How Does LinkedIn Advertising Work?

In a world dominated by digital marketing, LinkedIn advertising stands out as a powerful tool, especially for B2B companies. While LinkedIn is a platform designed for professional networking, it has evolved into one of the most effective advertising channels. With precision targeting and a wide array of ad formats, LinkedIn offers advertisers the opportunity to reach decision-makers, build brand authority, and drive quality leads.

But, navigating LinkedIn’s advertising options can be complex, especially when you’re trying to get the best ROI for your spend. In this blog, we’ll break down how LinkedIn ads work, the various types of ads available, and how Ruby Digital can help you harness LinkedIn’s full potential for your business.

What is LinkedIn Advertising?

LinkedIn advertising works on both cost-per-click (CPC) and cost-per-impression (CPI) models. With CPC, you pay when someone clicks on your ad, which is ideal when you’re looking for direct conversions. On the other hand, CPI campaigns charge based on the number of impressions (views) your ads receive, which is perfect for building brand awareness.

The key to LinkedIn advertising is targeting. As the only platform specifically designed for professionals, LinkedIn offers the ability to target users based on:

Industry
Job title
Company size
Skills
Location
Company connections

This targeting ensures that your ad gets seen by the most relevant audience, leading to better-quality leads and a higher chance of conversion.

Types of LinkedIn Ads Available

LinkedIn offers a wide variety of ad formats to cater to different business needs, each with its own strengths. Here’s an overview of the most effective LinkedIn ads:

Text Ads

Text ads are simple, yet effective, and appear in the sidebar of LinkedIn pages. They are great for driving direct traffic and generating quick conversions, especially when paired with an effective call-to-action.

Video Ads

These are visually engaging ads that appear in the LinkedIn feed, offering the ability to deliver your message with dynamic content. Video ads are great for capturing attention and conveying complex information in a digestible format.

Carousel Ads

Carousel ads allow users to scroll through multiple images within a single ad. They’re perfect for showcasing multiple products or services in one ad.

Dynamic Ads

Dynamic ads automatically personalise the ad for each viewer. This can include showcasing their profile picture or company name in the ad itself, making them highly engaging.

LinkedIn Shopping Ads

These ads are perfect for e-commerce businesses, allowing products to be directly displayed in an ad and purchased within LinkedIn’s platform.

Why Should Your Business Advertise on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn’s audience is made up of professionals, making it a unique platform for B2B marketing. If your product or service is aimed at other businesses or professionals, LinkedIn is the place to be. Here’s why:

Highly Targeted: LinkedIn allows you to target based on professional factors such as job title, company, industry, and more. This maximises the chances that your ads reach people who are most likely to engage with your brand.
Global Reach: LinkedIn has over 660 million active users, allowing your ads to be shown to a vast audience worldwide.
Lead Generation: With LinkedIn’s advanced targeting options, you can generate highly qualified leads at a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising methods.
Brand Authority: LinkedIn is an authoritative platform for professionals, making it an ideal place to build your brand’s credibility and showcase your expertise.

Our LinkedIn Marketing Process

At Ruby Digital, we focus on LinkedIn advertising by using data-driven strategies. Here’s how we create successful LinkedIn campaigns for our clients:

Audience Identification & Discovery

Understanding your target audience is the first step. We begin by defining your ideal customer and using LinkedIn’s advanced targeting options to ensure your ads reach the right individuals or companies.

Custom Strategy Development

Using audience insights, we develop a custom LinkedIn ad strategy that aligns with your business goals. Whether you’re aiming to build brand awareness or generate leads, we focus on optimising the strategy for maximum impact.

Ad Development & Creative

We collaborate with you to create compelling ad creatives that capture attention. Whether it’s a carousel ad, sponsored content, or video ad, we make sure that the content resonates with your target audience.

Performance Monitoring & Optimisation

We monitor the performance of your LinkedIn campaigns, making real-time adjustments to ensure optimal results. A/B testing, conversion tracking, and analytics guide our decisions to continually improve your ROI.

Transparent Reporting & Communication

Transparency is key to our process. We provide regular performance reports, keeping you in the loop every step of the way. We also value your feedback and use it to refine and improve the campaigns further.

LinkedIn Advertising in South Africa

With offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg, Ruby Digital is ideally positioned to assist South African businesses in leveraging the power of LinkedIn ads. Whether you’re targeting local businesses or expanding your reach globally, Ruby Digital has the expertise to help you succeed.

Our approach to LinkedIn ads also extends beyond South Africa – we work with global businesses, helping them scale their operations and drive real business results through effective LinkedIn advertising.

LinkedIn advertising is a powerful tool for B2B brands looking to boost visibility, generate leads, and drive business growth. By focusing on highly targeted campaigns, real-time optimisation, and engaging content, Ruby Digital helps you make the most of this opportunity.

Whether you’re based in Cape Town, Johannesburg, or elsewhere, we can guide your LinkedIn marketing strategy to deliver exceptional results.