LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 740 million members worldwide. With such a large user base, LinkedIn presents a major opportunity for businesses looking to advertise and reach professionals in their target demographics. But is advertising on LinkedIn effective? What options are available? And how can you get the most out of LinkedIn ads? Let’s take a closer look.
What are the benefits of advertising on LinkedIn?
There are several key benefits to advertising on LinkedIn:
Targeted reach – LinkedIn has a wealth of user data including job titles, companies, locations, interests, skills, and more. This allows you to target ads to very specific professional demographics and roles.
Engaged user base – LinkedIn members are there to network, seek out opportunities, and consume professional content. They tend to be more receptive to B2B messaging than other social sites.
Multiple ad formats – LinkedIn offers Sponsored Content, Sponsored InMail, Text Ads, Dynamic Ads, and more. You can choose the format that works best for your goals.
Lead generation capabilities – LinkedIn’s Lead Gen Forms allow you to collect lead information directly from your Sponsored Content ads. This can generate high quality sales leads.
Retargeting options – You can retarget website visitors with LinkedIn ads using Website Retargeting and Matched Audiences. This helps increase conversions.
Detailed targeting and analytics – LinkedIn Campaign Manager provides robust targeting options and reporting on ad performance and ROI.
What types of ads can you run on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn offers a variety of ad formats and products. Here are some of the main options:
Sponsored Content – These are in-feed sponsored posts that appear in the LinkedIn feed similar to regular posts. You can target Sponsored Content to appear for specific members who meet your criteria.
Sponsored InMail – Sponsored InMail allows you to reach LinkedIn members via direct message. You can send targeted one-to-one messages to members to promote your product, content, or event.
Text Ads – These are self-service pay-per-click ads that show up on the right rail of the LinkedIn desktop site. You bid on keywords to target these ads.
Dynamic Ads – Dynamic Ads automatically promote specific content to members who have already engaged with your business. They help drive traffic from LinkedIn back to your site.
LinkedIn Audience Network – This ad network allows you to extend your Sponsored Content campaigns beyond LinkedIn to premium partner sites.
Lead Gen Forms – You can attach customized lead gen forms to your Sponsored Content ads to collect contact information from interested prospects directly on LinkedIn.
How much do LinkedIn ads cost?
LinkedIn advertising costs are based on an auction, similar to other pay-per-click advertising networks. Here are some average costs for LinkedIn ad formats:
– Sponsored Content – $10-$50+ per click
– Sponsored InMail – $50-$100+ per InMail
– Text Ads – $3-$8 per click
– Dynamic Ads – $8-$15 per click
Costs vary significantly based on your targeting, industry, competition, and other factors. On average, advertisers spend between $5-15 to generate a conversion with LinkedIn ads based on industry benchmarks.
To maximize ROI, it’s important to A/B test different targeting options, bids, ad creative, and landing pages. LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager makes it easy to test and optimize your ads. Utilizing LinkedIn’s array of targeting and analytics options can help drive down CPC costs and improve performance.
What targeting options are available?
Some of the main ways you can target LinkedIn ads include:
Job Title – Target by job title such as Marketing Manager, IT Director, CTO, etc.
Company – Target employees at specific companies using LinkedIn’s Company Name targeting option.
Industry – Target by industry vertical.
Seniority – Target junior, mid-level, senior, executive, or entry level members.
Location – Target specific geographic regions, states, cities, or areas.
Interests / Skills – Target based on LinkedIn member interests and self-listed skills.
Demographics – Target by criteria like age, gender, education level, and more.
Engagement Targeting – Target members who have already engaged with your LinkedIn company page, content, or emails.
Matched Audiences – Target audiences similar to your existing customers, website traffic, or leads.
Account-Based Targeting – Target specific companies you want to do business with.
These robust targeting options allow you to hone in on the professional audiences that matter most to your business.
What types of campaigns can you run?
In addition to different ad formats, LinkedIn also supports various campaign types and objectives.
Awareness campaigns – Drive brand awareness and reach. Gain exposure for your brand, products or content.
Consideration campaigns – Promote engagement through post likes, follows, and shares. Focus on quality over quantity.
Traffic campaigns – Drive visits to your website, blog, or landing pages.
Lead generation campaigns – Generate and collect leads directly via Lead Gen Forms.
Video views campaigns – Promote video content and drive video views.
You can also set up always-on campaigns that continuously run and optimize based on your goals and budget.
When setting up a LinkedIn campaign, you want to choose the objective, targeting, and ad format that aligns with your overall marketing goals.
What types of creatives work best?
The most effective LinkedIn ad creative focuses on providing value, sparks intrigue, and speaks directly to the professional target audience. Here are some best practices for LinkedIn ad creative:
Informative / educational content – Copy and imagery should focus on informing, educating, or helping the audience in some way. Avoid pure sales pitches.
Relevant media – Images, video, and graphics should connect directly to your message and resonate with the professional audience.
Compelling ad copy – Keep copy succinct, aligned to the headline, and written to provide value for the target audience.
Calls-to-action – Include a clear, compelling CTA that tells the audience what you want them to do after engaging with the ad.
Messaging and value prop – Tailor messaging and positioning specifically towards the target role you are tryng to reach. Focus on their needs and pains.
A/B test creatives – Try different combinations of copy, imagery, layouts, and more to determine what resonates best. Iterate and optimize.
Investing in compelling, professional ad creative designed specifically for LinkedIn can give your campaigns a major boost. The platform’s roster of talented freelancers can help with this.
What are some tips for success?
Here are some top tips for getting great results from LinkedIn advertising:
– Laser focus your targeting – The more closely you can target roles and companies relevant to what you offer, the better.
– Personalize outreach – Use LinkedIn Matched Audiences to tailor messaging to prospects who already know your brand.
– Promote gated assets – Drive leads by advertising content like whitepapers, ebooks, and infographics that require a form to access.
– Retarget engaged visitors – Remarket to LinkedIn visitors who have already shown interest in your website or emails.
– Test comprehensive analytics – Tap into LinkedIn’s campaign data and analytics to optimize performance.
– Watch out for low CTRs – If clickthrough rates dip below 0.5%, it likely signals poor targeting, low quality score, or ineffective creative.
– Make the most of LinkedIn’s tools – Check LinkedIn campaign manager regularly and leverage features like Audience Recommendations.
– Integrate with marketing automation – Connect LinkedIn Campaign Manager to your CRM to track leads and ROI.
With the right strategy, targeting, creative, and optimization, LinkedIn ads can be a game changer for B2B marketing and lead generation.
Conclusion
In summary, LinkedIn advertising presents a major opportunity for B2B marketers looking to connect with professionals and decision-makers. The platform offers robust targeting options, multiple ad formats, and powerful analytics and tools. An informed strategy, alluring creative, and campaign optimization are key to maximizing LinkedIn ad success and ROI. With over 740 million users, tapping into even a tiny fraction of the LinkedIn audience can provide a huge boost for lead generation and brand awareness.