Using LinkedIn Ads for Recruiting

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Written ByClaudia
Updated: July 13, 2026 Published: November 24, 2020
Using LinkedIn Ads for Recruiting
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TL;DR

How to use LinkedIn ads for recruiting?

Core Definition: Using LinkedIn ads for recruiting is a targeted digital marketing strategy that leverages the professional social network's advertising platform to reach, attract, and engage both active and passive job candidates for open positions within a company.

While social media ads are common for sales and brand exposure, their potential for recruitment is often overlooked. LinkedIn, as the premier professional network, offers a unique and powerful platform for this purpose. By leveraging LinkedIn ads, companies can directly target and attract top talent, turning a social platform into a primary hiring tool.

  • Reach a larger pool of qualified applicants and target specific professionals using detailed filters.
  • Engage passive candidates who are not actively job hunting but may be open to the right opportunity.
  • Increase your employer brand awareness, making your company more attractive to future applicants.
  • Streamline the hiring process by attracting better-suited candidates from the start, reducing time spent on vetting.

While social media ads are common for sales and brand building, a powerful yet underutilized strategy is using LinkedIn Ads for recruiting. Using LinkedIn Ads for recruiting is a strategic approach where companies pay to display job advertisements to targeted professionals on the LinkedIn platform. Unlike general social media, LinkedIn provides a unique environment for finding new employees.

LinkedIn is the leading platform for professional networking and job-related activities. If you're advertising on LinkedIn, you should leverage the opportunity to use LinkedIn Ads for recruiting. There's no better platform for this purpose. This guide will show you how to start using LinkedIn Ads for recruiting and what you should do to build the right ad.

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Why You Should Use LinkedIn Ads for Recruiting:

When it comes to recruiting, LinkedIn is the best platform available. It is the largest social media platform with a professional focus. If someone has a job, or is actively looking for one, setting up a LinkedIn profile is universally recommended. Using LinkedIn Ads for recruiting is the easiest and fastest way to reach these professionals.

More concretely, here are some of the advantages of using LinkedIn Ads for recruiting:

  • More people apply. The number of people LinkedIn helps you reach will inevitably increase the number of applicants for any job you advertise. LinkedIn Ads for recruiting also allow for detailed targeting through several filters, which can help you narrow down the kind of professionals who will see your advertisements. The increase in applicants won't just be irrelevant or unqualified; it will be the right people for the job.

  • You can reach passive candidates. A key benefit of LinkedIn is that professionals use it even when not actively looking for a job. With LinkedIn Ads for recruiting, you can advertise to these individuals if they fit your desired profile. The best way to turn a passive candidate into an active job-hunter is to expose them to the right job opportunity. These recruitment ads are the perfect way for you to show passive candidates what other great opportunities they should consider.

  • Boosting brand awareness. Just like any other type of advertisement, LinkedIn Ads for recruiting will help you increase your brand recognition. The more recognizable your brand is, the more people will feel comfortable gravitating toward your company, whether as a customer or an applicant.

  • Streamlining the hiring process. Hiring can be long and arduous, but LinkedIn Ads for recruiting help reduce hiring time. Because of LinkedIn's excellent targeting capabilities, you avoid attracting candidates who are not qualified, saving you time on vetting. Since LinkedIn Ads for recruiting almost guarantee that reliable candidates are applying, you can be confident that the right candidate saw your ads and move quickly to the interview stage.

How to make the right recruiting ad on LinkedIn:

To create a successful recruiting ad on LinkedIn, you must start by connecting with your candidates. If you want your LinkedIn ad to succeed, you must ensure that people do not ignore it immediately. Four key elements will help you connect with potential candidates:

  • Culture. Showing off your company's culture is an excellent way of attracting candidates. It does more than just show a job title and a potential salary. Several intangibles fall under your company's culture. What kind of workplace are you striving to create? How do your employees interact socially, both among themselves and with management? How do you want employees to think about coming to work? Showing that you have an attractive culture that treats employees as people rather than workhorses is the first step in building a great ad.

  • Mission. Your mission is all about showing your ambitions and your values. It's linked to your culture but not the same thing. A strong mission and communicating it to potential employees should not be overlooked. Your company can have the best culture ever. Still, if they lack the ambition a particular candidate is looking for in a company, they won't ultimately choose you over another, more ambitious company. This is also where you can display your ethical values, whether about labor, the environment, or politics in general. Showing people that you're doing the right thing is not only a great way to get customers, but it's also great for attracting new employees.

  • Bonuses, Perks, etc. All the extra things that come with joining your company. Insurance, pensions, vacation days, maternity/paternity leave policies, etc. If you go out of your way to make your employees feel welcome and comfortable, ensure you display how in your ad! Often, companies are very similar regarding the work they offer, location, salary, and even in terms of their culture. The deciding factor can be simple, as these little bonuses are in the job description. Don't treat them lightly since applicants don't either!

  • Personalization. Think of your ad like any other SEO-related piece of marketing. You want the right keywords and the correct power words to attract readers. Ensure your recruiting ad addresses the reader directly, similar to how you would write a website title tag. Be informative and concise, but don't forget to personalize communication. Direct communication is always more effective than indirect, impersonal, and dry communication.

These are not the only elements to include in your LinkedIn recruiting ad, but they are the main points you should not exclude. Another powerful addition, if you are comfortable with it, is to include the salary. Many companies omit salary for various reasons, such as avoiding applicants focused only on money or keeping compensation details confidential. However, if you can display the salary for a job opening, it will be highly beneficial to your ad's performance. Candidates always respond well to having as much information as possible, as it removes uncertainty. Since salary is a primary consideration for job seekers, displaying it will strengthen your recruiting prospects.

Extra steps to take

Once you have crafted your ad copy, there are a few more things you can do to improve your recruiting efforts. Building and improving your LinkedIn company profile is one way to make your LinkedIn Ads for recruiting more powerful. A strong company profile is essential for your brand, and the fact that it enhances your hiring process is a significant bonus.

The easiest thing to do to attract employee prospects is to spotlight your current employees on your LinkedIn company page. Show how your employees are an integral part of your company and feature them on your LinkedIn page. This allows prospective employees to see current team members, helping them gauge if they will fit in with the team culture and work environment. An employee spotlight is a simple but extremely valuable tool for job postings and candidates. It serves as the perfect complement to your LinkedIn Ads for recruiting campaign.

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LinkedIn Ads for Recruiting: FAQ

Are LinkedIn ads effective for recruiting new employees?

Popular
Yes, LinkedIn ads are highly effective for recruiting. They allow you to reach a vast professional network, including passive candidates not actively job hunting. This targeted approach increases the number of qualified applicants, streamlining your hiring process.

What should a LinkedIn recruiting ad include to attract top talent?

Popular
A strong LinkedIn recruiting ad should showcase your company culture, mission, and unique perks. Detailing your values and benefits helps you connect with candidates on a deeper level, allowing them to see if they align with your company beyond the job title.

Can LinkedIn ads help me find candidates who aren't actively looking for a job?

Yes, LinkedIn ads are ideal for reaching passive candidates. Since professionals use the platform for networking and industry news, your ad can appear in their feed. This exposure can present an attractive opportunity and turn them into an active applicant.

Does using LinkedIn ads for hiring also improve brand awareness?

Yes, recruiting ads on LinkedIn significantly boost brand awareness. As professionals see your job postings and company page, your brand's visibility increases. This enhanced recognition builds trust and can attract both top talent and potential customers.

Should I include salary information in my LinkedIn recruiting ad?

Yes, including the salary in a recruiting ad is highly beneficial. Candidates value transparency, and providing this key information upfront removes major uncertainty. This practice helps attract serious applicants whose financial expectations align with the offer.

How do LinkedIn ads make the hiring process more efficient?

LinkedIn ads streamline hiring by improving candidate quality through precise targeting. The platform’s filters ensure your ad reaches professionals with relevant skills, reducing time spent on unqualified applicants and letting you focus on the best candidates.
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