LinkedIn, the popular professional networking platform, has announced the introduction of Connected TV (CTV) ads for business-to-business (B2B) campaigns. This move allows marketers to include ads on CTV platforms, expanding their reach and targeting capabilities.
To enable this feature, LinkedIn has partnered with several networks, including Paramount, Roku, and Samsung Ads. Advertisers can now add CTV to their LinkedIn campaigns through these partners, giving them access to a wider audience base.
The decision to introduce CTV ads on LinkedIn comes as no surprise, considering the growing popularity of this channel among marketers. In fact, a study conducted by Demandbase found that 90% of B2B marketers who used CTV in 2023 believed that it helped them reach their target customers effectively.
LinkedIn’s CTV offering builds upon its suite of video solutions, which aim to help customers engage with their key audiences. With only 5% of buyers actively looking to make a purchase at any given time, it is crucial for B2B marketers to consistently engage with their audience to ensure brand memorability when the time to buy arises. LinkedIn’s CTV ads enable marketers to reach and engage new audiences across streaming television content.
Getting started with LinkedIn’s CTV ads is simple. Marketers can log into Campaign Manager and choose their objective. They can opt for a CTV-only campaign or launch a multichannel campaign to enhance brand awareness. Once the objective is selected, advertisers can choose their target audience from English-speaking decision-makers in the U.S. and Canada who are present on LinkedIn. They can further refine their target audience based on attributes such as company size, seniority, and interests. After defining the target audience, marketers can set a budget for their campaign and specify when they want it to run.
Measurement is an essential aspect of any advertising campaign, and LinkedIn has partnered with Kantar and iSpot to provide advanced audience measurement and objective lift studies. The iSpot partnership allows B2B marketers to measure campaign effectiveness across various platforms, including linear TV and CTV.
LinkedIn offers native reporting on its site, enabling marketers to track the performance of their campaigns. Additionally, LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager provides various reporting tools, such as Performance Summary Report, Revenue Attribution Report, Conversions API, and CTV Brand Lift test, to measure success using metrics like reach, conversion rates, and video completion rates. Marketers can also retarget members who have viewed their video ads with additional campaigns and formats, such as lead gen forms and Document Ads, to drive measurable results at any stage of the purchase cycle.
In addition to CTV ads, LinkedIn has also introduced Live Event Ads to help B2B marketers promote live virtual events. This global offering enables marketers to boost event registrations and engage prospects before, during, and after the live events.
Overall, LinkedIn’s introduction of CTV ads for B2B campaigns is a significant step that allows marketers to expand their reach and engage with their target audience effectively. With the growing popularity of CTV among marketers, this move positions LinkedIn as a platform that understands the evolving needs of B2B businesses. By providing advanced measurement capabilities and a range of targeting options, LinkedIn empowers marketers to drive measurable results and maximize their advertising efforts.
