80% of B2B marketers say video drives their engagement, yet nearly half of all video uploads fail or underperform due to incorrect technical specifications. If you're spending $50 CPMs on LinkedIn, you cannot afford pixelated assets or rejected files.
TL;DR: LinkedIn Video Specs for E-commerce Marketers
The Core Concept
LinkedIn has evolved from a text-heavy networking site to a video-first discovery engine. For D2C brands, this means video assets must meet strict technical standards to ensure high fidelity and algorithm distribution. The platform favors mobile-first vertical video (9:16) for ads and square (1:1) for feed posts, rewarding high retention rates over raw view counts.
The Strategy
Don't just resize TV commercials. Successful brands use a "Mobile-Native" methodology. This involves shooting or editing specifically for sound-off viewing (using SRT files), adhering to the H.264 codec requirement for maximum compatibility, and keeping ad duration under 30 seconds for cold traffic. The goal is to stop the scroll within the first 3 seconds using high-contrast visuals and legible typography.
Key Metrics
Focus on View Through Rate (VTR) and Cost Per Completed View (CPCV). While CPMs on LinkedIn are higher than Meta, the intent is often stronger. Monitor your Video Completion Rate; if it drops below 15% on ads shorter than 30 seconds, your hook or technical quality (blurriness, bad cropping) is likely the culprit.
Tools like Koro can automate the resizing and formatting process, ensuring your creative meets these specs instantly across multiple variations.
The D2C Framework for LinkedIn Video
I've analyzed hundreds of ad accounts, and the pattern is clear: technical compliance is the baseline, but creative strategy is the variable for success. You need a framework that moves beyond "uploading a video" to "engineering an asset."
The "URL-to-Video" Methodology
Traditional video production is linear: Script → Shoot → Edit → Upload. This is too slow for 2025. The modern D2C framework relies on Programmatic Creative—using data and automation to generate assets.
The 3-Step Process:
- Asset Extraction: Pull high-res images and copy directly from your Product Detail Page (PDP).
- Format Adaptation: Automatically generate 1:1, 4:5, and 9:16 versions of every asset.
- Variant Testing: Deploy 5-10 technical variations (different thumbnails, captions, opening frames) to see what the algorithm prefers.
This approach ensures you aren't just guessing what specs work—you are feeding the system enough data to tell you what works.
Organic Video Specifications: The Brand Builder
Organic video on LinkedIn is your trust engine. Unlike ads, these posts live on your company page and feed, building authority over time. The algorithm currently favors "native video" (uploaded directly) over YouTube links, often giving native uploads 10x more reach.
Quick Reference for Organic Posts:
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Aspect Ratio | 1:1 (Square), 9:16 (Vertical), 16:9 (Landscape) |
| Resolution | Range from 256x144 to 4096x2304 |
| File Size | Max 5GB |
| Duration | 3 seconds to 10 minutes |
| Frame Rate | 10fps to 60fps |
| Format | MP4 or MOV |
Critical Insight: While you can upload up to 10 minutes, I rarely recommend going over 3 minutes for organic content unless it's a webinar replay. The sweet spot for engagement is 30-90 seconds.
Micro-Example:
- Behind-the-Scenes: Use a 9:16 vertical video (phone shot) to show your warehouse packing process. Keep it raw and authentic.
Paid Video Ad Specifications: The Revenue Driver
Paid specs are more rigid than organic. If you fail these, your campaign won't even launch. LinkedIn Campaign Manager is notoriously finicky about file ratios and audio codes.
1. Single Video Ads (Sponsored Content)
This is your workhorse format. It appears directly in the feed.
- Landscape: 16:9 (1920x1080). Best for desktop-heavy B2B audiences.
- Square: 1:1 (1080x1080). Best for mobile and cross-device performance.
- Vertical: 9:16 (1080x1920). Essential for mobile-only campaigns.
- File Size: Max 200MB.
- Duration: 3 seconds to 30 minutes (Recommendation: 15-30 seconds).
2. Carousel Video Ads
Still underutilized by many D2C brands, carousels allow you to tell a sequential story.
- Ratio: Must be 1:1 (Square).
- Resolution: 1080x1080.
- Card Count: 2-10 cards per carousel.
Pro Tip: Never mix aspect ratios in a carousel. If your first video is square, the rest must be square, or the ad will be rejected.
Micro-Example:
- Product Demo: Card 1 is the problem (hook), Card 2 is the solution (product demo), Card 3 is the social proof (testimonial).
What is Programmatic Creative?
Programmatic Creative is the automated process of using software to generate, optimize, and serve ad creatives at scale based on data signals. Instead of manually editing one video at a time, programmatic tools use templates and data feeds (like product catalogs) to produce hundreds of spec-perfect variations instantly, allowing marketers to test different aspect ratios, headlines, and visuals without creative bottlenecks.
Technical Deep Dive: Codecs, Audio, and Bitrate
This is where 90% of "upload failed" errors happen. It's not usually the file size; it's the invisible data inside the container.
The H.264 Requirement
LinkedIn strictly requires the H.264 video codec. If you export in H.265 (HEVC) or ProRes, your upload will likely fail or process indefinitely. Ensure your video editor is set to export MP4 with H.264.
Audio Codecs: AAC is King
Your audio must be compressed using AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) or MPEG4. Sample rates should be 48kHz. If you upload a file with uncompressed WAV audio inside an MP4 container, the video might play without sound or be rejected entirely.
Bitrate Matters
- Video Bitrate: Aim for 10mbps to 20mbps. Anything higher is overkill and will be compressed aggressively by LinkedIn, resulting in artifacts.
- Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or 192kbps is standard.
Mobile-First Optimization Strategy
57% of LinkedIn traffic is mobile. If your video has tiny text or relies on sound to be understood, you are burning budget.
The Mobile Checklist:
- Vertical or Square: Occupy more screen real estate. A 1:1 video takes up 78% more screen space than a 16:9 video on a smartphone.
- Burned-in Captions: 80% of videos are watched on mute. Upload an SRT file or burn captions directly into the video pixels. This isn't optional for D2C.
- Visual Hook: The first 3 seconds must feature movement or a human face. Static opening frames lead to immediate scroll-past.
Manual vs. AI Workflow for Optimization:
| Task | Traditional Way | The AI Way | Time Saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resizing | Manually cropping in Premiere Pro | Auto-resize to 1:1, 9:16, 4:5 | 90% |
| Captioning | Transcribing and syncing SRT manually | Auto-generated captions with brand fonts | 95% |
| Variations | Editing new hooks one by one | Generating 10 hook variants from one URL | 98% |
How to Measure Success: The D2C Metrics That Matter
Vanity metrics like "impressions" won't pay the bills. You need to track consumption and conversion.
- Video Completion Rate (VCR): This tells you if your content is interesting. A VCR below 10% means your content is boring or irrelevant.
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): For video ads, a CTR above 0.5% is good; above 1% is excellent. If VCR is high but CTR is low, your Call-to-Action (CTA) is weak.
- Cost Per Completed View (CPCV): Essential for brand awareness campaigns. It helps you compare the efficiency of video vs. static image ads.
See how Koro automates this workflow → Try it free
I recommend setting up a custom column view in Campaign Manager specifically for video metrics so you aren't digging for this data daily.
Case Study: How NovaGear Scaled Video Production
Let's look at a real-world application of these specs and strategies. NovaGear, a consumer tech brand, faced a classic D2C problem: they had 50 SKUs but couldn't afford the logistics or time to ship products to creators for video ads.
The Problem:
They needed video assets for every product to run dynamic retargeting ads on LinkedIn and Meta. Shipping products to 50 creators would cost ~$2,000 in logistics alone and take weeks.
The Solution:
They utilized Koro's "URL-to-Video" feature. By simply inputting their Product Detail Page URLs, the AI scraped the high-res product images and specs, then used AI Avatars to demo the features. This bypassed the need for physical shoots entirely.
The Results:
- Zero shipping costs: Saved the estimated $2k in logistics.
- Velocity: Launched 50 product videos in 48 hours.
- Compliance: All videos were automatically generated with correct aspect ratios and bitrates for LinkedIn.
This case proves that the bottleneck isn't usually the platform specs—it's the production pipeline. Koro excels at this kind of rapid UGC-style ad generation. However, keep in mind: Koro is a powerhouse for volume and speed, but if you need a highly emotional, cinematic brand film with complex storytelling, a traditional production crew is still your best bet.
Troubleshooting Common Upload Errors
Even pros hit errors. Here is your cheat sheet for fixing the dreaded red error bars.
1. "File format not supported"
- Fix: You likely exported as MOV with a ProRes codec. Re-export as MP4 with H.264 codec.
2. "Video bitrate is too high"
- Fix: Your file is too "heavy." Use a tool like Handbrake or Adobe Media Encoder to lower the bitrate to under 20mbps.
3. "Aspect ratio is invalid"
- Fix: You might be a few pixels off (e.g., 1080x1081). Ensure your sequence settings are exact standard ratios (1:1, 16:9, 9:16).
4. "Audio is missing or silent"
- Fix: Check your audio codec. If it's PCM or WAV, LinkedIn might strip it. Convert audio to AAC.
Key Takeaways
- Mobile-First is Mandatory: 57% of traffic is mobile. Prioritize 1:1 and 9:16 aspect ratios to maximize screen real estate.
- Codec Compliance: Always export videos using the H.264 video codec and AAC audio codec to avoid upload failures.
- The 3-Second Rule: Your hook must visually grab attention immediately. Use burnt-in captions for sound-off viewing.
- Scale with Automation: Manual editing is a bottleneck. Use programmatic tools to generate variants for A/B testing.
- Track the Right Metrics: Focus on View Through Rate (VTR) and Cost Per Completed View (CPCV) to measure creative effectiveness.
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