LinkedIn DirectAds
As the world’s largest and fastest-growing professional network, LinkedIn is a fantastic place for businesses of all sizes to reach professionals with targeted messaging.
That’s why today we’re announcing LinkedIn DirectAds, a new online product designed for LinkedIn members who want to market their business, product, or service to other members. While large brands and companies will be best served by contacting our sales team, DirectAds lets LinkedIn members purchase audience-targeted text advertising on the site for their businesses of any size. For example, maybe you’re a tax accounting firm looking to reach young professionals, or you’re a design agency looking to find potential new clients in key industries, or maybe you’ve just written a new book on a career or business topic. You can use DirectAds to get the word out to your target customers.
Using DirectAds, members can specify the audience that will see their ads (based on seven different criteria), write targeted messaging for their products, and pay by credit card – Premium Account holders even get 50% off. The whole process takes just a few minutes. We’ve opened up the product to a large number of our members, so you can try it out for your own business at https://www.linkedin.com/directads .
Like existing ads on our site today, DirectAds advertisements are intended to be non-obtrusive messages that accompany the overall experience of LinkedIn. Note that you won’t see any additional ads with the introduction of this product and every DirectAds ad includes the advertising member’s name and profile data, so you’ll know who is trying to reach members like you.
We think that DirectAds will be a simple and valuable way for members to market their service, business, or product to the rest of the LinkedIn community. Please note that LinkedIn DirectAds is currently available to only U.S. members, but other than that feel free to try it out for yourself at https://www.linkedin.com/directads and send over any comments to feedback@linkedin.com.
trackback
http://blog.linkedin.com/2008/07/15/linkedin-direct/trackback/
Ian Gilyeat July 15th, 2008
Hmmm, I wonder what the qualifying criteria is? I tried to test the advertsing and was given an message that said DirectAds is currently reserved only for qualified users of LinkedIn based on completeness of Profile information, number of connections, etc.
I have 279 connections and my profile says its at 100%. So I wonder what’s the bar? Any hints… :)
Soeren Sprogoe July 16th, 2008
I can see that geography is limited to US only regions. Any plans on expanding this to the rest of the world?
vanguyafo July 16th, 2008
Great news that LinkedIn is launching DirectAds for small biz owners.
However, I feel that it should charged on a CPC basis rather than the minimum CPM basis. Let the highest bidder for that audience get the placement. Charging $10 cpm, plus incremental CPMs for additional targeting is just way too expensive, is not exactly something for small biz owners. There’re cheaper ways to find their targeted audience. Just my two cents.
Harish Keshwani July 16th, 2008
I got this message after I logged on to LinkedIn:
“LinkedIn DirectAds is currently unavailable to some LinkedIn members. Potential advertisers need to satisfy a number of minimal conditions related to their usage of the LinkedIn site, including (but not limited to) a minimum number of connections and completeness of profile information. These restrictions are in place to ensure that LinkedIn DirectAds are being used by members of the LinkedIn community.”
Can you please tell me how are you profiling the members? What is the criteria? I have a web site design business (that I wish to advertise), more than 800 connections, profile is 100% complete and I am a “member” of LinkedIn community as far as I know.
Dharmesh Shah July 18th, 2008
I’m getting the same “I’m not qualified” message.
I have 500+ connections, have been an active (and paying) LinkedIn user for years.
I’m hoping it’s just a bug.
Oscar Bernal August 14th, 2008
It seems very interesting for B2B, but I would like to discard, or pick, the companies from a list of the target industry.
Choose Your Own Ads « Alternative marketing thinking November 4th, 2008
[...] Choose Your Own Ads Posted November 4, 2008 Filed under: Uncategorized | LinkedIn has been getting a bit of buzz these days. After having opened up its platform for their party applications like Slideshare, LinkedIn has announced a self-service advertising that gives participants of the program the ability to choose and display the kind of ads they like. Read more on the LinkedIn blog. [...]
Zaki Usman November 23rd, 2008
I noticed that the billing address can be only US-based. I’m in Canada and I just added that my whole address in Address Line #2 and it went through. So I’m not sure if its a design feature or a bug.
The LinkedIn Blog » Blog Archive Get more Direct with your LinkedIn Ads « March 11th, 2009
[...] Chou March 11th, 2009 Since we released LinkedIn DirectAds last year thousands of LinkedIn members, from small businesses to consultants and job seekers, have [...]
LinkedIn Enhances DirectAds - News: Everything-e March 12th, 2009
[...] summer LinkedIn launched its DirectAds platform, which lets members purchase targeted text ads. Now the professional social network is talking [...]