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      What is our Process for Developing and Launching LinkedIn Ads?

      Below is the process and timeline Idea Grove follows for developing and launching a LinkedIn ad campaign.

      When developing a LinkedIn ad campaign, 2-4 weeks should be allocated before developing audiences and fine-tuning strategy prior to launch. We recommend a minimum budget of $2000 per campaign, with a minimum ad duration of 7 days.

      Initial strategy-setting questions

      1. Are there any specific keywords or phrases that you would like to see worked into the copy? Please note that character count limitations may apply depending on the ad type.

      2.  Do you have any specific imagery or ideas that you would like us to search for when putting together your copy imagery?

      3.  What is the ultimate goal of the ad?

      4.  Would you like the ads to be customized to each specific audience that you’re targeting or would you prefer broader messaging that can be applied to all audiences (if applicable)?

      5. Is there a specific type of industry or job title that you would like to go after?

      6. What is the link that the ad should direct the viewer to?

      7. Is there a thank you page that can be utilized for conversion purposes? If so, please include.

      Step 1: Confirm content to feature in paid ads

      • Confirm topic(s): How many topics would you like to highlight on social? Include specifics about each.
      •  Confirm assets: Will assets need to be created? If yes, will we need to use Shutterstock, create from scratch or a combination? 
        • Note: Ads typically need multiple creative options for A/B testing and to avoid ad fatigue.
      • Confirm copy: IG recommends between 4-8 variations of copy to allow for optimization.
      • Confirm budget & timeline: IG recommends a budget no less than $500 and a duration of no less than 7-days. Month-long campaigns are typically recommended as it gives the ads more time to optimize and provides more learnings. It also allows for more opportunities for ads to be served.
      • Confirm intent & objective: Do you wish to drive web traffic, increase brand awareness, etc.? What are you trying to achieve? It’s important to keep in mind that social ads are a slow-burn process and should begin at the top of the marketing funnel. Warm leads should be used for conversion-type actions.
      • Confirm targeting: this can cover:
        • Interests/industries
        • Job titles (LinkedIn only)
      • Confirm individual names via a list: We'll need a minimum of 300 matches in order for LinkedIn to create an audience. This step takes at least 48 hours for LinkedIn to build.
        • LinkedIn needs to be able to match at least a full name and email. Other match possibilities include job title and employer name.
        • If edits are made to a list, it must be reuploaded and the minimum 48 hour window restarts again.
      • Confirm company names via a list: We'll need a minimum of 300 matches in order for LinkedIn to create an audience. This step takes at least 48 hours for LinkedIn to build.
      • Must match at least two of the following: company name, company website, LinkedIn site link.
        • Highly recommended: Also include job titles, seniority levels, etc. to narrow down the focus of a company name list. Otherwise, you may be serving the ad to non-applicable people.
          • Confirm ad duration: Idea Grove recommends a minimum of 7 days for events like webinars. The more time, the better. Ideally, a campaign will run for at least 30-days.
        Step 2: Create audiences
            • Creating audiences from scratch or having to heavily clean a list can take more hours depending on the ask, but the efforts are worth it if targeting is specific.
            • Creating audiences from pre-existing settings is faster, but there are limitations as to what can and can’t be targeted - be prepared for additional questions to follow in order to ensure streamlined targeting. 
          Step 3: Program Ads & Campaigns
          • A single ad set typically has 4-8 ads within it, which allows for A/B testing and optimization, but the process can be repetitive and time consuming. IG recommends running at least 2-4 ad sets, depending on the topic and available testing variables.
          • Ads consist of a top header/description, a bold headline (under the image), a link and a CTA button (download, learn more, etc.).
          • The ad duration, type of campaign, type of ad, and budget must all be finalized at this stage.
          Step 4: Coordinate ad approvals
            • IG will send ads over for final approval before shifting them from draft to active mode.
            Step 5: Ad review, optimization and reporting
                • IG will allow ads to run for a few days in order to optimize and gain traction.
                • After this period has passed, IG will evaluate if any ads are performing below standard benchmarks and determine if specific ads should be paused or if adjustments need to be made.
                • Pausing lower performing ads allows the budget to be maximized towards top performers.
                  • After ads are running for a week, IG begins weekly to bi-weekly reporting on campaign performance.
                  • After the campaign concludes, IG provides a final report on campaign performance, along with future recommendations.