1. Set the Right Expectations: Awareness First, Leads Later

The biggest mistake B2B marketers make is expecting LinkedIn Ads to deliver ready-to-speak-to-sales leads and fast. But LinkedIn isn’t Google Search. People aren’t actively looking for solutions; they’re scrolling through their feed. That means you’re interrupting their routine with content they didn’t ask for.

What works best here is highly relevant, well-timed, top-of-funnel content: insights, trends, challenges, or success stories your audience actually wants to engage with. If they click through and learn more, that’s a win. Don’t measure success purely by immediate conversions. Instead, measure it by awareness lift, engagement, and eventual pipeline influence.

2. Start Small and Scale Intelligently

LinkedIn is a premium ad platform. It can deliver incredible value, but not if you burn through your budget too fast. Begin with a limited budget (e.g., $500–1,500/month per campaign), test your messaging and targeting, then scale what’s working.

Keep a close eye on:

• CPM (Cost per Thousand Impressions): Since LinkedIn charges per impression, not click, this is your key cost control metric.

• CTR (Click-through Rate): Helps evaluate the effectiveness of ad content and creatives.

• CPL (Cost per Lead): If using lead gen forms or landing pages.

Always benchmark your CPM and CTR against industry averages. For B2B, CPMs of $10–$50 and CTRs above 0.4% are typical starting points.

3. Target Smart: Use Matched Audiences Strategically

LinkedIn’s Matched Audiences feature is a game-changer, especially when combined with Account-Based Marketing (ABM). Here’s how to get the most from it:

• Use company lists first, filtered by job function and seniority (e.g., Operations Managers at top 200 EPC firms).

• Avoid large, diluted lists. Start with tightly defined audiences and expand if needed.

• If you want to focus on your targeted accounts, don’t tick “Expand Audience”. Otherwise, LinkedIn will reach companies you didn’t intend to target, wasting ad spend.

• If using HubSpot, sync your company lists directly into LinkedIn. This enables dynamic updating when new companies are added to your lists or ABM tiers. Manual uploads through LinkedIn, on the other hand, require re-uploading for every update.

• Be cautious with contact list uploads. Most people use personal email addresses on LinkedIn, while CRM contacts usually have work emails. That mismatch leads to poor match rates and wasted impressions.

4. Use the Right Formats: Carousels, Video, and Sponsored Posts

Content format matters. Based on what we’ve seen across industries:

• Carousel ads are great for telling a story, educating, or breaking down a value proposition.

• Video ads boost engagement, especially when promoting thought leadership or brand awareness.

• Document ads can work well mid-funnel, offering whitepapers or guides.

• Lead Gen Forms? Use sparingly. While convenient, we’ve found the quality of leads tends to be lower. If you use them, keep the form fields short and keep a close eye on the quality.

If you are actively publishing valuable content on your LinkedIn Page, make the most of it by turning those posts into sponsored content. Promoting your top posts can amplify reach and drive targeted engagement, especially for top-of-funnel nurturing. Just be sure to refresh the promoted posts regularly to avoid fatigue and stay timely.

5. Observe Your Competitors and Differentiate

Before launching a campaign, check what your competitors are doing using the LinkedIn Ads Library. You’ll get visibility into the messaging, visuals, and offers they’re running.

Use this to ensure your ads:

• Present a clear value proposition

• Don’t blend into the noise

• Stand out with fresh creative and tone of voice

This is especially important when your target audience is exposed to multiple vendors.

6. Optimize Thoughtfully and Patiently

Optimization is where campaigns win or fail, but only if done methodically:

• Change one variable at a time (e.g., just the headline, or just the image).

• Let each change run for 7–10 days minimum before evaluating performance.

• Avoid resetting campaigns too often. LinkedIn’s algorithm needs time to learn.

Regular optimization based on data (not assumptions) is what drives long-term results.

7. Retarget Website Visitors with Brand Recall Content

One of the most underused features of LinkedIn Ads is retargeting via the LinkedIn Insights Tag.

Once you install the tag on your website, you can create audiences based on specific page visits. Use this to:

• Retarget visitors who didn’t convert the first time

• Serve brand recall content that reinforces your value prop

• Offer mid-funnel content like case studies, testimonials, or comparison guides

This works especially well when combined with matched account targeting. You're reaching your ICP who’s already shown intent.

8. Connect Your CRM for Full-Funnel Visibility

To close the loop:

• Use UTM parameters on every ad to track leads in your analytics and CRM.

• Create workflows to attribute leads to campaigns, score them, and report on revenue impact.

• Sync matched audiences from your CRM for real-time targeting and retargeting.

Connecting LinkedIn Ads to your CRM is essential for demonstrating ROI.

Final Thoughts

LinkedIn Ads are not a quick-win tactic. They’re a long-game platform for positioning, educating, and gradually converting B2B buyers. When used with clear expectations, smart targeting, and well-crafted creative, they can build brand trust and drive high-value opportunities.