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LinkedIn Ad Preview & Mockup Generator

Mock up a sponsored post and see where the intro text folds and the headline clips, before Campaign Manager and before spend.

0 / 600 characters
Try a sample ad:

0 / 70 before it clips

The sponsored-post preview appears here as you type. It shows where the intro folds behind “…see more” and where the headline clips.

The two cuts that decide whether your ad reads

A single-image ad has two truncation points, and most wasted spend hides behind them.

The introductory text folds behind “…see more” after roughly 150 characters on desktop, sooner on mobile. The headline under the image clips at about 70 characters. Everything past those points is only read by people the visible part already won.

LinkedIn single-image ad limits

The hard limits are what Campaign Manager will accept. The visible limits are what people actually see, and they are the ones worth writing to:

ElementHard limitVisible before truncation
Introductory text600 charactersAbout 150 on desktop, about 100 on mobile
Headline200 charactersAbout 70
Image5 MB1200 by 627 pixels, 1.91:1

How to use the ad preview

  1. Write or paste your introductory text and headline, or start from a sample ad.
  2. Check the mobile view first. It folds soonest, and most feed impressions are mobile.
  3. Make the visible part carry the offer. If the value proposition sits after the fold, move it up.
  4. Match the button to the landing page's ask. A Download button on a demo form costs trust and quality score.

Writing intro text that survives the fold

  • Lead with the problem or the number, not your company name. The header already names you.
  • One idea before the fold. If two clauses compete, the reader takes neither.
  • Skip “We're excited to announce”. It spends the fold on your feelings.
  • Say who it is for early. Qualified readers lean in, and unqualified clicks cost money.

The LinkedIn ad formats, and which one this mocks

This tool mocks the single-image sponsored post, the default feed format and the one most first campaigns use. The other formats share its core problem, which is why the same drafting discipline carries over:

FormatWhere it runsWhat truncates
Single imageThe feedIntro fold and headline clip, mocked above
VideoThe feedThe same intro fold; the headline sits under the player
CarouselThe feedThe intro fold, plus a headline per card
DocumentThe feedThe intro fold above the document viewer
Text adsDesktop right railA 25-character headline and 75-character description
Sponsored messagingThe LinkedIn inboxThe subject line, in the message list

The pre-flight checklist before Campaign Manager

  1. Run the copy through the mock above, on both device views, and fix what the fold hides.
  2. Keep the headline under about 70 characters so it survives the clip whole.
  3. Prepare the image at 1200 by 627, and a 1080 by 1080 square variant if you plan to test placements.
  4. Match the CTA button to what the landing page actually asks for.
  5. Add UTM parameters to the destination URL, or the clicks you pay for become untraceable.
  6. Load the landing page on a phone. Most feed clicks arrive there, and a slow page pays for the click twice.

Why draft ads outside Campaign Manager

Campaign Manager will not show you an ad preview until a campaign shell exists: an account, an objective, an audience, and a budget. That is a lot of setup to discover your headline clips mid-word.

Drafting in a mock first inverts the order. The copy gets iterated where iteration is free, stakeholders can react to a screenshot instead of a Campaign Manager login, and the campaign build becomes assembly rather than composition.

Terms on this page

TermWhat it means
Introductory textThe post copy above the image. Folds behind “…see more” in the feed.
HeadlineThe bold line under the image, next to the CTA button.
DescriptionA secondary text field that mostly shows outside the feed.
CTA buttonThe action button on the card, such as Learn More or Register.
The foldThe truncation point where LinkedIn hides the rest of the text.
1.91:1The width-to-height ratio of the standard feed ad image, 1200 by 627.

Frequently asked questions

Can you preview a LinkedIn ad before it runs?
Yes, twice. This tool shows the copy cuts while you are still drafting, with nothing set up. Then Campaign Manager shows an exact render of the final ad once you build the campaign. Checking the copy here first means fewer rebuild loops there.
Is there a free LinkedIn ad mockup generator?
This is one. Type or paste your introductory text and headline and the tool generates a labelled mockup of a single-image sponsored ad, with the intro fold and headline clip marked on desktop and mobile. No Campaign Manager account, no signup. For a pixel-exact render of the finished ad, use Campaign Manager's preview once the campaign exists.
What are the character limits for LinkedIn ads?
For single-image ads: introductory text allows 600 characters but folds behind “…see more” at roughly 150 on desktop and about 100 on mobile. The headline allows 200 characters but clips around 70. The truncation points matter more than the hard limits, because most viewers never expand the ad.
What image size do LinkedIn ads use?
1200 by 627 pixels, a 1.91:1 ratio, for single-image ads in the feed. Square 1080 by 1080 is also accepted and takes more vertical space on mobile. Keep files under 5 MB as JPG or PNG.
Why does my ad headline get cut off?
The headline field accepts 200 characters, but the feed placement only shows about 70 before clipping, less when the CTA button is long. Front-load the offer so the clipped version still makes sense, or keep the whole headline under 70.
Does the description field show anywhere?
Rarely. The description on a single-image ad appears mainly on some placements outside the feed, like the LinkedIn Audience Network. Write it, but never put anything there that the intro and headline don't already carry.
Is this an exact render of my ad?
No, deliberately. It is a labelled mockup in this site's styling that gets the load-bearing details right: the intro fold, the headline clip, and the layout order. Campaign Manager gives the pixel-exact render once the campaign exists; this tool exists so your copy is ready before that.
What CTA buttons can a LinkedIn ad use?
Campaign Manager offers a fixed menu that includes Learn More, Sign Up, Register, Download, Request Demo, Apply, Subscribe, and a few others, and the set changes now and then. The choice matters less than the match: the button must name the exact thing the landing page asks for, or the click ends in a broken promise.
Can I run a LinkedIn ad without Campaign Manager?
Not a full campaign. The lightweight alternative is boosting an organic post from a company page, which promotes an existing post with a simpler setup and fewer options. Either way the copy meets the same feed and the same folds, so drafting it in the mock first still applies.
Do LinkedIn ads show a Sponsored label?
Yes. Feed ads carry a Promoted label under the advertiser's name, and there is no way to remove it. Readers scroll past most promoted posts, which is the practical argument for an opening line that would survive even as an organic post.
Why does Campaign Manager reject my ad?
The usual mechanical reason is a hard limit: intro text past 600 characters, a headline past 200, or an image outside the size rules, all of which the table above and the mock help you catch early. Beyond mechanics, LinkedIn also reviews ads against content policies, so claims, capitalization tricks, and restricted categories can bounce an otherwise valid ad.
Should my ad copy differ from an organic post?
Less than most advertisers assume. The ad competes in the same feed against organic posts, so the same rules win: a concrete opening, one idea before the fold, and a reason to care that is visible without expanding. The differences are structural, the headline and button, not tonal.

Keep reading

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