LinkedIn is one of the most popular professional social media platforms, with over 800 million members worldwide. For businesses and marketers, LinkedIn ads present a major opportunity to reach a massive audience of working professionals. With multiple LinkedIn ad formats available, it’s important to understand the various options and best practices. One of the core formats is the LinkedIn vertical ad, which appears in the right column next to the LinkedIn feed. This guide will provide an overview of LinkedIn vertical ads, including dimensions, specs, tips, and examples.
Introduction to LinkedIn Vertical Ads
LinkedIn vertical ads are rectangle display ads that are placed in the right column next to the LinkedIn feed on desktop and tablet. They have a highly visible placement that puts your brand message right next to organic content from connections, companies, and promoted posts. Some key advantages of LinkedIn vertical ads include:
- Highly visible placement next to content feed
- Ability to target by job title, industry, skills, and more
- Flexibility with visuals including images, video, and dynamic product ads
- Option to drive traffic to landing pages, lead gen forms, or company pages
For many advertisers, LinkedIn vertical ads are a core component of an overall LinkedIn ads strategy. They can help raise brand awareness, generate leads, and drive traffic using precise targeting options. Next let’s look at the key dimensions and requirements for creating effective LinkedIn vertical ads.
LinkedIn Vertical Ad Dimensions
LinkedIn vertical ads come in standard Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) ad sizes. The main options include:
- 300 x 250 pixels – Medium Rectangle
- 120 x 240 pixels – Vertical Rectangle
The 300 x 250 medium rectangle size tends to be the most commonly used format, providing sufficient space for messaging, images, logo, and a clear call-to-action. The key dimensions include:
- 300 pixels wide
- 250 pixels tall
- Maximum file size of 150 KB
- JPEG, PNG, or GIF formats accepted
Keep in mind that LinkedIn recommends creating 300 x 250 ads with a white or light colored background. Dark backgrounds can blend too much with LinkedIn’s default black column style. The smaller 120 x 240 vertical rectangle gives you a bit less real estate to work with. But it can be effective for simpler brand messages or when targeting users on mobile.
Best Practices for LinkedIn Vertical Ads
When designing and creating LinkedIn vertical ads, follow these best practices for optimal results:
- Highlight prominent company logo and visuals
- Use brief, benefit-focused headline and subtitle
- Drive action with clear call-to-action button
- Keep text concise – 125 characters or less
- Leverage LinkedIn targeting features for precision
- Test A/B ads with different images, copy, and offers
- Analyze performance data and optimize accordingly
Your visuals and copy should work hand-in-hand. Include images depicting your product, service, or team. Write a compelling headline that speaks to the viewer and sums up your value proposition. The subtitle can provide more details on your offering. Place your logo, images, and text at the top with a prominent call-to-action button below. Referrals to landing pages or forms work best for lead generation. You can also drive traffic to your LinkedIn Company Page to build followers.
Creative Examples
To give you a better idea of how to design and structure effective LinkedIn vertical ads, let’s look at some real-world examples:
Software Company Ad
This example from a software company uses their recognizable branding and imagery. The headline and subtitle focus on a cybersecurity benefit that would appeal to IT professionals. A clear call-to-action button drives clicks to a landing page.
HR Services Ad
Here’s an example vertical ad from an HR services provider. The headline and subtitle highlight the key benefit of access to top talent. This would catch the attention of hiring managers and recruiters. The company logo and professional photo establish credibility.
Marketing Agency Ad
This vertical ad example comes from a marketing agency targeting LinkedIn users in the advertising industry. It uses bright colors and icons to capture attention. The copy and branding focus on results-driven advertising services.
These are just a few examples of how you can make compelling use of the 300 x 250 vertical ad space. Test different approaches to see what resonates best with your target audience.
Where Are LinkedIn Vertical Ads Displayed?
Now that we’ve covered the key dimensions and best practices, where exactly are vertical ads shown on LinkedIn? Here’s an overview of their placement:
- Desktop – Located in right column next to content feed
- Tablet – Same right column placement next to feed
- Mobile – Show at top and bottom of the LinkedIn app screen
On desktop and tablets, LinkedIn vertical ads consistently occupy the right column alongside the main content feed. This gives your message prime visibility as members scroll through updates. On mobile devices, the vertical ads will display at both the top and bottom of the screen within the LinkedIn app.
So regardless of device, LinkedIn vertical ads have prominent spots to engage professionals. Take advantage of this valuable real estate to get your brand seen.
Vertical Ad vs. Sponsored Content
How do LinkedIn vertical ads compare to sponsored content ads? While both are valuable, there are some notable differences:
Vertical Ads | Sponsored Content |
---|---|
Display Ad Format | In-Feed Native Ad Format |
300 x 250 standard display sizes | Looks like organic posts |
Prominent right column placement | Mixed into content feed |
Limited text – 125 chars | More room for text |
Branding, headlines, visuals | Complete content marketing posts |
In summary, vertical ads have a more overt promotional style as display ads, while sponsored content blends into the main feed in a native ad format. Many advertisers utilize both ad types as part of a diversified LinkedIn strategy.
Optimizing Vertical Ads
How can you optimize your LinkedIn vertical ad performance over time? Here are some key tips:
- A/B test ad variations to identify what resonates
- Refine targeting based on performance by job, industry, etc.
- Measure conversion rates and optimize landing pages
- Update ads with seasonal or timely offers and messaging
- Run split URL testing on call-to-action buttons
- Check placement rate and adjust max bid if needed
Monitor metrics like clicks, conversion rates, cost per lead, and return on ad spend. Use this data to identify the best performing combinations of images, copy, targets, and offers. Continual testing and optimization is key to improving results over the course of a campaign.
Benefits of LinkedIn Vertical Ads
In summary, key benefits of using LinkedIn vertical ads include:
- High visibility – Viewed consistently beside feed
- Precision targeting – By job role, industry, skills, etc.
- Engaging rich media – Video, dynamic product ads
- Calls to action – Landing pages, forms, Company Page
- Branding – Company, products, services
- Performance tracking – Optimize via metrics
For businesses targeting professionals, LinkedIn vertical ads provide a great brand awareness and direct response channel. Work with LinkedIn’s range of targeting and analytics tools to maximize your campaign results.
Conclusion
LinkedIn vertical ads offer an impactful way to engage professionals with targeted display ads. The standard 300 x 250 medium rectangle size provides ample room for messaging and visuals. Place these ads strategically within your content marketing and social media efforts to drive traffic and leads.
By following dimensions and best practices covered here, you can create vertical ads that capture attention. Use clear messaging focused on benefits to your target audience. Send users to landing pages, forms, or your Company Page to convert interest into results. Analyze performance and continuously optimize the campaign over time.
With their highly visible placement and precision targeting capabilities, LinkedIn vertical ads are a versatile option for brands looking to connect with professionals and talent. Add them to your mix to take your LinkedIn advertising to the next level.