At LinkedIn, we’re always exploring new ways to help our members foster meaningful connections and create opportunities. As we continue to develop our messaging experience, we’re also thinking about the products and features that help our customers reach their audiences. As a result, we’re releasing a new and improved conversation ad format to help advertisers drive higher intent conversations with members in the Focused tab.
Important to know
• We’re gradually releasing a new and improved version of the conversation ad format, and you might not have access to it at this time.
• Conversation ad campaigns cannot target members based in the European Union (EU). If a campaign includes both EU and non-EU targeting, the campaign will continue to deliver to non-EU audiences.
• Conversation ad campaigns cannot target members based in the European Union (EU). If a campaign includes both EU and non-EU targeting, the campaign will continue to deliver to non-EU audiences.
Differences in delivery experience
As new and improved conversation ads are gradually released, campaign delivery is divided into two experiences:
- Legacy - members who have not yet ramped into the new experience and are still receiving legacy conversation ads.
- New - members who have ramped into the new experience and are receiving new and improved conversation ads.
The following table provides more in-depth information about the differences between the legacy and new experience.
| Area | Legacy experience | New experience |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery | The ad delivers to anyone in the target audience when they're online. | The ad delivers when a member clicks on the ad, allowing members to decide which messages they receive and interact with. |
| Placement | The ad might be placed at the top of the Focused or Other tab. | The ad appears in the Focused tab. Once the ad is interacted with, it’ll stay in the member's inbox for future access. Once opened, an ad is available in either the Focused or Other tab based on if any call-to-action (CTA) buttons are clicked. If a member: • Opens the ad and clicks a CTA button, the ad will stay in the Focused tab. |
| Notifications | Members receive notifications for unread ads. | Members don’t receive notifications for unread ads. Members can choose the conversations they want to engage with by clicking on an ad in their inbox. |
Differences in metrics
Campaign Manager metrics will reflect both campaign delivery experiences until the new and improved conversation ad format is available globally. The following table provides information on the metrics and how they relate to the campaign delivery experience.
| Metric | Definition | Experience - new, legacy, or both |
|---|---|---|
| Headline Impressions | The number of times members were shown the headline of your conversation ad. | New - Only applies to the delivery of new and improved conversation ads. |
| Headline Clicks | The number of times members clicked on the headline of your conversation ad. | New - Only applies to the delivery of new and improved conversation ads. |
| Headline CTR | The percentage of headline clicks relative to headline impressions (headline clicks divided by headline impressions). | New - Only applies to the delivery of new and improved conversation ads. |
| Sends (reflected as Impressions in the exported Campaign Manager report) | The number of times your conversation ad was sent. | Both - During the transition between legacy and new, this is a blended metric that includes delivery from both legacy and new and improved conversation ads. • New and improved conversation ads - this reflects the number of times the ad was clicked and delivered to a member’s inbox. |
| Opens | The number of times your conversation ad was opened. | Both - A blended metric that includes delivery from both legacy and new and improved conversation ads. |
| Sponsored Messaging Clicks | The number of clicks on the conversation ad CTA button, body hyperlinks and desktop banner. | Both - Includes delivery from both legacy and new and improved conversation ads. |
| Button Clicks | The number of clicks on the conversation ad CTA button. | Both - Includes delivery from both legacy and new and improved conversation ads. |
| Banner Clicks | The number of clicks on the conversation ad banner. Note – This is only served on desktop. | Both - Includes delivery from both legacy and new and improved conversation ads. |
| Link Clicks | The number of clicks on any links included in the body of a conversation ad. | Both - Includes delivery from both legacy and new and improved conversation ads. |
| Open Rate | The total opens divided by total sends. | Both - References the updated opens metric, which reflects both the legacy and the new and improved campaign delivery. |
| Click to Open Rate | The percentage of members who clicked after opening your conversation ad (clicks divided by opens). | Both - References the updated opens metric, which reflects both the legacy and the new and improved campaign delivery. |
| Cost Per Send | The total spent divided by total sends. | Both - References the updated sends metric, which reflects both the legacy and the new and improved campaign delivery. |
| Cost Per Open | The total spent divided by total opens. | Both - References the updated opens metric, which reflects both the legacy and the new and improved campaign delivery. |
| Average CPC | The total spent on your ads divided by total opens. | Both - Includes delivery from both legacy and new and improved conversation ads. |