LinkedIn Advertising vs. Google Advertising: A Comparative Analysis for Manufacturers

Posted on June 26, 2023 in Social Media

In today’s digitally-driven world, advertising plays a crucial role in the success of any business, including manufacturers. With various online platforms available, it can be challenging for manufacturers to decide where to allocate their advertising budgets effectively. Two prominent platforms, LinkedIn and Google, offer unique advantages and disadvantages for manufacturers seeking to promote their products and services. Let’s explore the pros and cons of LinkedIn advertising and Google advertising, to advise manufacturers on where to put their money.

LinkedIn Advertising

LinkedIn, often referred to as the “professional social network,” has established itself as a leading platform for business-to-business (B2B) interactions. Below are some of the advantages and disadvantages of LinkedIn Advertising:

Pros:

1. Targeted Reach: LinkedIn allows precise targeting based on industry, job title, company size, and other relevant professional criteria. This allows manufacturers to connect directly with decision-makers and industry professionals, ensuring their ads reach the right audience.
2. Professional Branding: LinkedIn offers an ideal platform for manufacturers to build and enhance their professional brand image. By showcasing their products, services, and industry expertise, manufacturers can establish credibility and strengthen relationships with potential customers and industry partners.
3. B2B Networking: LinkedIn facilitates networking opportunities, enabling manufacturers to connect with potential customers, suppliers, distributors, and other industry professionals. Advertising on LinkedIn can help manufacturers expand their professional network and foster valuable partnerships.

Cons:

1. Cost: LinkedIn advertising tends to be on the more expensive side compared to other social media platforms. The cost per click (CPC) and cost per impression (CPM) can be higher, making it challenging for manufacturers with limited advertising budgets to achieve the reach they are looking for.
2. Limited Audience: Although LinkedIn has a substantial user base, it caters predominantly to professionals and businesses. If the target audience for a manufacturer’s products or services falls outside the professional realm, the platform may not return viable leads.

Google Advertising

Google of course doesn’t need an introduction, but unknowingly to some, it actually offers a range of advertising options, including search ads, display ads, and YouTube ads. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of Google advertising for manufacturers:

Pros:

1. Vast Reach: Google’s extensive user base ensures a large potential audience for manufacturers. By targeting specific keywords and demographics, manufacturers can position their ads in front of users actively searching for relevant products or services, enhancing the chances of conversions.
2. Cost Control: Google Ads provides flexible budgeting options, allowing manufacturers to control their spending effectively. Advertisers can set daily budgets, adjust bids, and choose from various pricing models, to ensure optimal cost management.
3. Diverse Ad Formats: Google offers diverse ad formats, such as text ads, display ads, shopping ads, and video ads. This flexibility enables manufacturers to showcase their products or services in multiple formats that best suit their advertising goals, enhancing engagement and conversions.

Cons:

1. Competition: With millions of advertisers vying for visibility on Google, the competition is large and fierce. It’s not something that manufacturers can just set up, sit back and watch grow. They need to invest time and effort into optimizing their ad campaigns, choosing the right keywords, and crafting compelling ad copy to stand out from the competition.
2. Audience Intent: While Google has an extensive user base, not all users may be actively seeking manufacturers’ products or services. The challenge lies in identifying the right keywords and targeting options to reach an audience with purchase intent, which may require continuous optimization and monitoring.

All in all, both LinkedIn advertising and Google advertising offer distinct advantages and disadvantages for manufacturers seeking to promote their products and services. LinkedIn provides targeted reach, professional branding, and B2B networking opportunities, but at a higher cost and with a narrower audience. On the other hand, Google offers vast reach, cost control, and diverse ad formats, but competition and targeting the right audience can make it challenging.

While it may seem daunting to get started with online advertising, it is something that is growing within the industry and those who don’t start now will fall behind. We work everyday helping our customers run ads both on LinkedIn and Google, so if you want a helping hand to get a head start, reach out to us today and we can get the ball rolling!