Unleash the Power of LinkedIn Message Ads: Transform Your Leads into Meaningful Connections with Expert Tips and a Seamless Setup!

LinkedIn Message Ads are a powerful tool for B2B marketers looking to directly engage with their target audience, as they allow brands to reach potential clients in a more personalized and direct manner. By delivering ads directly to users’ inboxes, businesses can craft tailored messages that resonate with specific pain points and interests, thereby increasing the chances of meaningful interaction. Furthermore, these ads can be designed to include compelling calls-to-action and relevant content, which not only drives engagement but also fosters a sense of connection between the brand and its audience. With the increasing importance of personalized marketing strategies, leveraging LinkedIn Message Ads can significantly enhance a company’s lead generation efforts and facilitate deeper engagement with high-value prospects.

This guide will walk you through all you need to know about Message Ads. It covers everything from their basic definition to advanced implementation strategies.

Understanding LinkedIn Message Ads Effectively

Message ads deliver direct messages to your prospects through LinkedIn Messaging, encouraging action by creating personalized and engaging content that resonates with each recipient. By leveraging the professional network that LinkedIn offers, these ads effectively reach your target audience, providing them with tailored offers and invitations that compel them to take the next step. Additionally, such targeted messaging not only fosters stronger connections but also enhances the overall effectiveness of your marketing strategy, driving quality leads that are more likely to convert.

These native ads blend with regular LinkedIn messages and are visible on desktop and mobile devices.

Unveiling the Secrets: Distinguishing a Message Ad from a Regular Message on LinkedIn!

In LinkedIn’s Messaging section, some messages display the word Sponsored on the left. These are Message Ads.

Unveiling the Key Differences Between Message Ads and Conversation Ads

Both are forms of sponsored messaging through LinkedIn. 

• Message ads consist of a targeted message with a single call-to-action button that drives to a landing page. 
• Conversation ads consist of a targeted message with multiple call-to-action buttons. These buttons can drive to a landing page. They can open a lead gen form. They also provide more information in follow-up messages.

Are there any restrictions on Message Ads that I should be aware of?

You cannot target LinkedIn members in the European Union (EU).

If a campaign includes both EU and non-EU targeting, the campaign will deliver to non-EU audiences only.

The Benefits of Using Message Ads

Higher engagement and response rates are achieved compared to traditional email marketing, as reported by LinkedIn.

While Mailchimp’s industry average open rate is 21%, LinkedIn reports an average of 50%. 

Running Message Ads for a real estate client has been highly effective, achieving a notable open rate of 56.69% that matches LinkedIn’s benchmarks.

Which objectives can I use when running Message Ads?

You can only create Message Ads using website visits, lead generation or website conversion objectives. I most often use the Website Visits objective when creating Message Ads.

How to set up a LinkedIn Message Ad

To get started, you only need a few things:

• A sender: There is a process for this that will be discussed in the next section.
• Subject line: 60 characters maximum.
• Message text: 1,500 characters maximum.
• Call to action (CTA): Up to 20 characters.
• Image (Optional): 300x250px banner image.
• Custom footer (Optional): This can be a disclaimer or terms and conditions.
• Lead form (Optional): If you selected lead generation as the campaign objective, you’ll need to attach a form to your ad.

Unlock the Secrets to Killer Message Ads!

To drive exceptional engagement and conversions with your LinkedIn Message Ads, adhering to best practices is absolutely crucial.

Spotting a Trustworthy Sender

Ensure the recipient is already a first-degree connection on LinkedIn. This connection is crucial because it indicates that both parties have mutual approval to interact within the platform’s professional environment. You’ll need to send them a request through the platform, which they must approve before any further communication can take place. By fostering this initial connection, you establish a foundation of trust and professionalism that can lead to more meaningful exchanges and opportunities in the future.

To do this, click the Add a sender button when creating your ad. Type in their name. Select them and then hit Send request.

Nail Your Subject Line: Make It Irresistibly Engaging!

LinkedIn recommends using keywords such as: 

• “Exclusive invitation”
• “Connect” 
• “Opportunities” 
• “Join us/me”

 I’ve personally seen great success using “Join me” in topic/subject lines.

Make sure the sender introduces themselves 

This should be done at the start of the message. Communicate a clear purpose that speaks to your audience. Capture their attention and tell them quickly why they should keep reading.

Customize your message by adding custom fields

If you add %FIRSTNAME%, %LASTNAME%, %COMPANYNAME%, %JOBTITLE%, and/or %INDUSTRY%, these macros will dynamically insert the recipient’s first name, last name, company name, job title and/or industry. 

If a user has multiple companies or job titles, LinkedIn will display the most recently added ones.

Keep your message text below 500 characters

While you can have up to 1,500 characters maximum, try to keep it brief.

Test hyperlinks

LinkedIn suggests that adding a hyperlink in your message can boost click performance. My experience shows no noticeable impact. However, it’s still worth testing.

Always test your message before you go live

Once you’ve created the ad, hit save. Before you review and launch your ad, hit the three dots next to your message ad. You’ll see an option to “Send test message.”

This will be sent directly to your LinkedIn messages. You can see how the message renders, including any custom fields.

Testing is also extra important. Once you change your ad status from Draft to Active, you can no longer edit the ad.

Are You Ignoring These Crucial Metrics for Message Ad Success?

Metrics will depend on the objective of your campaign. Here are some metrics to keep in mind:

Website visits objective

• Sends: Number of times your ad was sent (i.e., impressions).
• Opens: Number of times your ad was opened (unique opens).
• Open rate: The percentage of messages opened compared to the total sent.
• Website visits: Number of times someone clicked through your ad to your landing page.
• Cost per action (website visit): Total cost divided by the number of website visits.
• Click-through rate: Number of clicks divided by total impressions.

Website conversions objective

• Sends: Number of times your ad was sent (i.e., impressions).
• Opens: Number of times your ad was opened (unique opens).
• Open rate: The percentage of messages opened compared to the total sent.
• Conversions: Total number of times member accounts took a desired action after clicking on or seeing your ad.
• Cost per action (website conversions): Total cost divided by the number of website conversions.
• Conversion rate: Number of conversions divided by total clicks.

Lead generation objective

• Sends: Number of times your ad was sent (i.e., impressions)
• Opens: Number of times your ad was opened (unique opens)
• Open rate: The percentage of messages opened compared to the total sent.
• Leads: Number of users who have submitted their information through your lead form ad
• Cost per lead: Total cost divided by the number of leads.
• Lead form completion rate: Number of lead form submissions divided by the number of lead form opens.

Unlock the Potential of LinkedIn Advertising with Message Ads!

LinkedIn Message Ads offer a powerful way to directly engage with your target audience on a professional platform. They enable businesses to cultivate meaningful connections. They also foster personal communication. By utilizing this innovative advertising format, companies can deliver personalized messages. These messages are tailored to the specific interests and needs of their audience. They also encourage a more immediate response, optimizing the chances of successful engagement and conversion. As more professionals turn to LinkedIn to network and seek opportunities, leveraging Message Ads is crucial for brands. They enhance their visibility and establish authority in their respective fields.

By understanding the key components, best practices, and performance metrics we’ve discussed, you can create compelling campaigns. These campaigns will resonate with your prospects.

Remember to always test your messages, choose your sender wisely and continuously monitor your performance metrics to optimize your campaigns.

With the right strategy, Message Ads can become a valuable tool in your B2B marketing arsenal. They help you build relationships, generate leads, and drive conversions.