LinkedIn has become a cornerstone for professional networking. For many businesses, it’s a goldmine for building brand awareness and credibility in the B2B market. If you’re looking to promote your LinkedIn page and reach a more professional audience, LinkedIn Follower Ads is an avenue you could consider.
This beginner’s guide will walk you through everything you need to know about Follower Ads. It will dive into why this ad type could be a good choice for your business, best practices you could employ and some common pitfalls marketers should avoid.
What Are LinkedIn Follower Ads?
As the name suggests, a LinkedIn Follower Ad is an ad format specifically designed to help businesses increase their page followers. They belong to the LinkedIn’s Dynamic Ads group, alongside formats like Spotlight Ads, and share the same personalised approach to engaging audiences. While follower ads are certainly more niche and not as focused on conversion rates as other ad types, they still have their place within the LinkedIn Ads family.
Follower ads appear in users’ feeds and are tailored to encourage them to follow your company page. With its simplistic design — business logo, short headline and pretty straightforward call-to-action — this ad type makes it easy for users to engage with your brand with just one convenient click. What sets this ad type apart is its personalisation and focus.
Unlike other LinkedIn ad types, such as Sponsored Content or Text Ads, Follower Ads are specifically designed for people who are already interested in your brand and who want to stay up to date with the latest news. This makes them an excellent tool for businesses looking to build long-term relationships with their followers instead of aiming for immediate conversions.
With the ability to target different specifications such as industries, job titles and even skills, LinkedIn Follower Ads allow you to reach the audience that will most likely benefit the most from following your company page.
Why Should Your Business Use LinkedIn Follower Ads?
Thanks to the increased brand visibility that LinkedIn Follower Ads offer, they are great for quickly growing your company page following in a way that feels organic. The thing is that LinkedIn users are actively looking for connections and content that helps them grow professionally. Therefore, follower ads act as an inexpensive way to connect your business with these users.
They work especially well in industries such as B2B, recruitment and SaaS, where building long-term relationships and establishing trust is key. In addition, follower ads offer a level of personalisation that many other LinkedIn ad types do not provide. This makes them feel more like a recommendation instead of an advertisement.
Another advantage is LinkedIn’s precise targeting options. These allow you to craft a tailored approach for reaching your intended audience — whether it’s HR professionals, software developers or senior executives.
However, it’s not just a numbers game. More followers lead to increased credibility and authority within your industry. This, in turn, increases the likelihood of attracting more partnerships, clients and top talent.
Best Practices for Successful LinkedIn Follower Ads
It’s not just about setting up ad campaigns and letting the algorithm run its course — it requires a bit more finesse than that. Consider employing these few best practices to ensure you get the most out of your LinkedIn Follower Ads.
Be Direct With Your Audience
Be direct with your ad copy. Highlight the unique value proposition viewers will get from following your LinkedIn page. In other words, make it clear that following your business page is something they don’t want to miss out on. Due to the limited character space available, this is certainly easier said than done but try and focus on what benefits a user would receive.
Monitor Continuously And Optimise As Needed
Continuously monitor performance metrics like click-through rates (CTR) and cost per follower. Adjust your ad as needed to ensure it reaches the right type of audience while driving meaningful results.
If follower ads make sense for your business, consider running separate ad campaigns or variations of your ad to compare performance. For instance, experiment with different headlines, visuals or targeting options to see what resonates most with your audience.
Leverage the Power of Personalised Visuals
Utilise the option of displaying your audience’s profile picture alongside the ad. This subtle, yet highly personalised element quickly grabs the attention of viewers. This personalised component could lead to viewers more likely to engage with your company page and follow it.
Target Fresh Eyes
When setting up your Follower Ads, ensure you exclude your existing followers unless the goal is to re-engage inactive followers or promote another company page to your current audience. The objective is to reach new prospects who haven’t already connected with your brand. Your current followers are already engaged with your page, so focusing on a fresh audience will help you expand your brand reach effectively.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
While LinkedIn Follower Ads are straightforward, there are some pitfalls you should avoid:
Too Broad of a Targeting Pool: Casting too wide a net can dilute your campaign’s effectiveness. Niche down on your audience to ensure you reach the intended targets.
Ignoring Analytics: Without constantly monitoring performance, it’s impossible to know what’s working and what’s not. Regularly check your analytics to identify areas where adjustments and improvements are necessary.
Generic and Boring Visuals: A bland logo or generic headline won’t capture attention. Invest time in creating visually appealing ads and eye-catching copy that reflect your brand’s identity.
Short-Term Thinking: Building your company’s following won’t happen overnight and is a process that takes time. Instead aim for steady and sustainable growth.
Mismatched Messaging: Ensure that the ad message matches that of your company. If not, new followers might drop off quickly if the company page doesn’t align with the expectations set by the ad.
In conclusion
LinkedIn Follower Ads offer a fantastic opportunity to grow your business’s brand presence and following on the platform. With a few best practices and a tailored approach, you can effectively boost your brand’s visibility and increase audience engagement.
That said, they are not the right choice for every business and highly depend on the goals of the organisation. If you’re new to LinkedIn advertising or need expert guidance, fill in the contact form below and allow us to elevate your B2B marketing.