LinkedIn Connected TV Ads
What is CTV Advertising?
An emerging trend is the rise of Connected TV (CTV) advertising, which combines the benefits of traditional TV advertising with the precision targeting of digital platforms. While many marketers may already be familiar with platforms like Google and Facebook for digital ads, LinkedIn's foray into Connected TV advertising presents an exciting new frontier, particularly for B2B marketers.
Here's why you should be taking a closer look at LinkedIn Connected TV Ads…
*Precision Targeting for Professionals
LinkedIn is known as the go-to platform for professional networking, boasting over 900 million members worldwide. With LinkedIn Connected TV Ads, businesses can target viewers based on professional attributes, such as job title, company size, industry, and even seniority level. This kind of precision targeting is particularly useful for B2B companies looking to reach decision-makers in specific sectors.
Unlike traditional TV ads, which rely on broad demographic targeting, LinkedIn Connected TV Ads allow advertisers to focus their efforts on relevant audiences who are more likely to engage with their message. For instance, a software company targeting IT managers can ensure their ad reaches individuals who actually hold that role, rather than casting a wide net across a general TV audience.
*Blending Brand Awareness with Performance Marketing
CTV advertising bridges the gap between brand awareness and performance marketing. While TV ads are great for building brand recognition and credibility, they have traditionally lacked the detailed analytics and trackability that digital marketers expect. LinkedIn Connected TV Ads combine the reach and storytelling power of television with data-driven insights from LinkedIn’s vast professional network.
Advertisers can measure engagement, track impressions, and optimise their campaigns in real-time, making it easier to understand which audiences are responding to specific messages. This blend of traditional TV’s emotional impact and digital marketing’s measurability gives advertisers the best of both worlds.
*A Non-Intrusive Viewing Experience
Unlike traditional TV commercials, which often interrupt the viewing experience, Connected TV ads are typically less disruptive. Viewers engage with content on streaming platforms such as Hulu, YouTube TV, or Amazon Prime, often with fewer commercial breaks compared to cable TV. Additionally, ads served on CTV are usually non-skippable, which increases the chances of full viewership.
LinkedIn’s focus on professional content further aligns with this user-friendly approach. People on LinkedIn often seek out educational or career-advancing content, making it an ideal environment for thoughtful, high-quality ads that resonate with a professional audience.
*LinkedIn’s First-Party Data Advantage
LinkedIn has an edge over other platforms because of its rich, first-party data. This data is built from user profiles, activities, and interactions directly on the LinkedIn platform. Unlike third-party data, which is often less reliable due to privacy concerns or outdated information, LinkedIn’s first-party data is accurate and consistently updated by users themselves.
When applied to CTV ads, this data enables advertisers to fine-tune their targeting strategies, ensuring their message reaches the most relevant audience at scale. For instance, businesses targeting specific industries or roles can rely on LinkedIn’s first-party data to serve ads only to viewers who match those criteria, improving ROI.
*Increasing Popularity of Connected TV
The rise of streaming platforms has changed how people consume media. More viewers are cutting the cord on traditional cable subscriptions and turning to CTV for content consumption. According to a 2023 study, over 87% of U.S. households now own at least one CTV device, and viewership continues to grow worldwide.
This shift is particularly relevant for brands looking to reach younger, more tech-savvy professionals who favor on-demand content over traditional television. As CTV adoption continues to rise, LinkedIn Connected TV Ads position marketers to reach audiences where they are spending more of their time.
*Boosting Cross-Platform Synergy
Using LinkedIn Connected TV Ads as part of a broader LinkedIn marketing strategy can lead to greater campaign synergy. For instance, a brand could use Sponsored Content, Sponsored InMail, and CTV ads simultaneously to target the same audience across multiple touchpoints. This multi-channel approach ensures that key messaging is reinforced, leading to stronger brand recall and conversion rates.
By aligning LinkedIn’s performance-driven ad solutions with CTV’s immersive, long-form video ads, marketers can create comprehensive campaigns that nurture leads across the entire sales funnel.
*Future-Proofing Your Marketing Strategy
As privacy regulations tighten and cookie-based tracking becomes less reliable, first-party data and contextual targeting are becoming more critical to digital marketing strategies. LinkedIn’s Connected TV Ads offer a future-proof solution, providing marketers with access to robust first-party data while respecting user privacy.
By investing in LinkedIn Connected TV Ads, businesses can stay ahead of the curve, aligning their strategies with the future of digital marketing.
Fancy, giving it a go?
If this lead funnel sounds like a winner (which it should do) to you then follow the 9 simple steps below and be ahead of your competition!
1. Understand Your Audience
Before diving into LinkedIn Connected TV Ads, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of your target audience. Since LinkedIn offers robust professional data, you can target users based on:
Job Title
Company Size
Industry
Seniority Level
Geographic Location
Spend time analysing who your key audience is and how you want to reach them through your CTV campaigns.
2. Set Clear Campaign Objectives
LinkedIn Connected TV Ads can be used for different marketing goals, such as:
Brand Awareness: Reaching a broad audience to increase recognition.
Lead Generation: Targeting specific decision-makers to drive conversions.
Engagement: Encouraging viewers to interact with your brand or visit your LinkedIn page.
Ensure that you define clear objectives to guide the development of your creative assets and targeting parameters.
3. Choose Your Ad Creative Format
LinkedIn Connected TV Ads leverage the power of video to tell your brand’s story. Depending on your campaign goal, you can create engaging, long-form video content that showcases your product, service, or brand message. The recommended creative formats are:
High-Quality Video: CTV ads are viewed on larger screens, so your video content needs to be visually appealing and clear in resolution.
Compelling Storytelling: Since CTV ads are typically non-skippable, use this opportunity to engage your audience with storytelling that captures attention early.
Call-to-Action (CTA): Make sure to include a strong CTA that aligns with your campaign objective, whether it's driving users to your website, LinkedIn page, or generating leads.
4. Access LinkedIn Marketing Solutions Hub
To start running your Connected TV ads, you’ll need to access the LinkedIn Marketing Solutions Hub. Here’s how:
Log in to LinkedIn Campaign Manager (if you don't have an account, you will need to create one).
Navigate to the "Campaigns" tab within Campaign Manager.
Explore "LinkedIn Connected TV" under the Ad formats section.
Start setting up your campaign by selecting your targeting, budget, and objectives.
5. Select Your Targeting Options
This is where LinkedIn’s professional data really shines. Choose from a range of targeting options such as:
Company Name or Industry
Job Function or Job Title
Seniority Level
Skills or Groups
Location and Language
LinkedIn allows you to create highly customised audience segments based on who you want to see your CTV ads.
6. Set Your Budget and Bid Strategy
Once your target audience is selected, define your budget and bidding strategy. With LinkedIn Connected TV Ads, you can set up:
Daily Budget: This controls how much you spend per day on your campaign.
Total Budget: Set a cap for the total spend of your campaign.
Bid Strategy: Choose how much you’re willing to pay for each view, click, or impression, depending on your campaign objective.
LinkedIn allows you to optimise your bidding strategy to maximise reach or engagement based on your set objectives.
7. Launch Your Campaign
After setting up your campaign parameters, click "Launch" to set your LinkedIn Connected TV ad live. LinkedIn will begin delivering your ad to your target audience across CTV platforms, such as Hulu, Amazon Fire TV, or other supported streaming platforms.
8. Monitor Performance and Optimise
Once your campaign is running, you can track its performance within LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager. Some key metrics to monitor include:
Impressions: How many times your ad is seen.
Engagement: How many people interact with the ad, such as visiting your LinkedIn page.
Completion Rate: How many viewers watched your ad in its entirety.
Click-Through Rate (CTR): How often viewers click on the CTA to visit your website or LinkedIn profile.
By monitoring these metrics, you can optimise your campaign to improve performance over time, adjusting your targeting or creative assets as needed.
9. Refine Future Campaigns Based on Insights
After your LinkedIn Connected TV campaign concludes, use the data and insights you’ve gathered to refine your future campaigns. Consider experimenting with different creative formats, testing new audience segments, or adjusting your budget allocation to maximise results for your next campaign.
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Conclusion
LinkedIn Connected TV Ads offer a powerful tool for businesses to reach a professional audience with precision, relevance, and impact. By combining the scale of television with LinkedIn’s robust data and targeting capabilities, marketers can engage high-value audiences, build brand awareness, and drive measurable results. For B2B companies and those targeting professionals, LinkedIn Connected TV Ads could be the perfect addition to your marketing arsenal.
If you would like to understand more or would like help with your LinkedIn Connected TV Ads, reach out to the team below :)