Thought Leadership Ads on LinkedIn: the new ads

With Thought Leadership Ads, LinkedIn has come up with something new to put its own platform on the map as an advertising channel. Thought Leadership Ads are intended for the opinion leaders on the social media platform and the leaders who dare to share their ideas with others. That might sound a bit complicated, but don’t worry. After reading this blog, you’ll know exactly what Thought Leadership Ads are, whether or not this type of advert is right for you, and how you can use it.

What are LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads?

LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads are sponsored posts on LinkedIn that are not promoted via the company profile, but via a personal account. LinkedIn had previously allowed its users to send (paid) InMails from personal profiles, but Thought Leadership Ads actually appear in users’ timelines.

LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads were devised by LinkedIn to bring stories from employees, managers and directors to the attention of a wider audience. They are an ideal tool if, for example, you are looking for an employee of the same calibre as the author of the sponsored post and want to get on the radar of job seekers.

Why Thought Leader LinkedIn Ads?

Thought Leader Ads on LinkedIn offer a suitable alternative for companies and brands to give their talent and employees a platform. This new advertising format enables companies to sponsor posts by their thought leaders, helping you come across as more credible to your users. The employee must personally approve the publication, which makes the message more credible than if it were written from the company profile. A completely new way to tell brand stories!

Research by LinkedIn has shown that this form of advertising generates 70 per cent more brand recognition. Not bad at all! In addition, Thought Leader Ads boost engagement, with statistics showing a 1.7 times higher click-through rate and a 1.6 times higher engagement rate. How efficiently do you want to manage your advertising budget?

Tips for Thought Leadership Ads

Naturally, you’ll want to experiment with Thought Leadership Ads now that you’ve read this blog, but not before you’ve taken the tips below on board.

1. Make use of retargeting. Users who utilise Thought Leadership Ads can make use of retargeting. This allows you to choose to display your Thought Leadership Ads to visitors who have previously visited your website.
2. Boost the right posts. Only give a boost to posts that were already performing well organically. Why would a post with few likes suddenly start performing well when promoted?
3. Choose your content wisely. Think carefully about the content you promote. A video or an eye-catching photo is more likely to be well-received than a blank post.
4. Keep it personal. We love personalised content. And no, not just on Instagram or Snapchat! Smiling faces go down well on LinkedIn too. Why not give it a go yourself!