With the rise of digital marketing, companies have more options than ever when it comes to advertising online. Two of the most popular platforms for digital ads are Google Ads and LinkedIn ads. But which one should you choose – Google or LinkedIn? Here is an in-depth comparison of LinkedIn vs Google ads to help you decide which platform is better for your business.
Cost Per Click (CPC)
One of the most important factors to consider when running ads is the cost per click (CPC). This metric indicates how much you pay each time someone clicks on your ad. Google Ads tend to have lower CPCs compared to LinkedIn.
The average CPC on Google Ads is $1-$2, while LinkedIn ads have an average CPC of $8-$10. The reason for this difference is that LinkedIn has a smaller audience and more targeted user base. People on LinkedIn are there with professional intent, so they are more likely to engage with ads. But the smaller audience size also leads to increased competition and higher ad costs.
Winner: Google Ads
Audience Targeting
Both Google and LinkedIn allow advertisers to target their ads based on location, demographics, interests, and more. However, LinkedIn offers more robust targeting options tailored to professionals.
With LinkedIn campaigns, you can target ads by:
- Job title
- Company name
- Industry
- Seniority level
- Skills
- Groups and interests
This level of granular targeting is not possible with Google Ads. While Google allows basic demographic and interest based targeting, LinkedIn ads enable you to reach exactly the professional audience you want.
Winner: LinkedIn Ads
Ad Relevance
The relevance of the ads you see is another important factor for performance. Since LinkedIn offers robust targeting options, the ads shown to users are highly relevant to their professional interests. LinkedIn users tend to respond better to relevant ads.
Google Ads relevancy depends on the keywords and targeting settings used. With a generic campaign, you may get lower quality traffic. To achieve better relevancy on Google, precise keyword selection and negative keyword management are required.
Winner: LinkedIn Ads
Quality of Leads/Conversions
For most businesses, the quality of leads and conversions generated is more important than vanity metrics like impressions or clicks. Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads are both capable of generating high quality leads, but there are some differences.
Google Ads conversions may have slightly lower lead quality on average. This is because Google captures a wide swath of search intent. Some visitors from Google may not be ready to buy yet.
LinkedIn conversions tend to be higher quality because of the professional, business-focused audience. The leads captured already have an established level of interest and intent.
Winner: LinkedIn Ads
Retargeting Capabilities
Retargeting involves serving ads to people who have already visited your website or interacted with your business in some way. Both Google and LinkedIn provide excellent retargeting options.
Google lets you create remarketing lists and target people who have visited specific pages on your site. Dynamic remarketing can be used to show products that a visitor viewed.
LinkedIn also has powerful account-based advertising options. You can target ads to companies whose employees have visited your site by uploading their IP addresses. This allows you to market to entire organizations.
Winner: Tie
Ad Creation and Testing
Google and LinkedIn both provide user-friendly ad interfaces to create and edit ads. Google offers more options for different ad formats like text, display, video, and more. LinkedIn focuses mainly on text ads.
When it comes to split testing ads, Google has the advantage. Its broader reach makes it easier to run A/B tests to optimize ad copy and landing pages for higher conversions.
Winner: Google Ads
Reporting and Analytics
Understanding your ad performance is crucial for optimizing campaigns. Google and LinkedIn both provide excellent reporting features.
Google Analytics integrates directly with Google Ads to provide detailed info on conversions, ROI, and other KPIs. LinkedIn Campaign Manager also gives you insights on cost, clicks, CTR, conversions, and more.
Third-party tracking pixels can be used with both platforms to track conversions. Overall, both offer robust analytics to measure ad results.
Winner: Tie
Conclusion
So which platform comes out on top in this LinkedIn vs Google Ads comparison? Here is a quick overview of the key differences:
Metric | Google Ads | LinkedIn Ads |
---|---|---|
Cost Per Click | Lower CPC | Higher CPC |
Audience Targeting | Basic demographic and interest targeting | Robust professional targeting |
Ad Relevance | Varies based on keywords and targeting used | Highly relevant |
Lead/Conversion Quality | Good | Excellent |
Retargeting Capabilities | Retarget site visitors | Retarget companies |
Ad Creation and Testing | More ad formats and easier A/B testing | Mainly text ads |
Reporting and Analytics | Robust through Google Analytics | Robust through Campaign Manager |
In summary:
- Google Ads win when it comes to lower cost per click and broader reach.
- LinkedIn Ads win for highly targeted professional audiences, lead quality, and retargeting capabilities.
The best advertising approach is to leverage both platforms where appropriate. Use Google to drive volume and take advantage of the large search audience. Use LinkedIn for more focused professional targeting and engaging decision makers.
Evaluate your goals, ideal customer profile, and metrics to determine the right channel mix for your business. Many companies find success using Google for top-of-funnel awareness and LinkedIn for middle-to-bottom funnel nurturing. Coordinate your efforts across the two platforms to achieve marketing success.