Introduction to LinkedIn Scheduling
LinkedIn has become an essential platform for professionals to build connections, network, and share content. With over 810 million users, it is the world’s largest professional social network. As with other social networks like Facebook and Twitter, scheduling posts on LinkedIn has become an essential strategy for users and businesses to maximize their impact.
What is LinkedIn scheduling?
LinkedIn scheduling refers to the ability to plan, create, and queue up content to post automatically at future specified times and dates. Rather than manually posting content as you make it, scheduling posts lets you easily organize and plan content.
Why schedule posts on LinkedIn?
Here are some of the key reasons to use LinkedIn scheduling:
- Save time: Scheduling eliminates the need to manually post content repeatedly throughout the day. This saves time and makes social media management more efficient.
- Optimize posting times: Analytics can determine when your audience is most active on LinkedIn. Scheduling posts for those high-traffic times allows you to maximize visibility.
- Plan and organize content: Scheduling will enable you to strategize and create content calendars to plan out posts in advance. This helps maintain consistent activity and prevent last-minute scrambling for content ideas.
- Analyze performance: Many scheduling tools provide analytics to see which scheduled posts perform best. You can use these insights to refine your posting strategy.
Benefits of Scheduling LinkedIn Posts
Here is a more in-depth look at some of the advantages of using LinkedIn scheduling for your profile or company pages:
Save time
Posting manually can be time-consuming. With a scheduler, you can create content in bulk and let the tool automatically post it for you at the selected times. This frees up more time for other activities.
Optimize posting times
See when your followers are most active on LinkedIn using analytics. Schedule your posts for those high-visibility time slots to increase engagement.
Plan and organize content.
Scheduling allows you to map out content on an editorial calendar strategically. This organization results in more consistent posting and thoughtful content creation.
Analyze performance
Many scheduling tools provide analytics and insights you can use to refine your strategy. See which types of posts perform best and when your audience is most responsive.
How to Schedule Posts on LinkedIn for Free
While LinkedIn has launched some native scheduling capabilities for company pages, there are still limited options directly within LinkedIn for scheduling regular user profiles. Here are some of the top free options:
Use the LinkedIn mobile app.
The LinkedIn mobile app allows you to draft posts and schedule them up to 30 days in advance. Create the base, access the schedule option, and select a future date and time. One limitation is that you can only schedule one post at a time.
Use third-party scheduling tools.
Several free social media management platforms provide LinkedIn scheduling capabilities:
Buffer
Buffer has a user-friendly interface and allows bulk uploads of content to schedule. You can analyze performance with their analytics features.
Hootsuite
Hootsuite offers a basic free plan, which includes LinkedIn post scheduling. It also allows you to schedule multiple social profiles at once.
SmarterQueue
SmarterQueue offers free LinkedIn scheduling for up to 10 posts per month. It provides analytics on your posts and audience engagement levels.
Tips for Successful LinkedIn Scheduling
Here are some best practices to optimize LinkedIn scheduling:
Post consistently
Space your posts evenly throughout your posting schedule. Posting once per weekday is often more effective than daily.
Diversify content
Share a mix of content types like articles, images, videos, and polls. This variety keeps followers engaged.
Schedule for your audience
Study your audience insights and schedule most posts during hours when LinkedIn usage in your industry is the highest.
Analyze and improve
Use post analytics to refine your posting strategy. Identify your best times and content, then optimize your approach.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some missteps to watch out for:
- Scheduling too infrequently – Don’t disappear from followers’ feeds.
- Posting without enough content variety – Mix up formats and topics.
- Planning without studying analytics – Check insights to optimize timing and content.
- Over-posting – Space outposts and avoid bombardment.
- Not personalizing for your audience – Tailor content to your followers’ preferences.
Conclusion
Scheduling your LinkedIn posts is a valuable strategy to save time, organize content, and increase engagement. While LinkedIn’s native scheduling options are still limited, free tools like Buffer, Hootsuite, and SmarterQueue make scheduling easy. Apply LinkedIn organizing best practices to build connections and reach your professional audience. Avoid common mistakes like infrequent posting, lack of content variety, and oversaturation. You can build awareness and connect with more members with the right scheduling strategy.
FAQs
Does the free LinkedIn plan allow scheduling?
The free basic LinkedIn account has limited scheduling ability – you can only schedule a single post at a time through the mobile app. Third-party apps or premium company pages are needed for more robust scheduling features.
How many posts per day are optimal when scheduling on LinkedIn?
1-2 posts per weekday is best for most accounts. Avoid posting too frequently, or you risk overwhelming followers. Study your audience insights to identify peak engagement times.
What’s the benefit of using third-party scheduling tools vs. LinkedIn’s built-in tool?
Third-party tools allow bulk uploads, more flexibility in scheduling, increased analytics, and the ability to schedule more than one post at a time. They provide more robust features than LinkedIn’s scheduling.
Can I schedule a LinkedIn profile and a company page from the same tool?
Many social media management platforms like Hootsuite and Buffer allow you to schedule posts across multiple LinkedIn accounts from the same dashboard.
If I schedule posts, do I still need to be active daily on LinkedIn?
Absolutely. Don’t let scheduling make you complacent. Stay active daily by engaging your network, commenting on content, and joining conversations through organic and scheduled posts.