Types of LinkedIn Ads
You can set up your own LinkedIn ad within a few minutes. All you need is your credit card, some text, a URL to send people to when they click on your ad, and an image. The more time you spend developing a great message, choosing the best URL to send consumers to, and creating targeting criteria to ensure the most appropriate people see your ad, the better your results will be.
LinkedIn ads typically look like the ads shown in Figure 11.1. They include a headline, image, and description. When you click on the ad, you are taken to the URL specified by the advertiser.
Figure 11.1: LinkedIn ads usually include a headline, image, and description.
In some instances, an image will not appear with your ad. For example, Figure 11.2 shows a text-only ad at the top of a LinkedIn member profile page. Ads in this location are typically paid for based on the number of clicks they get, which is discussed in more detail later in this section.
 |
QUICK TIP |
LinkedIn ads are displayed on prominent pages such as profile pages, the Home page, InBox, search results page, and group pages. Depending on where your ad is displayed, it could appear along with up to two additional ads. Furthermore, when you create a LinkedIn ad, you have the option to allow your ad to be displayed on other websites. These sites are LinkedIn partners and are part of the LinkedIn Audience Network, which gives your ads more exposure.
LinkedIn provides two payment models that you can choose from for your ads.
Cost-per-click (CPC): You pay based on how many times people actually clicked on your ad. Generally, the cost-per-click payment model is best for direct marketing purposes such as lead generation, making sales, and so on, within specific audiences. For example, if you’re offering a discount on a specific product on your website, a cost-per-click ad is a good choice because you don’t just want to raise awareness, you want to drive sales.
Cost-per-impression (CPM): You pay based on how many times your ad was actually displayed onscreen to visitors. Typically, the cost-per-impression payment model is best for brand-building and raising awareness across broader audiences. For example, if you’re trying to spread the word about a new brand, a cost-per-impression ad is a good choice, because people aren’t required to click on the ad for you to achieve your goal. As long as they see the ad and understand what it’s for, you’ve successfully raised awareness of your brand.
Regardless of which payment model you use for your LinkedIn ads, you can create a daily budget threshold to control your costs. Read the budgeting section later in this chapter (“Budgeting, Bidding, and Payment”) to learn more about advertising costs and budgets.