LinkedIn Paid Advertising Options

Author: Kaitlyn Wilcoxson Category: Social Media & Digital Date: April 20, 2019

As social media advertising options have become a popular way to promote a product or service to a highly targeted audience, many companies are turning to LinkedIn advertising. While it is an excellent way to attract business professionals, and to recruit prospects, we’re often asked about LinkedIn advertising costs and about LinkedIn advertising options.

LinkedIn Advertising Options

Otherwise known as “LinkedIn paid advertising,” LinkedIn’s advertising options include several different LinkedIn ad formats. Here is a look at some of the advertising options available on LinkedIn:

Sponsored Content
Sponsored Content on LinkedIn is native advertising that appears in your target audience’s LinkedIn newsfeed. With Sponsored Content, you can reach all types of devices; use rich media, such as a photo or video; and test and optimize your messages. Some people refer to these types of posts as LinkedIn promoted posts.

Sponsored InMail
A Sponsored InMail is an ad that is sent directly to the LinkedIn mailbox of your targeted recipient. You can use this to generate conversions, such as a download, click-to-call or website visit; reach your targeted audience directly; and conduct A/B testing with your messages.

LinkedIn Text Ads
When a company considers its LinkedIn paid advertising options, it may not think to utilize the LinkedIn Text Ads format. But this is a simple and compelling pay-per-click or cost-per-impression opportunity that allows you to create a simple ad, tailor the message to your target audience, and only pay for ads that generate a click or impression.

LinkedIn Advertising Costs

Before embarking on a LinkedIn advertising campaign, consider your LinkedIn advertising budget. How much does LinkedIn advertising cost? The answer lies in many factors, including your targeting criteria, the type of LinkedIn ad format you choose, and your marketing or advertising budget. Essentially, you choose your LinkedIn advertising costs. You can control your investment by establishing a daily budget, a total budget, and your maximum bids. Depending on your target audience, you will be competing with other advertisers who have a similar target audience. For example, if you set up LinkedIn ads targeting entrepreneurs, you are competing with other advertisers who are also targeting entrepreneurs.

LinkedIn Advertising Best Practices

When launching a LinkedIn paid advertising campaign, consider this list of best practices:

• If creating Sponsored Content, use original or non-stock images.
• Add URL tracking codes, such as UTM codes. This way you can track your conversions back to your website.
• Keep your ad text under 150 characters.
• Always keep your target audience in mind when drafting your message and tailor it accordingly.
• In a LinkedIn Text Ad, write a compelling headline and use a strong, clear call to action.
• In a Sponsored InMail, always use the recipient’s name.
• Test, test, test. Testing and analyzing your various ad metrics will help you make smart decisions for future LinkedIn advertising campaigns.
• Consider maxing out your cost-per-click by bidding high.

LinkedIn’s advertising options are always changing. If you would like to launch a campaign of your own and need some guidance to get started, contact us today.