How To Create a linkedin ad campaign

Before launching your first campaign, you must have a LinkedIn Page and a Campaign Manager account. If you already have a LinkedIn Page and a Campaign Manager account, click here to learn how you can set up your campaign.

how to create a linkedin ad campaign

1. Create a LinkedIn Page

LinkedIn Pages are a free and easy way to establish your brand on LinkedIn. All you need to get started is a LinkedIn account and a verified email address (we’ll verify if you're eligible to create a page on your company's behalf).

There are two key benefits to a LinkedIn Page:

1. A LinkedIn Page is required to run Sponsored Content and Sponsored Messaging campaigns with Campaign Manager.

2. Posting high quality content on your LinkedIn Page will improve your bid in LinkedIn’s advertising auction. This is because the LinkedIn relevance score rewards marketers who regularly post content that earns lots of clicks, likes, comments, and shares.

2. Create a Campaign Manager account

Campaign Manager is the advertising platform on LinkedIn. After you create a free account, the platform will guide you through each step of setting up your first campaign. Learn how to prepare for your first LinkedIn campaign, and then read on for an overview of the key steps in this process.

With Campaign Manager, you can select your goal, define your audience and have complete control over your campaigns, but you’ll need to create an account first. Don’t forget to associate your LinkedIn Page to your new account! 

Now you're ready to get started!

Step 1: Set up your campaign

1. Sign in to Campaign Manager

Campaign Manager is the advertising platform on LinkedIn. After you create a free account, the platform will guide you through each step of setting up your first campaign. Learn how to prepare for your first LinkedIn campaign, and then read on for an overview of the key steps in this process.

Once in Campaign Manager, select “Create” and then select “Campaign”. This will take you to the campaign creation page.

Screenshot of Campaign Manager, "create campaign" section

2. Select a Campaign Group

If it’s your first campaign, we recommend using the default “New Campaign Group”

Screenshot of Campaign Manager, "campaign group" section

3. Select your objective

An objective is the action you want your audience to take upon seeing your ad. Selecting your objective helps show ad formats, features and bid-types that support your objective during campaign creation. Learn more about the available objectives in Campaign Manager.  

Screenshot of Campaign Manager, "choose your objective" section

4. Build your target audience

With over 850M+ members in over 200 countries, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network. With Campaign Manager’s robust targeting, you can target with professional traits—like job title, company name, and industry type, or by professional or personal interests. 

You can also customize targeting by bringing in your own data using Matched Audiences—which includes retargeting, contact targeting, and account-based targeting.

Screenshot of Campaign Manager, "Build your audience" section

5. Select your ad format

After building your audience, you’ll be asked to choose an ad format for your first campaign. Depending upon your objective, you can select from the various Sponsored Content formats (carousel, document, event, single image or video ads in the LinkedIn feed), Message Ads (ads that show up in LinkedIn messages), or Text Ads.

Learn more about Sponsored Content (carousel, document, event, single image and video ads)

Learn more about Message Ads (Ads that show in LinkedIn Messaging)

Learn more about Text Ads (Right rail and Top Banner Ads)

Learn more about Dynamic Ads (Follower, Spotlight and Content Ads)

Screenshot of Campaign Manager, "ad format" section

Next, select your ad placements:

Place your ads on LinkedIn or expand your reach with our trusted 3rd party publishers.

An icon of a web browser with an image on screen.

Single image ad

An icon of a computer monitor with a play button on screen.

Video ad

An icon of a highlighted card in a series of cards.

Carousel image ad

Icon representing message ads

Message ad

Icon representing text ads

Text ad

Icon representing dynamic ads

Dynamic ad

Icon representing document ads

Document ad

6. Select your budget and schedule

Select the budget, bidding strategy, and schedule that works for your goals. Setting the right initial budget will help you automate or control costs and validate your marketing strategy.

Learn how to plan your starting budget and adjust it over time based on campaign performance:

Make the most of your budget

Screenshot of Campaign Manager, "Budget & Schedule" section

(Optional) Set up conversion tracking

By adding the LinkedIn Insight Tag to your website, you can track conversions attributed to your advertising campaigns.

Screenshot of Campaign Manager, "conversion tracking" section

Step 2: Set up your ad(s)

Depending on the ad format you selected, you may need to upload creatives. This may include the image, headline, URL, and more. Learn more about each ad format’s requirements and specifications with the LinkedIn Ads Guide. 

Screenshot of Campaign Manager, "ads in this campaign" section

Step 3: Review & Launch

The final step before launching your first campaign is to review your campaign and add a payment method. Enter a debit or credit card, save, and your campaign will enter a review process before launching.

You can also leverage the Forec

asted Results guide to estimate the impact of your campaign. If everything looks right, you’re all set!