LinkedIn has added another element to its Event Ads, with brands now able to promote off‑platform events.
This doesn’t sound like anything new, since brands have always been able to promote their off-platform events via LinkedIn ads. But this update will allow brands to use LinkedIn’s on-platform event ads tools for non-LinkedIn events, providing additional promotional potential.
LinkedIn said its expanded event promotions will enable marketers to promote any event type, including webinars, field events and hybrid experiences on external platforms.
As per LinkedIn: “With Off‑Platform Event Ads, [marketers] can now promote these events in members’ feeds, without requiring an Event Details Page on LinkedIn.”
This means that off-platform event promotions will now be able to use the Event Ad format, which includes event‑based CTAs, accelerated delivery and lead gen objectives.
According to LinkedIn, this will give promotions “more relevance and intent” in the app.
Off-platform event promotions will also be able to use LinkedIn’s professional audience and targeting capabilities “while still sending members directly to their own landing pages, registration forms, or livestream destinations.”
Advertisers will be able to view the number of event registrations and analytics attributed to their off-LinkedIn event ads within LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager.
This will give brands the expanded promotional and analysis potential of LinkedIn’s in-stream Event Ads for all of their event promotions.
The expanded format could provide more opportunities to use LinkedIn as a driver for non-LinkedIn events, by enabling users to engage with the event promotion directly in-stream, similar to how they would for native events.
That could prove to be a valuable drawcard, though the proof will be in the testing, and seeing what results these promotions drive for non-LinkedIn-hosted functions.
