LinkedIn has shared some new tips on how to maximize the effectiveness of your LinkedIn ads, based on internal research conducted on the best performing LinkedIn campaigns over the past year.

And if you are using LinkedIn for brand outreach, here are some key contextual notes that will help you better understand the platform's audience, and how to engage them in-stream.

First off, LinkedIn says marketers need to understand cultural context in the app, and conversations that people want to have on LinkedIn.

According to LinkedIn:

"LinkedIn is a dynamic network of niche communities uniting like-minded members around specialized interests. Nearly 50% follow sports, 38% are fashion fanatics or auto enthusiasts. Tap into these intersecting interests to create content that connects.

This emotion map shows you the main connective elements on LinkedIn that you should pay attention to in your outreach. As you can see, "Community and Care" is where your focus should be first, as the contents surrounded by these elements will most likely resonate with LinkedIn users, and focusing on the other highlighted elements will also help you tap in to what emotionally triggers LinkedIn engagement.

They also drive a higher number of conversions than other types of activity, and LinkedIn says that these are the best emotions to drive in terms of engagement (though, in most cases, and likely on LinkedIn as well, anger and fear drive the strongest response; that may not be useful in an ad context).

LinkedIn's also been sharing some ad design tips; vertical-aligned ads tend to do the best.
LinkedIn says that marketers should also design their ads with “divided attention” in mind, meaning that you’ll need to capture user focus as they scroll.

“Pleasing aesthetics, strong contrasts and dynamic movement catch the eye. The most effective LinkedIn ads pair striking visuals with an emotional hook or intellectual surprise. A counterintuitive statistic, an unexpected perspective, or a compelling human story can stop even the busiest member mid-scroll.”

LinkedIn also advises brands to achieve a distinct presence, which is imbued across all of their campaigns, posts, and updates.
"Your brand DNA should unify the expression of your brand consistently across different dimensions, channels, touch points, and funnel stages. Connect all your content via one cohesive red thread, where every piece reinforces and amplifies your brand's distinct identity."
These are some interesting notes - not totally unexpected or out of the ordinary, but valuable in a LinkedIn-specific context. The insights here could help to get you thinking about your LinkedIn campaigns, and how to best connect with the platform's growing professional audience.