with the conclusion or a number ("I tested X for 90 days — here's what happened...") → Avoid openings like "Hi, my name is..." — you've already lost half your audience → Use overlaid text or a strong visual thumbnail to capture attention even without sound
Format: vertical or square, never landscape
LinkedIn autoplays videos silently in the feed. Landscape (16:9) renders as a small rectangle buried in the mobile interface. Vertical or square takes two to three times more screen space.
→ 9:16 (vertical): ideal for mobile, reusable from Reels or TikTok content → 1:1 (square): good desktop/mobile compromise, readable everywhere → 16:9 (landscape): avoid in the feed — acceptable for replayed Lives or native LinkedIn Creator Mode formats
Recommended dimensions: 1080×1920 for vertical, 1080×1080 for square, minimum 720p quality.
Subtitles: non-negotiable
The vast majority of LinkedIn videos are consumed without sound — open-plan offices, commutes, public mobile browsing. Without subtitles, you lose most of your audience before they hear a single word.
A few rules: → LinkedIn offers a native subtitle generator — use it, then proofread and correct → Readable font, high contrast, positioned center-bottom of the screen → Avoid long text blocks: break into short segments, synced to the rhythm of speech → If you're creating complementary visuals for your video (thumbnail, recap slide), use the AI visuals generator on LinkPost to keep a consistent look
Video and carousel: how they complement each other
Video and the LinkedIn carousel don't compete on the same terrain. Video captures attention better and generates more likes. Carousels drive more organic impressions — 2.3× more than text-only in our study — and tend to generate more comments.
A solid strategy alternates the two formats: video for emotional content and storytelling, carousels for demonstrations, step-by-step proofs, and lists. Check the detailed format comparison to choose based on your goal.
What to do, concretely
- Shoot vertical or square from the start — think mobile first
- Aim for under 60 seconds for the feed, 2-3 minutes for dense content
- Build your hook in the first 3 seconds: a number, a contrarian claim, or narrative tension
- Enable subtitles every time, then review them
- Pair your video with a visual or carousel to diversify formats without starting from scratch
LinkPost analyzes your post before you publish and surfaces the levers to activate — try the free Post Analyzer to see the profile of your next video content.
Observational study by LinkPost on 516,144 posts (corpus 2020-2026, 62% French-language content). §13.2 data measures median likes by format. Correlation ≠ causation; sampling bias possible. Full methodology on the pillar study.
About the author
Yannis Haismann
Co-founder of LinkPost
Yannis writes about LinkedIn content creation, virality prediction and the algorithm. He builds LinkPost, calibrated on more than a million analyzed posts.
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