LinkedIn ads can be a great way to reach your target audience, but with so many options, it can be hard to know where to start. In this article, we’ll explore the most effective types of LinkedIn ads and provide tips for creating high-performing campaigns.
InMail ads
InMail ads allow you to send personalized messages directly to LinkedIn members’ inboxes. This gives your message prime real estate in front of your ideal prospects. Studies show InMail has up to 40% higher open rates compared to regular LinkedIn messages.
Here are some tips for effective InMail ads:
- Target your message to the right audience. Use LinkedIn’s robust targeting options to zero in on your ideal customer.
- Personalize your message with the prospect’s name, company, role, etc. This boosts open and response rates.
- Keep subject lines clear and compelling. Get prospects to open with subject lines like “Quick question about [company]”
- Write conversationally. InMail messages read best when written in a natural, friendly tone.
The high engagement of InMail makes it one of the most effective LinkedIn ad formats, especially when trying to reach decision-makers and executives.
Sponsored Content
Sponsored Content places native ads directly in the LinkedIn feed. They look just like regular posts but are clearly labeled as ads.
Benefits of Sponsored Content include:
- One of the most visible ad units – gains massive exposure in the feed
- High clickthrough rates – Members scroll through content quickly
- Flexible targeting options
- Low cost per click compared to InMail
Follow these best practices for effective Sponsored Content campaigns:
- Write compelling headlines that capture attention
- Use eye-catching images and video
- Keep copy succinct – 2-3 sentences works best
- Focus on value proposition and benefits
- Use strong calls-to-action – “Download eBook,” “Attend Webinar,” etc.
Sponsored Messages
Sponsored Messages are similar to InMail but delivered at scale. They appear at the top of members’ LinkedIn message tabs.
Benefits of Sponsored Messages:
- One of the best ways to start conversations and drive engagement
- You can target warm leads who have already engaged with your brand
- Messages look like they are sent directly from you or your sales team
- Lower cost than InMail
Tips for effective Sponsored Messages:
- Personalize messages to improve open rates
- Follow-up on recent prospect interactions and trigger events
- Ask questions to spur dialogue and build relationships
- Limit copy to 1-2 paragraphs
- Test subject lines systematically
Text ads
Text ads on LinkedIn allow you to target prospects with highly relevant text-based messages. They appear on the right rail of LinkedIn pages.
Text ads work well for:
- Driving visitors to landing pages
- Promoting lead gen offers
- Raising awareness in a niche target audience
- Capturing demand during the purchase process
Best practices for text ads:
- Keep copy concise – 2-3 short sentences or ~30 words
- Lead with your value proposition or headline
- Include a strong call-to-action
- Test ad variations – copy, headlines, keywords, etc.
Dynamic ads
LinkedIn dynamic ads automatically target prospects based on their interests, demographics, and other attributes. They are a set-it-and-forget-it approach to LinkedIn advertising.
Benefits of LinkedIn dynamic ads include:
- Requires very little upkeep once launched
- Machine learning optimizes targeting over time
- Can serve the most relevant messages to prospects
- Work for both B2B and B2C brands
Tips for success with LinkedIn dynamic ads:
- Provide detailed targeting parameters upfront
- Use highly relevant/appealing creative assets
- Drive traffic to tailored landing pages
- Set an adequate budget and let the system optimize
Lead Gen Forms
LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms allow prospects to fill out a form right within the LinkedIn interface. This frictionless lead capture makes them one of the most effective ways to generate B2B leads.
Benefits of LinkedIn’s Lead Gen approach:
- Ability to capture lead contact information and custom data
- Leads delivered cleanly into your CRM
- Higher conversion rates due to simplified lead capture
- Mobile-responsive forms work across devices
Best practices for optimizing Lead Gen performance:
- Target titled decision-makers for higher quality leads
- Ask only for essential contact details and information
- Include a compelling call-to-action in your ad copy
- Send customized follow-up messages to convert leads
Carousel Ads
LinkedIn Carousel Ads feature multiple images/videos that users can horizontally scroll through. They stand out in the feed and have high view rates.
Benefits of LinkedIn Carousel Ads:
- Showcase multiple products/services in one ad unit
- Tell a more in-depth brand story
- Higher view rates from scrolling through images
- More real estate to include captions, headlines, etc.
Tips for maximizing Carousel Ads:
- Use vibrant, high-quality visuals
- Limit text – let images tell the story
- Ensure visual alignment between frames
- Use captions to highlight key features/benefits
- Drive clicks with a strong final call-to-action
Message Ads
LinkedIn Message Ads appear in the LinkedIn message tab, just like Sponsored Messages. However, they do not come directly from the sender and are labeled as “Promoted.”
Message Ads work well for:
- Starting conversations with prospects
- Following up on website visitors and downloads
- Engaging contacts who previously replied to messages
- Promoting content downloads, trials, demos, etc.
Best practices for Message Ads:
- Personalize copy with prospect names when possible
- Ask questions or make offers that spur a response
- Keep copy short, conversational, and friendly
- Test send times to determine optimal delivery
- Track responses and leads generated
Sponsored Video
Sponsored Video places video content directly in the LinkedIn feed to grab prospects’ attention.
Benefits of Sponsored Video:
- Excellent view rates – video content is engaging
- Conveys more information/emotion than images
- Captures interest as prospects scroll feeds
- Associates brand with quality video content
Tips for effective Sponsored Video:
- Keep videos short – <60 seconds optimal
- Lead with compelling hook to drive complete views
- Include captions for silent video playback
- Optimize calls-to-action within first 3 seconds
- Test different thumbnail images
Conversion Tracking
Tracking website conversions is crucial for understanding LinkedIn ad performance and ROI.
Benefits of LinkedIn Conversion Tracking:
- Provides insight into what actions prospects take post-click
- Allows optimization towards key conversion goals
- Enables accurate measurement of ROI
- No additional cost for adding tracking
Best practices for tracking conversions:
- Install tracking pixel code on key landing pages
- Set up conversion events for emails, downloads, purchases, etc.
- Segment data by audience, campaign, creative, etc.
- Factor both soft and hard conversions into optimization
Retargeting
Retargeting shows ads to prospects who have previously visited your website or engaged with your LinkedIn campaigns. This targets warmer leads who already know your brand.
Benefits of LinkedIn retargeting ads:
- Continues conversations with prospects post-click
- Highly targeted to interested audience segments
- Allows tailored offers based on prospect activity
- Often has very high conversion rates
Best practices for retargeting success:
- Target engaged visitors – e.g. webpage viewers, form submitters, etc.
- Create custom audiences to hone in on key segments
- Adjust bids up for hot leads actively shopping
- Cap frequency so ads remain relevant
Lookalike Audiences
LinkedIn Lookalike Audiences use AI to find prospects with similar attributes to your existing customers. This helps expand your reach to new audiences.
Benefits of LinkedIn Lookalike targeting:
- Machine learning model predicts strong matches
- Cost-efficient way to increase reach
- Great for expanding into new regions or segments
- Continually optimizes and learns over time
Tips for effective Lookalike campaigns:
- Upload high-quality source data from recent customers
- Test lookalikes from 1% to 10% similarity
- Focus on interests and demographics vs. channels
- Narrow targeting with additional filters if needed
Conclusion
LinkedIn offers a diverse range of ad formats and targeting capabilities. Testing different options and tracking performance metrics are key to determining the most effective strategies for your brand. Optimizing towards specific conversion events and audiences drives the best results over time.
Focus on providing relevant and compelling messages to your prospects throughout the purchase process. Combine multiple LinkedIn ad types to increase awareness, drive quality leads, and boost conversions.