LinkedIn Advertising may seem intimidating at first, like a 1,000 piece puzzle you just don’t have time to get around to. But when you consider LinkedIn’s lead generation capabilities – 277% higher than those of Facebook and Twitter – you might just take a second look at your social media strategy.
Advertising on this network is characterized by very high impression rates and relatively low click-through rates. So make use of these 10 LinkedIn Advertising tips to get more bang for your buck. You’ll be completing that puzzle in no time!
1. Advertise for top-of-the-funnel offers.
Since you’re mass-targeting professionals and businesses who potentially have little to no exposure to your company, it's most effective to use an introductory offer that educates them about your brand. Then you can focus on nurturing any new leads produced.
2. Monitor metrics for effective budgeting.
Rather than allocating an arbitrary portion of your funds to this process, it’s wiser to set your initial budget with what it takes to reach a considerable percentage of your target audience – and then monitor and adjust against it after seeing preliminary results. Based on early performance data and click metrics, LinkedIn will also show you if it’s worth increasing your budget.
3. Pay attention to image size and color.
Simple, high contrast, brightly colored ad images laid over a white background tend to work best. Do not rely on your company logo. Faces, icons and product shots are all sensible alternatives. Moreover, design your image with the correct dimensions (50 x 50 pixels); shrinking down a larger image may lower the quality.
4. Resurrect an ad with a fresh image.
If one of your ads is lagging a bit, instead of pressing its pause button and solely concentrating on the better performing ads, try reviving it by switching out the image for a better one. Many companies have been able to dramatically increase click-through rate simply by using a different image in the ad.
5. Utilize questions and call-outs.
Your ad’s headline is limited to 25 characters – the body copy, 75 characters. A question addressing a specific industry, for example, usually captures more attention. Call out your audience with a headline like “Are You a B2B Marketer?” to receive more clicks.
6. Align your landing page copy with the ad’s copy.
Make sure you are facilitating a message match! Do not link the ad to a pre-existing landing page. Not only does your new landing page headline need to be completely aligned with the copy from the ad, but the landing page URL should be unique for source data and tracking purposes.
7. Create multiple ad variations for one offer.
You can choose among 3 different formats – square, tall, and long. LinkedIn will optimize your campaign by showing whichever ad gets the most traction, so after a few days, remove the less effective ads and submit new ones based on the more successful variation.
8. Narrow down your target.
If you choose to execute a LinkedIn PPC campaign, you can set up your target demographics based on a number of attributes. Though it's tempting to broadcast your ad as widely as possible, you will pay based on the clicks through to the offer. Don’t pay for leads you don’t want! Consider your buyer personas, and start with the target market that is most important to you.
9. Turn on LinkedIn Lead Collection.
You'll see Lead Collection as a click-box within the campaign options section of Campaign Manager. When activated, users who click on your ads will be prompted to request contact. You'll be notified by LinkedIn when you receive a lead, at which point you can review the lead's profile and respond with a personalized message.
10. Think B2B.
Unlike advertising via Facebook, which is more B2C in nature, LinkedIn Advertising is geared toward a business-to-business audience. If you’re active in the B2B world, LinkedIn could serve as an efficient avenue for attracting new prospects!
To learn more about the impact of your LinkedIn Advertising, take a look at the ads interface. You’ll find the exact number of impressions and clicks, as well as your CTR. These stats will show you exactly which ads are succeeding, and which you’ll need to pull. Best of luck with your next campaign! For more tips on making the most of this social platform, download our free whitepaper: Maximizing Your Company Presence on LinkedIn.
