LinkedIn Guide for Marketers: Ad Sizes and Sponsored Content Specs

Create standout ads on this professional social media platform by following these ad size guidelines.

When we think about social media marketing, LinkedIn definitely isn’t the first channel that comes to mind. However, LinkedIn ads are highly effective in B2B marketing as well as some types of B2C ads (for example, many businesses use them to find ideal candidates for job vacancies). If it’s your first time using LinkedIn Campaign Manager, make sure to check out our article on LinkedIn Marketing Solutions for a comprehensive overview of ad types and when to use them.

In this article, we’re looking at LinkedIn ad specs: what are the optimal sizes and ad format for each ad type.

Sponsored Content

This type of ad is most similar to Facebook ads. Sponsored content ads are “native ads that appear in the LinkedIn newsfeed”. LinkedIn no longer supports display ads, which were paid ads you got directly from LinkedIn

They can have the format of a single image ad, video ad or carousel ad.

When creating your sponsored content ad, make sure to include the following elements:

• Name (optional): Use up to 255 characters to name your ad.
• Intro text: Use up to 150 characters to avoid truncation (shortening) on mobile devices (note that desktop allows a max of 600 characters).
• Destination URL: URLs must have the “http://” “or https://” prefix. You may use up to 2,000 characters for the destination link.
• Headline: Use up to 70 characters to avoid truncation (200 max characters).
• Description: Use around 100 characters to avoid truncation (300 max characters). This character limit may vary for ads that appear on third-party sites served through the LinkedIn Audience Network.
• Call-to-action (optional)

Single image ad size specs

• Image size: 1000 x 1000 pixels
• Maximum size: 5MB
• Aspect ratio: 1:1
• Accepted file format: JPG or PNG (GIF images will be converted to static images)

Carousel ad size specs

• Image size: 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Aspect ratio: 1:1
• Cards: Use a minimum of two cards and a maximum of ten cards
• Max file size: 10 MB
• Max image dimension: 6012 x 6012px
• File formats: JPG, PNG, GIF (non-animated only)

Video ad size specs

• Video length: 3 seconds to 30 minutes
• File size: Between 75 KB and a max of 200 MB
• File format: MPEG4 only
• Frame rate: Less than 30 Frames per second
• Audio size: Less than 64khz
• Thumbnail (optional): JPG or PNG; maximum size 2 MB

Additionally, the video must meet height and width specifications, as well as aspect ratio specifications, which are as follows:

• Width: Between 640 and 1920 pixels
• Height: Between 360 and 1920 pixels.
• Aspect ratio: Between 1.778 and 0.5652.

Sponsored Messaging

This type of LinkedIn ad allows you to place your ad directly in the inbox of your target audience members, by sending them a sponsored direct message.

Sponsored messaging (formerly sponsored Inmail) is a great way to direct people to your Lead Gen Forms or get them to sign up for your event or webinar. There are two types of direct messaging ads, Message Ads and Conversation Ads. The former looks more like an organic message with one clear CTA, while Conversation Ads usually offer two or more options, allowing users to choose their own path of interaction and prompting further communication.

When it comes to sponsored messaging specifications, there isn’t that much to remember.

• Ad size: 300 by 250 pixels (appears as a banner ad)
• File type: JPEG, GIF (non-animated), or PNG (no flash)
• Maximum file size: 40 KB
• Body copy: Suggested 1,000 character maximum (including spaces)

Text ads

Text ads are comparable to Google ads: they show up as a small bit of text on the top of the newsfeed or on the right side in the promoted section.

Images are optional with this type of ad and come in a variety of sizes. With this type of ads it’s most important that you observe the character limit, which is as follows:

• Headline: 25 characters including spaces
• Description: 75 characters including spaces

Dynamic Ads

This is the most intricate type of LinkedIn advertising, for a very personalized approach. Naturally, the specifics of LinkedIn ad sizes are a little harder to cover.

Dynamic Ads appear on desktop only. There are 4 types of Dynamic Ads: Follow Company Ads, Spotlight Ads, Content Ads and Job Ads. The first is used to build brand awareness and send visitors to your company page. Spotlight Ads have a specific call to action (and can also be used to direct people to your landing page for example). Content Ads are used for downloading content for the purpose of lead generation. Finally, job ads are used for promoting job opportunities to your target demographic, based on their previous job experience, current roles or relevant skills.

Here are the ad specs for each type of Dynamic Ads.

Follower Ads

• Company name: 25 characters maximum including spaces
• Logo: 100 x 100 pixels minimum
• Ad description (above image): 70 character limit including spaces
• Ad headline (below image): 50 character limit including spaces
• CTA button

Spotlight Ad

• Company name: 25 characters maximum including spaces
• Logo: 100 x 100pixels minimum
• Ad description (above image): 70 character limit including spaces
• Ad headline (below image): 50 character limit including spaces
• CTA button text: maximum 18 characters including spaces
• Background image (optional): 300 x 250pixls (file size 2MB or less). This removes the user profile image and ad description.

Content Ad

• Company name: 25 characters maximum including spaces
• Company logo (optional): 100 x 100px minimum
• Company page follower count (optional): can be switched on or off
• Primary CTA: maximum 75 characters including spaces, or choose from one of three pre-created options.
• Document name: maximum 50 characters including spaces
• Downloadable document: maximum 10mb PDF
• Document preview (optional): maximum 5 preview pages with each preview page size 81 x104px
• Privacy policy terms: maximum 2,000 characters including spaces

Job Ad

• Company name: 25 characters maximum including spaces
• Company logo (optional): 100 x 100px minimum
• Ad headline: Choose from one of the suggested options or write your own custom text using up to 70 characters, including spaces.
• Call-to-action (CTA) button label: Choose from one of the pre-set CTAs or supply your own custom text. Note that for “Picture Yourself” and “Jobs Page” ads, the CTA is automated. For the “Jobs of Interest” ad, you can customize the CTA.

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We hope you feel ready to tackle your first LinkedIn advertising campaign! Since this platform is used for professional, no-frills marketing, a creative copy is usually all you need to get people interested. However, should you need assistance with enticing thumbnails (or perhaps want to revamp your landing page to impress target audiences), make sure to check out our work and see if our team of talented graphic designers can help you!