Should You Repurpose Your Instagram Content on LinkedIn?

A client recently showed me a testimonial image that she created for Instagram and asked if she should consider posting it on LinkedIn, too. 

This is a fair question, as these platforms are different in how they display content algorithmically, in how certain types of posts perform, and in how users engage. Instagram is an image-first platform that does not favor links, whereas LinkedIn has traditionally championed lots of text and encourages thoughtful exchanges of ideas. 

But, as they say, opposites attract! For certain industries, these two social media platforms actually complement each other nicely. 

Both are great tools for building relationships, sharing content, and showcasing your expertise. I often see entrepreneurs, marketers, creatives, and service providers using both. These are usually folks who are the face of their business or are thought leaders in their field; who clients or customers work with directly.

To Cross-Post or Not to Cross-Post

Here’s the real question:

If you have a beautiful Instagram image featuring a testimonial or educational content, should you repurpose it on LinkedIn?

The answer: it depends.

As is usually the case with social media, it can be hard to know what will perform well. Because of this, it’s important to track key metrics. The more you post, the more you’ll see what your audience likes. 

When cross-posting, remember to update copy for each platform and align content tone to platform-specific audience expectations. Also, make sure to update the tags so they link to actual pages or people. Leaving @username in the caption is a dead giveaway to repurposing. 

You’ll likely find that some images translate well from Instagram to LinkedIn’s aspect ratio, whereas some do not. Part of the reason is the formatting and function of LinkedIn are different.  Instagram is an app-based platform, where only an estimated 60% of LinkedIn traffic was mobile as of 2024, which is low for social media platforms. 

So content that was optimized for a smart phone-accessed app like Instagram might not look great when viewed on a desktop-heavy channel like LinkedIn, and vice versa.

The very purpose of Instagram is, and always has been, to share images. Whereas, on LinkedIn, images can help a post perform well, but aren’t necessarily the focus. Posts with images get a 98% higher comment rate and mobile LinkedIn users are “2.5 times more likely to watch videos” on the platform.

These metrics underline the importance of giving cross-posting a shot.

How Should I  Repurpose My Instagram Content on LinkedIn?

Here are just a few ideas on how to repurpose your Instagram content for LinkedIn:

• On Instagram, you’ve probably seen those text-style carousels, where each image has a fact and typically the first image is a header. On LinkedIn, try putting most of the text in the caption and sharing just the header image, or leverage their PDF upload tool to share a presentation format of the same images.

• Repurpose the content into a video format. Video is actually the most shared type of content on LinkedIn, so you have a good chance of standing out.  You could create a video or go live and simply talk about the content you put in the Instagram image.

• Try converting the image into a GIF or an animated video. Many platforms, like Canva, will allow you to add small animations or movements to turn a static picture into a short video.

• On LinkedIn, you can share PDFs, so you could try repurposing the content as a PDF and share it that way.

• If the topic you’ve created content around can be further expanded, publish an article directly on LinkedIn and upload the image within the body of the text. This will allow you to demonstrate your expertise, and will favor the post algorithmically.

Upload the image to the Featured Media section on your profile. This will allow visitors to immediately engage with the content and adds visual interest to your page. 

Repurposing your Instagram content on LinkedIn is a win

Though your exact Instagram image and post may not translate as well on LinkedIn, the content is absolutely worth repurposing. Some might even reach farther on the professional network than on a personal one, in which you’re competing with massive user numbers outside of your sector to ‘get found’ organically. 

But it’s all about the analytics. Always monitor your engagement, views, shares and comments to see how things are going. That’s how you’ll learn what people want to see from you, and might inspire new content ideas. 

Looking for more LinkedIn content ideas? Lauren Perna Communications has you covered. Download our “40 Content Ideas to Improve Your LinkedIn Game” pdf and start crafting your brilliant new LinkedIn content today!