What are LinkedIn ads?

LinkedIn is a popular platform for networking and content sharing, and it’s exactly its popularity among professionals makes it another great platform to launch your PPC campaigns. The current number of Linkedin users more than 1 billion members worldwide and rising, leaving you with a huge chance of finding the right people to promote your product or service to.

The platform attracts a highly educated audience, with 47.3 % of users between 25 and 34 years old. These users hold significant purchasing power and decision-making authority within their organisations.

LinkedIn Ads stand out from other social media advertising due to their professional context and precise targeting capabilities. Businesses can target audiences based on professional criteria such as job titles, company size, industry, skills, education level, and seniority. This focused approach makes LinkedIn particularly effective for B2B marketing, with studies showing that LinkedIn members have twice the buying power of average audiences.

What makes LinkedIn Ads particularly valuable is their ability to reach decision-makers and professionals actively engaged in business-related content. Recent data shows that over 70% of marketers see LinkedIn as a reliable source for advertising return on investment, outperforming platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

How to create a Linkedin ad

Once your LinkedIn business page is set up, how do you begin advertising on the platform? Start by logging into the LinkedIn Campaign Manager, where you can create and oversee your PPC campaigns. Next, follow these steps:

1. Set your campaign goal

Every successful campaign starts with a clear objective. LinkedIn offers several campaign goals to choose from:

Brand Building

• Increase awareness
• Boost engagement
• Drive website visits

Lead Generation

• Collect quality leads
• Generate enquiries
• Build contact lists

Conversion Focus

• Drive website sales
• Increase sign-ups
• Boost downloads

Think carefully about your business goals before selecting an objective. Your choice influences how LinkedIn displays your ads and measures success. For example, if you want to generate leads, choose the lead generation objective to optimise your campaign for form submissions.

Remember: Choose one primary objective per campaign. This helps LinkedIn optimise your ad delivery and improve your results.

Pro Tip: Review your website analytics to identify your current conversion points before selecting your campaign objective.

2. Select your target audience

LinkedIn’s extensive reach requires careful audience targeting for campaign success. With access to approximately 1.20 billion people, or 20.7% of the world’s population, selecting the right audience parameters ensures your ads reach the most relevant professionals.

Start by identifying who needs your product or service. Consider these key targeting options:

Professional Criteria

• job titles and functions
• industry sectors
• company size
• seniority level
• skills and qualifications

Demographics

• location
• age range
• education level
• years of experience
• language preferences

Your website analytics can provide valuable insights about your current customers. Use this data to create similar audience profiles on LinkedIn. Focus on professionals who match your ideal customer profile to maximise your ad spend effectiveness.

Remember: Specific targeting often yields better results than broad reach. Start with a focused audience and adjust based on performance data.

Pro Tip: Test different audience combinations with small budgets before scaling up your successful targeting parameters.

3. Choose a format

LinkedIn allows you to choose from different ad formats, each serving different marketing objectives:

Single Image Ad

Single image ads blend naturally into LinkedIn feeds while promoting your message. These native-style ads use one compelling image with text to capture attention. They work well for brand awareness and lead generation, appearing like regular LinkedIn posts but with promotional content.

Video Ad

Video ads help tell your brand story effectively. While LinkedIn allows videos up to 30 minutes, focus on the first 10 seconds – that’s where you’ll capture or lose viewer attention.

Create videos that start with key messages and include captions for better accessibility. Keep your core content under 2 minutes to maintain engagement, and always end with clear calls to action that guide viewers toward your campaign goals.

Carousel Image Ad

Carousel ads let you showcase multiple products or tell a sequential story. Use up to 10 images to display product features and share customer testimonials that build trust. This format works particularly well for presenting step-by-step processes or highlighting different services your business offers.

Each image needs its own headline and call-to-action. Make sure your carousel tells a cohesive story that guides viewers toward your campaign goal.

Message Ad

Message Ads create direct conversations with potential clients through LinkedIn’s messaging system. These personal communications work particularly well for B2B companies, with 40% of B2B marketers rating LinkedIn as the most effective channel for quality lead generation.

Use Message Ads to:

• start meaningful conversations
• share detailed product information
• send event invitations
• offer exclusive content

Text Ad

Text Ads appear in the right column of LinkedIn desktop views. Despite their simplicity, these ads excel at building brand awareness and driving website traffic. They provide an effective platform for testing different messages and reaching desktop users. Their straightforward format allows for quick campaign launches, making them ideal for businesses wanting to start advertising quickly. While limited in characters, Text Ads help you learn how to summarise your offering effectively and reach your target audience through simple, direct messaging.

Dynamic Ad

Dynamic Ads create personalised content by using LinkedIn member profile data. This sophisticated format automatically adapts to each viewer by including their profile photo and mentioning their company name. It references their job title to create a more personal connection and generates relevant calls to action based on their professional information. This personalisation helps create more engaging and relevant advertising experiences for each LinkedIn member who sees your ad.

Remember: Choose your ad format based on your campaign goals and target audience preferences. Each format serves specific purposes in your marketing strategy.

Pro Tip: Start with one ad format and master it before expanding to others. This helps you understand what works best for your business.

Decide the budget & schedule

LinkedIn advertising requires strategic budget planning for optimal results. While LinkedIn’s Cost Per Lead is 28% lower lower than Google Ads, understanding the platform’s pricing structure helps maximise your return on investment.

Budget Options

LinkedIn offers three budget management approaches:

• Total budget: Best for short-term campaigns with immediate results
• Daily budget: Ideal for ongoing campaigns with consistent spending
• Set bids: Control maximum spend per click or impression

Cost Considerations

Plan your budget with these average costs in mind:

• Cost per click (CPC): $5.39
• Cost per thousand impressions (CPM): $6.37
• Cost per message sent (CPS): $0.70

Get creative

Your ad content determines campaign success. Focus on creating clear, engaging content that speaks directly to your professional audience.

Content Guidelines

Create ads that connect with your professional audience on LinkedIn. Use clear, concise language that gets straight to the point while including strong calls-to-action that guide user behaviour. Your ads should feature high-quality visuals that catch attention and maintain professional standards. Keep your brand voice consistent across all ad variations, ensuring each message aligns with your overall marketing tone. Most importantly, address specific business needs that resonate with your target audience – focus on solutions to their professional challenges and pain points.

Character Limits

Follow LinkedIn’s content restrictions:

• Headlines: 25 characters
• Introductory text: 75 characters
• Description text varies by ad format

Remember: Test different ad variations to find what works best for your audience. Start with small budgets to optimise your approach before scaling successful campaigns.

Tips for a successful Linkedin ad

Your ad content directly impacts campaign success. In 2025, effective LinkedIn ads combine clear messaging with strong visuals to capture professional attention.

Keep your text simple but effective

Keep your text simple but effective. LinkedIn offers generous character limits compared to other platforms, but concise messages consistently perform better. Create copy that highlights key benefits while addressing specific pain points your audience faces. Use professional language that matches your industry, and always include clear calls-to-action that guide users toward your campaign goals. Most importantly, keep your message relevant to your target audience’s needs and interests.

Use eye-catching visuals

Strong visuals stop users from scrolling and drive engagement. Strong visuals should match your brand identity while using high-quality graphics that support your core message. Follow LinkedIn’s specific size requirements – 1200×627 pixels for single images and 1080×1080 pixels for carousel ads. Whenever possible, avoid stock photos in favour of original images that showcase your authentic brand and resonate with your professional audience.

Pro Tip: Keep your visuals consistent with your landing page design to maintain a seamless user experience.

Use different ads for each stage of the sales journey

Your LinkedIn ad strategy should match where potential customers are in their buying journey. Different ad formats work better at specific stages of customer interest and engagement.

Awareness Stage

Start with video ads and single image ads to introduce your brand. These formats work well for new audiences who aren’t familiar with your products or services. Keep messages broad and educational at this stage, focusing on industry challenges and your unique solutions.

Consideration Stage

Use carousel ads and document ads to share more detailed information. These formats let you showcase multiple product features or explain complex services. Include customer testimonials and case studies to build trust with interested prospects.

Decision Stage

Message Ads and Dynamic Ads work best when prospects are close to making a decision. These personal formats help address specific concerns and guide prospects toward conversion. Include clear calls-to-action and specific offers that encourage immediate action.

Remember: Track engagement rates across different ad formats to understand what works best at each stage of your sales process.

Pro Tip: Create separate campaigns for each stage to better measure and optimise performance.

Add urgency through time-based messages

Time-based messaging creates a sense of urgency in your LinkedIn ads while setting clear expectations for your audience. Include specific time references that highlight quick solutions or limited-time opportunities. For example, phrases like “Start your free trial today” or “Book your strategy session within 24 hours” encourage immediate action. Time-sensitive offers such as “Early bird discount ends this week” or “Limited spots available for Q1 2025” add pressure to act quickly. Keep your promises realistic – if you claim a “5-minute setup process,” ensure your service delivers on that promise. This approach not only improves conversion rates but also builds trust with potential customers who appreciate clear, honest timeframes.

Remember: Use time-based messages thoughtfully. Too much urgency can appear pushy, while specific, realistic timeframes build credibility.

Pro Tip: Test different time-based messages to find what resonates best with your audience while maintaining a professional tone.

Include social proof in your ads

Social proof builds trust and credibility with your LinkedIn audience. Include specific statistics and real customer testimonials in your ads to show proven results.

For example, highlight metrics like “93% client satisfaction rate” or “Trusted by 500+ businesses in Scandinavia.” Share brief success stories that demonstrate concrete results, such as “Helped ABC Company increase sales by 45% in six months.”

Industry awards, certifications, and recognition from respected organisations also strengthen your credibility. In 2025’s competitive market, professionals trust peer recommendations and verified results more than promotional messages.

Remember: Use recent, verifiable statistics and genuine testimonials. Authentic social proof performs better than generic claims or inflated numbers.

Pro Tip: Update your social proof regularly with fresh statistics and recent customer success stories to maintain relevance.

Try A/B Testing

Create multiple versions of your ads by testing:

• different headlines
• various images or videos
• alternative copy lengths
• call-to-action placements
• landing page designs

Start with small budgets across different ad versions to find what works best. Use this data to refine your approach and scale successful elements.

Pro Tip: Monitor your A/B test results weekly and adjust your campaigns based on performance data.

Use a clear CTA

Your call-to-action (CTA) guides potential customers toward conversion. In 2025, transparency in your CTA messaging builds trust and improves conversion rates.

CTA Best Practices

Write CTAs that:

• match landing page actions
• use clear, action-oriented words
• set accurate expectations
• follow through on promises
• address user intent

For example, if your landing page requires registration before purchase, use “Register Now” instead of “Buy Now”. This accuracy helps maintain user trust and reduces bounce rates.

Remember: Successful LinkedIn ads combine clear CTAs with consistent user experiences. Test different approaches while maintaining honest messaging about what users can expect.

Get some expert help

LinkedIn advertising offers significant potential for business growth in 2025. Recent studies show that brands experience a 33% increase in purchase intent through LinkedIn ads, making it a valuable platform for your marketing strategy.

That’s why you shouldn’t let a lack of time stop you from expanding your PPC campaigns to include LinkedIn! Instead of trying to figure it all out by yourself, get the help of a marketing agency. Professional agencies bring specialised knowledge to your LinkedIn campaigns. They understand the platform’s unique features and can create targeted campaigns that reach decision-makers effectively. Their expertise helps maximise your advertising budget while delivering measurable results.