What time does a LinkedIn campaign start?

When planning a LinkedIn ad campaign, one of the most important decisions is choosing the start time. The start time can significantly impact the campaign’s performance and results. In this article, we will explore the different options for LinkedIn campaign start times, the factors to consider, and provide recommendations for selecting the optimal start time.

Campaign Start Time Options

LinkedIn provides advertisers with flexibility when it comes to setting campaign start times. Here are the main options:

• Immediately – The campaign begins running ads as soon as it is created and approved by LinkedIn.
• Scheduled for a future date & time – You can select a specific date and time for the campaign to launch in the future.
• Event-based – Tie the campaign start to a specific event, such as publishing a blog post or product launch.

With the “scheduled” and “event-based” options, you can set your campaign to start during a specific hour and minute on the start date. This allows precise control over the launch time.

Factors to Consider for Start Time

When determining the optimal start time for a LinkedIn campaign, there are several factors to take into account:

• Audience time zones – What time zones is your target audience located in? You’ll want to select a start time when they are most likely to be active on LinkedIn.
• Work schedules – Are you targeting business professionals? Time the launch for common work hours.
• LinkedIn ad auction – Ad costs may fluctuate based on auction activity, so check typical pricing trends.
• Campaign objective – A campaign focused on generating leads or website traffic may perform best during standard business hours.
• Major events or holidays – Avoid launching right before/after major holidays or events when engagement is lower.

Analyzing past campaign performance by time of day and day of week can also provide helpful insights for identifying the optimal start time.

Recommendations for LinkedIn Campaign Start Times

Based on the above factors, here are some recommended start times to consider for LinkedIn campaigns:

Targeting Business Professionals

For campaigns focused on targeting business professionals, mid-week and standard business hours tend to perform best:

• Tuesdays – Thursdays
• 10 am – 3 pm local time

You may also see strong results launching early in the workweek (Monday – Wednesday) during typical commute times such as 7-9 am local time.

Targeting Consumers

For campaigns aimed at consumers, shift the focus to early mornings, evenings, and weekends:

• Mondays – Fridays: 7-9 am or 5-8 pm local time
• Saturdays and Sundays: 10 am – 6 pm local time

Driving Event Registrations

If your goal is to promote a webinar, event, or generate registrations, start the campaign 1-2 weeks ahead of the event date. Run ads Mon-Fri during standard business hours.

Promoting Content

When launching campaigns to promote content like blog posts or guides, consider starting ads:

• 1-3 days before publishing the content
• Same day the content is published
• During peak social sharing times: Mon-Fri 12-4 pm local time

This can help align your ad timing with increased organic visibility.

Start Time Recommendations By Objective

Here are start time best practices based on common campaign objectives:

Optimizing Campaign Start Time

When first launching a campaign, it’s recommended to test multiple start times to see what performs best for your audience and objectives. Here are some tips:

• Split test 2-3 different start times while keeping other factors constant
• Run each test for 1-2 weeks to gather sufficient data
• Measure conversion rate, CTR, impressions, cost per conversion etc. for each variable
• Look at performance by day of week and time of day in ads manager
• Evaluate results to determine the optimal start time

Ongoing optimization based on performance data will help you dial in the best start time. Factors like seasonality also mean you may need to re-test over time.

Tools for Optimization

These tools can assist with optimizing campaign start times:

• LinkedIn Campaign Manager – View performance trends
• LinkedIn Audience Insights – See when your audience is most active
• 3rd party analytics – Track conversion and engagement data
• AB testing software – Run split tests on start times

Troubleshooting Poor Start Time Performance

If you select a campaign start time that underperforms, here are some troubleshooting tips:

• Check if engagement is low for that time period across LinkedIn
• Verify the target audience is accessible and active at launch time
• Evaluate ad creative, landing page, and messaging for relevance
• Split test other start times to identify better options
• Try adjusting daily budget and bid amounts
• If needed, pause the campaign and relaunch at a better time

Careful planning and optimization of your campaign start time is key to driving strong LinkedIn advertising results. Analyze the performance data to continue refining your launch strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the start time after launching a campaign?

Yes, in LinkedIn Campaign Manager you can edit the start time for scheduled campaigns before they begin running. For live campaigns, you can pause and relaunch ads at a new time.

What happens if I select the “start immediately” option?

The campaign will start running ads right after passing approval, which typically takes 1-2 business days. The launch time will depend on when LinkedIn reviews and approves the ads.

Should I avoid holidays and weekends?

Major holidays are good times to pause campaigns. For weekends, it depends on your audience – weekends can work well for targeting consumers vs business professionals.

How often should I retest start times?

It’s recommended to re-evaluate your campaign start times every 3-6 months. Seasonality, new product launches, and changes in buyer behavior can impact the optimal timing.

Conclusion

The start time for your LinkedIn campaigns can have a big impact on performance. Keep your target audience and campaign objectives in mind when selecting a launch time. Use split testing and data analysis to refine your timing over time. With an optimized start time, you will increase the effectiveness of your LinkedIn advertising investment.