LinkedIn, the business oriented social networking service, has announced the launch of programmatic buying for its display ads. This makes its display ads a whole new way for marketers to engage with professionals. Also, the combination of a large user base and invaluable user data make LinkedIn a genuine contender against some of the more prominent social networks in the market. The recent news of Microsoft acquiring LinkedIn was a global phenomenon and soon after that we start seeing innovation here in the way they allow advertisers to buy ad spaces programatically.

The launch of programmatic buying is sure to attract more advertisers to the platform.  This will let brands make real-time bids on display ads using their preferred demand-side platforms (DSPs) or third-party ad networks that are used to manage ads for other media properties. This means that you can now work with your preferred buying platform to buy highly visible ads that help you reach and engage the right buyers and build your brand in the premium context of LinkedIn.

• This new feature has taken retargeting on LinkedIn to the next level.
• LinkedIn’s display as inventory can be purchased by advertisers through an Open Auction or via LinkedIn Private Auctions.

Custom Audience Targeting Made Possible?

Both have the adaptability and control to reach your target audiences on LinkedIn. If you’re already buying programmatically, Open Auction is the fastest way to buy LinkedIn Display Ads programmatically.

For advertisers looking for additional targeting capabilities, the Private Auction is a great option.

Private Auction marketplace lets you target using your own data as well using LinkedIn audience segments (which simply means you can create Custom Audiences). When using your own first or third party data like website visitors and CRM contacts, our Private Auction offers the ability to explicitly target the LinkedIn.com homepage as a placement.

It also offers purchasing option that allows advertisers to target select LinkedIn audience segments (e.g., target “IT decision makers”) if you don’t want to use your own first or third party data.  The goal behind the launch is to serve the customers and brands as they want to be served in a manner that’s cheaper and more efficient to manage.