7 LinkedIn Ad Settings and Tactics You Didn’t Know You Needed

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. 1. Connected TV (CTV) Ads: Bridging Digital and Traditional Advertising
  3. 2. Frequency Control for CTV Campaigns: Avoiding Ad Fatigue
  4. 3. Hybrid CTV Brand Lift Tests: Measuring Impact
  5. 4. Boosting LinkedIn Page Posts: Amplifying Organic Content
  6. 5. Predictive Audiences: Expanding Your Reach with AI
  7. 6. Conversions API: Bridging Online and Offline Data
  8. 7. Average Dwell Time Metric: Understanding Engagement
  9. Conclusion
  10. FAQ

Introduction

The realm of digital advertising is consistently evolving, with new features and tools being introduced that marketers must leverage to stay competitive. LinkedIn Advertising, known for its focus on professional audiences, has recently unveiled several innovative features that promise to revolutionize campaign results. Whether you're aiming to reach a highly targeted audience or enhance engagement through compelling visuals, LinkedIn's new ad settings and tactics can help elevate your marketing strategy to new heights.

In this blog post, we'll dive into seven lesser-known LinkedIn ad settings and tactics that can significantly impact your advertising efforts. From exploring the realm of Connected TV (CTV) ads to unlocking the potential of predictive audiences, we'll cover each feature in detail. Get ready to enhance your LinkedIn ad campaigns with these powerful tools and insights.

1. Connected TV (CTV) Ads: Bridging Digital and Traditional Advertising

LinkedIn Advertising is no longer confined to your computer or mobile screen. The platform now enables marketers to tap into Connected TV (CTV) ads, allowing you to leverage LinkedIn’s audience data in a large-screen environment. Scheduled for release in 2024, CTV ads allow you to craft campaigns that guide users through the marketing funnel, with retargeting options that utilize any available LinkedIn ad type based on engagement.

The collaboration with NBCUniversal for premium content placements, along with safety measures from iSpot and Kantar, ensures that your ads reach your target audience effectively and securely. Setting up a CTV ad campaign is straightforward through LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager, giving you the tools to blend digital precision with traditional media's broad reach.

2. Frequency Control for CTV Campaigns: Avoiding Ad Fatigue

We’ve all been there—binge-watching our favorite series only to encounter the same ad repeatedly. LinkedIn's frequency control feature for CTV campaigns addresses this by enabling marketers to manage the number of times an ad is shown to each audience member over a seven-day period. This not only enhances user experience but also ensures that your ads remain effective without causing fatigue.

Frequency caps can be adjusted via Campaign Manager, giving you control over your campaign’s impression frequency. It's important to note that changes to frequency settings take effect within 24 hours, so planning your campaign timeline is crucial for optimal implementation.

3. Hybrid CTV Brand Lift Tests: Measuring Impact

For businesses targeting audiences in the U.S. and Canada, LinkedIn’s hybrid CTV brand lift tests offer an innovative way to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns. Serving an initial impression followed by a brand lift survey, these tests provide critical insights into how your ads influence brand perception.

While this feature is currently limited in its availability, the results are comprehensive, delivered in a PowerPoint deck, and offer valuable metrics that inform your future strategies. By leveraging third-party vendors for measurement, LinkedIn ensures the accuracy and reliability of the data, making it an essential tool for understanding your campaign's true impact.

4. Boosting LinkedIn Page Posts: Amplifying Organic Content

Similar to boosting posts on platforms like Meta, LinkedIn now allows you to extend the reach of your LinkedIn page posts through paid campaigns. This feature, introduced a little over a year ago, is simple to use and can significantly enhance the visibility of your organic content.

By selecting an objective, defining your audience, setting a budget, and scheduling an end date, you can quickly boost a post. While this process offers a streamlined campaign creation experience, to leverage the full potential of LinkedIn’s advertising capabilities, using the Campaign Manager for comprehensive campaign setup is recommended.

5. Predictive Audiences: Expanding Your Reach with AI

Predictive audiences represent a significant leap forward in LinkedIn’s targeting capabilities. This feature uses AI to create audiences that are likely to perform similar actions to those in your data source. By combining your data with LinkedIn’s machine learning algorithms, predictive audiences help expand your campaign’s reach effectively.

Whether you're using lead gen forms, contact lists, or conversion data from your Insight Tag, predictive audiences can enhance your campaigns' performance. Case studies have shown a substantial improvement in Cost Per Lead (CPL) and Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) fit, proving the efficacy of this feature in driving more targeted and cost-effective campaigns.

6. Conversions API: Bridging Online and Offline Data

LinkedIn’s Conversions API (CAPI) is a pivotal tool for integrating your online and offline data, providing a holistic view of how your LinkedIn campaigns influence various actions. Similar to setups on other platforms like Google Ads or Meta, CAPI allows you to track actions taken on your website, phone sales, or other lead collection methods, offering a more comprehensive understanding of your campaign’s impact.

Implementing CAPI involves technical steps, but the benefits are clear: improved attribution accuracy, better campaign optimization, and the potential for enhanced future features. Detailed technical documentation is available to guide you through the setup process, ensuring your data integration is seamless and effective.

7. Average Dwell Time Metric: Understanding Engagement

One of LinkedIn’s newest metrics, average dwell time, provides invaluable insights into how users interact with your ads. By measuring the time users spend on your ads, you can determine which creatives resonate most and make informed decisions for optimization.

Accessible through the Engagement column in Campaign Manager, average dwell time helps you gauge user interest even if they do not click on the ad. This metric bridges the gap between impressions and clicks, giving you a fuller picture of your ad's performance and user engagement.

Conclusion

LinkedIn’s latest advertising advancements offer a suite of tools designed to enhance targeting, engagement, and measurement. From the innovative CTV ads and hybrid brand lift tests to the powerful predictive audiences and Conversions API, these features provide marketers with new ways to optimize their campaigns and achieve better results.

By integrating these tactics into your LinkedIn advertising strategy, you can stay ahead of the competition and make more informed, data-driven decisions. Understanding and utilizing these advanced features will not only improve your current campaigns but also pave the way for future successes in your digital advertising endeavors.

FAQ

Q: What are LinkedIn CTV ads and how do they work?
A: LinkedIn CTV ads leverage LinkedIn’s audience data to deliver ads on connected TVs, allowing for large-screen engagement with precise targeting.

Q: How can I control ad frequency on my CTV campaigns?
A: LinkedIn’s frequency control feature allows you to limit the number of impressions each audience receives over a seven-day period, adjustable via Campaign Manager.

Q: What is the purpose of hybrid CTV brand lift tests?
A: These tests measure the impact of your campaigns on brand metrics by serving initial impressions followed by brand lift surveys, providing comprehensive insights.

Q: How do I boost a post on LinkedIn?
A: Boosting a post involves selecting an objective, defining your audience, setting a budget, and scheduling an end date, enhancing your organic post’s reach through a paid campaign.

Q: What are predictive audiences?
A: Predictive audiences use AI to create audiences that are likely to perform similar actions to those in your data source, expanding your campaign's reach.

Q: What is the Conversions API and how do I use it?
A: The Conversions API allows you to integrate online and offline data, providing a comprehensive view of your campaign’s influence and improving attribution accuracy.

Q: How does the average dwell time metric benefit my campaigns?
A: By measuring the time users spend on your ads, the average dwell time metric helps you understand which creatives are engaging and informs your optimization efforts.