LinkedIn is a unique platform to advertise on especially for B2B businesses, as it allows you to target specific audiences through several forms of advertisement. If you aren’t already advertising on LinkedIn, this is your sign to start. We are here to provide you with 10 of the best practices to use when advertising on LinkedIn.
1. Understand your Audience
Know your audience. If you haven’t defined your audience you won’t be able to create relevant ads. Narrow them down by industry, title, company size, etc. Don’t waste your impressions and clicks. Take what you know from understanding your audience and use it to target them. However, LinkedIn does charge for every impression on your ad so make sure you target specifically.
2. Use LinkedIn Lead Generation Ads
Lead Generation ads have Sponsored Content and Message campaigns. Sponsored Content runs native ads in a news feed and message campaigns or InMaid ads send direct messages to your target audience to increase immediate engagement. Ads are auto-populated to target top prospects. They allow users to share their contact details easily with you.
3. Use Text with your Ads
Big, bold text works well. You should use your main brand color and write out a 4-5 word tagline that sells your product/service or directly calls out a specific job or position. Remember to include a call to action (CTA).
4. Choose Ad Type Wisely
Choose your format wisely by experimenting and testing different formats to see which one your audience responds to the most. There are three main ad types, sidebar ads, sponsored ads, and InMail ads. Find which one works best for your audience, keep your message simple, and draw your audience in with engaging visuals.
5. Create Videos
Videos typically receive more engagement from audiences than regular text-based ads. Audiences can connect more to the elements of a video so make sure to include subtle body movements, vivid colors and gradients, and persuasive storytelling.
6. Leave The Jargon Out
You are knowledgeable in your field, that much is obvious, however, not everyone is. Show that you are knowledgeable and a leader, but keep it simple enough that your target audience can understand.
7. Build Personalized Ads
You need to tailor your audience’s experience to them, providing them with custom advertisements. We mentioned in tips 1 & 2 that you need to target your audience and this comes into play here. The better you target your audience the better you can personalize their ads.
8. Test Your Ads
Test different aspects of your ad like subject lines, opening sentences, closing sentences, visuals, CTA, etc. You won’t have the perfect ad at first, but if you test (and keep testing) you will find what works for you and your audience.
9. Don’t Forget About Mobile
57% of LinkedIn’s traffic is from mobile devices, so make sure your ads work on mobile screens. This includes sizing of the ad and text readability. Make sure your website or landing page is responsive. These will help decrease your bounce rates.
LinkedIn is an excellent platform for advertising. You can target specific audiences with several types of ads and experiment with what works for you and your audience. Start building your unique ads today and watch your engagement increase by using these 10 practices to increase customer interaction with your ads.
If you need help creating ads, get in touch with us at The Profit Link, a small business support team based in Memphis, TN! We want to link your business to profit.