LinkedIn advertising: how it works

LinkedIn is the only ad platform where you can target by job title, company size and industry. Want to reach the purchasing manager of an installation company with fifty staff? Here you literally can. That makes LinkedIn advertising interesting for anyone who sells to businesses.

On the other hand, a click on LinkedIn costs several times as much as a click on Facebook or Instagram. That does not have to be a problem, as long as you calculate what a customer brings you instead of what a click costs you.

On this page you read which ad formats exist, how to target the right people and what it costs. Would you rather hand it over? Take a look at outsourcing LinkedIn advertising.

Plan a free consultation

What kind of platform is LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is a social media channel built for business use. Just as you can advertise on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat and TikTok, LinkedIn is a platform where advertising is a smart move for a business. It is a very interesting platform for B2B companies, partly because the audience is easy to reach and the conversion rate is high. You can of course get started with LinkedIn advertising yourself, but outsourcing it to ROXTAR saves you a lot of headaches!

As mentioned above, the range of ad options on this platform keeps growing. That gives you plenty of choice, but it can also make it hard to decide which one suits your business best. With all these options it is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. When you outsource LinkedIn advertising to us, we look for the right ad format together with you. The better the format fits your business and your goal, the higher the chance of conversion. Which types of ads can you think of? You can choose from the following options:

Single image ads
Carousel ads
Video ads
Text ads
Spotlight ads
Message ads
Conversation ads

As you can see, there are quite a few types to choose from when you advertise on this business platform. You can pick one format, but combining several formats to reach your audience well is also an option. To give you a better picture of what these formats involve, we explain each type briefly below.

The different types of ads in LinkedIn advertising

Single image ads

This type of ad speaks for itself: a format that uses one image to advertise. A single image can get your message across well. Do make sure the design is catchy and attractive, so people get interested and are inclined to take action quickly.

Carousel ads

Carousel ads use several images. If you find it hard to get your message across with just one image, this format can help a lot. You can add several images to get your message across as well as possible.

Video ads

As the name says, this format is an ad with video. It is definitely worth considering, because a video lets you explain your message well. That is useful, for example, when you want to explain a product or service better and one or more images are not enough. If you choose this format, keep the video short. The longer the video, the fewer people watch it to the end. So keep it short and powerful.

Text ads

Another form of LinkedIn advertising worth considering is advertising with text. If you use text for your ad, good content is essential. At ROXTAR we know very well how to write catchy and original copy that really speaks to your audience and gets them to act. Good copywriting is key here. A catchy text without spelling or grammar mistakes that also looks professional? You can safely leave that to ROXTAR!

Spotlight ads

You use a spotlight ad to announce something, such as a product, service or event. It is an ad with a so-called call to action, aimed at getting interested people to convert straight away.

Message ads

Another form of LinkedIn advertising to think about is message ads. Here you advertise directly in the inbox of people in your audience. You can make your message personal, so it does not immediately feel like an advert. The more personal the message, the bigger the chance that people take action.

LinkedIn advertising tips

Do not make your audience too specific. If you do, you get fewer conversions. Make it a little broader to reach more people. For text ads around 50,000, for message or conversation ads 10,000 to 20,000.
Pay per click if you want a lot of conversions. You choose between paying per click or per 1,000 impressions; per click is the better choice when you want many conversions.

Do it yourself or outsource?

You can set up LinkedIn campaigns yourself perfectly well. Just expect a learning curve, because the targeting options are extensive and a wrong setting costs more here than on other channels.

No time or interest to dive into it? Then read more about outsourcing LinkedIn advertising.

What does advertising on LinkedIn cost?

LinkedIn is the most expensive of the big ad channels, and that is no coincidence: you pay for the ability to reach exactly the right role within exactly the right company.

To put it in perspective: on Meta, so Facebook and Instagram, a click costs about 83 cents. On LinkedIn it is a lot higher. What you pay exactly depends on how narrow your audience is, how many other advertisers bid on the same job titles, and your ad format.

So do not think in cost per click, think in cost per customer. That is the only comparison that tells you anything. A lead of 150 euros is expensive for a webshop with an average order of 40 euros, and dirt cheap for a company that closes contracts of 20,000 euros.

Rule of thumb: LinkedIn is worth it as soon as a new customer is worth more than a few thousand euros to you, or stays a customer for years. Below that, Meta or Google get more out of the same budget.

What you need at minimum to be able to steer: enough budget to collect dozens of clicks per month. With a few euros a day you will not get far enough on LinkedIn to measure anything.

Decide why you want to advertise on LinkedIn

If you plan to advertise on this platform, it is smart to set a goal first. What do you want to achieve with your ads? Is your goal brand awareness, or is collecting leads more important to you? Having a clear goal makes it easier to advertise in a targeted way, whether you do it yourself or outsource it.

Already know what you want to achieve, but no time to set it up yourself? Then read more about outsourcing LinkedIn advertising.

Start LinkedIn ads

Ready to start with LinkedIn ads? Let ROXTAR be your partner. We set up campaigns that steer on leads and growth. Call +31 85 060 0870, email us, or fill in the form. We plan a short call with no obligation, discuss goals, audience and budget, and come back with a clear proposal. Questions first or getting started straight away, both are fine. We are here for you.

Meet our team

Don

Online Strategist

Sherelle

Office Manager

Juliëtte

Relationship Manager

Bram

AI & Performance Specialist

Juul

SEO/GEO Specialist

Seppe

Web Developer

Thijs

Process Manager

Sjoerd

Web Developer & Designer

Frequently asked questions about LinkedIn advertising

How does LinkedIn advertising work?

You place ads between the posts and in the inbox of LinkedIn users, and target by job title, industry, company size and seniority. That way you reach exactly the decision makers you are looking for, instead of a broad audience that will not buy anyway.

Who is LinkedIn advertising suitable for?

Mainly for B2B companies that want to reach business decision makers. Because you target by role and company, it is ideal for complex services and longer sales cycles where you want the right person at the table.

What does advertising on LinkedIn cost?

Click prices are higher than on Meta, but the leads are more valuable because you target sharply. What you spend per month depends on your goals and audience, and we work that out with you in advance.

What types of LinkedIn ads are there?

Sponsored Content in the feed, Message Ads that land in the inbox, and Lead Gen Forms that let people sign up with one click. Which mix works depends on your goal: awareness, traffic or direct leads.

Is LinkedIn advertising suitable for B2B?

Yes, LinkedIn is the strongest platform for B2B. Nowhere else can you target so precisely by role and company, so your ad budget goes to the people who actually decide on a purchase.