How can LinkedIn Ads Help Small Business

A short series from COG Branding on the digital marketing basics for Australian Small Business.

COG Branding is a Sydney marketing agency with a structure that ensures we are providing brand design, marketing, technology and business development solutions that are underpinned by true value. Our dynamic approach has been refined over the years by the demands of Australia’s small business community. This six part series is a summary on common digital marketing opportunities in our marketing landscape today.

1. Google Advertising
2. Facebook Advertising
3. Instagram Advertising
4. LinkedIn Advertising
5. Email Marketing
6. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)

Article 4: LinkedIn Advertising

Let’s start by learning about LinkedIn.

LinkedIn is a social networking platform primarily designed for professional networking. It allows users to create a profile, connect with other professionals, join industry-specific groups, and search for job opportunities. LinkedIn is often used by job seekers to network with potential employers, and by businesses to recruit new employees and connect with other professionals in their industry.

For context you can see what a LinkedIn Company page looks like by looking at COG Branding’s LinkedIn Page here. And, to check out an individuals LinkedIn profile page you can view our Managing Director Luke Sullivan’s LinkedIn Profile here. Additionally, it’s a platform to showcase your professional profile, skills and experiences, and to stay informed with the latest business trends and insights.

Bit of a history lesson, when was LinkedIn founded and by who?

LinkedIn was founded in December 2002, by Reid Hoffman, Allen Blue, Konstantin Guericke, Eric Ly, and Jean-Luc Vaillant. The company was launched as a website for professional networking, with the goal of connecting professionals in a way that would be more effective than traditional job search methods. The initial idea for LinkedIn came from Reid Hoffman, who had previously worked at PayPal and Socialnet.com, a dating website for professional networking. The company was officially launched in May 2003, and quickly gained popularity among job seekers and recruiters. In 2011, LinkedIn became a publicly traded company and since then it has grown to become one of the most popular and widely used professional networking platforms in the world. Though LinkedIn isn’t a public company anymore, it was acquired by Microsoft back in 2016.

So today who owns LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is currently owned by Microsoft, which acquired the company for $26.2 billion in 2016. The acquisition was completed in December of that year, and LinkedIn became a subsidiary of Microsoft. Since the acquisition, LinkedIn has continued to operate as a standalone platform and brand, but it has also been integrated into some of Microsoft’s other products, such as Outlook and Office. As of now, Microsoft continues to operate LinkedIn as a separate entity and it is led by CEO Ryan Roslansky.

The important thing now for a small business is to understand how LinkedIn advertising works, as you can reach decision makers on this platform.

LinkedIn Ads work by allowing businesses to place ads on the LinkedIn platform and target specific groups of users. Advertisers can create sponsored content, sponsored InMail, sponsored jobs and display ads.

Small businesses and brands, especially those that are B2B (Business to Business) can target their ads to specific demographics such as job title, industry, company size, location, and even job function, level of seniority, skills, and education. Additionally, LinkedIn also allows advertisers to retarget their ads to users who have previously interacted with their content.

Advertisers will pay based on the type of ad they are running, such as pay per click, pay per impression or pay per action, similar to how Google Ads and Facebooks Ads function. They can also set a budget for their campaign and LinkedIn will optimise it to deliver the best results.

There are different types of LinkedIn ads and for a small business you’ll want to understand the opportunities.

LinkedIn offers several types of ads that businesses can use to reach their target audience:

1. Sponsored Content: Sponsored content allows businesses to create posts that will appear in the news feeds of targeted users. These posts can include text, images, and videos, and can link to a website or landing page.
2. Sponsored InMail: Sponsored InMail allows businesses to send personalised messages directly to the inbox of targeted users.
3. Sponsored Jobs: Sponsored jobs allow businesses to advertise job openings on LinkedIn and reach potential candidates.
4. Display Ads: LinkedIn Display Ads are banner ads that appear on the side or top of the LinkedIn platform. They can be targeted based on factors such as job title, industry, company size, and location.
5. Carousel Ads: Carousel Ads allow businesses to showcase multiple images or videos in a single ad, with each image or video linking to a different website or landing page.
6. Video Ads: Video Ads allow businesses to create and share video content on LinkedIn. These ads can be used to promote a product, service or brand.
7. Lead Gen Forms: Lead Gen Forms allow businesses to create forms that users can fill out directly within the ad, making it easier for users to provide their contact information.
8. Dynamic Ads: Dynamic Ads allow businesses to create ads that are personalised to the individual user, based on their browsing history and previous interactions with the business.

Each of these ad types have their own specific features and targeting options, so it’s important to choose the one that fits the objectives of your campaign.

The bucks, is LinkedIn advertising an expensive digital marketing activity for small Australian businesses?

A word of caution, you can easily spend tons of money on LinkedIn advertising and achieve poor results that doesn’t grow your business. It seems easy enough to deploy ads on the platform, and that’s exactly what Microsoft shareholders wants as they are a stock market listed company. Though to get real results it can be a little more difficult.

The cost of LinkedIn Ads can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the type of ad, the targeting options you choose, and the competition for ad space in your industry. Generally, LinkedIn Ads can be more expensive than other social media advertising platforms like Facebook or Instagram advertising, but they can also be more effective for reaching a professional audience. So here the conversion rate may prove to be better value, especially small business focused on B2B marketing.

LinkedIn Ads are typically priced on a cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-impression (CPM) basis. The average cost per click (CPC) for a sponsored content on LinkedIn ranges from around five dollars through to twenty dollars, and the average cost per thousand impressions (CPM) is also similar. However, these costs can vary depending on the industry, targeting options, and the overall competition for ad space.

It’s also important to consider that LinkedIn Ads are more expensive than other platforms because LinkedIn’s audience is more professional and targeted, meaning that the conversion rates and ROI of LinkedIn ads tend to be higher than other social media platforms.

To get a better idea of the cost of LinkedIn Ads, you can use the LinkedIn Ads Costs and Pricing or your can download the pricing guide chart here. You can also reach out to LinkedIn’s sales team for a quote.

Do you need a professional digital marketing agency like COG Branding to create and manage your LinkedIn advertising campaigns?

LinkedIn Ads can be relatively easy to set up and manage yourself, especially if you have some experience with digital marketing and advertising. LinkedIn provides an easy-to-use interface and step-by-step instructions for creating and launching an ad campaign. The platform also offers several targeting options, and it allows you to set a budget and track performance, so you can optimise your campaign as needed.

However, creating effective LinkedIn ads requires a certain level of knowledge and understanding of the platform, as well as of advertising and marketing principles in general. It’s also important to have a clear understanding of your target audience and the message you want to convey, as well as a good landing page or website to drive conversions. If you’re not sure of these, or don’t have the time to invest in creating a high-performing ad campaign, it may be worth considering working with a professional digital marketing agency that specialises in LinkedIn advertising.

A professional digital marketing agency will have the knowledge, skills, and resources to create and manage a LinkedIn ad campaign that is tailored to your business’s specific needs. They will be able to help you identify your target audience, create ad content that resonates with them, and optimise your ad campaign for maximum performance. They will also be able to help you measure and analyse the results of your campaign, so you can make data-driven decisions to improve performance.

When you partner with a professional digital marketing agency like COG Digital you get the experience and expertise to create and manage a successful LinkedIn Ads campaign on your behalf. They can help you identify your target audience, create effective ad copy, and use advanced targeting options to reach the right people. Plus, they can ensure your landing pages on your website are set up for conversion and accurately reading the data and analytics. They also have the ability to optimise and continuously monitor the performance of your campaign to make sure it’s getting the best results possible.

If a small business is not sure of the best approach, or doesn’t have the time to invest in creating a high-performing ad campaign, it may be worth considering working with a professional digital marketing agency that specialises in LinkedIn advertising.

COG Branding clients often have smaller budgets, and often tell us that their business is not like any others. So it’s important to understand if LinkedIn advertising is suitable for your small business.

Social media is effective for small businesses because it’s a great way to connect with decision makers and business owners where your business can have a great opportunity to create a dialogue, and share your best foot forward with prospects. It’s not the most effective tool for generating sales, but it’s highly effective for developing relationships.

LinkedIn Ads can be a great option for small businesses as LinkedIn’s audience is made up of business professionals, decision-makers, and executives, which makes it a valuable platform for B2B companies or businesses that are looking to reach a specific professional demographic. And here the platform allows businesses to set a budget, so even small companies can launch a campaign without a large investment, especially if you only need to create awareness in a small geography.

However, as with any advertising platform, it’s important to have a clear understanding of your target audience, message and objectives before creating an ad campaign. LinkedIn Ads can be effective for small businesses when used correctly, but it’s important to make sure that your ad campaign is tailored to your business’s specific needs and goals.

LinkedIn Ads can be effective for small businesses in a variety of industries, including:

• Technology: Software, hardware, and IT services companies can use LinkedIn to reach other businesses looking for solutions.
• Consulting and Professional Services: Companies providing consulting, coaching, legal, accounting, financial, and other professional services can use LinkedIn to reach potential clients.
• Recruiting and Staffing: Recruitment agencies and staffing firms can use LinkedIn to advertise job openings and reach potential candidates.
• Business-to-Business (B2B) Sales: Businesses that sell products or services to other businesses can use LinkedIn to target decision-makers and executives at specific companies.
• Education and Training: Businesses that provide education, training and online courses can use LinkedIn to reach professionals looking to upgrade their skills and knowledge.

However, LinkedIn Ads may not be as effective for small businesses that are looking to reach a more general or consumer audience, or for businesses that operate in more niche or specific markets. In that case, other platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Google Ads may be more suitable.

COG Branding aims to create a sustainable future for our clients and their marketing strategy, we do this via focusing on an owned media strategy – a website is a key digital asset in this approach.

A website is a core virtual home for your business and brand. As a leading Sydney marketing agency we prefer our clients to send their LinkedIn advertising to a website for better conversion to truly own the customer conversation. Sometimes a great website is simply a positive reference tool for business owners to lean on when morale is low. Small businesses that have a website that is well-designed, user-friendly, and optimised for conversions can get the most out of their LinkedIn Ads campaigns. COG Branding has an experienced team of website developers for many different types of websites, though our focus is primarily WordPress Websites, Shopify Websites, Magento Websites and Big Commerce websites as they provide the most versatility and value for our small businesses and brand clients.

A website is not strictly required for LinkedIn Ads, but it is highly recommended. LinkedIn Ads can be used to drive traffic to a website or landing page, where users can learn more about your business, products or services, and take an action like filling out a form, making a purchase, or signing up for a free trial. Without a website, you will have to drive your audience to a less customisable platform like a LinkedIn page, or a LinkedIn post, which is not as effective for conversions.

Having a website also allows you to track visitors, conversions and use retargeting tools that are essential for any ad campaign. With a website, you can also use tracking pixels, UTM parameters, and other tools to measure the effectiveness of your LinkedIn Ads and make data-driven decisions about your campaign.

Additionally, if you’re using LinkedIn Ads to generate leads, having a website with a lead generation form can make it easier for users to provide their contact information, which increases the chances of converting them into customers.

There are many different types of websites that can work well with Google Ads. Some examples include:

• E-commerce websites, where people can purchase products or services directly from the website
• Lead generation websites, where people can fill out a form or request more information about a product or service
• Content-based websites, where people can read articles, watch videos, or learn about a particular subject
• Service-based websites, where people can schedule appointments, make reservations, or learn more about a service offered

Websites that are well-designed and easy to navigate, with clear calls-to-action, tend to work well with social media advertising. Additionally, having a good amount of relevant, high-quality content can also help improve the performance of your ad campaigns.

While a website is not an absolute requirement for LinkedIn Ads, COG Branding strongly recommends our clients have a website as it allows you to have more control over the user experience, increase conversions, and track results. If you don’t have a website,  consider reading about COG Digital Websites, and work with our web developers to create a site that is is optimised for conversions from LinkedIn Campaigns.

You need to read the numbers when measuring the results of your LinkedIn advertising campaigns? Data is king!

LinkedIn provides its own analytics for tracking the performance of your LinkedIn Ads, accessed through the LinkedIn Campaign Manager. This includes metrics such as impressions, clicks, conversions, and engagement. Additionally, you can also use third-party analytics tools such as Google Analytics to track your LinkedIn Ad performance and gain additional insights.

As a small business every lead is critical to convert, so you’re probably wondering what sort of results does LinkedIn provide a small business like yours. So you’ve got a great data set and some numbers, though what are some of the things you should be looking for with your LinkedIn advertising to know if it’s working or not. LinkedIn can provide a variety of results for small businesses, depending on the goals of their advertising campaigns.

Below are the top five results that small businesses may see from advertising on LinkedIn:

1. Increased brand awareness: LinkedIn’s targeting options allow businesses to reach specific audiences, increasing the visibility of their brand among potential customers.
2. Lead generation: LinkedIn’s lead generation forms allow businesses to easily collect contact information from potential customers.
3. Sales: LinkedIn’s targeting options and targeting capabilities can help small businesses reach decision-makers and generate sales.
4. Recruitment: LinkedIn is a great platform for small businesses to find potential employees
5. Engagement and interaction: Small businesses can use LinkedIn to interact with potential customers and build relationships through comments, messages and other engagement options.

Overall, small businesses can see a wide range of results from advertising on LinkedIn, from increased brand awareness to lead generation and sales. The specific results will depend on the goals of the campaign, the targeting options used, and the overall effectiveness of the ads.

Top Tips for LinkedIn Page Performance

The best digital marketing agencies will have the LinkedIn company page included in it’s performance category. There are several ways a small business can make their LinkedIn Company perform effectively. The below list is not everything though if you follow through with these tasks your small business page will perform better.

Your best opportunity is to focus on the broader digital ecosystem of your business, and include LinkedIn advertising into other digital marketing strategies like a Google Ad Strategy?

Yes, having a LinkedIn and Google advertising strategy working together can be beneficial for a small business. It should be a key part of any small business digital strategy and inform the business of where its audiences are going to be found. Each platform has its own strengths and targeting options, and by using them together, a small business can reach a wider audience and achieve a more comprehensive marketing strategy.

LinkedIn is a professional social network, it’s an effective platform for reaching decision-makers and business professionals, and for generating leads and building relationships. Google Ads, on the other hand, is a powerful platform for driving website traffic and increasing visibility on search engines.

By using LinkedIn and Google Ads together, a small business can reach a wider audience and achieve a more comprehensive marketing strategy. For example, LinkedIn Ads can be used to generate leads, while Google Ads can be used to drive website traffic. Additionally, LinkedIn’s targeting options can be used to reach specific decision-makers, while Google’s targeting options can be used to reach a wider audience.

By using both platforms together, a small business can reach a wider audience, generate leads, increase website traffic, and achieve a more comprehensive marketing strategy. It’s important to note that both platforms will have different costs and audiences, so it’s important to define and monitor the results and adjust the strategy accordingly.

Our job as a digital marketing agency to provide knowledge to our clients, so to learn more about LinkedIn advertising keep reading.

There are a variety of resources available to learn how to build LinkedIn Ads, including:

1. LinkedIn’s Help Center: LinkedIn’s Help Center offers a variety of articles and tutorials on how to create and manage LinkedIn Ads. It covers topics such as how to set up campaigns, create ad formats, and use targeting options.
2. LinkedIn’s Learning Platform: LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) offers a variety of online courses on how to use LinkedIn Ads. These courses cover topics such as how to create and manage campaigns, use targeting options, and measure results.
3. LinkedIn’s Blog: LinkedIn’s blog offers a variety of articles and guides on how to use LinkedIn Ads, including best practices, case studies, and success stories.
4. Online forums and communities: There are a variety of online forums and communities, such as LinkedIn’s own group, where you can ask questions and learn from other LinkedIn Advertisers.
5. Books: There are several books available on Amazon or other bookstores that cover LinkedIn Ads and how to use them effectively.
6. Hiring a professional: You can also consider hiring a professional or an agency that specialises in LinkedIn Ads, they can help you creating, managing and monitoring your campaigns.

Overall, there are many resources available to learn how to build LinkedIn Ads, from LinkedIn’s own Help Center and Learning Platform, to online forums and communities, books, and professionals. It’s important to take the time to learn the platform and its features, as well as best practices for creating effective ad campaigns.

The leading Sydney digital marketing agency providing LinkedIn Ads Services.

COG Branding are LinkedIn Partners and certified LinkedIn Ads specialists. Our digital marketing team are experts at managing the complex suite of digital marketing products and softwares. We have the skills and experience to integrate intelligent business solutions that link your customers to your branded digital touch points and assets.

Providers of strategic Lead Generation solutions via Performance Marketing Campaigns on platforms such as Google Ads, Meta (Facebook & Instagram), LinkedIn, Twitter and Outbrain. We create ad copy, design content, deploy campaigns and analyse data. Reach out anytime on (02) 9523 6007 or contact us here https://cogbranding.com.au/contact/