Google Ads vs LinkedIn Ads: Which Digital Advertising Platform to Use

ROI KINGS Showcases the Platforms for Your Targeted Marketing Efforts

In the world of digital advertising, Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads are two heavyweights that offer distinct platforms for businesses to reach their target audiences. Each platform comes with its own set of features, functions, and benefits.

The primary purpose of digital advertising, just like traditional advertising, is to connect with a target audience, promote products, services, or ideas, or convey a message, and ultimately achieve specific marketing goals and overall business success.

Both Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads are vital on the modern digital marketing playing field, with LinkedIn catering to niche audiences and B2B engagement, unlike Google Ads which offer extensive reach and versatility for diverse campaign objectives.

Google Ads vs LinkedIn Ads - Unpacking the Features, Functions and Benefits

Determining which is better for you and your business's purposes - Google Ads vs LinkedIn Ads - depends on your specific marketing goals, target audience, and budget.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer, and each platform excels in different contexts.

We will assess your unique needs and help you choose the ad platform that aligns best with your business.

Google Ads vs LinkedIn Ads - The Two Heavyweight's Main Advertising Objectives

LinkedIn Advertising

LinkedIn's Ads, due to the professional nature of the platform, make it primarily a choice for B2B - business-to-business marketing as it focuses on professional networking and a user base that includes many businesses and professionals.

LinkedIn Ads can also be used for other purposes, such as B2C - business-to-consumer marketing, recruitment, and promoting educational services - so, not solely limited to B2B marketing.

Technically, LinkedIn Ads primarily operate within the LinkedIn platform alone.

Comparing Google Ads

Perhaps more versatile in that it can be used for a wide range of advertising requirements. It provides extensive reach and a variety of ad formats, making it an adaptable and versatile choice for a broad spectrum of marketing objectives, businesses, and industries.

Google Ads span across Google's extensive search and display network, encompassing various websites, apps, and platforms, offering a broader reach.

Google Ads vs LinkedIn Ads - Factors to Consider Before Launching an Advertising Campaign

The Advertising Platforms' Quality and Relevance

Google Ads places a strong emphasis on ad quality and relevance, enabling, by way of rewards, those who create high-quality ads that resonate with an audience. The quality score system assesses ad quality based on factors like expected click-through rate, ad relevance, and the experience on landing pages.

LinkedIn Ads also values ad quality, especially in the context of a professional audience. Ads relevant to the LinkedIn user's professional interests and aspirations tend to perform better. LinkedIn offers tips for ad creation and provides a relevant score to help improve ad quality.

On both platforms, high-quality ads often result in lower costs and better ad placements.

User-Friendly Ad Platform Management and Tools

The support for setting up, tracking, and fine-tuning your ads on the two platforms entails similar but specialized platform-specific features. Both offer a user-friendly interface and a range of tools for ad management.

Google Ads offers features like ad scheduling, keyword research, A/B testing, and automated bidding strategies.

LinkedIn Ads provides an automated campaign manager facility to create and monitor campaigns, with features such as LinkedIn ads audience expansion, lead generation forms, and conversion tracking.

Targeting Possibilities - Synergy for Success

Specific Target Audience Google Ads

Google Ads target people based on keywords, location, device, demographics, and interests, and reaches a broad audience based on Google search and display network.

LinkedIn Ads Audience Reach

LinkedIn Ads are specialized specifically for the professional networking realm, allowing precise targeting based on job title, decision makers, industry, company size, and even groups - ideal for B2B marketing and career-related services.

The Specifics of Google Ads vs LinkedIn Ads - Ad Formats

Essentially, an ad format dictates how an ad appears visually and how it conveys its message. Both are categorized as a paid ad platform, offering an array of different ad types.

Some formats are provided across both platforms, such as text ads - word-only ads, image ads, native ads, and even static or interactive graphics.

Google Search Ads supports various ad formats and additionally includes display ads, video ads, shopping ads, app ads, and call-only ads. You can choose the format that best suits your campaign goals and budget.

LinkedIn Ads primarily focus on sponsored content and additionally include formats such as message ads known as sponsored InMail, conversation ads, display ads, and spotlight ads. Each ad type is designed to seamlessly integrate with the professional nature of the platform, which encourages engagement within a business context.

The Ad Platforms' Budgeting and Bidding Systems

With both platforms, ad spend and control over spending can be set, but there are some differences. A bidding system basically determines ad placement and cost.

Google Ads offers flexible budgeting options, including cost-per-click - CPC, cost-per-mille - CPM, and cost-per-acquisition - CPA basis bidding strategies.

LinkedIn Ads uses a bidding system that allows bids on a CPC or CPI basis.

Note: While LinkedIn ad spending tends to be more expensive than Google Ads due to the professional audience, it is important to weigh the higher cost against the quality of leads and the specific objectives of your digital advertising campaign. If you want to reach a highly targeted B2B audience or professionals in specific industries, the cost can be justified by the potential for more qualified leads and valuable connections.

Paid Advertising Platforms Ad Performance Tracking

Regularly checking how well your ads are doing involves the ongoing analysis and measurement of key metrics. Both Google, through Google Analytics, and LinkedIn, through LinkedIn Analytics, provide such conversion tracking and valuable insights.

The Relevant Audience - Target Audience Difference

Google Ads are suitable for businesses targeting a wide and diverse audience who are actively searching and discovering Google search results, not to mention its extensive display network advantages.

LinkedIn Ads reach a more niche, professional audience, where selective search queries are a primary method. Audience networking features, recommendations, and suggestions also play a vital role in connecting people, which is unique and highly effective for B2B marketing or specific career-related user search queries.

A note on account-based marketing, ABM - this involves personalized targeting methods to specific high-value accounts, in which both Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads can be used to reach and engage with valuable accounts in different contexts.

The Significance of Ad Placement on Advertising Platforms

Google Ads offers a wide range of ad placement locations. Examples of this are a search engine results page, Gmail, Google Play Store and mobile apps, YouTube videos, and Google partner websites and other third-party sites, within the Google Display Network and Google's advertising ecosystem.

LinkedIn Ads primarily appear within the LinkedIn platform, making them suitable for professionals engaging in business-related content. Additionally, the LinkedIn Audience Network allows advertisers to extend their LinkedIn ad campaigns to third-party websites and apps, reaching a broader audience beyond the LinkedIn platform.

Digital Advertising Campaign Goals

Effective Digital Campaigns, regardless of the platform, should yield the expected results that align with your marketing efforts and goals, and return on investment.

Google Ads are versatile and can be used for various campaign goals, including lead generation, e-commerce, brand awareness, and app promotion.

LinkedIn Ads are best suited for lead generation, B2B marketing, job recruitment, and business-related services.

Both Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads offer valuable digital advertising opportunities, each with its own unique strengths and features. The choice between them should be data-driven and depend on your specific industry, target audience, campaign objectives, and budget.

Ultimately, a successful digital marketing strategy could involve a combination of both platforms to maximize reach and effectiveness.

ROI KINGS Digital Marketing Agency

ROI KINGS, as a full-service digital marketing agency, will play a crucial role in supporting you in your business advertising efforts on platforms like Google and LinkedIn.

Google Ads vs LinkedIn Ads FAQs

Can you even compare the two advertising platforms?

Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads are distinct advertising platforms with different strengths and purposes. While both offer online advertising opportunities, they cater to different audiences and objectives.

What was Google Ads previously called?

Google AdWords was the former name of Google's online advertising platform, but it has since been rebranded as Google Ads.

Are Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads connected to social media?

Google and LinkedIn's primary business focus differs from traditional social media platforms like Facebook and other social media platforms. LinkedIn is regarded as a professional networking platform, while Google Ads primarily focuses on search and display advertising. They can, however, be used in conjunction with social media for comprehensive digital marketing strategies.

Where do website visitors fit into Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads?

Website visitors can play a significant role in both LinkedIn Ads and Google Ads, primarily in the context of remarketing or retargeting campaigns, which allows you to target users who have visited your website or interacted with your content.