Your Guide to Choosing the Perfect LinkedIn Ad Types

What Are LinkedIn Ads?

LinkedIn ads are your ticket to higher user acquisition and increased brand visibility. They help you achieve various business objectives like lead generation, brand awareness, and conversion. 

For SaaS and tech startups, LinkedIn ads are a goldmine. They offer a unique advantage in reaching a professional audience that can’t be found anywhere else in such concentration. 

Head here for a deeper understanding of Paid Social Campaigns and their impact. 

Before Running LinkedIn Ads

Before diving into LinkedIn Ad types, take a moment to consider a few key factors.

Ask yourself: what do you want to achieve with your advertisements?

Have you set clear end goals?

First, set clear, measurable goals aligned with your broader business strategy. Define your objectives before launching your ads. Your goals should be specific, measurable, and achievable, ensuring they contribute to your business's growth.

Check out our blog post to learn the difference between setting realistic and unrealistic goals.

Is your audience on LinkedIn?

Identify if your target audience is active on LinkedIn. Analyze the platform's demographics to ensure your audience aligns with your strategy. Tailoring your ads to resonate with the LinkedIn audience is crucial. 

If you're unsure who you're targeting, or how to find out where they are, read on to learn how to do audience research.

Do you have the budget for LinkedIn Ads?

Establish a realistic budget for your campaign, considering the potential ROI. Optimize your budget allocation according to different ad types and formats for maximum efficiency. 

Unsure how much you have to spend on advertisement? Head here to find out how to set a suitable marketing budget.

4 LinkedIn Ads Types and Their Formats

While there are several types and formats, every ad has its place and purpose. This breakdown will help determine which ad type fits your goals and budget.

Sponsored Content

When you use Sponsored Content on LinkedIn, you're putting your brand in the spotlight. It's about connecting your brand with the LinkedIn community through personalized content.

You need well-defined objectives, be it boosting awareness or generating high-quality leads.

Keep one thing in mind. Your content must mirror the interests and needs of LinkedIn users. Understand what they seek and deliver exactly that. Making your content feel like a personal interaction means more engagement with your brand.

Visuals can make them stop in their tracks. With eye-catching imagery, your Sponsored Content will capture more than views. It will stir up interest and generate responses.

Image Ads

Crafting visually appealing image ads that align with your brand is a powerful approach to driving engagement on LinkedIn. Here are some steps to help you align visuals with your brand:

1. Follow Your Brand Guidelines: All content should convey your brand's vibe, so be consistent in color palettes and typography.
2. Quality Matters: High-quality images can impact the impression your ad creates. Ensure that your images are crisp and clear.
3. Align With Your Message: The image should complement the ad's message and blend in with the context.
   
   

Once you are satisfied with your images, remember that LinkedIn has specific ad specifications. Images that don't meet the ad specs might not perform as expected.

LinkedIn Image Ad Specifics:

1. Image Dimensions - 1200 x 627 pixels
2. Image Format - JPG, GIF (non-animated), or PNG
3. File Size - Max of 5MB.

Sticking to a single design when creating different ads is not enough. Test several visuals to determine which performs best. This multivariate testing approach lets you understand what resonates with your audience and optimize your ads.

Video Ads

Creating video ads that resonate on LinkedIn means crafting stories that catch the eye and deliver value fast. Start with a hook in the first 10 seconds to hold your attention and articulate your crucial message early. The goal is to ensure your video speaks clearly, even in sound-off scenarios, where many viewership experiences occur.

For quality, aim for crisp, professional visuals. Even a smartphone can produce excellent content if handled with care. Consider proper framing, good lighting, and clear audio.

Accessibility should be a priority, so include subtitles. More than a nod to inclusivity, subtitles can also boost comprehension and retention of your message.

Review LinkedIn's requirements to ensure compatibility: MP4 format is essential, and staying below 200 MB is crucial for a seamless upload.

Carousel Ads

Carousel ads breathe life into your LinkedIn content by spanning a narrative across a series of connected images. Create an enticing sequential story and consider every card as a chapter, each visually evocative, informing and adding to the story arc.

Ensure cards grab attention and deliver clear messages. Use captivating visuals and minimal text, and aim to make each card persuasive enough to motivate swipes.

As for sequence, it's crucial to test different arrangements. Audience engagement rises when ads resonate; testing helps uncover the most compelling order. The goal isn't only to convey a message but to make it so engaging that your audience follows it from card one to the conclusion.

Event Ads

Creating impactful LinkedIn Event Ads demands a delicate balance between engaging visuals and informative content. Your visual design should signal an 'event', using dynamic images or graphics that encapsulate the theme. Highlight key details—date, venue, headline speakers—in a harmonious design that doesn't clutter.

Source: Linkedin.com

The real pull lies in articulating the unique value proposition of your event. What will attendees gain? This value should be immediately clear, whether knowledge, networking, or direct business opportunities.

Capitalize on LinkedIn's event functionalities like RSVP tracking and direct engagement to nurture interest. Immediate follow-ups with interested parties through personalized InMails can drive higher conversion.

Document Ads

Creating effective Document Ads on LinkedIn involves designing informative and visually appealing documents that are accessible and shareable. These ads are ideal for content marketing and lead generation, allowing you to showcase long-form content like eBooks, guides, or case studies in the LinkedIn feed.

The key is to ensure your documents are engaging, providing value that encourages your audience to read and share. Ensure your visuals adhere to the recommended document size of up to 300 pages or 100MB, ensuring they are high-quality and load efficiently.

You should format your content according to LinkedIn's recommended specs for best visibility and effect. For example, if you're using a single-image sponsored content format, ensure your introductory text is within 150 characters for mobile optimization. For video ads, keep your video length between three seconds and 30 minutes, with the file size between 75 KB and 200 MB in MP4 format.

Sponsored Messaging

Sponsored Messaging on LinkedIn effectively engages your audience with personalized touchpoints and tailored content.

Source: Linkedin.com

For successful Message Ads, focus on personalization and craft messages relevant to their interests. To step up your engagement levels, use conversation ads to foster two-way communication. Include concise CTAs in Message Ads to drive desired actions and foster better connections.

Message Ads

Message Ads allow you to cultivate a more intimate connection with your audience. To maximize their potential, adopt a language and tone that mirrors your audience's. Understand their pain points and aspirations to create relevant and resonating messages.

Source: Linkedin.com

Using concise, targeted language propels users to act. Each ad needs to serve a distinct purpose. Hence, instilling your ads with clear, action-promoting calls to action is crucial.

Also, don't exclude experimentation — A/B testing is your avenue to optimal performance. You identify what appeals to your LinkedIn audience by varying messaging components and observing response rates.

Conversation Ads

Source: Linkedin.com

With Conversation Ads, the focus shifts to delivering a two-way interactive experience. Here, creating a storyboard of possible user interactions can be invaluable. This strategy helps you simulate and optimize the user experience based on potential conversational flows.

But the work continues after launching the ad. Pay close attention to user response and engagement. Evaluating metrics such as click-through rates, replies, and conversion rates is crucial. Utilize these insights to refine and enhance your strategy — understanding what works and what doesn't is part of the journey.

Text and Dynamic Ad

Text and Dynamic Ads on LinkedIn are essential for marketers to enhance visibility and engagement professionally.

Text ads on the right rail of the LinkedIn feed, primarily on the desktop, offer a streamlined approach to reaching your audience with concise messaging. Dynamic Ads personalize the ad experience for active engagement, leveraging LinkedIn member profile data to tailor messages.

These formats are particularly effective for quick campaigns focused on brand awareness, leveraging their placement for maximum impact. Efficient use of visuals and targeted messaging ensures these ads resonate with your intended audience, driving meaningful interactions and conversions.

Text Ads

Writing compelling ad copy is essential. Focus on making your copy concise, addressing your audience's pain points, and offering relevant solutions.

Testing different variations is critical in optimizing performance. Experiment with headlines, descriptions, and CTAs to find the most impactful combination, improving ad engagement and conversion rates.

Utilize headlines that grab the reader's attention and communicate your message or value proposition. Pair them with compelling calls-to-action that inspire users to take desired actions, such as visiting your website or registering for an event.

Spotlight Ads

Spotlight Ads offer an engaging way to showcase your products or services on LinkedIn. Using visually appealing images can enhance the click-through rates of your advertisements. Select images that are not only high-quality but also accurately represent your offering.

Highlighting your unique selling points is essential to differentiate you from the crowd and capture your audience's attention. Make your special features front and center to communicate value.

Remember, no strategy is complete without testing. Implement A/B testing to find the elements that work best in your ads. These tests help you understand what appeals to your audience, enabling revision and optimization of your spotlight ads.

Follower Ads

Follower ads are a powerful tool to increase your LinkedIn page followers organically. To encourage users to hit "Follow", ensure you communicate the value they derive from following your brand. Highlight benefits like insights, updates, or resources they can access.

The importance of your proposition's value cannot be overstated. Your audience needs to realize the perks they can avail of by following your brand. Whether staying updated with the industry, gaining informative content, or receiving exclusive benefits, ensure you effectively communicate this value. 

For crafting compelling follower ads, pair eye-catching visuals with persuasive messaging that compels the viewer to follow your page. A combination of engaging visual content and clear, impactful copy can boost the follow rates for your LinkedIn page.

Lead Gen Forms

Optimizing Lead Gen Forms for user-friendliness is crucial to boost conversions. One effective way is to minimize form fields - only ask for what you need, making the process more streamlined for the user.

Source: Linkedin.com

Ensure you communicate a clear value proposition to your potential leads in your forms. Highlight the advantages they'll gain from providing their information. Offering incentives for form submission can also increase response rates - consider benefits like access to unique content, special offers, or exclusive resources.

Testing your forms and working on their continuous improvement can enhance conversion rates. Conduct A/B testing on different elements to identify what performs the best. Constant refinement based on feedback and metrics helps create the most effective lead gen forms.

5 Best Practices of LinkedIn Ads

Now that we've discussed follower ads and lead gen forms, let's pivot to some overarching best practices. These are tried and tested strategies that can elevate your LinkedIn ads, driving better engagement and conversion.

Create Your Ad Copy

When you're crafting your LinkedIn ad copy, think about being concise. You have only a moment to catch someone's eye and convince them to stay, making positioning and messaging critical.

Use words that strike a chord with the reader and a call to action that speaks to them. "Sign up now," "Learn more," and "Get started" are more than just phrases; they're invitations. Always remember that your message needs to click with your target audience.

Observe Correct Ad Specifications

Making your ads visually appealing begins with following LinkedIn's ad size and guidelines. Optimize your images and videos, ensuring the dimensions match LinkedIn's requirements. 

These tweaks keep everything crisp and avoid technical hiccups - increasing the chances of your ad being seen.

Strengthen Brand Organically

Your ads should feel like part of your brand's natural conversation. 

Keep your visuals and messages consistent. It's like continuing a chat you've already started organically. Mixing sponsored content with regular posts amplifies your voice without feeling out of place.

Set-Up Efficient Campaign

Initiate your campaign by planning each step, from audience identification to selecting suitable ad types. Tailor your targeting strategies to connect with the most relevant audience segments. 

Ensuring your ad campaigns align with your broader marketing objectives is pivotal for driving meaningful business growth.

Measure Success and Optimize

Leverage analytics tools to track your LinkedIn ads' performance. Assessing campaign metrics is critical to discerning effective strategies from those that fail to deliver. Use these insights to refine and optimize your campaigns, a vital process for enhancing ROI and achieving your marketing goals.

Optimize Your Strategy With Kurve

Choosing suitable LinkedIn ad types can transform your marketing strategy, boosting sign-ups, demos, and brand visibility. 

The key is selecting ad types that align with your goals and audience, optimizing your budget, and refining your approach based on performance data.

Kurve is here to help. As your strategic partner, we bring expertise in crafting advanced marketing strategies that leverage LinkedIn's powerful advertising tools. 

Let's elevate your LinkedIn strategy together. Discover how Kurve can drive your success at our Marketing Advisor page.