git:20260602.d5540f8 to git:20260729.bd66119

31 added, 42 removed. Audit A to A.

---

name: linkedin-carousels

- description: "Use when designing a LinkedIn carousel / document post — the swipeable multi-page PDF that is currently the highest-reach native LinkedIn format — and you need the slide-by-slide build: a scroll-stopping cover hook, a narrative arc that pulls swipe-to-swipe, one focused idea per slide with real visual hierarchy, a payoff + CTA closer, and a PDF export spec. Triggers: 'turn this into a LinkedIn carousel', 'design a swipeable PDF document post', 'my carousel cover gets no swipes fix the hook', 'how many slides and what goes on each', 'restructure one-idea-per-slide', 'what size to export so it isnt cropped on mobile', 'convierte este post en un carrusel de LinkedIn', 'dissenya'm un carrusel de LinkedIn amb portada i CTA'. NOT the account/format plan (that is linkedin-strategy), NOT a text or single-image feed post (that is linkedin-content), NOT a spoken-to talk deck (that is presentations)."

+ description: "Use when building a LinkedIn carousel / document post — the swipeable multi-page PDF — slide by slide: cover hook, narrative arc, one idea per slide, CTA closer, PDF export spec. NOT the account/format plan (that is `linkedin-strategy`), NOT a text or single-image feed post (that is `linkedin-content`), NOT a 16:9 talk deck (that is `presentations`)."

tags: [linkedin, carousel, document-post, slide-design, visual-hierarchy, hook, b2b, social-content]

recommends: [linkedin-content, linkedin-strategy, brand-identity, brand-voice, presentations, social-publisher]

origin: risco

---

# LinkedIn carousels

- Design **one swipeable LinkedIn document post**: the cover hook, the narrative arc, one idea

- per slide, and the PDF export spec. You hand back a slide-by-slide build ready to assemble in

- Canva/Figma/Slides and a one-page design+export checklist.

- You do not own the account plan (which formats, cadence, niche — that is

- [`../linkedin-strategy/SKILL.md`](../linkedin-strategy/SKILL.md)), the words of a text or

- single-image feed post ([`../linkedin-content/SKILL.md`](../linkedin-content/SKILL.md)), the

- programmatic upload ([`../linkedin-api/SKILL.md`](../linkedin-api/SKILL.md)), or a spoken-to

- 16:9 talk deck ([`../presentations/SKILL.md`](../presentations/SKILL.md)). Your artifact is the

- *slides of a phone-read PDF* — sequence and visual hierarchy are the product.

+ Design **one swipeable LinkedIn document post**. Your artifact is the *slides of a phone-read

+ PDF* — sequence and visual hierarchy are the product — handed back as a slide-by-slide build

+ ready to assemble in Canva/Figma/Slides plus a one-page design+export checklist. Everything

+ adjacent (the account plan, the feed copy, the upload, a talk deck) routes out; see Handoffs.

## What you produce

- **A cover slide spec** — the one slide that wins or loses the swipe to slide 2.

- **Interior slides** — each carrying a single focused idea, large type, a clear hierarchy.

- **A CTA closer** — the payoff slide plus one explicit ask.

- **A design + export spec** — canvas, safe area, type floor, PDF checklist (one page).

- **A one-line caption starter** — the first feed line; full caption tuning routes out.

- Precondition: you need a topic, an angle, or a source (post/article). If the ask is the

- account plan or a block of feed copy, you are in the wrong skill — see the handoffs table.

+ Precondition: a topic, an angle, or a source (post/article). If the ask is the account plan or

+ a block of feed copy, you are in the wrong skill — see the handoffs table.

## Ground first

- A carousel inherits an identity; it does not invent one. Before you design slides:

- - **Read the brand kit** if it exists in `02-DOCS/` (colors, type, logo) —

- [`../brand-identity/SKILL.md`](../brand-identity/SKILL.md) owns it. Don't pick arbitrary fonts.

- - **Read the voice** so the headlines sound like the account —

- [`../brand-voice/SKILL.md`](../brand-voice/SKILL.md) owns it.

- - **Pull the angle** from any plan/post already produced by

- [`../linkedin-strategy/SKILL.md`](../linkedin-strategy/SKILL.md) or

- [`../linkedin-content/SKILL.md`](../linkedin-content/SKILL.md). Reuse the hook, don't reopen it.

- If none exist, name your assumptions on slide 0 of the spec and proceed — don't stall.

+ A carousel inherits an identity; it does not invent one. Read the brand kit (colors, type,

+ logo — owned by [`../brand-identity/SKILL.md`](../brand-identity/SKILL.md)) and the voice

+ ([`../brand-voice/SKILL.md`](../brand-voice/SKILL.md)) from `02-DOCS/` if they exist; don't pick

+ arbitrary fonts. Pull the angle from any plan or post already produced by

+ [`../linkedin-strategy/SKILL.md`](../linkedin-strategy/SKILL.md) or

+ [`../linkedin-content/SKILL.md`](../linkedin-content/SKILL.md) — reuse the hook, don't reopen

+ it. If none exist, name your assumptions on slide 0 of the spec and proceed; don't stall.

## The swipe economics (why every rule below exists)

Document/carousel posts are the **highest-engagement native format on LinkedIn right now** —

- they hit roughly 6.6% average engagement, ahead of every other format, and top-performing

- pages post far more of them than median pages. The reason is **dwell time**: a swipeable deck

- holds the thumb on screen, and dwell — not likes — is the algorithm's main distribution signal.

+ roughly 6.6% average engagement, ahead of every other format, and top-performing pages post far

+ more of them than median pages. The reason is **dwell time**: a swipeable deck holds the thumb

+ on screen, and dwell — not likes — is the algorithm's main distribution signal.

So the whole bet is the **cover slide and the swipe-to-slide-2 bounce**. If the cover doesn't

- earn the first swipe, your slide count, your arc, and your CTA never get seen. Every swipe

- after that extends dwell and signals quality, which is why each slide must *pull to the next*.

- Design backwards from that: stop the thumb, then keep it moving.

+ earn the first swipe, your slide count, your arc, and your CTA never get seen; every swipe after

+ that extends dwell and signals quality, which is why each slide must *pull to the next*. Design

+ backwards from that: stop the thumb, then keep it moving.

## The cover slide

This slide is the entire campaign. Build it to one job: earn the swipe.

- **Lead with a curiosity or benefit headline** — promise a payoff, not a topic label. Why: a

label ("Onboarding tips") gives no reason to swipe; a stake ("Why 60% of users quit in week

one") does.

- **One dominant element** — the headline reads first, before anything else. Why: a cover with

three competing focal points reads as zero.

- **Intentional white space** — let the headline breathe. Why: a dense cover looks like work,

and the thumb keeps scrolling.

- **An explicit swipe cue** — an arrow, "Swipe →", or a 1/8 counter. Why: tell people the

format is a deck so they know there's more.

The test: **would this stop *my own* thumb mid-scroll on a crowded feed?** If you hesitate,

the cover is too quiet.

```text

Bad (topic label, no stake, no swipe reason)

┌──────────────────────────┐

│ Tips for better │

│ user onboarding │

│ │

└──────────────────────────┘

Good (stake + payoff + swipe cue, one dominant line)

┌──────────────────────────┐

│ 60% of new users quit │ ← largest element, reads first

│ in week one. │

│ │

│ Here's where they fall │ ← supporting line, smaller

│ off — and the fix. │

│ Swipe → │ ← explicit cue

└──────────────────────────┘

```

More cover-hook shapes (number / contrarian / mistake / outcome / question) with Bad→Good

rewrites are in [`references/carousel-patterns.md`](references/carousel-patterns.md).

## The narrative arc

A carousel is not a list — it is a sequence engineered so each slide creates a reason to see

the next. Pick **one** arc and map slides to it. Branch on the angle:

| Arc | Use when | Slide shape |

|---|---|---|

| Problem → tension → reveal → payoff | persuasive / insight post | cover, stakes, the wrong way, the shift, the payoff, CTA |

| Numbered steps / listicle | how-to, framework | cover, step 1..n, recap, CTA |

| Myth → truth | contrarian take | cover, the myth, why it's wrong, the truth, proof, CTA |

| Before → after | transformation / case study | cover, before, turning point, after, how, CTA |

| Data reveal | stat-led post | cover, setup, the number, why it matters, so-what, CTA |

**Momentum rule:** end each interior slide on a small open loop — a cliff line, a "but here's

the catch", a half-finished list — so the thumb keeps swiping. Why: a slide that fully resolves

gives permission to stop. Each arc expanded to a full slide map is in

[`references/carousel-patterns.md`](references/carousel-patterns.md).

## One idea per slide + hierarchy

The line between a finished deck and one abandoned at slide 3 is **one idea per slide**.

- **One point per slide** — if a slide has two ideas, split it. Why: cramming dilutes the

message and stalls momentum; a single point is swiped through fast and remembered.

- **Type floor ≥ 28 px** — it is read on a phone, one-handed. Why: body text below ~28 px

forces a pinch-zoom, which is a stop.

- **One dominant element per slide** — a headline, a number, or a visual that reads first.

- **Generous white space + a consistent grid** — same margins, same headline position across

slides. Why: a stable frame lets the eye land instantly and the deck feels designed.

```text

Bad — crammed, four competing points, tiny text

┌──────────────────────────┐

│ Onboarding fixes: │

│ • Shorten the signup form │

│ • Add a progress bar │

│ • Send a day-1 email │

│ • Show a sample dataset │

└──────────────────────────┘

Good — one idea, one dominant element, breathing room

┌──────────────────────────┐

│ Step 1 │

│ │

│ Cut the signup form to │ ← single point, large

│ 3 fields. │

│ │

│ Every extra field drops │ ← one supporting line

│ completion ~7%. │

└──────────────────────────┘

```

## Slide count

Aim for the **6–12 band, ~8 as the sweet spot** (cover + ~6 content + CTA). Reported peaks

- cluster around 7–8 slides; 8–12 is where the highest dwell/save/share rates show up. Fewer

- than 5 underdelivers (not worth the swipe); more than ~15 loses people before the payoff.

- Treat the band as a guide, not a law: **length follows the arc, not a quota.** If the arc

- resolves in 7 slides, ship 7 — don't pad to hit a number.

+ cluster around 7–8 slides; 8–12 is where the highest dwell/save/share rates show up. Fewer than

+ 5 underdelivers (not worth the swipe); more than ~15 loses people before the payoff. Treat the

+ band as a guide, not a law: **length follows the arc, not a quota** — if the arc resolves in 7

+ slides, ship 7, don't pad to hit a number.

## The CTA closer

The last slide is the payoff landing plus **one explicit ask**.

- **State the payoff first**, then ask. Why: people act after value, not before it.

- **One ask, tied to the payoff** — "Save this for your next onboarding review", "Comment your

worst week-one drop-off". Why: a bare "Follow for more" is generic and ignorable; an ask

hooked to what they just read converts.

```text

Bad → "Follow me for more content." (generic, no reason)

Good → "Save this for your next onboarding review.

Which step are you missing? Comment below." (tied to payoff, one action)

```

## Design + export spec

```text

Canvas: 1080×1350 (4:5 portrait, recommended) or 1080×1080 (1:1 fallback). No landscape.

Safe area: keep headline + key visual inside ~880×880; ~80 px padding on all sides.

Type: body ≥ 28 px (it is read on a phone).

Export: PDF only (1 slide = 1 page). Cap ~100-300 MB / 300 pp depending on source; keep < ~10 MB.

Gotchas: open the exported PDF and verify fonts — free Canva silently substitutes them;

disable bleed / crop marks — they add black bars to every slide;

preview on a PHONE before posting — the desktop view hides mobile crops.

```

Portrait 4:5 takes the most vertical space in a mobile feed, which raises dwell and the chance

- of a scroll-stop. PDF is the only export that preserves fonts and layout reliably across

- devices — exporting slides as images loses crispness and breaks selectable text. The full

+ of a scroll-stop; PDF is the only export that preserves fonts and layout reliably across

+ devices, since slides exported as images lose crispness and break selectable text. The full

checklist in prose is in [`references/carousel-patterns.md`](references/carousel-patterns.md).

## The feed caption handoff

A document post still has a **text caption above it**, and its first 1–2 lines (before the

"…more" fold) must restate the cover hook — that line is what people read before deciding to

- expand and swipe. Give a one-line starter that echoes the cover, then route full feed-copy

- length/tone tuning to [`../linkedin-content/SKILL.md`](../linkedin-content/SKILL.md). You own

- the slides; that sibling owns the caption.

+ expand and swipe. Give a one-line starter that echoes the cover; you own the slides, and

+ [`../linkedin-content/SKILL.md`](../linkedin-content/SKILL.md) owns the caption's full

+ length/tone tuning.

## Handoffs

| When you actually want… | Go to |

|---|---|

| The account/format plan, cadence, niche, who to target | [`../linkedin-strategy/SKILL.md`](../linkedin-strategy/SKILL.md) |

| A text or single-image feed post (just the copy) | [`../linkedin-content/SKILL.md`](../linkedin-content/SKILL.md) |

- | 1:1 DMs / connection-request outreach sequences | `linkedin-outreach` |

+ | 1:1 DMs / connection-request outreach sequences | [`../linkedin-outreach/SKILL.md`](../linkedin-outreach/SKILL.md) |

| To publish/schedule the deck via the LinkedIn API | [`../linkedin-api/SKILL.md`](../linkedin-api/SKILL.md) |

| A spoken-to 16:9 talk deck (speaker support) | [`../presentations/SKILL.md`](../presentations/SKILL.md) |

| The color / type / logo brand kit the deck is styled in | [`../brand-identity/SKILL.md`](../brand-identity/SKILL.md) |

| The reusable tone of voice the words are written in | [`../brand-voice/SKILL.md`](../brand-voice/SKILL.md) |

| A long-form article (the prose, not slides) | [`../article-writing/SKILL.md`](../article-writing/SKILL.md) |

| To cross-post / schedule the finished asset elsewhere | [`../social-publisher/SKILL.md`](../social-publisher/SKILL.md) |

## Anti-patterns

| Anti-pattern | Why it fails | Do instead |

|---|---|---|

| Cover is a title slide / table of contents | No stake, no swipe reason — the deck dies at slide 1 | Lead with a curiosity/benefit headline that promises a payoff |

| Multiple ideas crammed on one slide | Dilutes the message, stalls momentum, forces tiny text | One focused idea per slide; split the rest into more slides |

| Body text under 28 px | Forces a pinch-zoom on mobile — that's a stop | Keep body ≥ 28 px; headlines far larger |

| Landscape (16:9) canvas | Takes minimal feed space, low dwell, looks like a talk deck | Portrait 1080×1350 (4:5), or 1080×1080 square fallback |

| A flat list with no arc | Nothing pulls the reader forward; they abandon early | Pick one arc; end each slide on a small open loop |

| 20+ slides | Loses people before the payoff | Stay in the 6–12 band (~8); let the arc set the length |

| Bare "Follow me for more" CTA | Generic, no reason to act | One explicit ask tied to the payoff (save/comment) |

| Exporting slides as images, not a PDF | Loses crispness, breaks the document-post format | Export one PDF, 1 slide = 1 page, < 10 MB |

| Trusting Canva's PDF fonts | Free Canva silently substitutes custom fonts | Open the exported PDF and verify fonts before upload |

| Never previewing on a phone | Desktop view hides mobile crops and bleed bars | Open the final PDF on a phone before posting |

## Verify

If you wrote the spec to a file, lint it before handing off:

```bash

scripts/verify.sh path/to/carousel-spec.md

```

It checks (read-only) for a labeled cover slide, a slide count in 5–15 (warns outside 6–12), a

CTA slide with an explicit ask, a portrait/square canvas, a ≥28 px type floor, "PDF" as the

export target, and warns on any crammed (3+ bullet) interior slide. An empty or clean target

- passes. The deeper rigor is the capability eval in `evals/`.

+ passes.