What are LinkedIn ads?

LinkedIn is a popular platform for networking and content sharing, and it’s exactly its popularity among professionals makes it another great platform to launch your PPC campaigns. The current number of Linkedin users is around 810 million and rising, leaving you with a huge chance of finding the right people to promote your product or service to.

LinkedIn ads can be quite similar to ads on other platforms in the way you create them and monitor them, however, what makes this site stand out from others is its demographics. In fact, it’s important to note that 59.1% of LinkedIn users are between the ages of 25 and 34, which is what makes it an especially great marketing tool to advertise to millennials.

How to create a Linkedin ad

So, once you have your LinkedIn business page ready to go, how do you start advertising on the platform? First of all, log into the LinkedIn Campaign Manager as that is where you will create and monitor your PPC campaigns. Then, follow these steps:

Pick your objective

What is the goal of your ad? To convert leads? Or to boost your online branding? Figure it out and then click on the objective that best fits your campaign.

Select your target audience

Who do you hope will click on your call to action? Look at your website strategy to remember who you are targeting with your marketing materials. An ad on LinkedIn can reach 14.6% of the world’s population so it’s important to narrow down the people who you think will be interested in your product/service.

Choose a format

LinkedIn allows you to choose from six different ad formats:

Single Image Ad

This type of ad blends into someone’s timeline as it appears like any other post, and it’s a great way to subtly promote your product/service while still standing out. However, note that these ads only allow you to use one single image.

Video Ad

Do you have a great video to promote your online branding or product/service? Then you’ll be happy to hear that LinkedIn allows you to use videos of up to 30 minutes for your PPC campaigns. Keep in mind that however long your ad is, most people will only see the first few seconds or minutes. As such, give it a strong intro.

Carousel Image Ad

From telling your story to promoting multiple products at once – carousel ads allow you to use up to 10 images to really show off your brand and convert leads. Make sure that each image is accompanied by effective headlines, and that your call to action reflects the kind of action you want people to take.

Message Ad

Since LinkedIn is a platform used for networking, its messaging feature can be a powerful way to market your product or service directly. This is especially true for B2B companies, and it’s in part why 40% of B2B marketers see LinkedIn as the most effective channel for finding high-quality leads.

Text Ad

If your main goal is to boost your online branding and entice people to discover your website strategy, a simple text ad might be the way to go. You only get a few characters to play with, but it’s a great way to learn how to summarize your offering.

Dynamic Ad

Last but not least, there is the personalized dynamic ad. This type of ad uses the users’ personal information to target them in a customized way.

Decide the budget & schedule

Next, you need to decide how much you are willing to invest in your LinkedIn PPC campaign and when you wish for it to go live. Keep in mind that LinkedIn’s Cost Per Lead is 28% lower than Google Ads, meaning that you don’t need to have a huge budget to get a good ROI.

Get creative

Finally, before you launch your ad, you have to actually create it. Depending on the format you have chosen, you will have to create videos, images, or just focus on the text. One thing is guaranteed for all of them: you have to find a strong CTA to convert leads.

Tips for a successful Linkedin ad

Keep your text simple but effective

Some LinkedIn ad formats allow you to use more characters than any other social media platform, but don’t let that trick you into writing an essay about your company. Regardless of your character limit, keep your message to the point and avoid unnecessary details.

Use eye-catching visuals

This should go without saying, but make sure that your visuals are powerful enough to stop someone from scrolling and prompt them to click on your call to action. Avoid images that are too vague or that don’t go well with your ad copy.

Try A/B Testing

As with any other platform for PPC campaigns, finding an ad that works takes some trial and error. That’s why it’s always best to test different ads at once to see which gets the biggest return on investment. Then, you can use that data to improve future ads.

Use a clear CTA

As always, your call to action can make or break your ad. This is why it’s always important to ensure that every CTA you use is clear, and leads the user exactly to where they expect. For example, avoid using ‘buy now’ when the landing page actually requires them to sign up and go through multiple pages before they can actually buy something.

Get some expert help

Brands have seen a 33% increase in purchase intent resulting from ad exposure on LinkedIn. That’s why you shouldn’t let a lack of time stop you from expanding your PPC campaigns to include LinkedIn! Instead of trying to figure it all out by yourself, get the help of a marketing agency. These professionals can take care of everything from helping you improve your website strategy, create effective ad creatives, and even monitor your campaigns to actively optimize them over time.