In the movie Familiar Grounds, two siblings, Benoit and Maryse, are living normal lives.
Then something happened. A man falls out of the blues and says he is coming from the future. His arrival changed everything, turning Benoit and Maryse into strangers on familiar soil.
To properly convey your message and not appear like a stranger on familiar grounds, it is crucial to know in detail, every bit of it, how advertising on LinkedIn works.
A basic element of that is having sound knowledge of LinkedIn’s ad dimensions and formats, which is better known as LinkedIn ads specs.
Placing your ads on LinkedIn today is more of a necessity than an option and this is because LinkedIn is the place where your company needs to be to pull massive business traffic.
And as you must have known or heard, LinkedIn is the meeting arena for professionals with top seats at the decision-making table.
Those are not the kind of people you just craft shabbily content and push at. Your guess is as good as mine; they wouldn’t look at it twice.
Oh! Pull off that gloomy face, because the exciting news is that I am going to dedicate 9 pages to walk you through creating great ads that meet all of LinkedIn ads specs and are pleasant-tasting to all the professionals on the LinkedIn platform.
To begin, it would be in place if I remind you that LinkedIn offers five types of ads. And each has its spec and is tailored to allow your brand to engage your audience in several befitting ways.
Take a look at what each ad type offers and the specs that fit each of them.
Table of Contents
ToggleLinkedIn Ad Types and Their Specs
Sponsored Content
Sponsored Content ads are used to engage your target audience where they spend their time; these ads appear in the feed on both desktops and mobile devices.
This ad format is one size fits as you can use it to build brand awareness and drive leads for your business. Plus you can use it to gain insights into the performance of your ads.
Sponsored Content Ads formats
Sponsored Content: Single image
These are used to capture attention with a single powerful image and they appear strategically right in the LinkedIn feed of the professionals you target. This ad format displays without hurdles on desktop or mobile devices.
LinkedIn ads Specs:
Design Recommendations
File Type: JPG or PNG: We recommend settling for either the JPG or PNG file format for this ad format. Normally, JPG files are smaller than PNGs.
Ad image type & size: Upload a JPG or PNG file that is 5MB or smaller.
Image Ratio:
1.91:1 (horizontal, the display desktop & mobile)
1:1 (square, they display desktop & mobile)
1:1.91 (vertical, display on mobile only)
Text Recommendations
Ad name (optional): 255 max characters available to name your ads
Headline: 70 characters max to avoid truncation on mobile devices (200 max characters).
Introductory text: 150 maximum characters for mobile (desktop maximum of 600 characters).
Description (LAN only): 70 characters. This is needed only if are using LinkedIn Audience Network (LAN).
URL Requirements
Landing page URL: Required
URL length: URLs with 23 characters are mechanically converted into short links.
Destination URL: URLs must carry the “http://” “or https://” prefix and can add up t to 2,000 characters for the destination link.
Call To Action Options
You may pick from any of the following:
#1. Apply
#2. Download
#3. View Quote
#4. Learn More
#5. Sign Up
#6. Subscribe
#7. Register
#8. Join
#9. Attend
#10. Request Demo
Sponsored Content: Video Ad Specs
Hold the power to captivate your user any time they stumble upon your video ads while on the buyer`s journey.
Design Recommendations
Recommended frame rate: Less than 30 frames per second is recommended.
Note that the higher the frame rate, the more frames per second, and the smoother the video, however, the larger the file size, the poorer the web friendliness.
Custom Thumbnail: Optional but strongly recommended.
Video Sound Format: AAC or MP4. As you can see from the name, AAC is only used when encoding sound files only.
Ratio:
4:5 (vertical, 0.8)
9:16 (vertical; 0.57)
16:9 (landscape; 1.78)
1:1 (square; 1.0)
Text Recommendations
Ad name (optional): Use up to 255 characters to name your video ad if you so wish.
Headline: 70 characters
Introductory Text: you can use up to 150 characters to make an opening.
Video Length: Three seconds to 30 minutes is enough, do not break the lines.
File size: This should stand between 75 KB and a max of 200 MB
Call-to-action (CTA): You have alternatives to various CTAs.
Sponsored Content: Carousel Ad Specs
Ad name: You have the liberty to use 255 characters to name your carousel ad.
Introductory text: Maximum of 150 characters to avoid truncation on some devices (255 max characters)
Cards: from a minimum of two cards to a maximum of ten can be used. Individual cards within the carousel must meet these conditions:
Maximum file size: 10 MB
Supported individual image spec: 1080×1080 pixels with a 1:1 aspect ratio
Rich media formats recommended: JPG, PNG, and GIF (non-animated only)
Headline text for individual image cards can take up a maximum of two lines before being trimmed.
Character limits:
Destination URL: URLs must carry the “http://” “or https://” prefix. You can use up to 2,000 characters for the destination link.
The 45-character limit for carousel ads that link to a destination URL
30-character is the limit for carousel ads with a Lead Gen Form CTA
Carousel cards may use a destination URL or signal to a Lead Gen Form
Carousel campaigns are not permitted to use LinkedIn Audience Network.
Carousel cards may be linked to various destination URLs, however, if the Lead Gen Form option is chosen, the CTA will link to the same Lead Gen Form for all carousel cards.
Note: Once your ad is saved, you cannot edit or undo the carousel cards.
Direct Sponsored Content
The first thing you should know here is that sponsored Content ads created in Campaign Manager are known as Direct Sponsored Content.
When you create Direct Sponsored Content, it would not appear as an organic update on your LinkedIn Page but may display when users use the Ads filter on your Page.
Like Sponsored Content Ads, Direct Sponsored Content Ads can display in the form of Single Image, Video, and Carousel Ads. Dissimilar to Sponsored Content, these ads do not need to appear on a LinkedIn page and can be published directly to target audience feeds.
This ad type can be useful when you need to:
#1. Create different ads to test how your audience engages with differing ad elements, such as text, images, or CTAs.
#2. Create content specifically for your target audience, such as content specific to a location or profession.
#3. Track visits to a defined page on your website using third-party tracking, such as URL parameters.
Note: To create Direct Sponsored Content, you will need to have permission to do so on both the ad account and LinkedIn Page.
Direct Sponsored Content: Sponsored InMail Ad Specs
Sponsored InMail is possibly one of the most sought-after advertising tools on LinkedIn. It gives advertising and sales professionals access to their target customers without the inconveniences of trying to source email lists.
This ad type allows you to target the exact demographic, persona, and interest-based audience you are looking for.
Ads Specs:
Ad Name: Use up to 50 characters, including spaces ( Note that including an ad name here is optional)
Sender: choose from available senders
Message Subject: Up to 60 characters maximum (including spaces and punctuation)
Message text: Up to 1,500 characters maximum (Including spaces and punctuation)
Clickable links: Up to 3 links maximum
Hyperlinked text in the message: Maximum of 70 characters (including spaces and punctuation)
Custom Terms & Conditions: maximum of 2,500 characters (including spaces and punctuation)
Call-to-action (CTA) button copy: Up to 20 characters maximum (including spaces)
Landing page URL in hyperlink or CTA: URLs should include the “http://” or “https://” prefix. Maximum of 2,000 characters for your destination link.
Banner creative: 300 x 250
File type recommended: JPG, GIF (non-animated), or PNG (no flash)
Maximum file size recommended: 40kb
Text Ads
Text Ads are more than the name depicts them, although using images in LinkedIn text ads is optional, images drive better results to your ads.
Ads Specs:
Ad image: 100 x 100 pixels; Use JPG or PNG file that is 2MB or less
Ad Headline: Maximum of 25 characters is recommended (including spaces)
Ad Description: Use up to 75 characters maximum (including spaces)
Destination URL: URLs should have the “http://” or “https://” prefix. A maximum of 2,000 characters for the destination link is recommended.
Click tracking for destination URLs is permitted.
Text ads appear in various sizes, including:
300 x 250
17 x 700
160 x 600
728 x 90
496 x 80
Dynamic Ads
Dynamic ads also known as dynamic banners or dynamic creatives are banners that automatically make adjustments to adapt content and promotions specifically to each member, ensuring that each member is exposed to the most successful creative for him or her.
They allow you to create more customized content with the use of member profile data like profile images, company names, and titles.
They are also highly Useful and effective, allowing you to reach larger audiences, unfortunately, they display only on desktops given the limited screen size of mobile devices.
Types of Dynamic Ads and their specs are below:
#6. Dynamic Ads: Follower ads
Follower ads are designed to encourage members to follow your LinkedIn. These ads are customized to each member as they feature their profile image next to your company’s logo, including their first name and your company name in the ad copy.
Ads Specs:
Ad Description: Choose a recommended option or create your personalized text. Recommended options are automatically translated but personalized text is not. Use up to 70 characters maximum, including spaces.
Ad Headline: Select a recommended option or produce your custom headline. Recommended options are automatically translated but personalized text is not. Use up to 50 characters maximum (including spaces).
Company name: Up to 25 characters maximum (including spaces). Company names are displayed only when a user places their cursor on your logo.
Ad image: Minimum image size should be 100 x 100px for JPG or PNG
Call-to-action (CTA): Select from various alternatives available.
Visit Company: Redirects to the tab of your LinkedIn Page
Visit jobs: Redirects to the Jobs page tab of your LinkedIn Page
Visit life: Redirects to the Life page tab of your LinkedIn Page
#7. Dynamic Ads: Spotlight Ads
Spotlight ads are a dynamic Format customized to each LinkedIn user and take them to your landing page.
The ads are seen on a desktop and are customized to individual users based on their LinkedIn profile data, like profile photo, company name, or job title.
Ads Specs:
Ad Description: Use up to 70 characters maximum, including spaces. Your text here is not automatically translated.
Ad Headline: Use up to 50 characters maximum, including spaces. Your text here is not automatically translated.
Company name: Use up to 25 characters maximum, including spaces. Your organization’s name is shown when a member moves their cursor over your logo.
Company image: Minimum image size: 100 x 100px for JPG or PNG
Call-to-action (CTA) button text: Use up to 18 characters maximum, including spaces.
Landing page: Allows third-party click tracking destination URLs.
Custom background image: The image must be exactly 300 x 250px and 2MB or less.
Note: This format detaches the ad description and member profile image. The white part of the ad measures 276 x 148px.
#8. Dynamic Ads: Job Ads
Job Ads use member profile data to promote job opportunities. These are targeted to suitable LinkedIn members in your audience.
The ads are dynamically generated and shown as “Jobs You May Be Interested In”, or “Picture Yourself” or appear in Jobs Pages.
Specs:
Company name: Use up to 25 characters maximum, including spaces.
Company logo: suggested minimum logo size: 100 x 100px
Ad Headline: select from one of the recommended options or write your personalized text using up to 70 characters, including spaces.
Call-to-action button label: Select from one of the pre-set CTAs or supply your personalized text. For “Picture Yourself” and “Jobs Page” ads, the call to action is automated. For the “Jobs of Interest” ad, you can personalize the CTA.
9. Dynamic Ads: Content Ads
These ads allow you to personalize native content to match your site’s style and sensibilities. They are optimized as part of an ad unit and are only available to LinkedIn-managed accounts.
Specs:
Primary CTA: Select from one of the recommended options or write your own personalized CTA text. Recommended options are automatically translated but the custom text is not. You are at liberty to use up to 75 characters, including spaces.
Company name: You are at liberty to use up to 25 characters, including spaces.
Company logo: Suggested minimum image size: 100 x 100px
Document name: You are at liberty to use up to 50 characters, including spaces.
Downloadable document: Only PDFs are allowed. The highest file size is 10 MB and files may contain both images and text.
Document preview: Use a max of five 81 x 104 px preview pages.
Privacy policy URL: URLs must carry the “http://” prefix and link to your valid privacy policy. You are at liberty to use up to 2,000 characters for the destination link.
Privacy policy terms: You are at liberty to use up to 2,000 characters, including spaces.
LinkedIn page follower count: Displays the number of LinkedIn Page followers and you are at liberty to turn it on or off.
Ads and Using Lead Generation Forms
Advertisers need quality lead data, but asking for too much or offering up a complicated experience can diminish your results. So to close the gap between the advertiser’s need for quality lead data and LinkedIn members’ ease of access to content, LinkedIn created Lead Gen Forms.
One of the most interesting features LinkedIn created is the use of Lead Generation Forms. These make it uncomplicated to capture lead insights by pulling them directly from LinkedIn member profile data.
They are also highly suitable for members, lessening the amount of time it takes to gain access to whatever you are offering by simply clicking on the pre-fill button.
You can include a LinkedIn Lead Gen Form in your Sponsored Content ad campaigns. Companies across industries and of all sizes have published profitable results with Lead Gen Forms, expanding both their lead volume and quality.
In addition, LinkedIn also makes it easier to track your campaign performance in your account dashboard and download leads right in your CRM with smart integrations from Driftrock, HubSpot, and others.
Conclusion
LinkedIn Ads offer companies the fertile ground to flourish in generating leads and driving brand awareness.
The social media marketing tool offers advertisers enough ad types with various specifications to enable them to engage and promote content that effectively gets to the targeted audience.
This material has in great detail rolled out LinkedIn ads specs that would guide you as you plan your next campaign using this ad platform crowded with industry professionals and decision-makers.
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