When it comes to testing LinkedIn ads, one of the most common questions is “How long should I run my test campaign?” The answer depends on your goals, budget, and a few other factors.
Why Test LinkedIn Ads?
Testing is a crucial part of any LinkedIn ad strategy. Running test campaigns allows you to:
- See what messaging, creative, and targeting resonates best with your audience
- Optimize for lower cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-conversion (CPC)
- Improve your LinkedIn ad relevance score
- Build learnings to refine future campaigns
Without testing, you miss key opportunities to improve performance over time. Testing provides the data and insights you need to make informed decisions about where to invest your LinkedIn ad budget.
How Long Should You Run LinkedIn Ad Tests?
When determining LinkedIn ad test duration, a good rule of thumb is to run tests for at least 2 weeks. Here are a few reasons why:
- It takes time for LinkedIn’s algorithm to optimize and serve your ads to the best-fitting audience.
- You want to collect enough data to identify trends and make conclusions. With limited data from short tests, results may seem inaccurate or skewed by outliers.
- Testing multiple creative variations? You’ll want adequate exposure time for each ad to fairly compare performance.
While 2 weeks is a recommended minimum, the optimal LinkedIn ad test duration depends on your goals:
Brand Awareness Campaigns
For brand awareness campaigns focused on reach and frequency, run tests for at least 4 weeks. This gives time to drive enough impressions for brand metrics to meaningfully change.
Traffic Campaigns
If your goal is driving site traffic or lead generation, run tests for at least 2-3 weeks. Monitor for consistent or upward-trending results.
Conversion Campaigns
For campaigns optimized for conversions, run tests for at least 3-4 weeks. Longer test durations allow for accurate measurement of conversion rates.
Campaign Objective | Recommended Test Duration |
---|---|
Brand Awareness | 4+ weeks |
Traffic | 2-3 weeks |
Conversions | 3-4+ weeks |
Other Factors That Influence Test Duration
Beyond your campaign goals, a few other factors can impact how long you run LinkedIn ad tests:
Budget
Your budget plays a major role in determining test durations. With a larger budget, you can run tests longer to drive more impressions and data points. Make sure to set minimum budgets high enough to sustain tests for your recommended time periods.
Audience Size
The size of your target audience also influences test length. If you have a very narrow, niche audience, you may saturate available users faster. For smaller audiences, plan shorter test durations before results plateau.
Account History
For newer LinkedIn accounts with limited history, run initial tests for at least 3-4 weeks. This gives the algorithm sufficient time to assess performance and serve your ads to quality audiences.
How Do You Know When a Test Is “Complete”?
We recommend letting your LinkedIn ad tests run their full duration as planned. But how do you know when you’ve run a test long enough to call it “complete”? Here are a few signs:
- Performance metrics (CPC, CPM, conversions, etc.) have stabilized
- You’ve collected enough data to draw conclusions about what’s working
- Traffic and conversion volumes meet statistical significance
- Impression or budget caps have been reached
If you are still seeing performance fluctuations or uncertainty by the end of your planned test duration, consider extending the test by 1-2 weeks. Tests that are ended prematurely can lead to inaccurate or incomplete data.
Best Practices For LinkedIn Ad Testing
To get the most out of your LinkedIn ad tests, keep these best practices in mind:
- Test one variable at a time – Don’t change multiple components of your campaign at once or you won’t know what impacted results.
- Isolate underperforming ads – Pause bad-performing ads rather than letting them run and skew overall metrics.
- Use relevant metrics – Ensure you are tracking metrics tied to your goals like lead cost or conversion rate.
- Monitor daily – Check reports regularly for opportunities to optimize targeting or bids.
- Let tests run fully – Don’t stop tests prematurely before collecting enough meaningful data.
Conclusion
When testing LinkedIn ads, run campaigns for at least 2-4 weeks depending on your objectives. Give your tests sufficient time to gather enough data to draw fair conclusions. The ideal test duration balances budget needs, audience size, and performance trends to minimize uncertainties. With the right test length and optimization best practices, you’ll gain the insights needed to boost LinkedIn ad results over time.