LinkedIn has recently introduced a new feature called “Sponsored Articles,” providing marketers with a powerful tool to enhance brand awareness, increase engagement, and drive lead generation. This innovative approach allows users to read sponsored content directly within the LinkedIn platform, potentially leading to higher engagement rates.
How Sponsored Articles Work
- Promotion of Company Articles: When a company publishes an article on LinkedIn, administrators now have the option to promote it. This promotion can include a Call-To-Action (CTA) button like “Unlock Article,” encouraging users to sign up to access the complete content.
- Eligibility and Accessibility: Currently, only articles authored by companies are eligible for sponsorship. However, LinkedIn is actively working on developing more functionalities related to this feature.
- Rollout Status: This feature has already been rolled out to most business accounts, although some brands might not have access to it yet.
Benefits Highlighted by LinkedIn
- Utilization of Existing Content: Companies can use content already on their LinkedIn pages, making sponsored posts more viral than externally hosted blog articles.
- Direct Engagement: Allows for all comments from logged-in members on the article directly, providing a better user experience.
- Lead Generation: Companies can drive leads without redirecting users off LinkedIn to view the article, enhancing the user experience and potential for lead conversion.
Creating a Sponsored LinkedIn Article: Step-by-Step
- Set Up a Campaign: Start by creating a campaign in the Campaign Manager, selecting your objective (brand awareness, engagement, or lead generation), and defining your target audience.
- Browse and Select Content: Access your Content Library, filter by “Company Page,” and choose the article you wish to promote.
- Customize Ad Creative: Adjust the ad format, headline, and description in the “Ad creative” tab to attract your target audience.
- Lead Gen Form Association (Optional): For lead generation campaigns, link the article with a lead generation form to collect interested readers’ contact information.
- Preview and Launch: Review and preview your ad settings, then launch your campaign to promote your article on LinkedIn.
Advantages for Marketers
- Enhanced Reach and Engagement: Sponsored articles can reach a broader audience beyond organic reach, fostering deeper engagement.
- Targeted Marketing: Ensures that the content reaches the right audience, making the connections more meaningful.
- Efficient Lead Generation: Directly captures customer data, aiding in lead nurturing.
- Measurable Outcomes: LinkedIn provides detailed analytics to track the performance of sponsored articles, helping to optimize campaigns for maximum effectiveness.
In summary, LinkedIn’s Sponsored Articles represent a significant advancement for digital marketing on the platform, offering businesses a more integrated and effective way to promote content, engage with their audience, and generate leads.
