How To Create Compelling Ads On LinkedIn And Why You Should Leverage Them
LinkedIn is an invaluable platform for businesses looking to target professionals, decision-makers, and B2B audiences. Unlike other social platforms, LinkedIn allows advertisers to hone in on a highly specific audience based on job titles, company size, industry, and even seniority levels. This precision makes LinkedIn ads incredibly effective for B2B marketers, recruiters, and businesses selling high-ticket products or services. Now, let’s break down how to create compelling ads on LinkedIn and guide you through setting them up for maximum impact.
Why Leverage LinkedIn Ads?
1. Targeting Professional Audiences
LinkedIn ads allow you to focus your campaigns on professionals who are highly engaged in their careers and industries. The platform enables advertisers to target based on parameters such as:
- Job title
- Industry
- Company size
- Seniority level
- Skills and expertise
This specificity helps businesses reach the right decision-makers who are more likely to convert into leads or clients, particularly in B2B industries.
2. Build Credibility
LinkedIn is considered a trusted platform for professionals. Advertising on LinkedIn often brings a higher level of credibility to your business because users perceive the platform as more professional than social platforms like Facebook or Instagram.
3. B2B Focus
LinkedIn is perfect for B2B marketing campaigns. Whether you’re looking to promote services, recruit talent, or generate leads for your business, LinkedIn offers the tools to connect with other businesses and professionals effectively.
How To Create Compelling LinkedIn Ads
To create ads that stand out on LinkedIn, you need to tailor both your ad content and visuals to your target audience’s needs. Here’s how:
1. Use Clear, Direct Copy
LinkedIn users are often busy professionals, so your messaging needs to be direct and to the point. Highlight the value of your offering in the first few lines of your ad. Don’t overload the user with too much information upfront—focus on delivering a concise and compelling message.
2. Tailor Visuals To The Professional Audience
In understanding how to create compelling LinkedIn ads, you must understand that unlike other platforms where bright, flashy visuals perform well, LinkedIn ads tend to work better with more professional and polished imagery. Use high-quality visuals that align with your brand, and if you’re using video ads, keep them short and concise.
3. Focus On Value And Benefits
Ensure your ad highlights the unique value proposition of your product or service. Think about what problems you can solve for your target audience and make that clear in your messaging. Your headline and description should succinctly explain how your product or service can benefit the user.
4. Include A Strong Call To Action (CTA)
Every LinkedIn ad should have a clear, actionable CTA. Whether it’s signing up for a webinar, downloading a whitepaper, or requesting a consultation, make sure the CTA is direct and appealing.
How To Set Up A LinkedIn Ad Campaign
Once you’ve developed your ad creative, setting up your LinkedIn ad involves the following steps:
Step 1: Choose The Right Campaign Objective
LinkedIn Campaign Manager lets you choose from several campaign objectives, depending on what you want to achieve. These include:
- Brand awareness
- Website visits
- Engagement
- Lead generation
- Website conversions
- Job applicants
Choose an objective that aligns with your business goals, whether it’s generating leads, driving website traffic, or increasing brand visibility.
Step 2: Set Your Target Audience
The audience targeting capabilities of LinkedIn are one of its major advantages. You can define your audience by parameters such as:
- Location
- Job title or industry
- Company name or size
- Seniority level
- Education level
By narrowing your audience, you can focus your ad spend on those who are most likely to convert, improving your ROI.
Step 3: Select Ad Format
LinkedIn offers several ad formats, including:
- Sponsored Content: Appears in users’ feeds and can include video, carousel, or single image ads.
- Text Ads: Small, clickable ads that appear on the side of users’ LinkedIn feeds.
- Sponsored InMail: Delivers messages directly to users’ LinkedIn inboxes.
- Dynamic Ads: Personalized ads tailored to users’ LinkedIn profiles.
Choose the format that best aligns with your goals and content.
Step 4: Set Your Budget And Schedule
Set your daily or total budget depending on your campaign goals. LinkedIn operates on a bidding system, so you can choose between cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-impression (CPM) options. If you’re starting small, a daily budget of $20-$50 can give you initial data on your ad’s performance. As your campaign scales, adjust your budget accordingly.
Step 5: Optimize Your Campaign
Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as clicks, conversions, and impressions. LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager offers detailed analytics to help you understand how your ads are performing. Use A/B testing to try different variations of your ads and optimize the best-performing versions for future campaigns.
Pricing And Budget Recommendations
LinkedIn ads tend to be more expensive than ads on other platforms like Facebook or Google due to the highly targeted nature of the platform. However, the quality of leads generated tends to justify the higher costs.
- Cost Per Click (CPC): The average CPC for LinkedIn ads ranges between $5 to $10 per click, but it can vary based on your industry and audience size.
- Cost Per 1,000 Impressions (CPM): The average CPM ranges from $33 to $50.
- Daily Budget: It’s recommended to start with a budget of at least $50 per day to generate meaningful data, which you can optimize as you gather insights.
Conclusion
LinkedIn advertising offers businesses a unique opportunity to reach a professional audience with targeted, relevant messages. By focusing on direct, value-driven copy and high-quality visuals, and leveraging LinkedIn’s robust targeting features, you can create compelling ads that resonate with professionals in your industry. Whether you’re seeking to generate leads, recruit talent, or boost brand awareness, LinkedIn’s advertising platform can help you achieve your goals.
Ready to launch your next LinkedIn ad campaign? Contact The BLU Group today to learn how we can help you create and execute a successful strategy tailored to your business.