Your Guide to LinkedIn Ad Specs 2023

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Elsa Statz
Elsa Statz
Digital Marketing Innovator
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Looking for specifications and expert insights to creating high performing LinkedIn advertisements? Look no further.

LinkedIn Ads can be a valuable advertising channel especially for B2B companies and professionals. It’s a business focused platform that already has a narrower audience of professionals than other platforms, so it makes targeting a specific audience even easier.

In this article we’ll show you the specifications for each ad type and give you some of our expert advice to make your LinkedIn Ads perform their best. If you are new to LinkedIn Ads, let’s start with the basics. The four types of LinkedIn Ads include Sponsored Content, Sponsored Messaging, Lead Gen Forms, and Text & Dynamic Ads. Each of these types serve different purposes and generate different results. Use them wisely.

Sponsored Content

Sponsored content are advertisements that pop up on people’s newsfeeds. These can be in all different formats including single images, videos, carousels, events, and documents. Think of it as a LinkedIn post that gets pushed into an ad and can be seen by people who don’t follow you, but are in your target audience and could potentially use your services.

We recommend using sponsored content for brand awareness and pushing posts that are very engaging and will catch your audiences’ attention.

Single Image Ads

Single image ads include one image and text that display in targeted LinkedIn feeds. Creating an eye-catching design will engage a large audience. And don’t forget your call-to-action.

Design Recommendations

File JPEG
PNG
GIF
File Size 5MB

LinkedIn recommends square ratio for best click-through rate (CTR) performance.

Text Recommendations

Ad names
(optional)
255 characters
Headline 70 characters
Introductory Text 150 characters
Description 70 characters
Call to action options Apply
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Want to reach more LinkedIn members with your sponsored content campaigns? Try using the LinkedIn Audience Network. It lets you show your ads to people on third-party apps and websites, using the same targeting and budget that you set up for your campaign. So, you don’t have to worry about making any extra changes.

Size Requirements

Horizontal/ Landscape
Ratio: 1:1.91
LinkedIn Single Image Horizontal Ad

Square
Ratio: 1:1
LinkedIn Square Single Image Ad
Vertical
Ratio: 1.91:1
LinkedIn Single Image Vertical Ad

Video Ads

Capture your audience’s attention with engaging content. Video ads are an opportunity to show, not tell, your brand story.

Design Recommendations

File TypeMP4
Video Sound Format ACC
MPEG4
File Size75 KB
Video Duration 3 Seconds – 30 Minutes
Video Captions Video sound file size less than 64 KHz

Text Recommendations

Ad Name
(optional)
255 Characters
Headline 70 Characters
Introductory Text150 Characters
Call to Action Options Apply
Download
View Quote
Learn More
Sign Up
Subscribe
Register
Join
Attend
Request Demo

Size Requirements

Horizontal/ Landscape
Ratio: 16:9
LinkedIn Horizontal Video Ad
Square
Ratio: 1:1
LinkedIn Square Video Ad
Vertical
Ratio: 9:16
LinkedIn Vertical Video Ad

Carousel Ads

You can really show off what your offer is all about with carousel ads. Unlike other ad formats that only give you one image, carousel ads can include up to 10 images. And, you can add multiple calls-to-action and direct each image to a different post-click page to really promote engagement.

75% of the 300 advertisers included in the LinkedIn BETA test said they would use carousel ads in their next campaign because of the increase in engagement and click-through-rates they saw in comparison to their standard sponsored content campaigns.

Size Recommendations

File Type JPEG
PNG
Recommended Resolution At least 1080×1080 pixels

Text Requirements

Ad Name
(optional)
255 Characters
Card Headlines45 Characters
Introductory Text 255 Characters
LinkedIn Carousel Ad

Technical Requirements

Number of Carousel Cards 2-10 Cards
Max File Size10 MB
Landing Page URLValid URL Required
Destination URL Character Limit2,000 Characters for destination field URL

Helpful hint: When picking cards for your carousel ads we recommend use 3-5 cards. This is the sweet spot!

Event Ads

Hit your highest attendance record ever by advertising your events on LinkedIn.

Design Recommendations

Image Ratio 4:1 (Image will be pulled from the event page)

Text Recommendations

Event Name255 Characters
Introductory Text600 Characters
Destination URL Character Limit2,000 Characters

Sponsored Messaging

Sponsored messaging is another form of paid advertising on LinkedIn. This is essentially a direct message to someone who potentially has an interest in your services. They can be in the form of conversation ads which are direct messages with professionals through a choose-your-own path experience. Sponsored messaging can also be through message ads which are direct messages that spark immediate action. The no. 1 goal with sponsored messaging ads is to generate leads for new clients and customers.

Conversation Ads

Sponsored messaging is a great way to start quality conversations. With conversation ads you can set up multiple CTAs that link to landing pages, lead gen forms and engage with your audience through a message tree you create.

Design Recommendations

LinkedIn Conversation Ad
Banner File Type
(optional)
JPEG
PNG
Banner Image Size
(optional)
300×250 Pixels
Banner Image File Size
(optional)
2 MB
Sender ImageLinkedIn Profile Image

Text Recommendations

Ad Name
(optional)
255 Characters
Message Text500 Characters
Custom Footer 2,500 Characters
Call-to-Action 25 Characters
Destination URL Character Limit1,024 Characters

Message Ads

Message ads will spark immediate action rather than conversation.

Design Recommendations

Banner File Type
(optional)
JPEG
PNG
Banner Image Size
(optional)
300×250 Pixels
Banner Image File Size
(optional)
2 MB
Sender Image LinkedIn Profile Images

Text Recommendations

Ad Name
(optional)
50 Characters
Message Subject 60 Characters
Message Text1,500 Characters
Call-to-Action 25 Characters
Destination URL Character Limit1,024 Characters

Lead Gen Forms

Lead Gen Forms are powerful forms, native to LinkedIn, that automatically pre-fill user information from their profile. As a result, this makes the submission process much more seamless and generally improves conversion rates compared to traditional landing page forms. The best performing ad type with these forms is typically single image ads and highly effective when used with retargeting campaigns.

Text Recommendations

Lead Gen Form image.
Form Name256 Characters
Landing Page URL2,000 Characters
Offer Headline 60 Characters
Offer Details
(optional)
160 Characters
Privacy Policy 2,000 Characters
Call-to-Action20 Characters
Confirmation Message 300 Characters

Form Recommendations

Fields 3–4 recommended
12 maximum
Available Contact Information from Fields First name
Last name
Email address
LinkedIn Profile URL
Phone number
City
State/Province
Country/Region
Postal/Zip code
Work email
Work phone number
Available Work Information from Fields Job title
Function
Seniority
Available Company Information from Fields Company name
Company size
Available Industry Information from Fields Education Degree
Field of study
University / School
Start date
Graduation date
Available Demographic Information from Fields Gender
Custom Questions
(optional)
3 questions total
100 characters

Helpful hint: Try building your form to include the Work Email field instead of the standard Email field. This should prompt the form to autofill with a more valuable email that what is typically a personal one. Also, consider including the LinkedIn Profile URL field in your form, so you have it as a reference for your sales team. 

Text & Dynamic Ads

Last but not least are Text & Dynamic Ads. These ads will show on the right-side column of your audience’s feed. By strictly using text and logos, advertising on LinkedIn is easy to use on a budget. Text ads drive traffic to your business’ LinkedIn page with an easy to use pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platform. They can also generate traffic to your landing page, increase brand awareness and follower growth. There are also spotlight ads that create a custom CTA for every potential client using their profile image and your company’s logo. Follower ads also use the same personalized outlines as the spotlight ads just to target new followers. Both spotlight and follower ads are great for generating traffic to your landing page and increasing follower growth.

We recommend using text & dynamic ads for brand awareness and reaching a larger audience. These ads will give you the biggest conversions for the least amount of money.

Text Ads

Design Recommendations

LinkedIn Text Ad example
Logo File TypeJPEG
PNG
Logo File Size2 MB
Logo Image Dimensions 100×100 Pixels

Text Recommendations

Headline 25 Characters
Description 75 Characters
Destination URL Character Limit2,000 Characters for destination URL
Call To Action OptionsApply
Download
View Quote
Learn More
Sign Up
Subscribe
Register
Join
Attend
Request Demo

Spotlight Ads

Spotlight ads appear on the right rail of LinkedIn pages on desktop. These are powerful personalized Ads when used correctly that are tailored to the individual based on their profile. The call-to-action can take the viewer right to your website when clicked.

Design Recommendations

Logo/Background File TypeJPEG
PNG
Logo/Background File Size2 MB
Logo/Background Image Dimensions 100×100 Pixels
LinkedIn Spotlight Ad Example

Text Recommendations

Headline50 Characters
Description70 Characters
Company Name 25 Characters
URL Characters 500 Characters for destination URL
Call-to-Action18 Characters
Call To Action Options Apply
Download
View Quote
Learn More
Sign Up
Subscribe
Register
Join
Attend
Request Demo

Follower Ads

Just like the spotlight ads, follower ads use personalization to bring followers to you.

Design Recommendations

Logo/Background File TypeJPEG
PNG
Logo/Background File Size2 MP
Logo/Background Image Dimensions 100×100 Pixels
LinkedIn Follower Ad Example

Text Recommendations

Headline50 Characters
Description70 Characters
Company Name25 Characters
Description OptionsNAME, stay informed of industry news and trends
Get the latest jobs and industry news
Get the latest on jobs, news and more
Imagine your next career move
Keep up with interesting, relevant updates
Opportunities are knocking on your door
Ready for your next opportunity?
Receive daily or weekly company updates
Receive daily or weekly organization updates
Stay informed on industry news and trends
Visit the careers page for COMPANY!
Visit the company for COMPANY
Visit the organization page for COMPANY!
You’ve got the skills, COMPANY has the opportunities!
You’ve got the skills, we’ve got the opportunities!
Headline Options NAME, COMPANY is hiring!
NAME, current recruiting in your sector!
NAME, explore relevant opportunities with COMPANY!
NAME, get the latest on COMPANY new, jobs, and more!
NAME, Get the latest on COMPANY News, Jobs, and More
NAME, grow your business with news and insights from COMPANY
NAME, grow your career by following COMPANY
NAME, keep up with relevant opportunities at COMPANY
NAME, keep up with the latest insights from COMPANY
NAME, ready for your dream job?
NAME, you might like to follow COMPANY
Grow your business with insights from COMPANY
Grow your business with news and insights from COMPANY
Call-to-Action Visit careers
Visit company
Visit jobs Visit life

Tips you should know

LinkedIn advertising is a super tool for B2B marketing and sales. It makes connecting to a larger audience of business professionals easy, accurate and fast.

Have questions? Get in touch with expert today.

About HomeTree Digital 

HomeTree Digital is a full-service digital marketing agency for financial services. We specialize in branding & creative, videography, web & mobile development, integrations & automations, email marketing, organic & paid social media marketing, SEO, distribution, reporting & analytics, and tying it together through strategy. Reach out to us for more information on how we can help you.

HomeTree is defined as a wise resourceful home that provides knowledge, instills inspiration, encourages creativity, and protects whilst harmoniously connecting its residents through its branches and roots to the outer world. This accurately describes the approach we take when it comes to our clients—we believe in excellent customer service and prioritizing you, whilst providing you with the know-how for you to succeed in this rapidly evolving digital world.


Elsa Statz

About the author

Elsa Statz is a digital marketing innovator at HomeTree Digital. She is an experienced digital marketer with a demonstrated history working in financial services, biotechnology and health care industries. Elsa honed her communication and creative problem-solving skills in her English Literature studies at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. Now a Colorado resident, Elsa enjoys all the activities the Rocky Mountains can provide.

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