When it comes to advertising on LinkedIn, there are several different ad formats and placements to choose from. The best LinkedIn ad type for your business will depend on your goals, target audience, and campaign budget. However, the most popular and effective LinkedIn ad types include Sponsored Content, Sponsored InMail, Dynamic Ads, Conversation Ads, and Text Ads.
Sponsored Content
Sponsored Content ads appear in the LinkedIn newsfeed and allow you to publish branded articles, images, infographics, videos, and more. This ad format has excellent engagement rates since it appears in-stream and mimics organic content.
Sponsored Content is a great option if you want to:
- Increase awareness and visibility for your brand
- Drive traffic to your website or landing pages
- Promote thought leadership content to a targeted audience
With Sponsored Content, you can reach LinkedIn users who are actively engaging with content, leading to higher click-through and conversion rates. You can target Sponsored Content campaigns using job titles, companies, interests, and more.
Sponsored InMail
Sponsored InMail allows you to send personalized messages directly to LinkedIn members’ inboxes. These ads have open rates that are 3-5x higher compared to email campaigns.
Sponsored InMail works well for:
- Reaching decision makers and influencers
- Driving event registrations or demo sign-ups
- Generating quality leads for your sales team
With Sponsored InMail, you can target prospects based on criteria like job title, seniority, company size, and groups. The personalized nature of InMail helps drive higher engagement and conversion rates.
Dynamic Ads
Dynamic Ads automatically showcase specific products, services, or content to LinkedIn users based on their profile data and online activity. Dynamic ads come in two variations:
- Matched Audiences: Targets LinkedIn users who have already engaged with your brand, like visiting your website or viewing your content.
- Account Targeting: Targets LinkedIn members who work at specific companies you want to reach.
Dynamic Ads are ideal if you want to:
- Remarket to users who previously interacted with your brand
- Promote products or content based on the account profile of your target companies
- Automate highly targeted ads to customize messaging
With minimal ongoing management, Dynamic Ads can help generate relevant leads and new pipeline opportunities.
Conversation Ads
Conversation Ads enable you to start conversations with LinkedIn members by triggering customized chat dialogues within the ad unit. You provide preset responses so prospects can get answers in real-time.
Conversation Ads work well for:
- Answering common questions prospects have
- Qualifying leads with personalized engagement
- Starting dialogues that move prospects down the funnel
Conversation Ads have click-through rates 2-3x higher compared to traditional text ads. With real-time chat, you can connect with prospects when interest and intent is highest.
Text Ads
Text Ads are simple display ads with short headlines, text, and call-to-action buttons. They appear on the right rail of LinkedIn pages.
Text ads are a flexible option suitable for:
- Driving traffic to your website, offers, or content
- Boosting brand awareness
- Promoting products, services, or special promotions
Text Ads are easy to create and optimize. Headline A/B testing allows you to refine your message for higher CTRs. With broad targeting options, text ads can help generate brand awareness or leads at any stage of the funnel.
How to Choose the Right LinkedIn Ad Type
When deciding which LinkedIn ad format is best for your goals, consider these factors:
- Audience: Determine if you want to reach a broad audience or targeted titles and accounts.
- Objective: Are you focused on brand awareness, leads, or traffic? Pick the ad type that aligns best.
- Messages: Do you want an interactive ad or simple display ad? Choose the format suited for your message.
- Budget: Some ad types like Sponsored InMail have higher minimums and costs.
- Resources: Conversational ad formats require more time and effort to manage.
A/B test different LinkedIn ad types to see what resonates best with your target audience. Many businesses find success using a mix of Sponsored Content, Dynamic Ads, and Conversation Ads to achieve a full-funnel impact.
With the right objectives, targeting, messaging, and testing, LinkedIn advertising can deliver significant ROI and help you accomplish a diverse range of marketing and sales goals.
