LinkedIn Sponsored Messaging: Message Ads were “going away” in 2023—then they didn’t. What advertisers should do now
Updated: October 9, 2025
In June 2023, LinkedIn displayed notices in Campaign Manager saying Message Ads (aka Sponsored InMail) would be discontinued and migrated to Conversation Ads.
LinkedIn later backtracked—the platform still offers both Message Ads and Conversation Ads. We’ve kept our original guidance below for historical context, added proof screenshots, and updated best practices for Sponsored Messaging.
Below is a screenshot of what it used to say in the LinkedIn Ads console back in May 2023, stating “We will begin discontinuing message ads in May 2023… transition to conversation ads by June 19, 2023.”
As of October 2025 you can now see that when preparing a LinkedIn Ads campaign that the Ad types avaibale still inlcude the “Message” and “Conversation” options.
What we reported in 2023
In June 2023 we wrote that LinkedIn would sunset the single‑message InMail format and move advertisers to Conversation Ads.
“LinkedIn is making significant changes to the way businesses can deliver InMail ads… with the discontinuation of InMail message ads from June 1st, 2023… [and] will continue to run any existing InMail message ad campaigns until June 19th, 2023. After this date, all InMail message ad campaigns will be automatically migrated to the conversation ad format.”
We also noted at the time:
“The InMail message ad format will no longer be available in Campaign Manager once the new and improved conversation ad format is available… Legacy conversation ad campaigns will automatically transition…”
And we flagged an EU caveat:
“Conversation ad campaigns cannot target audiences within the European Union (EU). If your campaign includes both EU and non‑EU targeting, the campaign will continue to deliver to non‑EU audiences only.”
Those notices appeared directly in Campaign Manager and were not widely publicized via announcements—which is why we documented the change to help advertisers prepare.
What’s true now (as of October 2025)
- Both formats remain available: Message Ads and Conversation Ads can still be created and delivered within LinkedIn Campaign Manager.
- Terminology varies: “Sponsored InMail,” “Sponsored Messages,” “Message Ads,” and “InMail Ads” are commonly used interchangeably by users and help docs. Functionally, there are two formats under Sponsored Messaging: Message Ads (single message + CTA) and Conversation Ads (branched buttons/paths).
- Practical implication: Teams can choose the format that best matches offer complexity and funnel intent rather than being forced onto Conversation Ads.
Message Ads vs Conversation Ads: when to use each Ad type
Message Ads
- Best for simple, high‑intent offers: webinar/event invites, gated report downloads, executive outreach.
- Faster to produce; single compelling CTA; strongest results when the offer is timely and personalized.
Conversation Ads
- Best when you need to segment interest or handle objections in‑flow: product tours, “choose your role,” multi‑offer menus.
- Higher build effort; can attach Lead Gen Forms on branches; often higher engagement when flows are crisp.
Some of the key characteristics of Conversation Ads include:
- Multiple Call-to-Action (CTA) buttons: Conversation Ads allow advertisers to include multiple CTAs within the ad, giving recipients multiple options to interact with the content. This feature helps in increasing user engagement and driving better results
- Customizable welcome message: With Conversation Ads, advertisers can create a customizable welcome message that will greet the recipient when they open the ad. This feature is particularly useful in creating a personalized experience that can help to increase engagement.
- Automated message sequencing: Conversation Ads allow advertisers to create a sequence of automated messages that will be triggered based on the recipient’s responses. This feature is helpful in guiding the conversation and creating a natural flow that can lead to better conversion rates.
- Rich media support: Conversation Ads support rich media formats such as images, videos, and attachments. This feature allows advertisers to create visually appealing and engaging ads that can capture the recipient’s attention and increase engagement.
- Reporting and analytics: LinkedIn provides detailed reporting and analytics for Conversation Ads, including metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and engagement rates. This data can help advertisers to optimize their ad campaigns and improve their results over time.
Ad Format Requirements for Conversation Ads
LinkedIn provides specific format requirements for Conversation Ads, which can be found here. Some of the requirements include:
- Banner File Type (optional): JPG or PNG
- Banner Image Size (optional): 300 x 250 pixels
- Banner Image File Size (optional): 2MB
- Ad Name (optional): 255 characters
- Message Text: 500 characters
- Custom Footer: 2500 characters
- Call-to-Action: 25 characters
- Landing page URL: Required
- URL prefix: http:// or https://
- URL characters: 1024 characters for destination field URL
Conversation Ads Templates for Different Campaign Use Cases
LinkedIn provides a template presentation that showcases examples of different Conversation Ads structures for various ad campaign use cases. These templates can be a valuable resource for marketers looking to create effective Conversation Ads campaigns.
Best practices for LinkedIn Sponsored Message Ads
Optimized to the search intents your page still surfaces for, based on your Search Console export.
- Targeting and campaign setup
- Start with a tight ICP: job functions and seniorities aligned to your offer. Layer industry and company size. Use Matched Audiences for account lists.
- Exclude job seekers/students if not relevant.
- For “linkedin sponsored messages eu,” ensure internal compliance policies are followed; respect regional targeting constraints.
- Recommended audience size for scale is typically ≥50k; smaller lists can work for ABM but will cap delivery.
- Copy that drives engagement
- Subject line 35–45 characters; tailor by role or trigger. Avoid first‑name gimmicks; lead with relevance.
- Examples:
- “For Heads of RevOps: 2025 InMail benchmarks”
- “CMO Roundtable: APAC SaaS growth playbook”
- Examples:
- First two lines = value + why them. Make the offer and benefit explicit early.
- Keep messages scannable: short paragraphs, occasional bulleting, 1 clear CTA.
- Human sender signature with title that maps to the audience.
- Offers that typically perform in Sponsored Messaging
- Live events and VIP invites
- Benchmark reports, ROI calculators
- Product tours/short demos
- “Pick your role” explorations (for Conversation Ads) with tailored proof points
- Message Ads flow design
- Root message under 80–120 words; 2–4 buttons max.
- Common high performers:
- “Watch 3‑min demo” | “See customer results” | “Book 15‑min consult”
- “Pick your role: Marketing | Sales | RevOps” with role‑specific proof.
- Attach Lead Gen Forms only on highest‑intent branch to reduce friction elsewhere.
- Bidding, budgeting, and pacing
- Expect higher cost than feed ads but strong intent signals. Start conservative, then scale on proven offers.
- Watch Sent rate and Frequency. Rotate creative when reply/CTR declines.
- Measurement and attribution
- Primary: Open Rate, CTR, Lead Form fill (if used), CPL.
- Secondary: meetings set, pipeline, revenue. Always use UTMs and capture lead source detail in your CRM.
The Difference between Message Ads and Conversation Ads
Message Ads provide the ability to include longer form messages for people to read in their InMai box similar to a normal InMail message received from another profile contact. Very similar to an email it allowed key information to be structured in bullet points and to add links and one main call to action button to click to a website or a lead generation form (typically).
While Message Ads are more of a one-way communication method, Conversation Ads allow for more interactive and personalized experiences, offering multiple response options and rich media support. The main elements in conversation ads are having smaller concise messages that are in stages, with message receivers having the ability to click different buttons to customize their message reading journey depending on how engaged they are with the messages and how relevant the message is for them.
As previously mentioned, Conversation Ads are much more suitable for viewing on mobile devices as well, and so may help achieve more campaign objectives in regions such as Asia, which is much more mobile user-focused.
FAQ Recap
No. Despite 2023 discontinuation notices, Message Ads are still available alongside Conversation Ads.
Refer to the Ad Types menu section in your LinkedIn Ad Manager Console
Message Ads deliver one focused message with a primary CTA. Conversation Ads offer multiple buttons and branching paths for a guided experience.
For simple, time‑sensitive offers, Message Ads tend to win. For multi‑offer journeys and qualification, Conversation Ads often drive higher engagement.
These are just different names used by marketers for the same Sponsored Messaging channel. The two formats are Message Ads and Conversation Ads.
It may not be possible run these ad types in the EU region.
Targeting and delivery rules can differ by region and policy, so ensure your compliance approach is aligned to current LinkedIn and regulatory requirements.
