Let me tell you something funny—when I first started posting on LinkedIn back in 2018, I thought it was just Facebook with suits! Six years and over 75,000 followers later, I’ve discovered LinkedIn is actually the perfect canvas for visual storytellers who want to blend professional insight with creative expression.
The French Approach to LinkedIn Visuals #
Here in Paris, we don’t just share content—we curate experiences. Working at the intersection of tech and fashion has taught me that LinkedIn’s professional audience still responds to beauty, emotion, and narrative. The platform’s algorithmic preference for native content has created this fascinating space where visual storytelling can actually outperform text-only posts.
Last month, I ran a little experiment with my team at Atelier Numérique. We published identical insights about emerging AR technology in retail—once as a text-only post and once as a visual carousel with the same information presented through a series of custom graphics. Care to guess which performed better? The visual version generated 3.8x more engagement and 2.5x more profile visits.
Breaking Through Professional Formality #
LinkedIn has this reputation for being stiff and formal, non? But here’s what I’ve found—the most successful content often breaks from traditional corporate aesthetics.
When I started incorporating hand-drawn illustrations into my posts about digital marketing trends, something interesting happened. Comments shifted from standard “Great insights!” to actual conversations. People remembered my content because it stood out visually.
My colleague Sophie at L’Oréal took this approach when launching their sustainability initiative. Rather than standard corporate photography, she used a series of watercolor illustrations showing the journey of their packaging materials. The campaign reached 4x their usual audience and generated partnership inquiries from companies outside their traditional network.
Practical Tips for Visual LinkedIn Storytelling #
So you want to try this approach? Here’s what works for me:
1. Start with a visual hook Your first image needs to stop the scroll. When I announced our agency’s expansion to Lyon, I didn’t use a standard office photo—I created a split image showing Lyon’s historical architecture blending into digital wireframes. It instantly communicated our mission to blend traditional craftsmanship with digital innovation.
2. Embrace white space We French take our visual composition seriously! Too many LinkedIn graphics are cluttered with text and elements. When creating carousel posts about customer journey mapping, I use simple visuals with plenty of negative space, allowing one key insight to shine on each slide. This approach increased average slide view time by 45%.
3. Maintain visual consistency Your visuals should feel like they belong to you. I use a limited color palette inspired by classic French cinema—lots of navy blues, creams, and occasional bursts of red. Followers now recognize my content before even seeing my name!
4. Add a touch of the unexpected LinkedIn is full of predictable stock photos. When discussing remote work challenges, I created a series of surrealist-inspired compositions showing impossible home office setups. These generated more comments than any previous content because they made people smile while making my point about work-life boundaries.
The Results Speak for Themselves #
This approach has transformed my professional life. What started as creative expression became my most powerful business development tool. Last year, three of our biggest client relationships began with CEOs reaching out after seeing my visual content series on digital transformation.
My team has grown from 2 to 15 people, and we no longer actively pursue new business—our visual storytelling on LinkedIn consistently brings quality leads directly to us. In typical French fashion, we now have the luxury of being selective about which projects we accept!
The beauty of LinkedIn is that it rewards authenticity and quality. By bringing my distinctly French visual aesthetic to a platform known for corporate conformity, I’ve carved out a unique professional identity that resonates across borders.
So, my friends, I encourage you to bring more visual creativity to your LinkedIn presence. The platform has evolved far beyond its resume-repository origins. Today’s LinkedIn is a stage for professional storytelling, and visual content is often the most compelling way to tell your story.
After all, in both business and art, n’est-ce pas—it’s not just what you say, but how beautifully you say it.
Camille Dubois is the founder of Atelier Numérique, a Paris-based digital marketing studio specializing in visual storytelling for luxury and technology brands. Her LinkedIn visual content series “Digital Elegance” has been featured in Marketing Week and Communication Arts.