When running digital ads, most people turn to popular social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. However, one underutilised platform has recently gained popularity for video content: LinkedIn. With over 1 billion users, LinkedIn is considered the top professional platform. This is a perfect reason to start running LinkedIn video ads.
If you are deciding whether you should start running video ads on this platform, this is your sign to do it. In this article, we’ll talk to you about running a LinkedIn video ads on this channel and how to do it properly.
Why Run LinkedIn Video Ads?
Image Credit: LinkedIn
With the massive growth of video consumption in recent years, now is the perfect time to use this format. As more professionals turn to video content for information and inspiration, businesses are capitalising on this trend.
According to LinkedIn, video posts are five times more likely to start a conversation among members than other types of content. This surge in video engagement highlights the importance of incorporating LinkedIn video ads into a LinkedIn marketing strategy, ensuring brands can reach their target audience in an engaging format.
Here are some features of LinkedIn video ads:
- High Engagement Potential: LinkedIn video ads on LinkedIn are known for generating significantly higher engagement rates compared to other types of content. They can capture users’ attention quickly, leading to increased likes, shares, and comments​.
- Diverse Ad Formats: LinkedIn offers various video ad formats, including in-feed LinkedIn video ads, sponsored content, and video ads for lead generation. This flexibility allows marketers to choose the format that best aligns with their campaign objectives​.
- Advanced Targeting Options: LinkedIn provides robust targeting capabilities, allowing advertisers to reach specific demographics based on job title, industry, company size, and more. This ensures that LinkedIn video ads reach the most relevant audience, maximising the chances of conversion​.
- Video Length Flexibility: While the maximum video length is 30 minutes, shorter videos (around 15-30 seconds) are often recommended to maintain viewer interest. This adaptability helps businesses create concise content that communicates their message effectively​.
- Call-to-Action (CTA) Integration: LinkedIn video ads can easily include CTAs, directing viewers to take specific actions such as visiting a website, signing up for a newsletter, or downloading a resource. This feature enhances lead generation and encourages immediate responses from viewers​.
- Performance Analytics: LinkedIn provides detailed analytics for LinkedIn video ads, allowing marketers to track performance metrics such as views, engagement rates, and conversion rates. This data helps businesses optimise their campaigns and understand audience behaviour​.
- Lead Generation Forms: LinkedIn allows the integration of lead generation forms directly within LinkedIn video ads, streamlining the process for viewers to submit their contact information without leaving the platform. This feature can significantly enhance lead capture​.
- Subtitles and Accessibility Options: Including subtitles is highly encouraged, as many users watch videos with sound off. This not only improves accessibility but also ensures that the message is conveyed clearly to all viewers​.
Overall, LinkedIn video ads represent a significant opportunity for businesses to boost their brand presence and connect with a professional audience in a meaningful way.
Benefits of Running Video Ads on LinkedIn
Image Credit: CampaignAsia
Video content has become a dominant force on LinkedIn, reflecting broader trends in digital marketing. As LinkedIn continues to evolve, video has emerged as one of the most effective ways to engage with its professional audience. This shift is largely due to video’s ability to communicate complex ideas quickly and visually, which appeals to the time-strapped professionals using the platform.
Video ads on LinkedIn have been shown to lead to a 200% lift in engagement, further demonstrating their effectiveness​. Here are other reasons why you should run video ads on this platform:
- High Engagement with Professional Audiences: Video content on LinkedIn has a higher engagement rate compared to text-based content, with video posts being 5 times more likely to generate interactions​. LinkedIn video ads allow you to capture attention quickly, making it easier to convey your message in a dynamic and engaging format. For B2B marketers, this is particularly valuable, as LinkedIn offers access to decision-makers and industry leaders.
- Precise Targeting: LinkedIn offers advanced targeting options that allow you to focus your LinkedIn video ads on specific industries, job titles, company sizes, and more. This ensures your content reaches the right professionals who are more likely to be interested in your products or services​. Such precision reduces wastage in advertising spend and increases the likelihood of reaching potential clients.
- Increased Brand Awareness and Trust: Video is an excellent medium for storytelling and building brand credibility. LinkedIn users are more likely to engage with video content that demonstrates thought leadership or addresses industry-specific problems. LinkedIn video ads allow businesses to showcase their expertise, humanise their brand, and build trust with their audience​.
- Strong Lead Generation: LinkedIn’s lead generation tools integrate seamlessly with LinkedIn video ads, allowing viewers to submit their details directly without leaving the platform. This makes the process smoother, reducing barriers for potential customers to engage with your business.​
- Measurable Performance: LinkedIn’s analytics provide detailed insights into how LinkedIn video ads are performing, including engagement rates, views, and conversions. This data allows businesses to refine their video content and targeting strategies for maximum impact​.
By leveraging LinkedIn video ads, businesses can effectively increase brand visibility, engage with a professional audience, and generate valuable leads in a competitive marketplace.
How to Start Running Video Ads on LinkedIn
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When creating LinkedIn video ads, adhering to the platform’s technical specifications ensures optimal performance and user experience. Below are the key requirements and best practices to follow:
Technical Specifications
- Video File Formats: LinkedIn supports MP4 as the preferred format for video ads. This format ensures compatibility and quality across devices.
- Video File Sizes: Ensure that the file size is large enough to maintain video quality without exceeding LinkedIn’s limits.
- Maximum file size allowed: 200 MB.
- Minimum file size: 75 KB.
- Video Length:
- Minimum video length: 3 seconds.
- Maximum video length: 30 minutes. However, shorter videos (under 30 seconds) typically perform better by capturing attention more quickly​.
- Aspect Ratios: LinkedIn supports multiple aspect ratios:
- 1:1 (square): Commonly used for in-feed ads, ideal for mobile users.
- 16:9 (landscape): Suitable for desktop viewing and works well for in-feed videos​.
- Vertical videos (9:16): Also supported but are less common on LinkedIn.
- Resolution: For professional audiences, higher resolutions (720p or 1080p) are recommended for crisp and clear visuals.
- Minimum resolution: 360p.
- Maximum resolution: 1080p (Full HD).
- Frame Rate: The recommended frame rate is 30 frames per second (fps) to maintain smooth motion. LinkedIn accepts frame rates between 10 and 60 fps.
- Bitrate: The maximum bitrate is 30 Mbps. For optimal quality, aim for a bitrate around 10 Mbps to balance quality with file size.
- Audio Specifications: It’s important to note that LinkedIn users often watch videos without sound. Including subtitles ensures that your message is clear even in silent mode.
- Audio format: AAC or MPEG4 is recommended.
- Channels: Audio should be set to stereo.
- Subtitles and Graphics: Always include subtitles or captions as many users browse LinkedIn with the sound off. Subtitles also make the content more accessible to a broader audience. Incorporate clear, professional graphics or text overlays to enhance the visual appeal and reinforce key messages​.
Following these technical specifications helps ensure that your video ads appear professional, are engaging, and run smoothly across devices, maximising their impact on LinkedIn.
Best Practices for Running LinkedIn Video Ads
As a marketing expert, Caroline Giegerich tested LinkedIn’s claim that video content gets five times more engagement than text posts. Her 90-day analysis revealed these findings:
- The best time to post is in the morning, between 9-11 am EST
- The best format is to speak directly to the camera and use terms that people can easily understand
- Videos under five minutes get the most engagement
Despite LinkedIn video posts getting traction, text posts still get more engagement from existing connections on the platform. A balanced approach can be used when testing the waters on LinkedIn: video for visibility and text posts for engagement.
How to Measure the Performance of Your LinkedIn Video Ads
Image Credit: LinkedIn
To effectively track the performance of LinkedIn video ads, it’s important to monitor several key metrics using LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager and other analytic tools. Here are the steps and considerations:
- Views and Impressions: Track video views (how many times the video was watched for at least 2 seconds) and impressions (the number of times the video ad was displayed). This will give you an idea of how widely your ad is being seen and whether it’s reaching the target audience.
- Engagement Rate: This metric includes likes, shares, comments, and clicks on the video ad. A high engagement rate indicates that the content resonates with the audience. LinkedIn offers engagement analytics in the Campaign Manager, where you can see how users are interacting with your video.
- View-Through Rate (VTR): VTR measures how many viewers watched the entire video or a significant portion of it. A higher VTR suggests that your content is engaging enough to hold viewers’ attention. Look for drop-off points in the video to assess which parts of your content are less engaging.
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): CTR measures the number of clicks your video ad received compared to the number of impressions. This metric is crucial for campaigns aimed at driving traffic to a landing page or generating leads. It shows how compelling your call-to-action and overall content are.
- Conversion Tracking: Use LinkedIn’s conversion tracking to measure specific actions like form submissions, downloads, or purchases. This helps you understand how well your video ad drives desired business outcomes. You can set up conversion tracking through LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager or integrate it with Google Analytics.
- Audience Insights: LinkedIn provides detailed data on who is watching your video ads, including demographics like job title, industry, and company size. Analysing this helps ensure your ad is reaching the right audience and allows for adjustments to target if necessary​.
- Cost per View (CPV) and Cost per Conversion (CPC): To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of your campaign, track CPV and CPC. CPV indicates how much you’re paying for each video view, while CPC tells you the cost of each click. Monitoring these figures allows you to optimise your budget and maximise return on investment.
By regularly reviewing these metrics, you can adjust your LinkedIn video ad campaigns for better performance and ensure they align with your marketing goals.
Using AI and Automation to Boost LinkedIn Video Ad Performance
Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation tools are revolutionising the way businesses create, target, and manage LinkedIn video ads. These technologies streamline several processes, allowing marketers to focus on strategy while automating repetitive tasks, ultimately improving performance and efficiency.
AI-driven platforms enable businesses to create personalised content tailored to their target audience. By analysing vast amounts of data on user behaviour, job roles, and interests, AI can suggest specific messaging, formats, and even visuals that resonate with the audience.
Personalisation increases engagement by delivering relevant content that feels customised for each viewer. AI-based video creation tools can help develop ads quickly, making them more scalable without sacrificing creativity​​.
Automation tools also simplify scheduling and distribution. Marketers can automate the timing of video ads to ensure they reach the target audience at optimal engagement periods. LinkedIn’s algorithms, combined with AI, can determine when a particular segment is most likely to interact with the ad, maximising visibility and impact.
Automated A/B testing further enhances this process by refining which ad variations perform best without manual intervention​.
When it comes to campaign management, AI tools can monitor performance in real time, adjusting targeting and content based on evolving data. For instance, if an ad is underperforming, the AI can automatically suggest or implement changes to improve its reach or engagement, such as altering the call-to-action or re-targeting a different segment of the audience​.
By incorporating AI and automation into their LinkedIn video ad strategy, businesses can not only increase efficiency but also significantly improve the relevance and impact of their campaigns, staying ahead in the competitive digital marketing landscape.
Start Running LinkedIn Video Ads Today
Starting your journey with LinkedIn video ads can significantly enhance your marketing efforts, allowing you to engage with a targeted professional audience effectively.
Begin by setting clear objectives, such as brand awareness, lead generation, or engagement. Next, create high-quality video content tailored to your target audience, keeping in mind the optimal length and format specifications for LinkedIn. Utilise LinkedIn’s robust targeting options to ensure your ads reach the right professionals, and monitor performance through detailed analytics to optimise future campaigns​.
As you embark on this journey, consider partnering with a trusted marketing agency like MediaOne Marketing in Singapore. With our expertise in digital marketing strategies and a deep understanding of the LinkedIn platform, we can help you craft compelling video ads that resonate with your audience and achieve your business goals.
Take the first step towards elevating your marketing strategy today by contacting MediaOne Marketing for tailored solutions that drive results.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the recommended length for LinkedIn video ads?
While LinkedIn allows video ads up to 30 minutes long, the most effective ads are usually under 30 seconds. Shorter videos tend to capture attention quickly, particularly in the fast-paced LinkedIn feed. Aim to communicate your message clearly within this time frame to maintain viewer engagement​.
What video format should I use?
The recommended format for LinkedIn video ads is MP4. This ensures compatibility across different devices and maintains high-quality playback. Always check the file size does not exceed 200 MB to avoid upload issues​.
Should I include subtitles in my LinkedIn video ads?
Yes, subtitles are highly recommended. Many LinkedIn users watch videos with the sound off, so adding captions ensures your message is accessible and clear, even in silent mode. Subtitles also increase the video’s accessibility for users with hearing impairments​.
How do I target the right audience?
LinkedIn offers advanced targeting options based on job title, industry, company size, and more. Make sure your video content is aligned with the professional audience you are trying to reach. Misalignment between content and audience is a common mistake that can reduce campaign effectiveness​.
Why is my video ad not getting enough engagement?
Common pitfalls include not having a strong hook within the first few seconds or producing videos that are too long. It’s crucial to grab attention early with compelling visuals or a powerful message. Additionally, check if your video resolution, aspect ratio, or format may be affecting its performance​.
