How LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads are Changing B2B Marketing
While traditional tactics like email outreach and cold calling still play a role, today’s most forward-thinking B2B brands are finding success by embracing innovative lead generation strategies. LinkedIn’s more recent Thought Leader Ad format empowers brands to promote authentic, credible content from trusted individuals in a not-so-promotional way—helping to engage decision-makers more meaningfully. And it works: the most effective advertising is often so subtle that viewers don’t even realize they are seeing an ad.
With permission, companies can sponsor posts from users they’re connected to on LinkedIn—typically employees, executives, industry experts, third-party creators, or even customers. These ads maintain the look and personal touch of a regular post, with only a discreet ‘Promoted by’ label indicating the sponsoring company. By appearing organic in the viewer’s feed, this fresh, engaging ad format helps companies leverage their experts and influencers to build credibility, visibility, and authenticity when reaching B2B decision-makers.
Thought Leader Ads: Benefits for B2B Marketing
1. Authenticity and Trust
People are more likely to engage with content from individuals rather than brands, making this format a natural way to establish credibility.
2. Enhanced Engagement
Thought Leader Ads have a 1.7x higher click-through rate and a 1.6x higher engagement rate than standard ads (LinkedIn).
3. Humanizing the Brand
Connecting the voice of employees or content creators with potential clients allows companies to showcase their expertise and personality, making them more relatable.
4. Cost-Effective Lead Generation
By directing traffic to high-value content instead of pushing hard sales, brands can attract leads without high acquisition costs.
5. Showcasing Expertise
Companies can highlight industry insights, case studies, how-to guides, and expert opinions directly from real people, positioning themselves as trusted authorities.
Best Practices for Successful Thought Leader Ads
We have identified key strategies to maximize the impact of Thought Leader Ads:
1. Optimize for Engagement, Not Just Awareness
• Use the engagement objective instead of brand awareness to drive meaningful interactions.
• Hyper-target your ideal customer profile (ICP) to ensure relevance.
• Include an exclusion list to prevent ad spend on irrelevant audiences.
2. Make the Content Feel Organic
• Posts should read like a natural LinkedIn update, not a sales pitch.
• Keep mentions of your product or service subtle—focus on adding value.
• Headlines such as ‘How This Did That’ or ‘Why You Should Be Doing This’ tend to perform well.
3. Use the Right Structure
• Images are best in this ad format and drive higher engagement.
• Directly call out your audience (e.g., “If you’re a B2B founder…”).
• Experiment with sponsoring posts from various team members, not just leadership.
4. Budget and Bidding Strategy
• Set a cost cap lower than LinkedIn’s suggested bid—as low as $1 can be effective.
• Retarget website visitors and LinkedIn post engagers in separate campaigns.
• If a post performs well organically, it will likely succeed with paid promotion.
5. Execute with the Right Content
• Identify internal thought leaders by encouraging executives, employees, and industry advocates to share insights that align with your brand’s messaging.
• Promote valuable content by selecting posts that have already shown strong engagement to ensure better ROI.
6. Ongoing Optimization
• Actively engage with your audience by responding to comments and interactions to build credibility.
• Track key performance metrics like engagement rates, conversions, and audience feedback to refine your strategy.
Turn Influence Into Impact
LinkedIn’s Thought Leader Ads present an exciting opportunity for B2B brands to combine the credibility of organic content with the reach of paid advertising. By following these best practices, companies can maximize the impact of this powerful new ad format.
If you’re looking to integrate this strategy into your marketing mix, start by identifying key voices within your company and crafting content that resonates with your target audience. Ready to get started?
Let’s amplify your LinkedIn presence.
Contact us today to explore how Thought Leader Ads can position your company as an industry leader and attract high-value prospects.
Zenergy Communications
info@zenergycom.com
