LinkedIn Ads: The Ultimate Guide For Beginners in 2023

Advertising Pay-Per-Click B2B

Artem Daniliants

7 min read

Hey there! Ready to dive into the world of LinkedIn advertising? You've come to the right place! This platform is the go-to choice for businesses and marketers looking to connect with a professional audience. In this LinkedIn ads guide, we'll cover everything from the basics to the nitty-gritty, so you can create and run successful advertising on LinkedIn campaigns. Let's get started!

Key points:

How Do LinkedIn Ads Work?

LinkedIn ads are designed to help businesses reach a professional audience and achieve their marketing goals. By leveraging LinkedIn's powerful targeting options, you can connect with the right users based on factors such as job title, company size, industry, and more.

How to Get Started Advertising on LinkedIn

To begin advertising on LinkedIn, you'll need to create a LinkedIn Campaign Manager account, which is where you'll manage all your ad campaigns.

LinkedIn Campaign Manager account

LinkedIn Ad Objectives

When creating a LinkedIn ad campaign, you'll need to select an ad objective that aligns with your marketing goals. The three main ad objectives are: Awareness ads on LinkedIn : Increase brand awareness by reaching a wide audience. Consideration ads on LinkedIn : Drive engagement with your content and encourage users to learn more about your offerings. Conversion ads on LinkedIn : Generate leads, drive website traffic, or encourage users to take a specific action (e.g., sign up, download, etc.).

LinkedIn ad campaign objective

Targeting Your Ideal Audience: Make the Most of LinkedIn's Powerful Tools for LinkedIn Ads

LinkedIn's robust targeting options allow you to reach your ideal audience with ease using LinkedIn ads. Some of the most popular targeting options include:

Demographic targeting : Filter by age, gender, and location to reach the right audience for your LinkedIn advertising.
Company targeting : Target employees at specific companies, industries, or company sizes using LinkedIn ads.
Job title targeting : Reach users based on their current or past job titles with LinkedIn ads.
Job function targeting : Target users based on their job functions or departments using LinkedIn advertising.
Skills targeting : Reach users with specific skills or expertise through LinkedIn ads.
Groups targeting : Target members of specific LinkedIn groups with your ads.
Education targeting : Target users based on their education, school, or field of study using LinkedIn advertising.

job experience

You can also create custom audience segments using LinkedIn's Matched Audiences feature , which allows you to retarget website visitors, upload email lists, or target account lists for your LinkedIn ads.

LinkedIn's Matched Audiences feature

The feature of location targeting is also included. Remember to exclude unnecessary locations and audiences.

Linkedin target audience exclude

LinkedIn Ad Formats

LinkedIn offers a variety of ad formats and options to help you achieve your marketing goals with LinkedIn ads. Before you start creating ads on LinkedIn, it's crucial to understand the different formats available and how they can work for your business.

Linkedin Ad format

Sponsored Content

These LinkedIn paid ads appear directly in the LinkedIn feed and can include images, videos, or carousel ads. They blend in with organic content, making them less intrusive and more likely to be engaged with by users.

Use sponsored content to raise brand awareness, drive engagement, or generate leads on LinkedIn .

Sponsored Messaging

With LinkedIn advertising using sponsored messaging, you can send personalized messages directly to your target audience's LinkedIn inbox. This format is excellent for promoting webinars, events, or sharing personalized offers .

Text Ads

Pay-per-click (PPC) text ads on LinkedIn appear on the right-hand side of a desktop screen. They include a small image along with a short headline and blurb. They may be less prominent than sponsored content but can still be very effective depending on your LinkedIn ads campaign goal.

Dynamic Ads

These LinkedIn ads are personalized ads that showcase your brand and drive engagement. They come in several formats, such as follower ads, spotlight ads, and job ads on LinkedIn.

Choose your LinkedIn Ad Placements

In this section you can choose if you want to show your ad on LinkedIn 3rd party networks :

LinkedIn ad placement

LinkedIn Ads Pricing: Make the Most of Your Budget

The average cost-per-click (CPC) on LinkedIn ads is between $5-6 . However, the actual cost depends on factors like the type of LinkedIn ad, targeting, budget, and the LinkedIn ads campaign's performance.

Budgeting and Scheduling Your LinkedIn Ads: Stay in Control of Your Ad Spend LinkedIn offers three budget options to control your LinkedIn ad spend:

Daily Budget : Specify the average amount you want to spend on your LinkedIn ad per day. Choose a continuous schedule or a set schedule for your daily budget.
Lifetime Budget : Specify the total amount you want to spend on your LinkedIn advertising campaign from start to finish. LinkedIn will then automatically adjust the daily budget to deliver optimal results.
Combination : Set both daily and lifetime budgets for your LinkedIn ads campaign. This helps you control the total cost as well as your daily spend.

When it comes to scheduling your LinkedIn ads, you can choose between two options:

Run ads on LinkedIn continuously : Your ads will run indefinitely without a set end date. Keep a close eye on your LinkedIn ads campaign's performance and adjust budgets as needed.
Set a specific start and end date : Schedule your LinkedIn ads to run during a defined period. This is useful for time-sensitive campaigns, like event promotions or limited-time offers.

Linkedin ad budget and schedule

Don't forget conversion tracking.

LinkedIn Ads conversions

That is all, your ad campaign is ready, and the next step is to measure the success.

LinkedIn Ads Best Practices

To maximize your LinkedIn ad performance, follow these best practices:

Crafting Engaging Ad Copy and Creative: Make Your LinkedIn Ads Stand Out

To create an effective LinkedIn ad, focus on crafting ad copy and visuals that resonate with your target audience. Keep these tips in mind:

Use clear, concise, and actionable headlines . Your headline should grab attention and communicate the value of your offer in your LinkedIn ads.

IBM LinkedIn ad

Keep ad copy short and to the point . Use bullet points, numbered lists, or bold text to emphasize key points in your LinkedIn advertising.
Include a strong call-to-action (CTA) that tells users what you want them to do next (e.g., "Sign up," "Download," or "Learn more").

Oracle linkedin ads

Use eye-catching visuals, such as images or videos , to draw attention to your LinkedIn ads. Make sure visuals are relevant to your offer and consistent with your brand.

salesforse linkedin ads

Test different ad variations on LinkedIn to find the most effective combination of copy and visuals.

Check the Best Practices from LinkedIn .

Monitor and Optimize Your LinkedIn Ads Campaigns: Keep Your Ads Performing at Their Best

Regularly monitor your LinkedIn ads campaign performance and make data-driven decisions to optimize your ads. Pay attention to metrics like click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and cost-per-conversion for your LinkedIn advertising.

• If your CTR is low , consider tweaking your LinkedIn ad copy or visuals to make them more engaging.
• If your conversion rate is low , review your landing page and ensure it's aligned with your LinkedIn ad messaging and offer.
• If your cost-per-conversion is high , consider refining your targeting or adjusting your LinkedIn ad format.

Don't be afraid to test new LinkedIn ad variations and targeting options to find the most effective combination for your LinkedIn ads campaign goals.

Inspire by The Best Practices: Check the Ads of Your Competitors First

Did you know that you can check the ads of different companies on LinkedIn without any extensions?

On account of ad transparency, LinkedIn makes it able to see what ads your competitors are running . To check it just go to the company page - posts - ads.

how to check competitor ads on linkedin

LinkedIn Ads: Your Path to B2B Marketing Triumph

With its professional audience and powerful targeting options, LinkedIn Ads can be a game-changer for your B2B marketing efforts . By following this comprehensive LinkedIn ads guide, you'll be well on your way to creating and running successful LinkedIn ad campaigns that drive results. Also, check out our TikTok Advertising Guide to expand marketing platforms.

Remember to start by choosing the right LinkedIn ad format, set a clear budget and schedule, and utilize LinkedIn's targeting tools to reach your ideal audience. Focus on crafting compelling LinkedIn ad copy and visuals, and continually monitor and optimize your LinkedIn ads campaigns for maximum performance.

As you gain more experience with LinkedIn Ads, explore advanced features like Lead Gen Forms, Conversion Tracking, and the Campaign Manager to further enhance your LinkedIn advertising efforts. With the right strategy and execution, you'll see the power of advertising on LinkedIn in driving brand awareness, generating high-quality leads, and growing your business.

If you're hungry for some serious Linkedin Ads insights, we've got just the thing for you:
- LinkedIn Riches: How to use LinkedIn for Business, Sales and Marketing!
- The Power Formula for LinkedIn Success (Fourth Edition - Completely Revised): Kick-start Your Business, Brand, and Job Search

Now that you're equipped with the knowledge and tools needed to succeed with paid LinkedIn ads, it's time to put them into action and make a lasting impact on your B2B marketing endeavors. Drop us a message - let’s see how we can help you! Good luck, and happy advertising on LinkedIn!

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Master LinkedIn Ads Like a Pro: The Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn Ads

Master LinkedIn Ads Like a Pro: The Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn Ads