LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 850 million members worldwide. As one of the most popular social media platforms, LinkedIn offers many opportunities for businesses to advertise to its large user base. But where exactly do ads show up on LinkedIn? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the various ad formats and placements available on LinkedIn to help you create effective campaigns.
Sponsored Content
One of the most common and effective ad formats on LinkedIn is Sponsored Content. These are native ads that match the look and feel of regular posts users see in their feed. Sponsored Content allows you to publish branded articles, images, infographics, videos and more. They appear in the LinkedIn feed, both on desktop and mobile. You can target Sponsored Content to relevant audiences based on location, job role, industry, interests, company size and more.
When users engage with your Sponsored Content by liking, commenting, sharing or clicking, it will increase content distribution organically. One key benefit is it allows you to generate leads by including call-to-action buttons like “Download eBook” or “Start Free Trial.” Sponsored Content provides a major opportunity to create branded content and tell your company’s story in an organic way to the right audiences.
Feed Placements
There are two main feed placements for Sponsored Content on LinkedIn:
- Home Feed – Appears in the primary feed that users see when they login to LinkedIn on desktop. This feed is tailored to their interests and connections.
- Mobile Feed – Appears in the main feed users scroll through on the LinkedIn mobile app. This feed is optimized for smartphone screens.
Sponsored InMail
Sponsored InMail allows you to send targeted direct messages to LinkedIn members matching your ideal customer profile. These messages appear in the LinkedIn inbox just like a regular InMail message. You can use these to introduce your business, promote content, and send special offers or event invites. The open rates on Sponsored InMail are typically higher than email.
You can customize the content with dynamic variables to make the messages more personalized. For example, you can include the member’s first name and company in the subject line and message body. Other key benefits of Sponsored InMail include being able to add rich media like images and video and seeing real-time performance metrics. Overall, it’s an excellent way to engage your target audience with relevant 1:1 messaging at scale.
InMail Placements
Sponsored InMail appears in a few key places in the LinkedIn platform:
- Primary Inbox – This is the main message inbox users see when they click “Messages” on desktop.
- Mobile Inbox – Located in the LinkedIn app menu under “Messages.”
- InMail Notifications – Pop-up notifications on desktop and mobile alerting the user to new InMail messages.
Text Ads
LinkedIn Text Ads are similar to Google text ads. They consist of a short title, description and display URL. Text ads appear in the right rail on desktop and in the main feed on mobile devices. They are targeted based on member profile data such as location, job title, interests, and more.
Text ads are a great option for promoting content like blogs, events, and gated resources. The text allows you to share key information concisely to capture attention. Text ads can also help drive traffic to your website or landing pages. Key metrics to watch are click-through rate and cost-per-click relative to your goals.
Text Ad Placements
Here are the main spots LinkedIn Text Ads are displayed:
- Right rail on LinkedIn desktop – The right column next to the Home Feed.
- Mobile feed – Between organic posts users scroll through on their phone.
- Sponsored Content slots – Shows up below some Sponsored Content posts.
Dynamic Ads
LinkedIn Dynamic Ads let you take existing content and repurpose it as targeted ads without needing to manually create new creatives. You specify the audience and LinkedIn will automatically generate customized ads highlighting your content. For example, you can promote your latest blog posts or ebooks by defining your target job titles and industries.
Dynamic Ads automatically optimize based on performance, so the content resonating best will be shown more frequently. You also get access to robust analytics for each ad. Dynamic Ads can be a powerful option if you have a robust library of content to leverage and want to scale your reach in a hands-off, streamlined way.
Dynamic Ad Placements
Here are the main placement opportunities for LinkedIn Dynamic Ads:
- Right rail on desktop
- Mobile feed
- Below Sponsored Content in the desktop feed
Message Ads
LinkedIn Message Ads enable you to capture attention in the LinkedIn messaging environments. They appear alongside regular conversations in the LinkedIn inbox on desktop and mobile. You can target Message Ads based on member profile data. They are interactive, allowing the viewer to connect with your company, follow your LinkedIn page, or visit your website with a single click.
Message Ads have higher visibility than regular LinkedIn messages. They also persist in the inbox, so they aren’t easily overlooked. Use Message Ads when you want to reach out proactively with a promotional opportunity but still maintain a conversational tone. Great for driving event registrations, content downloads, demo signups, and more.
Message Ad Placements
The main placement area for LinkedIn Message Ads is the LinkedIn inbox environment:
- Primary desktop inbox
- Mobile inbox
Sponsored Messaging
Sponsored Messaging enables you to start conversations and build relationships with prospects right from LinkedIn Campaign Manager. You can define audiences and reach out to them directly in a personalized way at scale. The messages land in the LinkedIn Messaging section and appear at the top of the list just like Message Ads.
You can target Sponsored Messages by member info like job role, geography, company size, etc. The messages are customizable with merge tags to make them more dynamic. Embedded links allow you to drive traffic to landing pages. Sponsored Messaging provides a way to deliver targeted 1:1 messaging with an authentic tone to nurture leads and build brand awareness. The flexibility to craft different messages and tailor outreach for different segments is a major benefit.
Sponsored Messaging Placements
The main placement for Sponsored Messages is within the Messaging section both on desktop and mobile:
- LinkedIn desktop Messaging list
- LinkedIn mobile Messaging list
Lead Gen Forms
LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms enable you to collect lead information directly from LinkedIn members, without requiring them to leave the platform. The forms are customizable with fields like name, email, phone, company, job title, and more. You can gate content like whitepapers or demos with a Lead Gen Form to generate qualified leads.
Forms appear inline after relevant Sponsored Content or Text Ads. Members can fill them out on desktop or mobile without interrupting their browsing experience. Submitted leads are routed to your specified destination – either your CRM or an email inbox. LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms provide a frictionless lead capture experience and rich lead data.
Lead Gen Form Placements
Here is where LinkedIn members will encounter Lead Gen Forms within the LinkedIn platform:
- After Sponsored Content posts in the LinkedIn feed
- After Text Ads in the right rail or mobile feed
Sponsored Video
Sponsored Video allows you to promote video content to relevant audiences across LinkedIn. Videos autoplay in the desktop and mobile feeds with sound off by default. Highly engaging videos are a great way to tell your brand’s story on LinkedIn in a more immersive, visual format.
You can measure views, completion rate, and overall engagement. Targeting options allow you to define the right audiences for your video campaigns, based on professional data and interests. Sponsored Video is ideal when you have powerful video content and want to achieve greater visibility through native placement in the LinkedIn feed.
Sponsored Video Placements
Sponsored Video appears seamlessly in the LinkedIn feed to match the native experience:
- Desktop feed – Autoplays between posts users scroll through
- Mobile feed – Autoplays between posts in the main feed
Conversation Ads
LinkedIn Conversation Ads enable you to join relevant conversations in the LinkedIn feed. You can target Conversation Ads by keyword, audience, or specific posts. They appear natively in the comment section.
This provides an opportunity to organically participate in discussions your audience is already having. You can share thoughts as your company page or as the page administrator. Conversation Ads are a unique way to create awareness and position your brand as a thought leader.
Conversation Ad Placements
The native integration of Conversation Ads centers around the comment streams of existing posts:
- Comments on Sponsored Content in the desktop and mobile feed
- Comments on organic posts in the desktop and mobile feed
Spotlight Ads
LinkedIn Spotlight Ads offer exclusive sponsorship and control over the most prominent branding positions across LinkedIn. Options include the ability to
- Pin your post to the top of the LinkedIn feed
- Sponsor the LinkedIn messaging inbox
- Exclusively sponsor the LinkedIn homepage
- Sponsor the entire LinkedIn SlideShare homepage
These provide unparalleled visibility and control. But availability is extremely limited, so Spotlight Ads tend to have high minimum budget requirements.
Spotlight Ad Placements
As the name indicates, Spotlight Ads shine a spotlight on your brand by occupying LinkedIn’s most exclusive positions:
- Pinned Post – Top of the LinkedIn desktop and mobile feed
- Messaging Sponsorship – Exclusive sponsorship of LinkedIn messaging
- LinkedIn Homepage Takeover – Complete control of LinkedIn homepage
- SlideShare Homepage Takeover – Exclusive branding on SlideShare homepage
Retargeting Ads
The LinkedIn Audience Network allows you to reach LinkedIn audiences beyond the LinkedIn platform through Retargeting Ads. You can display ads on premium partner sites to people who have already engaged with your brand or content on LinkedIn.
For example, target people who have visited your LinkedIn Company Page and retarget them with ads on business news sites. Or remarket to contacts who engaged with your Sponsored Content. LinkedIn Audience Network allows you to amplify your brand message and drive increased conversion actions.
Retargeting Ad Placements
Here are examples of the high-quality sites LinkedIn audiences can be reached on through retargeting campaigns:
- Business and financial news sites like Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal
- Prominent professional sites like HarvardBusinessReview.org
- Leading business productivity sites like Evernote and Slack
Ad Placements by Objectives
The wide range of ad formats and placements on LinkedIn provide the flexibility to achieve multiple objectives with your campaigns. Here is an overview of key placements according to common campaign goals:
Objective | Recommended Ad Placements |
---|---|
Brand awareness | Sponsored Content (mobile + desktop feed), Sponsored Video (mobile + desktop feed), Spotlight Ads |
Lead generation | Sponsored Content, Lead Gen Forms, Dynamic Ads, Message Ads |
Website visits | Text Ads (desktop right rail, mobile feed), Dynamic Ads, Message Ads, Sponsored Content |
Engagement | Sponsored Content, Sponsored Video, Conversation Ads |
Message reach | Sponsored InMail, Sponsored Messaging, Conversation Ads |
Performance Tracking
LinkedIn provides robust metrics and analytics within Campaign Manager to track the performance of your ads. Some key metrics include:
- Impressions – Number of times your ads are displayed
- Clicks – Click-throughs to your landing pages or company page
- Engagement Rate – Percentage of impressions resulting in meaningful engagement
- Conversions – Leads, signups, purchases, or other actions
- CPM – Cost-per-thousand impressions
- CPC – Cost-per-click
- ROI – Return on ad spend
Reviewing performance frequently allows you to identify top-performing placements, audiences, and creatives to optimize your LinkedIn ad campaigns for maximum results.
Conclusion
In summary, LinkedIn offers a diverse range of ad placements to engage professional audiences across multiple environments:
- Sponsored Content in the LinkedIn feed
- Sponsored Messaging and InMail in the messaging inbox
- Text ads in the feed and right rail
- Dynamic Ads in the feed and right rail
- Conversation Ads and Spotlight Ads in comments and key branding areas
- Lead Gen Forms after Sponsored Content and Text Ads
With precise audience targeting options, compelling creative formats, and extensive analytics, LinkedIn advertising provides a powerful way to reach, engage, and convert professional audiences.
The wide range of placement options enables advertisers to achieve multiple objectives from brand awareness and lead generation to web traffic and engagement. By leveraging the optimal placements, creative strategies, and audience targeting, brands can drive tremendous value from LinkedIn ad campaigns.