LinkedIn Ad Formats (with examples)

LinkedIn lets you publish many types of static ads (text, graphic, messages) and several types of dynamic. Which ones to choose for generating leads and which ones to increase brand awareness? Learn about LinkedIn ad formats to choose the best ones for your strategy.

Main LinkedIn ad formats

1. text
2. graphic (single image, carousel image and video)
3. message
4. dynamic

LinkedIn ad objectives and formats

The available ad formats on LinkedIn depend on ad objective:

• to increase brand awareness (= let more people know your brand) – you can use text, graphic and dynamic ads
• to promote your company page on LinkedIn (increase the number of followers) – you have graphic and dynamic ads at your disposal
• to increase the number of visits to your website (or landing page) – here you can use all types of ads, i.e. text, graphic, mail and dynamic.
• to generate leads using LinkedIn forms, i.e. to acquire data of potential customers within the site – you can use graphic ads and sponsored messages
• to generate leads or sell on your website, with simultaneous conversion tracking – all formats can be used, i.e. text, graphic, message and dynamic ads
• to collect job applications – you can use graphic and dynamic ads.

1. LinkedIn text ads

LinkedIn text ads appear at the top of the page or in the right column. Only LinkedIn users who view the website on computers can see them. The purpose of these ads can be to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to a selected website and generate leads on the website.

In addition to the text, only a small picture can be added. The text should consist of a header with a maximum of 25 characters and a content of 75 characters.

Ads in the right column can appear as vertical or horizontal blocks.

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2. LinkedIn graphic ads

Graphic ads (sponsored content) are displayed in the feed. Therefore they are available both for users browsing the website on computers and on mobile devices.

Objectives for graphic ads

1. increasing brand awareness (so that as many people as possible see the ad, it’s not about clicking on it, but about impressions)
2. driving traffic to your website (or landing page)
3. encouraging users to follow your company / showcase page on LinkedIn
4. video views of your video ad
5. generating leads – via LinkedIn form or on your website (so-called website conversions)
6. obtaining job applications

Types of graphic ads

• single image
• carousel image
• video

Creating graphic ad

When creating image ads, select content (picture or video) already published on the LinkedIn page or upload a new image or video. Then add a headline, description and indicate the place to which the ad directs (external, LI page, LI form).

2. a) Graphic ad with a single image

Advertisements with a single image can direct you to a website (first example below), encourage you to follow the page on LinkedIn (second example), achieve both of these goals (third example), lead to a LinkedIn form to provide the advertiser with leads’ data (fourth example) or encourage you to apply for job offer.

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2. b) Graphic advertising – image carousel

Each image in the image carousel may link to a different page. It gives the possibility of placing references to different websites in one advertisement. Most often these are pages with various elements of the company’s offer.

Image carousel ads can also direct to lead generation forms.

2. c) Graphic advertising – video

Video advertising can also direct either to external websites or to the form.

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3. Sponsored messages at LinkedIn (InMail)

Advertisements in the form of InMail sponsored messages go directly to users’ inboxes at LinkedIn. With their use, you can direct recipients to external websites or collect their data through LinkedIn forms.

InMails are sent from a private LinkedIn accounts. Therefore a very important condition for success is the industry position of the person whose account the message comes from and if his/her profile is completed. Before launching the ad, the person receives from LinkedIn a request to accept the sponsored message that should exit their account (unless it is the same person who creates the ad).

The content of sponsored messages can be personalized by inserting the recipient’s name, surname, company name, job title or industry in which he/she works.

4. Dynamic ads at LinkedIn

Dynamic ads are displayed to people whose profiles indicate potential interest or match to the content of the ad. These ads are displayed in the feed.

Types of dynamic ads on LinkedIn:

1. for winning followers of the company page on LinkedIn,
2. to direct traffic to an external website / landing page – the so-called spotlight advertising
3. job offer

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Special advertising formats on LinkedIn for large advertisers

Above we have presented typical advertising formats on LinkedIn. However, sometimes you will see ads that do not match the above categories. These formats are only available to advertisers with very large budgets. For example, you can often get a sponsored message that comes from a company (!), and not from a private individual. You may also encounter dynamic ads that allow you to download certain content. These formats will be available to you after creating an enterprise account and with correspondingly high budgets.

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LinkedIn is more flexible for large advertisers. However, also standard advertising formats on LinkedIn offer great opportunities to generate leads and increase brand awareness.

Which ad formats on LinkedIn are right for you?

LinkedIn has become a mandatory area for implementing B2B marketing. How to choose the right advertising formats on this website? What are the best practices there? Share your opinions in the comments or ask us a question.