LinkedIn ads. They’re the ugly stepchild of social advertising. OK, that might be taking things a bit too far, but they’re rarely discussed. But, for more organizations (particularly B2B organizations) they’re a cost-effective way to promote products/services and raise your brand profile online.

Not sure if you saw the news last week, but LinkedIn now has 150 million users. It’s no Facebook, but remember, people consider LinkedIn their “professional” network of choice. So, they go there to: find jobs, find information, meet new people, and find contractors/vendors.

It’s not just that there’s a whole bunch of people who use LinkedIn. It’s that the *right* people are using LinkedIn (for certain organizations–think about those interested in reaching C-level folks).

What do I mean?

1.3 million small business owners use the platform. 7.9 million “business decision makers” use it (OK, I know that’s a little soft, but still). And 4.2 million corporate executives use LinkedIn.

So, we know the people with “buying power” are using the platform.Why not advertise to them on the network they’re using for business?

More people are–although it still seems like it’s not discussed often enough. And, the ads sometimes reflect that. Off-based. Off-target. And somewhat lazy writing.

So, I thought we’d spend some time today talking about how to write a LinkedIn ad that will actually get clicks–and drive results for your firm.

First, know where you’re sending people

LinkedIn gives you the option to send folks to a LinkedIn page (your corporate page, most likely) or a separate URL. Whatever you decide, make sure the destination is a welcoming spot. Be sure it’s paying off on the promise you’re making (or question you’re asking) in the ad. Nothing worse than a landing page that doesn’t address the need or want a customer has after reading (and CLICKING) on your ad.

Cut through the clutter–but be relevant

You only have 25 characters (with spaces) for your LinkedIn ad headline. So you have to make it short and sweet. You need a headline that not only hooks the reader, but one that is also free and clear of jargon. You don’t have room to mess around here. Ask a question. Make a bold statement. Just make sure you get your audience’s attention. Remember, they’re not coming to LinkedIn for the ads.

Focus on a strong call to action

LinkedIn encourages you to use strong “call to action”-type words like “try”, “download”, and “sign up.” My suggestion? Don’t try to do too much here. Remember, you still have the link/URL at the bottom of the ad. Tell people why to make that click–just don’t go overboard trying to do it.

Make your photo tell some of the story

Much like Facebook, images can be everything for a LinkedIn ad. Why not makes your work a bit? Pick one that helps you tell your story a bit. Or, pick one that’s a bit out of the ordinary. Remember, you’re trying to grab people’s attention for a moment. Just make sure your photo involves color–the LinkedIn ad background is white, so if you pick an image with a lot of white in it, it’s likely to get lost. Also note the size of the image if 50 by 50 pixels–make sure the best part of your image isn’t getting cut off when you resize it.

Test and tweak. Repeat.

The best part about LinkedIn ads? You can use 15 different versions for each campaign. That means you can run all sorts of tests. Test the headline. Test the body copy. Even test the image. See which combinations work best–and put more money toward those ads.

Have you used LinkedIn ads before? If yes, what tips would you add that could help others as they write their first LinkedIn ads?