As video continues to gain traction among LinkedIn users, the platform has announced some new video ad options, including “First Impression Ads,” which offer more opportunity to grab attention, as well as expanded CTV Ads capabilities.
First off, on First Impression Ads. Much like the takeover-style options offered on other platforms, LinkedIn’s First Impression Ads are a full-screen, vertical video format for single-day campaigns, which ensures that your promotion is the first ad that a target member sees on a given day.
As you can see in this example sequence, when a user logs in and scrolls through their feed, your video ad will be the first one shown near the top of the listing, giving you immediate, upfront exposure in the app.
It could be a good way to promote major releases, ensuring that you catch users when they’re most active. And with LinkedIn not seeing the average usage time of apps like TikTok and Instagram, grabbing users when they first log in could be a very valuable consideration.
LinkedIn’s also rolling out a similar “Reserved Ads” offering for other forms of Sponsored Content, which will ensure that your Thought Leader Ads, Single Image Ads and Document Ads are also displayed in the first ad slot in the feed.
As per LinkedIn:
“Like choosing the front row at your favorite concert to guarantee the best view, Reserved Ads help marketers plan campaigns with confidence and increase attention, brand visibility, and share of voice.”
LinkedIn’s also adding some new capabilities to its Connected TV (CTV) Select ad offering, which provides expanded opportunity to display your LinkedIn promotions on a single publisher’s streaming portfolio
In addition to NBCUniversal, LinkedIn has now added Paramount to its expanded network of CTV Select partners.
“Advertisers can now combine LinkedIn’s professional audience data and Paramount’s premium streaming inventory to reach millions of monthly viewers.”
To be clear, Paramount is already part of LinkedIn’s basic CTV ad offering, but it’s now also available within the higher-level “CTV Select” option as well, providing more exclusive, targeted reach.
LinkedIn’s also adding “VAST tags”, powered by Innovid, which will enable expanded exposure for your existing video assets.
VAST (Video Ad Serving template) tags ensure that your video ads are displayed correctly in different environments, essentially translating your video content into variable browsers, systems, etc.
LinkedIn’s integration of VAST tags will ensure greater compatibility of your ads across different networks, maximizing display performance.
LinkedIn’s also collaborating with Sprinklr on the first use of its CTV API, which will enable Sprinklr users to create, edit, and manage LinkedIn CTV Ad campaigns within the platform.
Finally, LinkedIn’s also partnering with Adobe to enable streamlined video content creation within Adobe Express.
Adobe Express will now include LinkedIn-optimized video templates, providing more ways to ensure your promotions look their best in the app.
As noted, video is a rising focus for LinkedIn marketers, given the adoption of LinkedIn video content via its dedicated video feed.
Indeed, according to LinkedIn’s latest B2B Marketing Sentiment survey, 91% percent of B2B marketers say grabbing audience attention is their biggest worry , while 66% think that if they don’t invest in video this year, they’ll lose out to competitors.
One particularly interesting stat from the above listing is that 77% of B2B marketers agree that short-form video helps them build trust with their audience.
Short-form video has become the key video engagement trend in other apps, so it makes sense that it’s also gaining traction on LinkedIn, though the variance in platform audiences may make it seem like a less obvious conclusion.
But essentially, short-form video is how people are increasingly looking to consume content, and the more you can align with this, across all platforms, the better.
So, more opportunities for your LinkedIn video promotions, which are driving more response in the app.
LinkedIn’s CTV Ads are available for global customers to target buyers in the U.S. and Canada, while First Impression and Reserved Ads will be available globally later this year.