If someone says that LinkedIn’s Text Ads are totally useless, call the LinkedIn Ads police!
When you are new to the world of LinkedIn ads, you might only be seeing the limitations in those text ads snippets you find on your LinkedIn feed. Quite possible you are already questioning their existence.
But only those who have been playing with LinkedIn ads for years would tell you that Text Ads are not totally irrelevant.
They are quietly one of the cheapest, least competitive, and most underrated ad formats on the platform.
And if you’re running LinkedIn Ads with a performance mindset (not just aesthetics), you should absolutely be testing them.
Let’s break down why.
Fun Fact: Text Ads Were The First Ad Format on LinkedIn
When LinkedIn Ads launched back in 2008, Text Ads were the only ad format available.
They were simple:
- 25 characters for a headline
- 75 characters for a description
- A tiny image (50×50 back then, now 100×100)
They didn’t blend into the feed.
They clearly looked like ads.
Then in 2013, Sponsored Content arrived.
Suddenly:
- Bigger visuals
- Native-looking ads
- Higher engagement
Text Ads lost their “cool factor” and got pushed to the sidelines.
But “Less cool” doesn’t mean “less effective.”
Why Text Ads Are Still Worth Your Budget
Let’s address the elephant in the room first.
Yes, Text Ads Have Low CTRs
Compared to Sponsored Content, Text Ads:
- Only appear when your audience is using LinkedIn on desktops
- Sit on the right rail or as small banners
- Don’t appear inside the main feed
- Get much lower click-through rates
That’s expected.
And that’s exactly why they’re cheaper.
What You Do Get Though
Across accounts we’ve seen (and many advertisers report the same):
- Lower CPCs (often 3–4x cheaper than Sponsored Content)
- Lower cost per conversion
- Less bidding competition
- Massive impression volume for the same budget
In many cases:
- Sponsored Content CPCs hover around $7–$12
- Text Ads CPCs land closer to $2–$3
Same targeting. Same audience.
But a different placement and a much lower cost.
Text Ads = Low-Risk Entry Into LinkedIn Ads
If LinkedIn Ads feel “too expensive” to test, Text Ads are your safest entry point.
Why?
- Because LinkedIn Text Ads still have a $2 CPC floor
- You can start with a modest daily budget (even $20–$50/day)
- You’re paying only when someone clicks (CPC model)
This makes them ideal for:
- First-time LinkedIn advertisers
- Brands testing a new ICP
- Budget-conscious B2B teams
- Supporting campaigns alongside Sponsored Content
If your ad doesn’t get clicks?
You still get free brand impressions.
Utilizing the Power of Repetition With LinkedIn Text Ads
If you are still not convinced that the text ads’ “free brand impressions” will help your brand, you need to get familiar with how marketing psychology works. Read this heavily researched article by T&F Group to get into the depths of this topic.
The article primarily demonstrates how ad variation and repetition influence the cognitive responses of the audience, ultimately reinforcing a positive brand reputation in their minds.
And Text Ads helps you do that brand repetition- without breaking your bank.
How To Make The Most of Your Text Ads
Text Ads aren’t meant to replace your Sponsored Content ads. But to complement them.
1. Expand Reach to the Same Audience
- Run Sponsored Content to an audience
- Duplicate the exact same targeting
- Launch a parallel Text Ad campaign
What result do you achieve?
- More impressions
- Lower blended CPC
- Better overall reach efficiency
2. Target Desktop-Heavy Audiences
Text Ads Show only on desktop and don’t appear on mobile feeds.
So, if your buyers are:
- Executives
- B2B decision-makers
- Enterprise users working on desktops
Text Ads tend to perform very well with such audiences.
Campaign Objectives That Support Text Ads
Text Ads aren’t available everywhere or for all the ad-objectives.
You can only use them with three objectives:
- Brand Awareness
- Website Visits
- Website Conversions
They’re not available for:
- Engagement
- Video Views
- Lead Gen Forms
- Job Applicants
This limitation exists because Text Ads are low engagement ads. They are placement-driven, not feed-driven.
And that’s okay because their role is efficiency, not virality.
Text Ad Specs (Keep This Handy)
LinkedIn is strict here.
- Image: 100×100 pixels
- JPG or PNG
- Max 2MB
- Headline: Max 25 characters
- Description: Max 75 characters
- URL: Max 500 characters (including UTM parameters)
Writing Text Ads That Actually Get Clicks
Because your text ad is sandwiched between other text ads, clarity matters more than creativity.
What works best:
Headlines
- Call out the ICP directly
- Lead with the strongest value
- Or test a bold CTA
Examples:
- “Hiring More B2B Leads?”
- “Cut LinkedIn CPCs”
- “Struggling With Demos?”
Descriptions
- Reinforce the promise
- Keep it frictionless
- Make the click feel obvious
The Performance Gap No One Talks About
Text Ads surprise most marketers.
Even with Lower CTRs and smaller placements, they often deliver:
- Cheaper click conversions
- Better cost-per-lead
- Higher assisted conversions (view-through)
In real accounts, you see the stark cost difference:
- Sponsored Content CPCs → ~$8–$9
- Text Ads CPCs → ~$2–$3
And when conversions are tracked properly:
- Text Ads frequently outperform on cost per conversion, even if volume is lower.
They don’t replace your main campaigns.
They quietly improve your overall efficiency.
When You Should Definitely Test Text Ads
You should test LinkedIn Text Ads if:
- You’re already running Sponsored Content
- Your CPCs are creeping up
- You want cheaper impression share
- You’re targeting the same audience repeatedly
- You’re operating on a tighter budget
At Shivyaanchi, we rarely run Text Ads alone.
But when paired with Sponsored Content, they consistently lower blended costs and improve reach.
Final Thought
Text Ads won’t win design awards.
Yes, they won’t dominate the feed.
They won’t even impress your creative team.
But they will:
- Lower your LinkedIn ad costs
- Stretch your budget further
- Help you reach the same ICP- increasing your brand reputation and the recall value
Now, that’s an efficient way to do B2B advertising, isn’t it?
Because in B2B, marketing efficiency beats aesthetics every time.
Hence, Text Ads on LinkedIn aren’t useless. They’re just misunderstood.
