Text Ads & Spotlight Ads: The 'Cheap' Brand Awareness

Look at the right side of your LinkedIn Desktop feed. See those tiny little ads? "Text Ads" and "Spotlight Ads." Nobody clicks them. CTR is abysmal (0.02%). So why do smart marketers run them? Because they are free billboards.

The Economics of Right-Rail

LinkedIn prices these ads very cheaply because demand is low.

• CPM: $5 - $10 (vs $80 for Newsfeed).
• CPC: $3 - $5 (if anyone actually clicks). Since nobody clicks, you can get thousands of impressions for pennies.

The Strategy: Subconscious Branding

This is not a "Lead Gen" play. This is a "Halo Effect" play. If a user sees your logo in the sidebar 50 times a month, they become familiar with you. When they eventually see your expensive Sponsored Content in the feed, they stop and look. "Oh, I know these guys." Targeting: Run these ads to the exact same audience as your main campaign. It acts as a frequency booster.

Spotlight Ads: The "Personalized" Touch

Spotlight Ads are dynamic. They pull the user's profile photo into the ad. Headline: "Kiril, ready for a new CRM?" Visual: [Kiril's Photo] + [Your Logo] It catches the eye because we are biologically programmed to notice our own face. Use Case: Recruiting ("Join our team, Kiril") or Education ("Master LinkedIn Ads, Kiril").

How to Set it Up

1. Campaign Objective: Website Visits (Don't use Awareness, or you'll pay for impressions. Use Visits so you only pay for clicks).
2. Bid Strategy: Manual Bid (Face value).
3. Creative: Simple Logo + Short Headline (25 characters).

Summary

Text Ads are the "garnish" on the plate. They are not the main course. But for 5% of your budget, they make the main course look a lot more expensive. Turn them on. Set a low bid. Let them run forever.