| LinkedIn Video Ads are part of LinkedIn’s Sponsored Content offerings. They are integrated directly into the user’s feed, making them more engaging and less intrusive. Usually, these videos can be up to 30 minutes long, but the sweet spot for ad performance on LinkedIn is typically between 15 and 60 seconds. |
Since its 2003 launch as a professional networking site, LinkedIn has evolved into the premier platform for business communication and lead generation.
It offers a unique environment where professionals engage with content that drives their careers and businesses forward.
LinkedIn launched its first ads in 2005, just two years after its inception. A major milestone was reached in 2018 with the introduction of Video Ads, revolutionizing how businesses engage with their audiences on the platform.
Today, LinkedIn has over 1 billion members, many of whom hold influential positions within their organizations. Despite this massive potential, only a fraction of marketers fully leverage LinkedIn's capabilities.
This guide aims to change that by providing comprehensive insights into LinkedIn Video Ads. We will explore LinkedIn video specs, video types, guidelines to follow, and showcase some of the best examples to inspire your campaigns.
Picture Credit: Instapage
LinkedIn Video Ads are a part of LinkedIn’s Sponsored Content offerings, which allow businesses to promote updates, articles, photos, videos, or slideshows to a broader audience beyond their immediate followers.
Unlike post-roll or pre-roll ads that interrupt content, these social media video productions are integrated directly into the user’s feed, making them more engaging and less intrusive.
Picture Credit: Freepik
LinkedIn advertising videos appear directly in the LinkedIn newsfeed, making them look like regular posts from connections or followed pages. This native placement helps capture user attention without feeling disruptive.
Video ads on LinkedIn leverage dynamic, audio-visual content to convey a brand’s message more effectively than static posts. This format allows businesses to tell their stories, showcase products, and highlight key messages through engaging visuals and sound.
Just like other LinkedIn advertising formats, video ads benefit from LinkedIn’s advanced targeting capabilities. Advertisers can target specific groups of professionals based on various criteria such as industry, job title, company size, and more. This precise targeting ensures that your LinkedIn advertising videos reach the most relevant audience.
Video ads are versatile and can be used to achieve various LinkedIn video marketing objectives across the entire customer journey:
Businesses can choose between different LinkedIn video advertising campaign types to distribute their marketing content:
Picture Credit: Freepik
LinkedIn advertising videos stand out in the LinkedIn feed, making them an effective tool for brands looking to:
With LinkedIn’s robust targeting and native ad placement, video ads offer a powerful way to connect with decision-makers and influencers who have the potential to drive significant business outcomes.
Whether your goal is to boost brand awareness, drive traffic, or generate leads, LinkedIn video advertising provides a versatile and impactful solution to meet your marketing objectives.
LinkedIn offers a variety of video ad formats designed to help you engage your target audience effectively. Understanding these different types of ads on LinkedIn can help you choose the right format for your campaign goals.
Here’s a comprehensive look at the types of LinkedIn video ads and how they can be used to maximize your marketing efforts.
Picture Credit: LinkedIn
Sponsored Content Video Ads appear directly in the LinkedIn feed, providing a seamless viewing experience as users scroll through their updates. These types of ads on LinkedIn are great for increasing brand awareness, driving engagement, and generating leads.
Picture Credit: LinkedIn For Marketing
When creating a LinkedIn video marketing campaign, you can enable the LinkedIn Audience Network to extend your reach by delivering ads to members on trusted third-party apps and websites.
Video ads shown on the Audience Network can be placed as either outstream or in-stream video ad types.
Outstream video ads appear as a standalone type of video ad within the content of a webpage. They typically play for as long as the user has the video ad in frame or until the end of the ad.
These ads are native, meaning they blend seamlessly with the webpage content, ensuring a non-disruptive user experience.
Best Practices for Oustream Video Ads:
In-stream video ads play within a long-form video on a publisher’s webpage. These ads can appear at the beginning (pre-roll), middle (mid-roll), or end (post-roll) of the video.
They generally have higher completion rates as they are part of a video the user has chosen to watch.
Best Practices for In-stream Video Ads:
LinkedIn offers robust brand safety features, including allowlists, blocklists, and category blocking, ensuring your ads appear in a safe and relevant environment.
The Campaign Manager provides detailed reporting, breaking down performance across different placements, helping you optimize your strategy for maximum impact.
By leveraging both outstream and in-stream video ads, you can extend your campaign’s reach, enhance brand visibility, and drive better ROI through optimized placements.
Picture Credit: Freepik
Creating effective LinkedIn video ads requires adhering to specific guidelines and specifications to ensure optimal performance and reach.
LinkedIn provides detailed specifications for video ads to help you deliver high-quality content that resonates with your target audience.
Here are the crucial LinkedIn sponsored ad specs and guidelines you need to know:
By adhering to these LinkedIn video specs and guidelines, you can create LinkedIn video ads that are not only visually appealing but also highly effective in reaching and engaging your target audience.
Running a little low on inspiration?
Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered!
Here we’ve compiled a list of some of the best LinkedIn video ads out there. These LinkedIn video ad examples are perfect illustrations of engaging social media content to inspire your next campaign.
Picture Credit: Microsoft
Watch the video here.
Estimated Pricing: $20,000 to $25,000
How do you make people aware of a product that’s a breakthrough — a major advancement in quantum computing?
Technological advancements definitely attract attention, but they won’t hold it for long if people don’t understand what the product does, what problem it solves, or how it will help them.
Microsoft understood this pain point perfectly — and that’s why they created a 3D animation video to introduce Majorana 1.
The video begins with a high-quality 3D product display of Majorana and uses sleek zoom-ins to highlight the physicality of the world’s first topological core-powered quantum processing unit (QPU). It then incorporates infographic animations and text to explain how this unit is designed to scale to a million qubits on a single chip.
At one point, the video shows an egg-yolk-like structure dividing into two similar forms, which then transform into qubits. This visualization — showing millions of qubits forming — demonstrates how this technological breakthrough adopts a new approach that goes beyond the limitations of current models.
Next, the qubits combine and form structures resembling molecules, sheets, and coral-like formations — beautifully illustrating how these fundamental units work together to solve previously unsolvable challenges: from creating new medicines to inventing entirely new materials and helping the natural world.
The final scene — where all the qubits arrange to form Majorana 1 as the voiceover states "All on a single chip — the Majorana 1" — powerfully emphasizes how this chip brings world-changing potential into one place.
Beyond the sleek and modern visuals, the voiceover and text are the real stars of this video. The calm and clear manner in which the voiceover explains such a complex offering makes it remarkably easy to digest.
To top it all off, the kinetic typography animations are perfectly synced with the voiceover, ensuring the viewer can follow along with everything being discussed on screen.
Picture Credit: Google DeepMind
Watch the video here.
Estimated Pricing: $3,000 to $5,000
The best way to create buzz around a new release is to show a bit and tease a bit — that’s how you get people excited to try a new product or feature that’s about to roll out. Google nailed this approach with a 2.5D animation video to introduce Gemini 2.5, an experimental version of 2.5 Pro.
The video isn’t graphics-heavy but relies heavily on kinetic typography animations to highlight what this version will unlock, what’s new, and what you should be looking forward to.
Starting off with cool, groovy music, the video presents Gemini 2.5 as Google’s most intelligent model yet, built to help tackle more complex problems. A flowchart-style infographic reinforces the idea of handling complexity. Using suitable icons, the video also demonstrates how this version supports coding, math and science, and multimodal reasoning.
Toward the end, the video includes an important CTA — where to find the version. It’s small details like this that drive conversions, so take notes and make sure to add such elements to your videos too. They’ll help ensure your social media video marketing campaigns are a success.
Now, while graphics aren’t the focal point here, the video’s use of contrast to emphasize key points and reinforce branding is impeccable. The classic Google brand colors — blue and white text against a black background — really stand out. And the background music? It’s another factor that keeps the video entertaining and full of energy.
Picture Credit: Slack
Watch the video here.
Estimated Pricing: $3,000 to $4,000
Ask relevant questions, and you'll attract the right audience. That’s exactly what Slack did with this video—it addressed a common problem teams across the world face. It asks, “Are you still creating documents from scratch and managing projects manually?”
It then says that even if you are, you don’t need to anymore—there’s a better way that saves both time and money, and that’s Slack Templates.
This mixed media animation video then takes you on a journey through the features and functionality of this offering. The screencast really helps you understand where to start, how you can centralize data, monitor milestones, automate tasks with workflows, use AI, and pull in data from connected apps.
Zoom-ins on the screencast, button highlights, and the calm voiceover make sure your attention stays focused on the feature being discussed. The way the video blends screencast animations with 3D animation elements (like the mascot running around the screen) to showcase Slack Templates is truly impressive.
Picture Credit: Intuit Mailchimp
Watch the video here.
Estimated Pricing: $5,000 to $ $8,000
Pop-up forms are a well-known tool for lead generation, so it becomes hard to excite audiences with something they’re already familiar with. Mailchimp understood that, and that’s why, when it decided to launch pop-up forms, it introduced them with an exciting video that had a fresh and vibrant vibe.
This mixed media animation starts with a close-up live-action shot of a man blowing a gum bubble—which suddenly pops. What a clever cue to start talking about pop-up forms!
Then, from the setup of his office, the camera zooms in and you’re suddenly transported into a 2D animation world. It’s here that you discover what makes these pop-up forms different—like the variety of 80 templates that can help you show off your brand, how they can be personalized in a no-code environment, how they allow you to show different pop-ups to different audiences, and how they help you better understand your audience as you gather more responses. And finally, how all of this can help you create more personalized marketing for your prospects.
Then comes the final zoom-out, the smug look on the man's face as he enjoys the cookie, and the voiceover that excitedly says, “All that from just pop-ups!”—it all goes to show that Mailchimp’s pop-ups aren’t just pop-ups. They make lead generation a breeze with everything they offer.
On the visual front, the scenes—like the one where you see the stacked-up templates in a pseudo-3D manner displaying the variety you'll get, or when the visuals actually show you how you can personalize your pop-ups, and with each click or change, the visual color, text, and font on your screen change too, or when the video is talking about showing different pop-ups to specific customers and you see a template customization interface where this is being carried out—add small, strong details. Including such elements in a video that wraps in under 30 seconds is purely creative magic.
Overall, this LinkedIn ads sample was undoubtedly one of the best video ads on LinkedIn. Its concise nature, perfect use of captions, seamless blend of 2D animation with live action, fast-paced transitions, step-by-step visuals, enthusiastic voiceover and music—and yes, those small but impactful pseudo-3D elements—all came together beautifully to deliver the brand's offering powerfully.
Picture Credit: Canva
Watch the video here.
Estimated Pricing: $3,000 to $5,000
Sometimes prospects are fixated on the products; it's the product plans that actually confuse them and hinder their customer journey. Canva solved this problem for their prospects using this mixed media animation video. Here, it discusses which plan of theirs is best for you—whether you are starting solo, working in a squad, or need company-wide design solutions.
Starting with the blurry live-action footage of an office setting, a focused picture of a monitor with Canva's classic brand-color blue screen and white text promising “design anything for your business” grabs your attention. Throughout the video, it's this monitor and the kinetic typography text animations going all around it that grab your attention and suggest the type of Canva plan you should go with.
With each plan suggestion, a feature comes alive on screen. For instance, when Canva Pro is suggested on screen, just after it, the video suggests that with it, you can explore premium templates, and you see 2.5D animations of templates filling the screen. The same display happens when the video is talking about how you can unlock the AI-powered tools with Magic Studio.
While talking about utilizing Brand Kit, collaborating live, and controlling your brand, the video also shows certain screencast animations to show you exactly how you do that. Apart from the graphics, the fun music and heavy usage of text tie the whole video together.
All in all, it’s a crisp social media marketing video from Canva that promotes the brand, its offerings, and also clears a major doubt prospects might have before signing up for the brand.
Picture Credit: Grammarly
Watch the video here.
Estimated Pricing: $4,000 to $6,000
AI is meant to make things easy, work fluidly. It shouldn't be the one that turns out to be the hard part of the process, right? Grammarly and Coda second that, and they, in fact, have a better solution for this. In a mixed media video, their collaboration makes this possible.
The video shows the screencast animation of different work interfaces—from meetings, docs, spreadsheets, and other work apps—in different, separate columns. With the collaboration of Coda and Grammarly, the walls break, and you have all these things in one place. You have an AI that works for you everywhere you work and helps you get way more done.
Showcasing the last powerful scene of striking through the word ‘Well’ and emphasizing the word ‘Best’ shows how, using Grammarly and Coda, your teams can not only do well but perform best.
The video has a lot of visual elements to talk about. You see a glimpse of 3D animations at the start when the logos of different work apps keep falling, then the use of screencast animations of the usage of different apps, the use of live-action footage in minor places, the 2.5D animation to create the depth of 3D in scenes like the one where the wall breaks and all the work apps are in one place, or the infographic animations used sparingly here and there.
And yes, how can the text animations not get a mention—they are the driving force of the video. They, along with the fast-paced narration and transitions, keep the viewer hooked on screen while also making sure the offering about the product is clear to the viewer.
These LinkedIn video ad examples stand out with their sharp beat sync, smooth transitions, engaging animations, clear messages, and the smart use of brand colors.
They collectively demonstrate how to create effective video ads that resonate with the target audience and drive engagement.
Grab our ebook to see how animation fuels B2B social media strategy.
Picture Credit: Freepik
Creating effective LinkedIn video ads requires more effort than just getting the LinkedIn Sponsored Post specs right. You need strategic planning and attention to detail.
To maximize your return on investment and ensure your ads resonate with your audience, follow these LinkedIn video best practices:
Start by clearly defining what you want to achieve with your LinkedIn video ads.
Your objective will guide every aspect of your ad, from the content and tone to the call-to-action (CTA). Common objectives include:
Tailor your video content to align with your specific marketing goals:
Storytelling is a powerful way to connect with your audience on an emotional level. Create content that tells a compelling story and humanizes your brand. This can include:
Since LinkedIn videos autoplay without sound, it’s crucial to include captions to ensure your message is accessible. Captions not only cater to viewers watching without sound but also make your video more inclusive for those with hearing impairments.
A significant portion of LinkedIn users access the platform on their mobile devices. Optimize your videos for mobile by using vertical or square aspect ratios and ensuring that all text and visuals are easily viewable on smaller screens.
The first few seconds of your video are critical for capturing attention. Begin with a unique and engaging hook that encourages viewers to continue watching. This could be a bold statement, an intriguing question, or a visually striking image.
Clearly communicate what sets your brand apart from competitors. Highlight your unique selling points through visuals and messaging that align with your brand’s values and personality.
Every effective video ad should end with a clear and compelling CTA. Encourage viewers to take the next step, whether it’s visiting your website, downloading a resource, or contacting you for more information. Examples include "Learn More," "Download Now," and "Contact Us."
Test different versions of your video ads to see which performs best. Experiment with various elements, such as content type, video length, audio and subtitles, description copy, and CTAs. Analyze the results to refine your strategy and maximize engagement.
Track and analyze the performance of your video ads using metrics aligned with your objectives:
By following these LinkedIn video ads best practices, you'll be able to create LinkedIn video ads that not only capture attention but also drive meaningful engagement and results for your business.
The length of your LinkedIn video ads plays a crucial role in their effectiveness and the engagement they generate. While the ideal length can vary based on your campaign goals, audience, and content type, there are some best practices and guidelines you can follow to maximize the impact of your video ads on LinkedIn.
Every brand’s audience is different, so it’s crucial to test various video lengths to see what works best for your specific goals. A/B testing is an excellent strategy to determine the optimal video length for your LinkedIn ads.
Here are some approaches to get you started:
Picture Credit: Freepik
Creating an effective LinkedIn video ad involves a strategic approach that ensures your content not only reaches but also resonates with your target audience. Here's a comprehensive guide to help you craft a successful LinkedIn video ad campaign:
Before you start creating your video, clearly identify your campaign objective.
This will shape the content and determine how you measure success.
Common objectives include:
The heart of a successful video ad campaign is its content. Align your video content with your campaign objective for maximum impact.
Here are the key content types for each objective:
To capture and maintain your audience’s attention, follow these best practices:
With a significant number of users accessing LinkedIn on their mobile devices, ensure your video is optimized for mobile viewing:
After your video ad is live, analyze its performance based on your campaign objective. Key metrics to monitor include:
Finally, continuously optimize your video ad campaigns. Analyze performance data to identify what works and what doesn’t. Make necessary adjustments to improve future campaigns.
By following these steps, you can create a compelling LinkedIn video ad that not only captures attention but also drives meaningful engagement and results for your business. But before you start the video production process, check out this blog on LinkedIn video statistics. Learning the statistics will help you create a foolproof video marketing strategy for LinkedIn.
Yes, they perform better—and for good reasons!
Firstly, video is an incredibly engaging medium that can capture attention more effectively than static ad formats.
Secondly, LinkedIn is a professional network, so users are more likely to be receptive to video content, especially commercial ads that are relevant to their industry or interests.
Finally, when it comes to ad targeting options, LinkedIn has some aces up its sleeve to ensure precise targeting & delivery.
Video ads offer a powerful way to reach potential customers on LinkedIn. By creating compelling video content and targeting your audience carefully, you can maximize your chances of success on this important platform.
If you're looking for a way to make your LinkedIn ads more effective, get more leads, and drive website traffic, you might want to consider using animation. Animated video ads can be highly engaging and can help capture attention in a busy feed. They can also be used to tell a story or convey complex information in a concise, easy-to-understand way.
We have an in-depth blog covering how you can improve social media marketing with animation—do check it out to better understand why animated video ads on LinkedIn work.
As per LinkedIn, the video length on LinkedIn can be anywhere between 3 seconds to 30 minutes. However, they recommend keeping the video length around 15 to 30 seconds. The reason behind this recommendation is that such videos can qualify for all possible placements across the LinkedIn Feed and the Audience Network, even in-stream.
But as a brand, you know your audience and video content better than anyone else. If the video needs to be shorter or longer than this recommended length, so be it—as long as you get your message across and engage the target audience.
By now, it's clear that incorporating video into your B2B advertising strategy on LinkedIn is not just an option—it's a necessity. As members increasingly consume video content, leveraging LinkedIn Video Ads can significantly enhance your marketing efforts and drive substantial business results.
Using a multi-format approach provides valuable data and insights into what resonates most with your audience. It's crucial to keep experimenting and refining your strategy. Emerging formats like square and vertical videos are proving to be particularly effective, especially on mobile devices.
Remember, the key to successful video advertising lies in continuous testing and optimization. Monitor your campaign performance, gather insights, and adjust your content accordingly. By staying agile and responsive to what works best, you can maximize the impact of your LinkedIn Video Ads.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to elevate your LinkedIn advertising strategy. Start incorporating video ads today and watch your business grow!
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