Whether you’re trying to determine what is most likely to bring in the most return on investment or you’re compiling a plan for the future, picking between LinkedIn ads VS Facebook ads can feel a little daunting.
After all, the crowds on Facebook and LinkedIn are both shifting, and while LinkedIn continues to have a primarily B2B audience, the type of people and services on the platform is expanding.
So what about LinkedIn ads VS Facebook ads? What works better for YOUR business and if you do both, which is the better one to start with? It’s high time we dive in and find out, but first: a quick platform run-down.
SUMMARY
- LinkedIn VS Facebook Ads: A Platform Overview
- LinkedIn Ads VS Facebook Ads: The Case for Facebook
- Facebook VS LinkedIn Ads: The Case for LinkedIn
- Ad Types By Platform: LinkedIn VS Facebook
- #1 Facebook Ads
- Video Ads
- Photo Ads
- Slideshow Ads
- Carousel Ads
- Instant Experience Ads
- Lead Form Ads
- Event Ads
- Messenger Ads
- Stories Ads
- #2 LinkedIn Ads
- LinkedIn Ads VS Facebook Ads: What About Targeting?
- LinkedIn Advertising VS Facebook Advertising: Cost
- LinkedIn Ads Cost Breakdown: The price for click on average is around $5-$6
- Facebook Ads Cost Breakdown: The price for click on average is around 50¢-$2
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Cheapest Way to Advertise?
- Is Facebook Good for B2B Marketing?
- How Much Do LinkedIn Ads Cost?
- Are Facebook Ads Safe?
- The Final Word
1) FACEBOOK ADS STRATEGY 2022 | FAST & EASY AUDIENCE REACH GUIDE TO FOLLOW
2) LINKEDIN ADS: THE #1 GUIDE TO YOUR BRAND VICTORY
3) FACEBOOK INSTANT EXPERIENCE ADS: A HANDFUL GUIDE TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT
LinkedIn VS Facebook Ads: A Platform Overview
LinkedIn and Facebook can appear very similar from a general standpoint. After all, both platforms are social networking sites with similar networking capabilities, including messaging, connecting, reactions, and more.
However, there are a significant number of ways the platforms differ and are particularly useful in terms of paid advertising. Let’s take a look at a few key differences:
Size and Number of People on the Platform: this is a big one. Facebook hosts a much larger audience than that LinkedIn and a broader demographic of individuals. At the same time, LinkedIn exists to be more targeted with a smaller number of users, sticking closer to the business and formal end of the spectrum.
Facebook is for Friends, and LinkedIn is for Professionals: grandpa will definitely share fifteen photos of his dog’s new collar on Facebook, but he will utilize LinkedIn to showcase that 5k he just jogged through.
One is an Online Resume, and One is an Online Scrapbook: grandma doesn’t follow you on LinkedIn, but your boss certainly does.
LinkedIn is where businesses connect, where (a lot of) sales happen, where coworkers and employers hang and you can also find a job.
On the other hand, Facebook gives off more of a “high school and family reunion” vibe that delivers a group and community for every interest and plenty of drama to wash it down.
LinkedIn Ads VS Facebook Ads: The Case for Facebook
Facebook might win this debate immediately if the argument was based on numbers alone. After all, over 2.934 BILLION people use Facebook regularly every month while LinkedIn has around 310 million monthly active users.
Facebook also tends to deliver a higher return on investment regarding advertising on the platform. Now, this is of course very relative. Why? Because ROI is going to be heavily influenced by what you’re selling, how you’re pitching your products, and who is managing or not managing your social paid advertising campaigns.
Facebook VS LinkedIn Ads: The Case for LinkedIn
Generally speaking, LinkedIn is a much stronger B2B platform for sales and networking alike, and there are many Fortune 500 and Fortune 5000 owners, CEO, and managers on LinkedIn ready to be sold to–a perfect combination!
It’s also a place where thought leadership, a necessary component for gaining the trust of your audience, happens naturally, making it easy for businesses to start their journey to marketing success.
Ad Types By Platform: LinkedIn VS Facebook
The advertising types on each platform don’t vary significantly, but they each have their own bonuses and particularly helpful elements. Let’s take a look:
#1 Facebook Ads
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Video Ads
Video ads are meant to visually capture and engage the audience within the first few seconds and direct them to fill out a form, shop, like, follow or download an app.
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Photo Ads
These can be graphics or stock photos, (graphics tend to perform better overall) and have the same types of objectives as video ads: engagement, traffic, downloads, lead generation, conversion, and brand awareness.
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Slideshow Ads
Slideshow ads can hold a minimum of three and a maximum of ten videos and photos for the purpose of gaining attention, traffic, and conversions.
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Carousel Ads
Differing slightly from slideshow ads, carousel Facebook ads allow much more versatility, giving you the power to showcase multiple images with multiple captions–a creative way to drum up business on Facebook.
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Instant Experience Ads
These are by far the most immersive and experiential ad types on Facebook, filling the screen with your brand message and creative elements.
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Dynamic Product Ads
These are invaluable assets if you’re looking to target people who have already viewed particular products on your website and you want to remarket those products to them.
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Lead Form Ads
The ultimate in lead generation tool, a lead form ad will grant you the power to entice users and sign them up for newsletters, webinars, events, and more.
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Event Ads
One of the lesser known ad types, but a valuable asset for marketing events to your audience. If promoted correctly, your event is sure to be a success with this type of paid advertising on your side.
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Messenger Ads
This is by far the most direct and effective way to get other users involved in your offerings. Just be careful not to come across as too pushy as Messenger ads can get a bad rap for invading users’ personal space.
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Stories Ads
Immersive and effective, Stories ads have become increasingly popular. And with good reason! They fill the whole screen, get lots of views, and aren’t considered too pushy or annoying to consumers: a definite plus.
#2 LinkedIn Ads
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Sponsored Content: Native LinkedIn Ads
Sponsored content on LinkedIn, aka Native ads, serve as a powerful way to snag people’s attention without it being too “in your face” like other ad formats. These can be especially helpful for brand awareness, lead generation, website traffic, and engagement.
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Sponsored Messaging
Much like Messenger ads, sponsored messaging is a faster, more direct way to catch your audiences’ attention–right in their inbox!
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Text Ads
Looking to build strong leads with a wide demographic? Text ads are showcased in the top right-hand corner of the feed and are a great alternative to sponsored messaging if you want a more subtle approach to building rapport.
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Dynamic Ads
This ad type is a highly-personalized approach to advertising as it often reflects job titles, profile photos, and other unique elements to users while visible in the feed. These are typically best for highly-targeted campaigns made for specific clients.
LinkedIn Ads VS Facebook Ads: What About Targeting?
Targeting and retargeting on both platforms is an option, but each platform definitely has its own unique capabilities and bonuses that make it a good option depending on what and who you’re targeting.
One of the advantages to using Facebook ads over LinkedIn ads is that it allows you to use combinations of data, including gender, age, location, and interests, to match and create highly-customized ad sets that your audience can relate to and thus will be more likely to interact with.
Your campaigns on Facebook will also re-optimize themselves based on data available as the campaign continues. A MAJOR WIN if you ask us.
As far as LinkedIn targeting is concerned, account-based targeting is a major win for B2B brands, making it a must–especially for larger companies who have specific “wish-list” clients in mind.
Advertisers will have information including job titles, interests, professional experience, and more right at their fingertips.
LinkedIn Advertising VS Facebook Advertising: Cost
Cost is obviously a huge consideration for most companies. So which costs more on average, and what brings more value?
LinkedIn Ads Cost Breakdown: The price for click on average is around $5-$6
B2B LinkedIn ads are expensive, it’s true. However, when you consider just how valuable each click really is, especially if you know what you’re doing, the cost is WELL worth it.
Facebook Ads Cost Breakdown: The price for click on average is around 50¢-$2
B2B Facebook ads are one of the cheapest advertising options when it comes to advertising on social media. But this also means that targeting must be done VERY carefully to ensure you’re getting the right eyes on your ads.
Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve got the knowledge under your belt, now, but you probably still have some questions about whether you should pursue LinkedIn ads or Facebook ads. No worries! We’ll run through the most pressing questions to help give you a better idea of what might work best for your brand.
What is the Cheapest Way to Advertise?
In short: Facebook! Advertising cost on Facebook typically ranges between fifty cents to two dollars: a perfectly reasonable advertising start-up cost for even the smallest budding brands.
Is Facebook Good for B2B Marketing?
The answer is complicated, but also YES! It can be fabulous for B2B marketing if you have the right tools and creative targeting help.
How Much Do LinkedIn Ads Cost?
Put simply: LinkedIn ads cost around $5-$6 for each click, which can sound pretty pricey if you’re not considering the value in the click.
We definitely recommend working with a dedicated agency to avoid excessive monetary loss while you learn the platform, however.
Are Facebook Ads Safe?
Facebook ads are one of the “safest” ways to dabble in the world of advertising as they are one of the cheapest and easy-to-understand social media advertising platforms.
The Final Word
At the end of the day, the right advertising option for you is going to depend on who you’re targeting, what you’re selling, your budget, and what your end goal looks like. Looking for concrete answers? Sociallyin has been in the industry for over a decade as a 100% focused social media marketing agency that prides itself on speed, accuracy, and customer-centric service. We’d be glad to help you determine the best options for YOUR business and bring your ideas to life on social media. Give us a call or click today!
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