If you've posted any links on LinkedIn recently, you might have noticed a significant change: the link preview image is now much smaller than it used to be. However, this change doesn’t apply to all posts in your feed—some still feature the full-width preview image. So, what’s going on?

The Update Explained

LinkedIn announced this adjustment a few months back. The key change is that all organic posts will eventually have smaller link preview images, while sponsored posts will retain the larger, full-width preview. LinkedIn clarified their reasoning behind this in a statement:

“To help members stay on LinkedIn and engage with unique commentary, we’re simplifying our feed by changing the image size and third-party article link preview for organic posts and Sponsored Content. When an organic post becomes a Sponsored Content ad, the small thumbnail preview image shown in the organic post is converted to an image with a minimum of 360 x 640 pixels and a maximum of 2430 x 4320 pixels.”

In essence, LinkedIn aims to encourage more native posting through LinkedIn articles and direct updates, while also incentivizing the use of sponsored updates. Paid promotions will continue to receive the larger, more engaging image previews.

The Impact on Users

This change also affects shared sponsored posts. When a sponsored post is re-shared as an organic update, it will display the smaller image preview, similar to regular organic posts.

This strategy is reminiscent of the approach X (formerly Twitter) took last October when it reduced the size of image previews for third-party links. By making external links less visually appealing, X aimed to increase the amount of long-form content posted directly to their platform, thus reducing referral traffic. LinkedIn seems to be adopting a similar tactic, hoping to keep users more engaged within the platform.

User Reactions and Implications

Not everyone is thrilled with these changes. Kristin Thomas, the Director of Social Media at Gartner, points out a significant drawback: professionals who are trying to build a presence on LinkedIn often don’t have the time to create unique content for every post. This update penalizes their efforts by reducing the visibility and impact of their updates when they include external links.

The smaller preview images are less eye-catching and engaging, which LinkedIn admits is the intention. They want to “help members stay on LinkedIn,” but whether this results in a better user experience is debatable. For many, it feels more like an inconvenience.

Moving Forward

Despite mixed reactions, LinkedIn is pressing ahead with the update. They have confirmed to SMT that the rollout will continue until all organic posts with external links display the smaller preview image.

To adapt, you might need to reconsider your LinkedIn posting strategy. If you rely heavily on sharing external links, it could be beneficial to explore other ways to maintain engagement—perhaps by investing more in native content or considering sponsored updates to take advantage of the larger image previews.