Integrating Linkedin ads into your marketing mix

Finding your message through the noise in the busy digital world can sometimes seem futile work, but the ball is in your court to make sure the correct people hear your message at the right moment. LinkedIn Campaign Manager provides a generous set of tools, analytic reports, targeting options to help your business generate leads and expand reach.

You can target the individuals you wish to connect with and craft messages that are tailored specifically to their interests thanks to LinkedIn's sophisticated and precise targeting tools. On top of that, LinkedIn Campaign Manager can help you drive awareness, boost website traffic and increase engagement.

^{Source: socialchamp.io}

The importance of targeting the right audience

Why LinkedIn audience targeting is essential for B2B success:

• Precision targeting for maximum effect: For best impact, use precision targeting - with so many options for targeting on LinkedIn, you may focus very precisely on your desired demographic. You can aim to target professionals with a certain skill set or decision-makers in a particular industry. You can also choose to include locations or audience attributes such as company, job experience, education, demographics, interests, and traits to create a highly targeted campaign that speaks directly to your audience's interests.

• Engaging with the right people at the right time: In the world of advertising, timing is everything, and LinkedIn is aware of this. Because of its platform's status as a centre for professional activity, you can reach your audience at the precise moment when they're most attentive and open to receive your message.

• Custom audiences for personalised messaging: Using Matched Audiences to build custom audiences is one of the most powerful tools in your LinkedIn advertising toolbox. Utilising contacts from your CRM, website visits, or current customer data, you may target particular audience segments with customised messages that appeal to their needs and interests in your advertisements.

_{Sources: Best practices for LinkedIn Ads audience targeting}

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Choosing the perfect ad format & crafting a compelling copy for LInkedin Ads

_{Source: Guide to LinkedIn Ads formats}

LinkedIn offers a wide selection of ad formats to meet different marketing goals and objectives. Every ad format—from single image to video—offers a different way to engage with LinkedIn's network. Here's a quick rundown of the various ad types and why creating engaging content is essential for success:

These are the typical LinkedIn Ads formats:

1. Single Image Ad: These ads appear directly in the LinkedIn feed and can be targeted to specific audiences. With a captivating image and concise introductory text, Single Image Ads grab users' attention and drive engagement.
2. Document Ad: Promote gated or ungated documents directly in members' feeds, allowing them to read and download content without leaving the platform. Crafting compelling introductory text and headlines entices users to engage with your content.
3. Carousel Image Ad: Tell an interactive story with a series of swipeable cards in the LinkedIn feed. Each card can feature customised content and a unique landing URL, making Carousel Image Ads a versatile and engaging format.
4. Video Ad: Engage your audience with video content directly in their feed. Using a captivating headline and brief description, Video Ads capture attention and encourage users to watch and engage with your message.
5. Text Ad: Text Ads appear at the top of the page or in the right column of desktop view offering a simple and effective way to reach your target audience. Crafting compelling headlines and descriptions ensures your ads stand out and drive clicks.

_{Source: Guide to LinkedIn Ads formats}

The art of crafting persuasive language for a range of advertising platforms, such as email and social media, with the aim of informing prospective customers about a product's unique attributes is known as advertising copywriting. This encourages lead generation, consumer conversions, and brand exposure

_{Source: LinkedIn Glossary: Ad copy}

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Best practices 

Best practices for developing great ad copy include a mix of creativity, data-backed research, and a deep understanding of the target audience and the specifications of the particular ad platform. When drafting an ad copy, marketers should take the following steps:

Start with Audience Research: To better understand consumer motivations and produce emotionally engaging and persona-specific ad copy, do in-depth audience research. In-person interviews, online surveys, and evaluation of previous campaign outcomes are a few examples of this.

Define clear objectives for your campaign: Establish precise objectives for the campaign, including factors like the target customer's state in the buying funnel, the overall marketing strategy, and the anticipated actions (e.g., sign up, learn more, buy). This clarity helps in crafting communications that are both persuasive and focused.

Understand platform specifications: Familiarise yourself with the specific regulations and formatting needs of each sponsored ad -  this is an example of specifications you should be looking for

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Tips & tricks for optimising performance

To ensure the creation of successful campaigns, taking a strategic approach is required. That includes carefully choosing your audience, setting clear objectives and using compelling ad creatives.

_{Source: LinkedIn Ads Manager – A Complete Guide for 2024}

Before creating your first campaign, you have to select an objective that aligns with the goals of your business. You can create and manage your campaigns by following key steps in LinkedIn Campaign Manager: setting up your campaign objective, creating a campaign group and setting a group budget and ultimately building your audience and choosing the right ad format. LinkedIn also provides features such as pricing insights, boosting content, targeting capabilities, conversion tracking and reporting and analytics.l

Boosting can help turn your successful organic post into a paid ad, ensuring priority on LinkedIn Home feed for wider reach. In order to be able to boost a post, you will need to be at least Content admin of the designated LinkedIn page. 

_{Source:Ad Tips & Best Practices}

Let’s dive into some examples of the top-performing ads and check what they have in common:

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The Gong’s lead gen ads are highly effective due to their simplicity and clarity. They use a lead gen form with fewer than four fields to minimise friction; the ads feature 1x1 square images, which are optimised for mobile as well and the messaging is clear, addressing the audience directly and emphasising the value of downloading the eBook.

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Salesforce ad:

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This one is a good example of a value exchange - the eBook clearly outlines what the audience will gain from it.

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Amazon Web Services:

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The messaging in this ad is clear and simple, and it sparks interest. Being an awareness campaign, the messaging is clear enough, however, if it were to be turned into a lead gen campaign (with LinkedIn lead gen form) that charges the advertiser based on form opening rate, the message would have to be clearer.

_{Source: 141+ Best Linkedin Ad Examples in 2024}

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Conclusion

Integrating LinkedIn Ads into your B2B marketing strategy can significantly boost your chances of reaching and engaging with the right audience. Based on some of the best performing ads above, it is safe to say that simplicity, clarity and strong value proposition make these ads stand out. By following best practices and refining your approach based on feedback and analytics, your paid campaign stands a higher chance of performing well in the competitive realm that is LinkedIn.