In this article, we'll explore the nuances of LinkedIn ad copy, ensuring you harness the full power of LinkedIn's advertising capabilities.
LinkedIn has emerged as a powerhouse for professional networking and business advertising. With more than 950 million users, LinkedIn offers an unparalleled platform for businesses to target a professional audience with precision.
However, the key to leveraging LinkedIn's potential lies in crafting effective ad copy that resonates with your target demographic.
Mastering LinkedIn ad types: Tailoring your strategy for maximum impact
Before diving into ad copy, it's crucial to understand the different types of LinkedIn ads and how they align with your campaign objectives.
LinkedIn offers a variety of ad formats including Single Image Ads, Carousel Ads, Video Ads, Event Ads, Document Ads, and Thought Leader Ads. Each ad type serves a unique purpose:
Single Image Ads
Image source: LinkedIn
Ideal for direct, clear messages. These ads can be highly impactful with attention-grabbing headlines and visuals.
Carousel Ads
Image source: LinkedIn
Perfect for storytelling or showcasing a range of products. These ads allow you to use multiple images or cards, providing a richer narrative.
Video Ads
Image source: LinkedIn
Engage your audience with dynamic, moving content. From product demonstrations to in-depth brand stories, video ads offer a visually engaging way to connect with viewers.
Event Ads
Image source: LinkedIn
These ads are designed to promote events like webinars or conferences, directly engaging potential customers and interested professionals.
Document Ads
Image source: LinkedIn
A newer addition to LinkedIn's ad formats, Document Ads allow you to share PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, or Word documents directly in the feed.
This format is excellent for sharing in-depth information like whitepapers, case studies, or detailed reports, providing value and insight to your professional audience.
Thought Leader Ads
Image source: LinkedIn
Catered towards building personal brand and authority, these ads enable individuals or companies to promote thought leadership content. Whether it's articles, blog posts, or insightful commentary, these ads help establish your brand as a knowledgeable leader in your industry.
Message Ads
Image source: LinkedIn
These ads deliver direct messages to your target audience's LinkedIn inboxes, offering a personal touch. Ideal for driving strong engagement, Message Ads can be used for event promotions, product announcements, or personalised offers.
Conversation Ads
Image source: LinkedIn
Building on Message Ads, Conversation Ads enable a more interactive experience. They allow for a 'choose your own path' journey, engaging prospects with multiple CTA options in a single message. This format is perfect for tailoring messages based on user responses, leading to higher engagement and conversion opportunities.
Selecting the right ad type is an important first step in ensuring your message reaches your target audience effectively.
Strategise for success: Setting clear objectives for LinkedIn ads
When developing your LinkedIn ads, you need to ensure that they align with your buyer’s journey and form part of your overall marketing strategy.
To do so, your advertising campaign on LinkedIn can be tailored to meet various objectives, falling under three main categories:
- Awareness ads: These are designed to increase your brand's visibility. With the goal of reaching a broad audience, awareness ads are crucial for businesses looking to establish their presence in the market.
- Consideration ads: Targeting users who are already aware of your brand but not yet engaged, these ads aim to increase website visits, video views, or engagement on your LinkedIn posts. Carousel Ads and Single Image Ads with compelling content can be particularly effective here.
- Conversion ads: The focus here is on driving actions. Whether it's generating leads, driving website conversions, or encouraging webinar sign-ups, conversion ads should have a clear CTA and be targeted towards users ready to take the next step.
Understanding these objectives is crucial in tailoring your LinkedIn ad copy and selecting the appropriate ad types to achieve your business goals.
The art of crafting LinkedIn ads that resonate: LinkedIn ad copy best practices
Let’s explore the secrets to creating LinkedIn ads that not only capture attention but also drive engagement and results.
Zero in on your target audience: the key to LinkedIn ad success
Success on LinkedIn begins with understanding your target audience. Who are your potential customers? What are their professional interests, company size, and job roles?
LinkedIn's robust targeting options, including filters for job title, industry, and company size, enable you to tailor your ads to a specific professional audience.
Utilising these features ensures that your ads reach the individuals most likely to engage with your content.
Compel and convert: crafting a powerful call to action
The effectiveness of your LinkedIn ad hinges on a clear and compelling CTA.
Whether it’s encouraging sign-ups, downloads, or contacting your team, your CTA should be concise and direct.
Remember, your audience is busy professionals; a clear CTA respects their time and provides a straightforward path to engagement.
Content that captivates: why originality wins on LinkedIn
Originality in ad content is paramount. Avoid recycling content that your audience may have already seen on other social media platforms.
LinkedIn is a unique environment with a professional audience seeking specific value.
Tailor your content to these expectations – whether it’s insightful articles, industry news, or thought leadership pieces.
First impressions matter: maximising impact of visible content
In your LinkedIn ad, the initial lines of your intro text are crucial. They're what your audience sees first, without any extra clicks.
This is where you should place your most compelling content and a clear, concise CTA.
Ensuring your key message and CTA are immediately visible can significantly increase engagement rates.
Headlines that hook: crafting words that capture attention
Your headline is a key component in capturing attention.
A powerful headline should be clear, engaging, and relevant to your target audience.
It should also reflect the content of the ad, avoiding any misleading or clickbait tendencies.
Engaging beyond the first glance: innovative formats for expanded text
If your intro text extends beyond the immediate view, it’s vital to make the beginning engaging enough to prompt viewers to click 'read more'.
Use this expanded section to dive deeper, and provide additional information or detailed explanations that support your initial message.
This approach helps maintain interest and can lead to higher engagement with your ad.
Tone and style: writing LinkedIn ads that resonate
The tone and style of your ad copy should align with your brand voice and the professional nature of LinkedIn.
While creativity is encouraged, maintaining a professional tone is crucial.
It’s a balancing act between being engaging and respecting the formal atmosphere of the platform.
For more tips, check out our article on how to create SEM ad copy.
Insider's guide: gaining a competitive edge by analysing competitor ads on LinkedIn
In the competitive realm of LinkedIn advertising, understanding your rivals' strategies can offer invaluable insights.
Fortunately, LinkedIn has made it easier to view the ads of any company directly on their LinkedIn page.
This transparency is part of LinkedIn's commitment to offering a better overall experience to its users.
Steps to view competitor ads:
- Locate the company page: Start by searching for your competitor’s company page on LinkedIn.
- Navigate to the “Posts” tab: Underneath the header image of the company's page, you'll find a menu. Click on the tab labelled “Posts”, then select “Ads” This will reveal a complete list of the company's active LinkedIn Ads.
- Analysing the ads: When you're viewing these ads, pay attention to several aspects:
- Ad format: Identify if the ads are plain text and image posts or if they contain richer media like videos or carousels. This can give you insights into their campaign objectives.
- Targeted ad copy: Examine the copy for clues on the demographics targeted in their LinkedIn campaigns.
- Hashtag usage: The use of hashtags might indicate boosted posts that were originally organic, reflecting content that resonates with the audience.
- Offer & call-to-action: Dissect what the ad is offering and its call-to-action. This can tell you about the marketing funnel stage the ads are targeting.
- Landing page format: By clicking through the ad, you can analyse the competitor’s landing page, which can provide clues on how they aim to convert customers.
LinkedIn Ads Library
Another way to view your competitor’s ads is the LinkedIn Ads Library.
LinkedIn's Ad Library is a public database that provides information about ads run on LinkedIn.
Image source: LinkedIn
You can search for ads by advertiser name, keyword, country, or date range. The Ad Library includes an ad preview, format, advertiser and payer names, and whether the ad is restricted.
For ads targeting the European Union, additional information is available, like ad impressions and targeting.
The Ad Library covers ads run after June 1, 2023, and keeps them for one year after their last LinkedIn impression. Ads generally appear in the Ad Library within 24-48 hours of their first impression.
Utilising the insights
Gathering this data is not about copying your competitors' strategies but rather understanding the landscape.
Use these insights to identify gaps in their strategy or elements that are working well, which you can adapt and improve upon for your campaigns. This method allows you to stay one step ahead and continuously refine your LinkedIn advertising strategy.
How Huble can help you get the most from your LinkedIn ads
Crafting compelling LinkedIn ad copy is an art that combines creativity with a deep understanding of your target audience and marketing objectives.
Remember, the key is to remain authentic, engaging, and informative while staying true to your brand's voice.
At Huble, we recognise the challenges and intricacies involved in creating impactful LinkedIn ad copy. That's why we offer specialised PPC consultancy services to help you create and optimise your LinkedIn advertising efforts.
Our team of experts is adept at navigating the complexities of LinkedIn's advertising platform, ensuring that your ads not only reach your target audience but also resonate with them, ultimately improving your conversion rates.
Check out our LinkedIn Ads Benchmarks for 2023 to get an overview of how the ads we’ve created and optimised for our clients performed.
Are you looking to enhance the effectiveness of your LinkedIn ads? Speak with our team at Huble today.
Let us help you tailor your advertising strategy to meet your business goals, ensuring your message not only reaches but also engages your target audience, driving tangible results.
