LinkedIn Ad Formats for Businesses

When it comes to reaching the people who actually make decisions, such as executives, industry experts, and B2B buyers, few platforms carry as much weight as LinkedIn. It’s where professionals go to learn, network, and evaluate solutions, which makes it a powerful space for businesses of all sizes. Whether you’re a scrappy startup trying to break into your market or an established company aiming to stay top-of-mind, advertising on LinkedIn just makes sense.

With so many LinkedIn ad formats available, choosing the right one is more than a creative preference. It’s the foundation of your campaign’s success. By the end of this guide, you’ll know exactly which ad format fits your goals and how Metricool can help you manage, track, and optimize every social campaign with ease.

Types of LinkedIn Ads Formats 

Before you build a campaign, it helps to understand the main LinkedIn ad formats and what each one does best. Every format has its strength; some boost awareness, others tell deeper stories, and some are ideal for generating leads. By familiarizing yourself with these options, you’ll be able to choose the format that aligns with your goals and your audience’s preferred engagement. Let’s break them down. 

Single Image Ads

Single-image LinkedIn ads are one of the simplest formats, using a single visual and short text to deliver a clear, focused message. They stand out in the feed, load quickly, and make your message easy to absorb, perfect when you want quick clarity without extra design work. They’re especially effective for promoting a product or feature, driving to a landing page or blog, or highlighting events and announcements.

Creative best practices for single-image ads include:

• Using clean, high-contrast visuals
• Keeping your copy tight and benefit-driven
• Including a strong, specific call to action
• Following the recommended specs:
  • Image: 1200 x 627 px
  • Aspect ratio: 1:1
  • Format: JPG or PNG
  • Max file size: 5 MB

Video Ads

Video ads are one of the most engaging LinkedIn ad formats. These ads are perfect for storytelling and bringing your message to life. They work well for testimonials, product demos, or behind-the-scenes footage that builds trust and connection with your audience. Short compelling clips can make your brand memorable and worth connecting with. 

The best creative practices for LinkedIn video ads include:

• Using subtitles so viewers can watch without sound
• Keeping key versions under 15 seconds
• Showcasing your brand or message within the first 3 seconds
• Using clear, steady visuals that look good on mobile
• Testing multiple lengths to see what resonates most
• Following the recommended specs:
  • File format: MP4, MOV, or WMV
  • Maximum file size: 200 MB
  • Frame rate: 30 fps
  • Aspect ratio: 1:1, 16:9, or 9:16   

Carousel Ads

Carousel ads let you showcase multiple images or messages in a single ad, creating an interactive, swipeable experience. They’re ideal for step-by-step storytelling, product features, or highlighting multiple offers in one post. Each card gives you another opportunity to engage and guide the user through your narrative.

Creative best practices for carousel ads include:

• Keeping 3-5 cards for optimal engagement
• Using a consistent visual style and clear progression
• Leading with your strongest image or message
• Including a CTA on each card
• Following the recommended specs:
  • Image size: 1080 x 1080 px
  • Aspect ratio: 1:1
  • File format: JPG or PNG
  • Maximum file size per image: 10 MB

Event Ads

Event ads promote webinars, conferences, or virtual/in-person gatherings directly in the LinkedIn feed. They help boost attendance by putting your event in front of a professional audience most likely to register. Clear visuals and concise messaging make these ads effective for driving sign-ups. 

Creative best practices:

• Include date, time, and value of attending
• Use high-quality images or graphics that highlight the event
• Keep copy concise with a strong call to action 
• Highlight speakers, presenters, or key participants to build credibility
• Add a sense of urgency (limited seats, early-bird offers)
• Use consistent branding so the event feels professional and recognizable

Sponsored Messaging

Sponsored messaging delivers your message directly into users’ LinkedIn inboxes. Message ads send a single, personal note with a clear call to action, while conversation ads allow branching paths that guide recipients based on their responses. These LinkedIn ad formats are perfect for highly targeted campaigns and lead nurturing. 

Creative best practices for this ad format include:

• Personalizing your message with the recipient’s name or company
• Keeping copy concise and conversational
• Using a single call to action
• Avoiding overly salesy language
• Adding interactive elements with conversation ads for engagement

Dynamic Ads

Dynamic ads automatically personalize content based on LinkedIn member data, making each user feel like the ad was created just for them. These ads include formats like follower ads, spotlight ads, and job ads. By tailoring content to the individual, dynamic ads can drive higher engagement, click-through rates, and conversions compared with more generic formats. They’re especially useful for growing your LinkedIn followers, promoting job opportunities, or spotlighting products and services in a highly targeted way. 

Lead Gen Forms

Lead generation forms let you capture user information directly on LinkedIn without sending them off-site. When someone clicks your CTA, their profile auto-fills the form, making it quick and easy to convert interest into action.

This LinkedIn ad format is ideal for gated content, demos, webinars, or newsletter sign-ups. These forms work with single-image, carousel, and sponsored messaging ads, so you can use your existing creatives without extra specs.

How to Choose the Right LinkedIn Ad Format 

Choosing the right LinkedIn ad format comes down to understanding your goals, your message, your audience, and the resources you have available. Each format has its strengths, so the more closely you match the format to what you’re trying to achieve, the better your results will be. Here is a simple way to break down the decision-making process.

• Step 1: Identify your campaign objective
  • If your objective is awareness, choose single-image ads.
  • If you are trying to achieve consideration, use video, carousel, or sponsored messaging ads.
  • If your goal is to drive conversations, use lead-generation forms or dynamic ads.
• Step 2: Consider the complexity of your message
  • For simple ideas, image or text ads will work.
  • For multi-layer stories, use carousels or video ads.
  • If you have a personalized pitch, sponsored messaging, or dynamic ads are ideal.
• Step 3: Match the format to audience behavior
  • If your audience is in research mode, carousel ads or video ads help provide more depth.
  • If users are ready to download content or sign up, lead gen forms offer a frictionless experience.
  • If your audience is casually browsing, single images or text ads work well for quick engagement. 
• Step 4: Think about your creative resources
  • If you have limited time or design support, single-image ads are easier to produce.
  • If you have access to a designer or video editor, carousel ads or video ads allow for richer storytelling.
• Step 5: Test, measure, and adjust
  • It’s important to run A/B tests on visuals, copy, and formats to see what resonates.
  • Comparing performance over time helps you refine your strategy.
  • Letting data guide your decisions ensures long-term success.

Pro tips for Maximizing Your LinkedIn Ad Performance

Getting your LinkedIn ad formats right is only half the job. How you execute them is what really drives results. Even strong campaigns can underperform if the creative, targeting, or messaging isn’t tuned for how people actually use LinkedIn. That’s why a few small adjustments can make a big difference. Simple improvements in clarity, visuals, and audience targeting can quickly boost engagement and help your budget work harder. 

Pro tips for better LinkedIn ad performance include:

• Keeping your copy tight and human
• Prioritizing mobile-friendly visuals
• Refreshing creative every 4-6 weeks 
• Using clear, benefit-driven CTAs
• Leveraging retargeting audiences
• Pairing lead gen forms with high-value offers
• Always thinking in terms of “Would I click on this ad?”

Master Your LinkedIn Ads With Metricool

Metricool makes managing your LinkedIn ads simple and efficient. You can track all your social campaigns in one dashboard, schedule organic and paid content, and see in real time what’s working. A/B testing and Metricool’s unified reports make it easy to optimize performance.

Are you ready to simplify your LinkedIn Advertising? Register for your Metricool account today and start planning, measuring, and improving your campaigns with ease.