5 LinkedIn Ad Formats to Test for B2B Growth

LinkedIn has long moved beyond being just a platform for brand awareness. Today, it’s evolving into a full-fledged advertising channel — offering flexible targeting, advanced analytics tools like CAPI, and revenue attribution features.

With Google Ads CPCs continuing to rise, more B2B companies are exploring LinkedIn as a viable performance channel. If your company is ready to give it a try, here are 5 LinkedIn ad formats worth testing first.

Thought Leader Ads

Introduced in 2023, this ad format has consistently delivered high engagement. Why? Because users are far more likely to interact with content from real people than from faceless brand pages.

When it works best:

• Focuses on customer challenges and pain points — not just your product.
• Posted by a credible person with a strong profile and following.
• Written in a clear, structured tone, with a sharp hook and relevant emojis.
• Often includes visuals or short videos to add human appeal.

Thought leader ads work especially well at the top of the funnel for grabbing attention and warming up prospects. You can track effectiveness through engagement rates, reach, and impressions from accounts that match your ICP.

Conversation Ads

These are direct message-style ads delivered as if they were real conversations — ideal for narrow, high-intent targeting of specific roles within target companies. They work on a smaller scale but with higher relevance.

What to test:

• Various CTAs.
• Messaging tone and length.
• Different senders (e.g., CEO, Business Development Rep).
• Subject lines.

Despite limited reach, conversation ads often generate more qualified leads than standard Sponsored Content.

Video Ads

Video is a powerful way to transform passive scrolling into real interest — especially on LinkedIn, where users are searching for meaningful, business-oriented content.

💡 Our experience shows that authentic, lightly produced videos outperform highly polished brand videos. Try a UGC-style approach — even if created in-house — for a more engaging and relatable feel.

Carousel Ads

This interactive format lets you tell a story in a scrollable, slide-by-slide layout — essentially turning your ad into a mini-presentation.

Use carousels to:

• Showcase product features with real-life examples.
• Share data and statistics.
• Walk through a problem–solution storyline.

Always close the carousel with a clear CTA: “Learn more,” “Try now,” or “See how it works.”

Offer Testing

Even the most compelling ad won’t deliver results if your offer doesn’t match the funnel stage.

At the top of the funnel, most users won’t sign up for a demo right away — they’re just discovering you. Instead, test low-friction offers like:

• Calculators
• Checklists
• Guides
• Case studies
• Soft CTAs like “Learn more” or “See how”

Once leads are in, follow up with strategically crafted email sequences that match the user’s intent and content consumption.

Final Thoughts

LinkedIn Ads aren’t about quick wins. They shine as a channel for generating interest, building trust, and warming up decision-makers and influencers.

To get the most from your campaigns, make sure to set up:

• CAPI (conversion tracking via LinkedIn)
• Revenue attribution (connecting ad engagement to business outcomes)

Ready to launch LinkedIn Ads or refresh your strategy? Let us know — we’ll help you build a high-impact, well-targeted LinkedIn campaign.

This article available in Ukrainian.