If you want to reach decision-makers, LinkedIn is one of the most effective platforms out there. But I’ll be honest: it’s easy to overspend inefficiently if you don’t know what you’re doing.
The good news? You don’t need a huge budget or years of experience to get value from LinkedIn campaigns. This guide will break down the basics, share campaign ideas, and provide a practical checklist to help you get started with confidence.
Where LinkedIn Fits in Your Marketing Mix
Many people think of LinkedIn as a place for résumés, job hunting, and weird automated work anniversary status updates. That’s true, but it’s also one of the best advertising platforms for businesses selling to other businesses.
Here’s why:
- It’s built for professionals, making it a natural fit for B2B and service-driven brands.
- It’s strongest for lead generation (think whitepapers, webinars, or demos).
- It works best when paired with other channels like email nurture campaigns, organic social, and retargeting.
If you’re trying to connect with decision-makers, LinkedIn can get you in front of them.
Types of LinkedIn Ads
LinkedIn gives you many formats to work with – below are a few of the most common. The trick is matching the right format to your goal:
- Sponsored Content: Boosts your posts right into the feed. Great for all objectives.
- Message Ads (InMail): Personalized notes that land in someone’s inbox. Better for offers or direct CTAs.
- Dynamic Ads: Auto-personalized using profile info (like names or company details). Good for recruiting or brand awareness.
- Text Ads: Simple sidebar placements. Less flashy but budget-friendly.
- Lead Gen Forms: Pre-filled forms inside LinkedIn (no typing required), which dramatically boost conversion rates.
Targeting Basics
Targeting is LinkedIn’s superpower, but it’s easy to go overboard.
You can filter by:
- Job title, function, or seniority
- Industry and company size
- Skills, groups, or interests
- Location
- Data imports from manual uploads or connections to CRMs like HubSpot, Salesforce, and more.
Start narrow. A highly targeted campaign beats “spray and pray” every time. Once you know what’s working, you can widen the audience.
Pro tip: Take advantage of exclusion options. If you have specific businesses, existing or ex-clients, or other groups you know you want to avoid promoting to, LinkedIn provides multiple options to optimize your spend.
Budget & Bidding
LinkedIn ads are pricier than Meta, with average CPCs in the $5–$12 range depending on your campaign. But you’re paying to get in front of people who can actually sign the contract, not just like the post.
You can set campaigns to run on:
- Daily budgets (good for testing)
- Total budgets (good for one-off campaigns with tight control)
Start small. $500–$1,000 is enough to test and learn. Measure results, then scale what works.
Campaign Ideas to Try
Not sure what to promote? Here are a few tried-and-true campaign types:
- Lead Magnet Campaigns. Offer a valuable resource (eBook, whitepaper, or industry report) using a Lead Gen Form. Since LinkedIn pre-fills user info, you’ll see higher conversion rates.
- Event Promotion. Got a webinar, conference, or demo? Sponsored Content and Message Ads are great for driving registrations. Pair it with retargeting for anyone who’s already visited your event page.
- Account-Based Campaigns. Target a list of specific companies and tailor your messaging to their challenges. Perfect for enterprise sales.
- Thought Leadership Push. Boost blog posts, podcasts, or insights that position your brand as an expert. These build trust with the right audience, even if they don’t convert immediately.
- Retargeting Campaigns. Re-engage people who visited your site but didn’t take action. A gentle reminder ad (“Still thinking about this? Here’s how we can help…”) often drives high ROI.
What to Measure
Once your campaign is live, keep an eye on:
- CTR (Click-Through Rate): Are people engaging? (Average: 0.4–0.7%)
- CPL (Cost Per Lead): How much are you paying per lead? ($15–$60 is common depending on industry).
- Conversion Rate: Are clicks turning into customers?
- Engagement Metrics: Likes, comments, and shares are useful signals of relevance.
These benchmarks give you a sense of whether you’re on the right track.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
We see a few repeat offenders when brands try LinkedIn ads for the first time:
- Targeting too small of an audience. This can result in sky-high costs.
- Weak CTAs. “Learn more” is vague. Be specific: “Download the guide” or “Register now.”
- Expecting instant results. LinkedIn works best with a nurture strategy.
- Skipping conversion tracking. Install the LinkedIn Insight Tag so you can measure what’s actually working.
What Happens After the Click
The ad isn’t the end goal; the follow-up is where the magic happens.
- Make sure leads go directly into your CRM.
- Follow up quickly. Waiting a week to contact a lead is basically like leaving them on “read.”
- Nurture new contacts with email or retargeting to build trust over time.
Wrapping It Up
LinkedIn ads aren’t the cheapest tool in your paid media toolbox, but they can be one of the most powerful if you use them strategically. Start with clear goals, pick the right format, and refine your targeting as you go.
If you’re B2B, professional services, or selling a higher-value offer, LinkedIn is likely worth your investment.
Like puppy training, it takes some patience and consistency. But once it clicks, you’ll be glad you put in the time.
