InMail ads allow you to pay to directly contact LinkedIn members that are not already connected to you. They are a form of sponsored content on LinkedIn’s platform that enables you to reach your target audience in their LinkedIn inbox. With over 722 million members on LinkedIn, InMail ads provide a unique opportunity to connect with professionals and decision makers that you may not be able to reach otherwise.
How do InMail ads work?
InMail ads appear in the LinkedIn inbox of your target audience as personal messages. When a recipient opens the message, they will see your name, job title, company, and personalized note. This makes InMail ads feel more like a one-to-one communication compared to other forms of advertising on LinkedIn. You can use InMail ads to introduce yourself, share an article, invite someone to connect, or send any other professional messages. The goal is to spark engagement that can lead to fruitful business relationships.
To create an InMail ad campaign, you will need to choose your objective, target audience, budget, and schedule. You can target recipients by location, industry, job title, company, skills, interests, and more. Your budget will determine how many InMail messages you can send. LinkedIn recommends an average cost per InMail between $50-$100. You also set the duration of your campaign, such as running for 1 week or 1 month. LinkedIn will then deliver your messages on your behalf to your targeted recipients’ inboxes within the timeframe you select.
InMail Ad Objectives
The main objectives for InMail ad campaigns include:
- Generating leads
- Increasing brand awareness
- Establishing partnerships
- Event promotion
- Recruitment
You can tailor your InMail creative and targeting to align with your specific goals. For example, a recruitment-focused InMail would highlight open job opportunities at your company for the targeted audience. An event promotion InMail would provide details about an upcoming event and encourage recipients to register or attend.
InMail Ad Targeting Options
InMail ads allow for precise targeting so you can reach your ideal audience. Some of the main targeting options include:
Job Title
Target recipients by their job title, such as Marketing Manager, Software Engineer, HR Director, etc. This ensures your message reaches decision makers and influencers within your industry.
Company
Target employees at specific companies you want to reach. This is useful for promoting business partnerships, recruitment, events, and more.
Location
Geo-target your InMail ads by country, state/province, city, or other locations. This allows you to localize your messages and campaigns.
Industry
Select which industries you want to target, like technology, finance, healthcare, and others. This enables you to connect with professionals within your field.
Interests
Further refine your audience by targeting LinkedIn members based on their listed interests and groups. This helps engage professionals who are passionate about relevant topics.
Skills
Target InMail ads by skills listed on members’ LinkedIn profiles. This is useful for recruiting by targeting candidates with in-demand abilities.
Seniority
Segment your audience by seniority levels like director, manager, VP, C-level, and more. Senior roles often have decision-making authority.
InMail Ad Creative Best Practices
Making your InMail ad content compelling and professional is key to driving engagement. Here are some best practices for InMail creative:
- Personalize the subject line with the recipient’s name.
- Be transparent that you are sending an InMail ad in the first line.
- Keep language conversational but also professional.
- Focus on how you can add value for the recipient.
- Highlight relevant shared connections if possible.
- Include a clear call-to-action.
- Use dynamic text and image ads for more impact.
- Limit hard selling – focus on relationship building.
- Follow up with new connections after the InMail.
Testing different creative styles and offers will allow you to refine your approach over time. The goal is to provide value and start meaningful conversations through your InMail ads.
Benefits of InMail Ads
Here are some of the key benefits that make InMail ads worthwhile for many marketers and recruiters:
Direct Access to the Inbox
InMail ads enable you to directly contact LinkedIn members in their personal inbox. This level of access provides more exposure than just messaging connections or posting content.
Precise Targeting
The extensive targeting options allow you to micro-target just the right people for your campaigns and objectives.
High Deliverability Rates
InMail boasts up to 90% inbox placement rates, giving your messages a strong chance of being opened and read.
Personalized Delivery
InMail ads feel more like one-to-one communication compared to other ads. You can customize your message to each recipient.
Boosts Brand Visibility
InMail ads get your brand and messaging viewed by more of your ideal connections.
Drives Leads & Connections
The direct access provides a channel for generating new business leads, talent prospects, and partnerships.
InMail Ad Costs
InMail ads are purchased through a pay-per-send pricing model. You will pay a cost each time an InMail is sent on your behalf. Here are some estimates on InMail ad costs:
- Average cost per InMail: $50 – $100
- Minimum campaign budget: $5,000
- Cost per InMail click: $2 – $3
Prices can vary based on factors like your target audience, industry, and campaign duration. Volume discounts may be available for larger campaigns. Most advertisers find the cost per lead or conversion from InMail ads justifies the investment for the right objectives.
InMail Ad Limitations
While InMail ads provide unique targeting and messaging capabilities, there are some limitations to consider as well:
- High minimum budget makes it difficult for smaller brands.
- Recipients can report InMails as spam which can hurt deliverability.
- Many recipients do not like receiving unsolicited messages.
- Open and response rates are typically low compared to email.
- Frequency capping limits number of messages per profile.
- Dark mode compatibility needs improvement.
Success relies heavily on compelling and personalized creative along with careful audience targeting. While not a silver bullet, InMail ads can be an impactful way to engage LinkedIn users when executed strategically.
Conclusion
InMail ads enable advertisers to directly contact LinkedIn members by sending personalized messages to their inbox. They provide an avenue to reach decision makers, generate leads, recruit talent, and build partnerships. While InMail ads can be expensive, the unique access and targeting makes them worthwhile for many B2B marketers and recruiters. Just be sure to carefully target your audience, set clear campaign objectives, create compelling content, and track performance to maximize your investment.