Getting Started with LinkedIn Ad Campaigns
The different styles of LinkedIn Ad campaigns can be a lot to take in, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the purpose of LinkedIn.
What is LinkedIn?
LinkedIn allows professionals from all over the world to connect. It’s a highly valuable networking tool where users can uncover new career opportunities, communicate with like-minded professionals and share top tips.
But have you considered taking full advantage of LinkedIn from a marketing perspective?
Are LinkedIn Ad campaigns worth the hassle? Actually, yes.
What Types of LinkedIn Ad Campaigns Are There?
No matter who you want to target, whether it be executives, job seekers or other businesses, LinkedIn offers a variety of ways you can reach your target market.
1. Sponsored Content
It’s quite easy to compare this type to Facebook Paid Advertisements. If you’re unfamiliar with LinkedIn, just think of this kind as when a brand, say Miss Selfridge, for instance, pops-up on your news feed because you have expressed some interest in their business, similar businesses or your demographic is part of their target audience.
LinkedIn sponsored content allows you to share posts to your Company Page with a specific audience. This way, you can ensure your company news, industry articles, videos and general information is reaching the right audience.
This kind of ad will appear on your home page feed, like a news feed and on the right-hand side of your desktop homepage.
I’d recommend this type of advertisement if you’re looking to share news about a sale, an invitation to an event or something that you want a wide audience to see. People are bound to see your ad if its featured on their homepage.
2. Text Ads
As their name clearly suggests, text ads are, well, advertisements containing text …
Text ads can include…
– A headline
– Short description
– Image
Your ad could feature under “Ads You May Be Interested In” or a link at the top of the page.
For example, a Legal Practise could post an ad targeting Property Investors, “Fixed Price Conveyancing Services” (Headline) and their contact details or persuasive content underneath (short description).
3. Programmatic Advertising
LinkedIn allows you to buy ads through other advertising platforms or through a private or public auction.
If you want to show your brand’s creativity this is the type of advertising for you. You’ll have a great selection of media to choose from; text, video, images and audio.
Display Ads would certainly be the most eye-catching, don’t you think?
Would a Personal Approach be Best for Your LinkedIn Ad Campaign?
4. Sponsored InMail
LinkedIn allows you to send personalized messages to targeted users through LinkedIn Messenger. To make it most effective, recipients will only receive your InMail’s when they’re active on their account.
If you think a personal approach will work best for your brand, you should consider Sponsored InMail.
Based on experience, however, there’s a fine-line between being personal and helpful, or just annoying spam.
Let’s say you’re using Sponsored InMail to promote some new content, make sure your audience will find it useful. Don’t send it for the sake of it – you wouldn’t your messenger to be filled up with useless information and neither do your connections! Not to mention, if your audience aren’t interested it’s completely pointless and a waste of money anyway.
Who knows, perhaps Facebook, Twitter and Instagram could implement this marketing strategy in the future too?
5. Dynamic Advertisements
Are based up your audience’s activity on LinkedIn.
Accountants could advertise Specialist Tax Advice to Senior Executives and Business Owners. You can target the right people with the right message with the purpose of building a relationship with them.
It’s personal and purposeful since its based on their own activity.
You could include a call-to-action (CTA) like, “How to Save on Your Tax Income” …
Looking for some extra help?
Marketing Partner Ads
You could find a LinkedIn Partner to team up with.
This is a fantastic chance to work with experts in LinkedIn advertising, they could help with content creation or even the stages of running a successful marketing campaign.
You don’t need to be an expert! That’s what the experts at LinkedIn Partner are for!
Quick Words of Advice
LinkedIn has a lot of variety for their ad campaigns – but it’s all so you can make the best out of their platform. Take some time to think about what would work best for your company! I gave some general advice about what kind of campaigns would suit each type of advertisement, but they are not strict guidelines! Be creative and get your business out there!
About the author:
Marie Harwood is a Digital Marketing Assistant at Different Gravy Digital, Hale, Cheshire.
Different Gravy Digital are a full service Digital Marketing Agency operating in the Hospitality & Leisure, Financial Services, Legal & Property sectors. Products and services range from; 3D & 360° Tours, Website Design & Build, Social Media, Video Production, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Content Creation, Email Marketing, Online Feedback / Review Systems and Paid Advertising (Google, Bing and Social Media).
Contact Details:
marie@differentgravydigital.co.uk
0161 706 0004
120a Ashley Road, Hale, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 2UN