Data-Led Analysis of LinkedIn Video vs Carousels

The truth about LinkedIn video performance, using a year of data from 50,000 followers

In the B2B sector, resource allocation is often dictated by the latest trend. For the last few years, the advice in social media has been to prioritise video above all other content. More recently, however, a new narrative has emerged suggesting that video has lost its effectiveness and carousels are now the primary driver of growth.

When you are managing a brand with a significant following (in our case, over 50,000) these shifts in “best practice” can’t be ignored, but they also shouldn’t be followed blindly. 

To move beyond anecdotal evidence, we analysed a full year of 2025 performance data from our own LinkedIn channel. By examining the performance of 114 carousel and video posts, we can see how they contribute to a broader LinkedIn strategy and where the true value lies for a B2B organisation. Here is what we found:

• Clicks are not a proxy for commitment
• Portrait carousels create a walled garden for your brand message
• Depth peaks between seven and nine slides
• Human connection drives higher engagement
• Video offers strategic differentiation
• Video engagement faces a steep cliff after the two-minute mark
• Landscape remains the preferred format for expert video content
• What this means for B2B Marketers
• Taking a Balanced Approach
• Final Thoughts

Clicks are not a proxy for commitment

The raw data suggests a clear lead for carousels in terms of engagement. On average, carousels outperformed video content by 39.8% across our posts.

Table 1: Performance by Content Format

Format	Average Engagement Rate	Total posts
Carousel	48.3%	76
Video	8.5%	38

This suggests that carousels are currently the most efficient tool for generating high volumes of interactions. However, a high engagement rate doesn’t always tell the whole story.

LinkedIn calculates engagement by dividing total interactions (likes, comments, shares, and all clicks) by impressions. A carousel is an active format. Users must click to progress through the slides, and each click increases the engagement rate. Video is a passive format; a user can gain significant value from watching a two-minute clip without ever performing a trackable interaction.

We must be careful not to mistake a lack of clicks for a lack of interest. In fact, our data shows that while videos have lower engagement rates, they often have a longer “tail”. They continue to surface in feeds days after posting, whereas carousels tend to peak and drop off within 24 hours.

Portrait carousels create a walled garden for your brand message

For those looking to maximise the impact of carousels, the data reveals that technical choices, such as orientation and length, heavily influence performance. For carousel posts, average engagement rate was 10.1% greater using portrait layout.

Table 2: Carousel Engagement by Ratio

Orientation	Average Engagement Rate
Portrait	55.5%
Landscape	45.4%
Square	31.4%

The clear preference for portrait suggests that visual real estate is a primary driver of engagement. On both mobile and desktop, a portrait carousel is harder to ignore. It fills the vertical space of the browser, forcing the user to give it attention before they can scroll further.

Portrait slides allow for much larger typography and bolder headlines. This makes them easier to glance at and skim read, a necessity for the professional who is browsing between meetings or on a commute.

Depth peaks between seven and nine slides

The length of carousels can also play a role in retention. We found that engagement was 16.7% lower if there were 3 or less slides, and 8.1% lower if there were 10 or more slides. There was also a specific range of 7-9 slides that keeps the audience engaged without causing fatigue.

Table 3: Carousel Engagement by Slide Count

Slide Length	Average Engagement Rate
7-9 slides	53.6%
4-6 slides	50.4%
10+ slides	45.5%
3 or less	36.9%

The drop-off after 9 slides suggests a “cognitive load” limit. B2B audiences want depth, but they also value their time. If you can’t make your point in under 10 slides, you might be trying to cover too much ground in a single post.

Human connection drives higher engagement

One of the most surprising insights from our study was the performance of “Brand” or “Culture” content compared to “Educational” or “Technical” content. While we are a digital marketing agency, our audience isn’t just looking for digital marketing tips.

In the carousel data, posts celebrating staff work anniversaries or promotions consistently achieved some of the highest engagement rates, often exceeding 80%. In contrast, highly technical carousels about “Internal Linking” or “Crawl Budget” stayed in the solid 30-40% range.

This suggests that even in a professional, B2B environment, the human element is a primary driver of engagement. It’s a reminder that we aren’t just marketing to businesses; we are marketing to people within those businesses. The link between personal milestones and algorithm success is undeniable.

Video offers strategic differentiation

While the numerical advantage lies with carousels, video content serves a distinct strategic purpose. In many cases, we saw videos with relatively low impressions, but in this context it depends on who is watching. For example, if a video regarding a highly specific legal SEO update reaches 200 senior partners at law firms who watch it to the end, that is a high-impact win. Video also allows for a human connection and a demonstration of authority that a static slide can’t match.

Table 4: Video Performance by Focus Area

Focus Area	Average Engagement Rate
Advert	9.3%
PPC	9.2%
Brand	8.5%
SEO	8.2%

Interestingly, “Advert” focused videos, such as webinar invites or specific offers, received the highest average engagement within the video category. This suggests that when the audience chooses to watch a video, they are often looking for specific opportunities or direct value. 

Video engagement faces a steep cliff after the two-minute mark

A common trap for B2B marketers is the belief that complex expert advice requires a long-form format. Our data suggests the opposite. By the time a video reaches four minutes, the Engagement Rate has dropped by 2.4% compared to a video under 2 minutes. That is a 25% drop in efficiency once a video crosses the four-minute mark. This represents a large portion of your audience quietly “checking out” before you’ve reached your conclusion. 

Table 5: Video Performance by Duration

Video Length	Average Engagement Rate
Under 2 mins	9.4%
Under 3 mins	8.0%
Under 4 mins	7.1%
Over 4 mins	7.0%

While “Under 3 mins” gets slightly higher impressions (suggesting the algorithm likes to push it), the Under 2 mins category is the clear efficiency winner.

This suggests that the modern B2B professional is looking for “snackable” expertise. They want the insight, the proof, and the next step, all within the time it takes to grab a coffee. If you have a five-minute explanation, you aren’t doing yourself any favours by posting it in full. You’re likely better off editing it into three high-impact clips.

Landscape remains the preferred format for expert video content

While carousels benefit from the vertical Portrait ratio, our video data tells a different story. In a surprising twist, Landscape videos outperformed Portrait videos in terms of engagement.

Table 6: Video Engagement by Ratio

Orientation	Average Engagement Rate
Landscape	9.0%
Portrait	7.4%

This suggests that when an audience decides to watch a video, they may be switching into a different mode of consumption. While carousels are for fast-paced scrolling, a Landscape video signals a more traditional, educational experience. It feels more professional and less like a social media “short”. For expert content where authority is key, the Landscape format can still hold a psychological advantage for the professional viewer.

What this means for B2B Marketers

For marketing leaders, this data shouldn’t lead to a “pivot” but rather a “refinement.” Here is how we believe B2B marketers should adjust their strategies based on these findings:

1. Consider different success metrics for each format

Using Engagement Rate as a North Star metric for both formats is a mistake. It’s like comparing the fuel efficiency of a car to a motorbike; they serve different purposes and operate on different mechanics.

• Carousels are for Reach and Retention. Use them to benefit from the current algorithm and keep your brand top-of-mind.
• Video is for Trust and Conversion. Use it to prove your expertise, show your human side, and lower the barriers to entry for new clients.

2. Portrait-first for carousels

If your creative team is still producing Landscape content for LinkedIn carousels, you are effectively opting into a 10% “tax” on your engagement. Every piece of carousel content should be built to take up that screen real estate.

However, consider sticking with Landscape for your high-authority video content. It signals a level of professionalism that the scrolling audience still responds to when they want to learn.

3. Respect the 7-Slide Threshold

There is a temptation in B2B to be exhaustive. We want to show how much we know. However, the data shows that after 9 slides, the audience begins to tune out. If you have a 20-slide deck, consider splitting it into a two-part series. This gives you two bites at the engagement cherry and ensures your audience actually reaches the Call to Action (CTA) at the end.

4. Lean into the Human Side

Don’t be afraid to mix high-level technical insights with staff celebrations. In fact, our data suggests that your technical content will perform better if it’s interspersed with human content. When people see the faces behind the brand and feel a personal connection to the team, they are more likely to engage with the technical content those people produce. It’s about building a lived-in brand presence.

5. Audit your video length ruthlessly

Our data is clear: if it’s over two minutes, you are fighting an uphill battle. If your expert can’t explain the concept in that time, you need better scripting or a different format. Keep your LinkedIn videos tight, focused, and under 120 seconds for maximum impact.

5. Redefine Quality

A quality video isn’t necessarily one with 10,000 views. In B2B, a quality video is one that makes a potential client feel like they’ve already met you. If you spend three hours on a video that only gets 250 views, but three of those viewers pick up the phone to book a consultation, the ROI is infinitely higher than a “viral” carousel that gets 1,000 likes from people who will never buy your services.

Taking a Balanced Approach

The question isn’t whether video is “out” or carousels are “in”. Instead, the data suggests a hybrid approach.

Carousels should be used as the primary engine for consistent engagement and brand visibility. They are highly efficient, relatively low-cost to produce compared to video, and drive the “clicks” that the LinkedIn algorithm rewards.

Video should be reserved for high-impact moments. It’s a format designed for depth, intended for those who are ready to move from awareness to consideration. By understanding the limitations of how engagement is measured, we can stop chasing vanity metrics and start focusing on the intent behind every interaction.

Final Thoughts

There is a trend in marketing to look for the “one secret hack” that will solve your social media growth. The reality, as our data shows, is much more nuanced.

Success on LinkedIn for a B2B firm isn’t about choosing the “winning” format. It’s about understanding the specific mechanics of each format and using them to serve the different stages of the buyer journey.

We will continue to invest in both, but we will do so with a clear understanding of what success looks like for each. One click might move a metric, but three minutes of focused attention moves a mind. And in the world of high-value B2B services, the mind is the only thing that matters.

Methodology statement

This study was based on a longitudinal review of an active, large-scale B2B social channel.

Data Scope and Duration

The dataset comprises every native video and carousel post published on The SEO Works LinkedIn channel over a continuous 12-month period (January 2025 – December 2025). This timeframe was selected to account for seasonal fluctuations in professional social media usage and to ensure that algorithmic shifts were balanced out over a long-term average.

Channel Profile

The analysis was conducted on an established LinkedIn Company Page with over 50,000 followers. The audience is primarily composed of senior decision-makers, marketing professionals, and business owners within the UK and international B2B sectors.

Metrics and Definitions

We focused on three primary Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to determine effectiveness:

• Impressions: The total number of times the content was displayed on a user’s screen.
• Engagement Rate (ER): Calculated using the standard LinkedIn formula: (Total Interactions / Total Impressions) x 100. Interactions include likes, reactions, comments, shares, reposts, follows, and all clicks (including “see more” and carousel navigation).
• Qualitative Focus: Each post was categorised by its primary objective (SEO, PPC, Brand/Culture, or Advert) to identify if certain topics favoured specific formats.

Controlled Variables

To isolate the impact of the format itself, we examined technical sub-variables including:

• Aspect Ratio: Comparing Portrait (9:16/4:5), Square (1:1), and Landscape (16:9).
• Content Length: Categorising videos by duration (e.g., Under 2 minutes vs. Over 3 minutes) and carousels by slide count (e.g., 1–3 slides vs. 7–9 slides).

Analytical Process

The raw data was exported directly from LinkedIn Page Analytics and processed to remove outliers (such as posts with paid spend/boosting) to ensure a purely organic comparison. The data was then aggregated to find the mean performance levels cited throughout this article.

Data Source

Download the data here.