Creative Formats

Creative Formats

Every LinkedIn format goes through the same POST /v1/ads/create, selected by a key inside platformSpecificData. Formats are mutually exclusive with each other and with the top-level imageUrl / video (the plain single image / video ad).

Carousel

{ "platformSpecificData": { "carousel": { "cards": [
  { "imageUrl": "...", "headline": "Card 1", "landingUrl": "https://..." },
  { "imageUrl": "...", "landingUrl": "https://..." }
]}}}

2-10 cards. Every card needs a landingUrl; the ad-level linkUrl backfills cards that omit it (a card with neither is a 400).

Document

{ "platformSpecificData": { "document": { "url": "https://cdn.example.com/whitepaper.pdf", "title": "Q3 Whitepaper" } } }

PDF, PPT or DOC up to 100 MB, uploaded to LinkedIn under the Company Page and rendered as a swipeable document in the feed.

Event

{ "platformSpecificData": { "event": { "urn": "urn:li:event:7654321" } } }

Promotes an existing LinkedIn Event. No headline needed, the Event carries its own presentation.

Text Ad

{ "platformSpecificData": { "textAd": {
  "headline": "Try Zernio",
  "description": "Schedule everywhere from one API",
  "landingUrl": "https://zernio.com",
  "imageUrl": "https://cdn.example.com/logo-100x100.png"
}}}

The right-rail classic: no post behind it. headline ≤ 25 chars, description ≤ 75. imageUrl is an optional 100×100 logo. Manual bidding is not required (LinkedIn accepts CPC/CPM without unitCost here).

Spotlight (dynamic)

{
  "goal": "traffic",
  "platformSpecificData": { "spotlight": {
    "headline": "See our platform",
    "description": "One API for every network",
    "callToAction": "Visit us",
    "landingUrl": "https://zernio.com",
    "logoUrl": "https://cdn.example.com/logo.png",
    "organizationName": "Zernio"
  }}
}

A dynamic ad personalized with the viewer's own photo and name. Goals: traffic, awareness.

Follower (dynamic)

{
  "goal": "engagement",
  "platformSpecificData": { "follower": {
    "headline": { "preApproved": "GROW_YOUR_BUSINESS_INSIGHTS" },
    "description": { "custom": "Follow us for updates" },
    "callToAction": "VISIT_ORGANIZATION_COMPANY_PAGE"
  }}
}

Drives Page follows. Goals: engagement, awareness. headline and description each take exactly one of preApproved (a LinkedIn preset id) or custom (free text). callToAction uses LinkedIn's VISIT_ORGANIZATION_* enum.

Jobs (dynamic)

Uses the LinkedIn-only goal job_applicants:

{
  "goal": "job_applicants",
  "platformSpecificData": { "jobs": {
    "headline": { "preApproved": "MEMBER_READY_FOR_YOUR_DREAM_JOB" },
    "buttonLabel": { "preApproved": "CAREERS_AT_COMPANY" }
  }}
}

The ad renders the Company Page's active job postings, so the Page must have some; a page without live postings fails creative creation on LinkedIn's side.

Conversation

A clickable message tree delivered in LinkedIn messaging:

{ "platformSpecificData": { "conversation": {
  "subject": "Chat with us",
  "firstMessageId": "intro",
  "messages": [
    { "id": "intro", "text": "Hi!", "buttons": [
      { "text": "Tell me more", "nextMessageId": "more" },
      { "text": "Visit site", "url": "https://zernio.com" }
    ]},
    { "id": "more", "text": "Details here." }
  ]
}}}

Up to 25 message nodes, 5 buttons per node, 500-char message text, 35-char button text. Each button takes exactly one of nextMessageId or url; Zernio validates the graph (unknown ids, cycles, unreachable firstMessageId) before anything reaches LinkedIn.

Thought-leader

Attach an existing LinkedIn post (a share or ugcPost, from any author who has authorized it) as a sponsored creative under a campaign you control:

{ "platformSpecificData": { "thoughtLeader": {
  "postUrn": "urn:li:ugcPost:7482739454772752385"
}}}

• postUrn: urn:li:share:N or urn:li:ugcPost:N. Get it from "Copy link to post" on the target post — the copied URL contains -share- or -ugcPost- plus the numeric id. The address-bar /feed/update/urn:li:activity:N URL is not usable (activity URNs are rejected).
• No headline, body, imageUrl or organization needed, the referenced post carries its own commentary and author.
• Different from POST /v1/ads/boost: boost provisions its own Campaign Group + Campaign around the post; thought-leader slots into the campaign /v1/ads/create builds (or an existingCampaignId), so bidding, targeting and schedule are yours.

Article / Newsletter

No extra shape needed — the default imageUrl + linkUrl create publishes LinkedIn's article/link ad (content.article on the wire):

{
  "imageUrl": "https://cdn.example.com/hero.jpg",
  "linkUrl":  "https://blog.example.com/post",
  "headline": "Read the post",
  "body":     "..."
}

The same shape works for LinkedIn Article and Newsletter URLs. Set callToAction for the button label.

Verification caveats

Spotlight, carousel, document, text ad and conversation are live-verified end to end. Follower, jobs and event ads depend on real Page state LinkedIn resolves at create time (follow-target resolution, active job postings, a real Event) — on a Page missing that state, LinkedIn 404s/422s the creative even though the request is well-formed. The error is LinkedIn's, verbatim; fix the Page state, not the payload.