Master LinkedIn Conversation Ads: Strategies, Benefits, and Best Practices [Guide]

Unlocking the Potential of Interactive Advertising on LinkedIn

LinkedIn Conversation Ads revolutionize traditional static messaging ads, introducing a dynamic and interactive advertising experience. LinkedIn Conversation Ads are a type of native advertising. They display to members based on the advertiser's target audience criteria, and they offer a more interactive and personalized approach than any other ad formats— which makes them very powerful as a performance marketing tool. 

The ads take the user on a personalized journey through a 'conversation’ that aligns with their unique interests and needs. So, instead of static ads and limiting message ads, these ads offer multiple pathways based on user responses and open a dynamic dialogue between a brand and its audience.

Conversation Ads mimic the same kind of back-and-forth that a user may naturally have in a real-life conversation, which is a marketing trend we can’t help recalling from our recent AI reporting: the more human-like interactions, the stronger the engagement.

Breaking Down the Benefits of Conversation Ads

We categorize the objectives of Conversation Ads under two primary goals - to generate leads and to increase brand awareness and website visits. For lead generation, these ads can feature up to five call-to-action (CTA) buttons per message, alongside a Lead Gen Form. To drive website visits, the ads present a similar interactive format with links to the desired webpage.

Direct Inbox Engagement: The Key to Success

Conversation Ads appear directly within the users' inbox in chat form. Additionally, these ads are only sent when a user is actively online, ensuring it not only captures their immediate attention, but the user is more likely to be in a business-mind set at the time they receive it. Timing is everything.

Brand Familiarization: An Integrated Approach

Conversation Ads serve as an effective extension to your single image ad campaigns, targeting users who have already gained some level of familiarity with your brand. We like to think of a Conversation Ad as a sort of ‘hand-shake’ for brand engagement — They work as a seamless second act, deepening the user's understanding of your brand's narrative.

Versatility: Addressing Multiple Marketing Stages

One of the distinctive advantages of Conversation Ads is their versatility, having the capability to address different stages of the marketing funnel within a single ad. This flexibility enables a comprehensive approach to guiding users through their buying journey.

The Ultimate Customization Tool

Not only do conversation ads pull specific Industry details from each receiving user, this intelligent integration crafts tailored communication that speaks directly to the user’s professional context and interests, using their First Name, Last Name, Job Title, and Company Name. Resulting in an ad that transcends generic messaging and immediately enhances efficacy and engagement.

Selective Incentives Will Excite Users

Conversation Ads provide an opportunity to incorporate selective incentives such as gift cards, to add an extra layer of user engagement. These unexpected bonuses can amplify the user’s experience and stimulate a positive response to your ad campaign.

Enhancing Conversion Opportunities

These ads demonstrate a high degree of flexibility, allowing advertisers to incorporate both Lead Gen forms and website URLs. Sure, concocting a well-balanced message takes some practice, but the right combination of links and forms in a Conversation Ad can broaden your scope for lead generation and conversion, enhancing effectiveness of your ad campaign.

All About the Emojis! 💵💰💸

Conversation Ads break the mold with their ability to incorporate emojis, adding a modern and relatable touch to your marketing messages. This approach aligns with evolving communication styles, ensuring your brand remains current and engaging.

Experimenting with Engagement

Conversation Ads are a sandbox for experimentation! You can test engagement with different message senders from your organization, helping you identify the most effective strategy for your business.

Strategically Navigating the Funnel with Conversation Ads

While traditional static image ads on LinkedIn often start at the top of the funnel, warming up audiences with awareness content, Conversation Ads present a unique opportunity to flip the script.

Immediate Conversion Opportunities 

The interactive nature of Conversation Ads means users engaging are already showing a heightened level of interest. By leading with a bottom-funnel offer, you're capitalizing on this engagement, providing a direct path to conversion.

Efficiency in User Journey 

Offer users a streamlined experience. If they're decision-ready, give them the chance to act immediately. If not, the ad's adaptive nature can pivot to present other funnel stages.

Audience Segmentation

With LinkedIn's precise targeting, you can direct Conversation Ads at users familiar with your brand. For these warm leads, a direct offer can be both relevant and enticing.

Adaptive Strategy

If the user bypasses the initial offer, the ad can dynamically shift to mid or top-funnel content, ensuring you cater to leads at all stages.

Data-Driven Insights 

Responses to the bottom-funnel offer can provide valuable insights into audience behavior, refining future strategies.

Maximizing ROI 

Given the investment in LinkedIn ads, leading with a direct offer can ensure a higher return, making the most of your ad spend.

In essence, while static ads are about building gradual awareness, Conversation Ads are your proactive sales reps, ready to engage and convert.

Data Speaks Louder than Words 

With over two million dollars spent on Conversation Ads in 2022, Metadata customers are seeing results that satisfy cost, user engagement, and lead to opportunity effectiveness.

Budget-Friendly & Proven Engagement

• Open Rates: A whopping 67% for Conversation Ads compared to traditional email ads.
• Cost-Effectiveness: CPC for Conversation Ads stands at $1.50, a fraction of LinkedIn Image Ads which is at $15.05.
• High Engagement: Ads promoting demos or webinars have shown impressive engagement with lower CPLs. For instance, Conversation Ads CPL for demos is $201 compared to Facebook's $448.
• Conversion Mastery: When it comes to converting leads to opportunities, Conversation Ads lead the pack with a 4.89% rate, vs. LinkedIn Image Ads at 2.64% and Facebook Ads at 2.86%.

Pro Tips & Pitfalls 

• Quality Over Quantity: Users can only receive one conversation ad per month from any advertiser. Make it count!
• Diversify Your Approach: Use multiple lead paths to capture a wider audience.
• Avoid Negative Messaging: Keep the tone positive and value-driven.
• Keep It Concise: Avoid overwhelming users with lengthy text.
• Stay Focused: Too many options can confuse users. Stick to specific objectives.

Does this seem like a lot to remember? Well, don’t sweat it! Conversation Ads are really about being authentically human — even though that might take some practice! 

Luckily, we’ve done the work for you. 

Check out our recipe below for writing the most effective Conversation Ad.

Beacon Digital’s Perfect LinkedIn Conversation Ad Recipe 🥧

Start your ad with an incentivized offer. 

For example, a $10 Starbucks gift card. Who doesn’t love free coffee? Test various offers and value levels to gauge their impact on your cost per lead.

Establish your positioning. 

Clearly delineate how your solution stands apart from the competition or how it uniquely addresses a common problem.

Address user pain points. 

Showcase your understanding of potential customers and empathize with any frustrations they might experience with their current processes or tools.

Highlight the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD). 

This is all about understanding the core tasks your audience is trying to accomplish. By focusing on their primary goals and how your solution aids in achieving them, you can create a more compelling and relatable ad narrative.

Restate your offer for good measure…

that Starbucks gift card may sound even more enticing the second time around!

Finish strong with a clear call-to-action (CTA)... 

and voila! You've crafted a Conversation Ad that's bound to captivate. And, as Captain Picard would say, “Engage!”

“Conversation Ads are a great vehicle to engage our target audience in a personal and meaningful way. It provides the opportunity to serve up content that is of interest to them, and thus delivers a positive experience coming from the Coupa brand.

We leveraged Conversation Ads to promote a live webinar, with the option to request access to an on-demand webinar as an alternative. We love that the members have the option to engage with Coupa in a way that fits their needs.”

Erin Triman, Senior Digital Marketing Manager, Coupa

Conversation ads are an excellent tool for increasing engagement and attracting quality leads, and this makes them a perfect B2B marketing strategy. If you want to really dive in, check out this Linkedin Conversation Ads Best Practices Guide along with 6 best-in-class examples:

What's next?

Embracing LinkedIn’s Conversation Ads goes beyond merely following a trend. It's about harnessing the power of human-centric engagement, a transformative strategy pivotal for modern brands. If you're a growing cybersecurity or fintech company eager to amplify your lead generation, Beacon Digital is here to guide you. Tap into the potential of Conversation Ads with our expertise. Get in touch with us today and let's craft a strategy that drives results.

Beacon's LinkedIn Conversation Ad Examples

This ad features an incentive offer, as well as a secondary CTA. 

This ad reinforces our offer, but also communicates the core values of our services.

This ad variation recognizes the challenges that our prospective clients are facing, and again reinforces two potential offers.