What Is Message Ads (Sponsored InMail)?

Message Ads (previously Sponsored InMail) are LinkedIn ads delivered as direct messages from a specified sender's account. Users receive them in their LinkedIn inbox with a small 'Sponsored' label. Best used for event invites, webinar registration, whitepaper offers, or executive-level campaigns.

Typical setup

A B2B firm sends a Message Ad from its CEO's account to a Sales Nav list of 800 target VPs, offering a private roundtable event. Message: 3 sentences, one link, no images. Open rate 55%, click rate 8%, 22 sign-ups.

Benchmarks

Open rate: 40–60% (much higher than email).
Click rate: 3–8%.
Cost per send: $0.30–$1.00 typical.
LinkedIn rate-limits — a user can only receive one Message Ad per 30–45 days.

Why it matters

Message Ads bypass the noisy feed and land in a personal inbox with sender credibility. High engagement but low frequency — once every 30–45 days per user means you can't blast; you have to earn the send.

Common mistakes

1.Long messages. 3 sentences max; anything longer collapses response.
2.Sending from a generic company account. Personal sender + real photo doubles response.
3.Ignoring frequency cap. You have one shot per quarter per user; make it count.

Put Message Ads (Sponsored InMail) to work

Related services

B2B LinkedIn Lead Generation

FAQs about Message Ads (Sponsored InMail)

Message Ads or Conversation Ads?

Message Ads for single-offer, single-CTA campaigns (webinar sign-up, PDF download). Conversation Ads for branching flows where you qualify before revealing the offer.

Why is my Message Ad delivery slow?

Frequency caps. LinkedIn only delivers one Message Ad per user per ~30 days; if your audience overlaps another advertiser or you already ran a campaign, delivery bottlenecks.