The Ultimate Guide to Scheduling Posts on LinkedIn (Step-by-Step Guide + Best Practices)
TL;DR
Yes, you can schedule LinkedIn posts natively for free. Use the clock icon next to the Post button to schedule up to 3 months in advance. Scheduled posts do NOT get less reach — that's a myth. The algorithm cares about engagement, not how you published. Best times: Tuesday-Thursday, 8-10am. Build a content calendar, batch your writing, and use the first comment for external links. For company pages or multi-account management, use a third-party tool like Buffer or Taplio.
Consistency is the most underrated factor in LinkedIn growth. Not the quality of any single post. Not the size of your network. Consistency.
The problem is that consistency is hard when you're posting manually. You forget. You get busy. You post three times in one week and then go silent for a month. That inconsistency kills your reach because LinkedIn's algorithm rewards accounts that post regularly.
Scheduling solves that. Write your posts when you have the energy and ideas, then let them publish automatically at the right times.
Can You Schedule Posts on LinkedIn?
Yes. LinkedIn added native post scheduling in 2022, and it's improved significantly since then. You can schedule posts up to 3 months in advance, directly from the LinkedIn interface, for free.
You can schedule:
- Text posts
- Image posts
- Video posts
- Document posts (PDFs, carousels)
- Articles (via the newsletter/article editor)
What you can't do natively: bulk scheduling, cross-platform scheduling, or scheduling to a LinkedIn Page from the mobile app (you need the LinkedIn Pages app or desktop for that).
How to Schedule Posts on LinkedIn (Step-by-Step Guide)
How to Schedule Posts on LinkedIn (For Personal Profiles)
- Click "Start a post" on your LinkedIn feed
- Write your content as normal
- Instead of clicking "Post," click the clock icon next to the Post button
- Select your date and time (up to 3 months in advance)
- Click "Schedule"
That's it. Your post will publish automatically at the time you selected.
How to Schedule Posts on LinkedIn Company Page
For company pages, the process is slightly different:
- Go to your Company Page (click the "Me" dropdown, then select your page under "Manage")
- Click "Create a post"
- Write your content
- Click the clock icon next to the Post button
- Select your date and time
- Click "Schedule"
On mobile, you'll need the LinkedIn Pages app (separate from the main LinkedIn app) to schedule company page posts. The main LinkedIn app doesn't support company page scheduling on mobile.
Is Post Scheduling Free on LinkedIn?
Yes. LinkedIn's native scheduler is completely free for both personal profiles and company pages. You don't need Premium, Sales Navigator, or any paid subscription to use it.
Third-party scheduling tools (Buffer, Hootsuite, Taplio, etc.) have their own pricing, but the native LinkedIn scheduler costs nothing.
Managing Your Scheduled Posts on LinkedIn
How to See Scheduled Posts on LinkedIn
To view your scheduled posts:
- Click "Start a post" to open the post creation window
- Look for the "Scheduled" tab at the top of the window
- Click it to see all your upcoming scheduled posts
Where to Find Scheduled Posts in the LinkedIn App
On mobile, tap the "+" icon to create a post, then look for the "Scheduled" option at the top. This shows all posts you've queued up.
How to Edit Scheduled Posts on LinkedIn
To edit a scheduled post:
- Go to your Scheduled posts list (as described above)
- Click the three dots (...) next to the post you want to edit
- Select "Edit" to modify the content, or "Reschedule" to change the time
- Save your changes
You can also delete a scheduled post from this same menu if you change your mind about publishing it.
Do Scheduled Posts on LinkedIn Get Less Views? (Debunking the Myth)
This is one of the most persistent myths about LinkedIn scheduling. The short answer: no, scheduled posts do not get less reach.
How LinkedIn's Algorithm Treats Scheduled Posts
LinkedIn's algorithm doesn't know or care whether you clicked "Post" manually or used the scheduler. What it cares about is engagement: comments, reactions, shares, and time spent reading.
When you post something, LinkedIn shows it to a small sample of your network first. If that sample engages with it, LinkedIn shows it to more people. The trigger is engagement, not the publishing method.
Note: The myth likely started because people who schedule posts often forget to engage with comments afterward. If you schedule a post and then ignore it for 8 hours, your engagement will be low, and your reach will suffer. But that's a behavior problem, not a scheduling problem.
How to Optimize Scheduled Posts for Maximum Engagement
1. Start With a Hook That Stops the Scroll
The first 1-2 lines of your post are what people see before they click "see more." If those lines don't create curiosity or a reason to keep reading, most people won't. Write your hook last, after you know what the post is about.
2. Use Social Proof to Back Up Your Claims
Specific numbers, client results, and real examples are more credible than vague claims. "We increased reply rates by 40%" is more compelling than "we improved our outreach."
3. Clearly Define the Value for Your Audience
Before you write a post, ask: what does my audience get from reading this? If you can't answer that in one sentence, the post probably isn't ready.
4. Guide Engagement With Clear Calls-to-Action
Posts that end with a question or a clear invitation to comment get more engagement than posts that just stop. "What's your experience with this?" or "Drop your take in the comments" gives people a reason to respond.
5. Use Media Proof to Reinforce Your Point
Images, carousels, and videos consistently outperform text-only posts. If you're making a claim, show it. Screenshots, charts, and before/after comparisons are all more persuasive than words alone.
Best Practices for Scheduling LinkedIn Posts Like a Pro
Batch your content creation. Write 3-5 posts in one focused session instead of scrambling to post something every day. Most people find it easier to write multiple posts when they're already in "writing mode."
Post at optimal times. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday consistently outperform Monday and Friday. Morning posts (8-10am in your audience's timezone) typically outperform afternoon posts. The lunch window (12-1pm) and end-of-day (5-6pm) also perform well.
Use the first comment for external links. LinkedIn's algorithm reportedly suppresses posts with external links in the body. Put your links in the first comment instead. Most scheduling tools let you schedule the first comment alongside the post.
Don't schedule too far in advance. Scheduling 2-3 weeks ahead is smart. Scheduling 3 months ahead means your content might be stale or irrelevant by the time it publishes. Leave room to respond to current events and trends.
Engage after your post goes live. Scheduling doesn't mean you can ignore LinkedIn. Respond to every comment in the first hour after your post publishes. This signals to the algorithm that your content is generating conversation, which increases its reach.
Track what works. Check your post analytics weekly. Notice which topics, formats, and times generate the most engagement. Adjust your content calendar based on what you learn.
Scheduling for Company Pages
LinkedIn company pages have slightly different scheduling options than personal profiles. The LinkedIn Pages app (separate from the main LinkedIn app) supports scheduling on mobile. The desktop interface supports it natively.
For company pages, the considerations are the same as personal profiles: timing, consistency, content mix. But the stakes are higher because you're representing a brand, not just yourself.
If you're managing a company page alongside personal outreach, Outly can help you coordinate your LinkedIn activity, scheduling content, automating connection requests, and running outreach sequences, from one place. Starter plan from $39.99/month.
Conclusion: Should You Schedule Posts on LinkedIn? (Final Verdict)
Yes. Scheduling is one of the simplest ways to improve your LinkedIn consistency, and consistency is one of the biggest drivers of reach and growth.
The native scheduler is free and works well for most individuals. If you're managing multiple accounts or a company page with a team, a third-party tool gives you more control and visibility.
The minimum viable approach: write 3 posts every Monday morning, schedule them for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 8:30am, and spend 15 minutes each day responding to comments. Done consistently for three months, it will meaningfully grow your reach and engagement.
Consistency beats perfection. A good post published reliably outperforms a great post published randomly.
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