Best Practices for Thought Leadership LinkedIn Ads

Are your LinkedIn ads getting ignored by decision-makers? Wondering how industry influencers seem to get 10x the traction with no sales pitch?

You're not alone. We recently helped several B2B brands replace underperforming brand ads with Thought Leader Ads that drive real conversations, credibility, and conversions.

In this article, you'll learn what Thought Leader Ads are, why they drive more engagement than traditional LinkedIn ads, and how to craft posts that spark trust. Plus, we’ll show you real-world results and how to avoid common mistakes.

Thought Leader ads are a type of sponsored content designed to amplify a company's most influential voices, such as executives or subject matter experts. These ads promote posts from individual profiles rather than company pages, establishing authority and credibility within a particular industry or topic.

Thought Leader ads excel at engaging audiences authentically, building trust, and sparking meaningful conversations. They are effective for personal branding and for sharing insights, perspectives, and thought-provoking content.

Before we dive into the details, you may be wondering if LinkedIn ads are even worth the investment? LinkedIn stands out as a premier platform for thought leadership advertising due to its professional audience and credibility. Unlike other social media platforms, LinkedIn is designed for career development, industry discussions, and business networking. This makes it an ideal channel for companies aiming to build trust and authority through influential voices.

How Thought Leader Ads Differ from Other Ads

• Traditional ads often promote branded content or product-specific messages.
• Thought Leader Ads are centered around personal perspectives and insights.
• They aim to build credibility rather than directly sell products.

Why Thought Leader Ads Are Gaining Popularity

Companies are realizing that audiences engage more with authentic voices. This ad format is especially effective for B2B marketing, where trust and expertise play a significant role in decision-making.

The rising popularity of Thought Leader Ads on LinkedIn is no coincidence. Several industry trends and consumer behavior shifts have fueled this growth. Here are some compelling reasons why companies are increasingly adopting this format:

1. Authenticity Over Promotion
   • Studies show that audiences engage over twice as much with authentic content from individuals than with traditional brand ads (Source: Journal of Interactive Advertising).
   • People prefer insights from credible voices rather than polished marketing messages.
   • Thought Leader Ads allow companies to build trust by associating their brand with recognized industry experts.
2. The Rise of B2B Influencers
   • LinkedIn has become a hub for influential voices across sectors like tech, finance, healthcare, and education.
   • Companies are partnering with internal and external thought leaders to humanize their brand and foster trust.
3. Evolving Buyer Behavior
   • B2B buyers conduct extensive online research before engaging with sales teams (Source: Sellers Commerce)
   • Thought Leader Ads provide valuable insights during the consideration stage, subtly influencing decisions.
4. Cost-Effective Engagement
   • Compared to traditional brand advertising, Thought Leader Ads often yield better engagement rates at lower costs.
   • They create a halo effect where audiences associate the credibility of the thought leader with the brand itself.

By leveraging these benefits, companies can differentiate themselves in competitive markets, establish authority, and nurture meaningful customer relationships.

Types of Thought Leader Posts That Perform Well

1. Industry Insights and Trends
2. Thought-Provoking Questions
3. Customer Stories and Case Studies
4. Research and Data-Driven Posts
5. Best Practices

The ROI of LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads: Real Campaign Data”

LinkedIn's Thought Leader Ads are an excellent choice for branding campaigns. Companies have reported 5-10x higher click-through rates (CTR) with these ads. By leveraging endorsements from influencers or industry leaders, these ads effectively build brand confidence and establish credibility. When a well-known figure highlights your product or company, it fosters trust and creates authentic engagement.

This initial visibility provides a valuable opportunity to retarget users who engage with the content. By following up with tailored middle and bottom-of-the-funnel messaging, you can nurture these prospects through the buyer's journey and drive meaningful conversions.

How to Format a High-Performing LinkedIn Thought Leader Post

• Use the first 150 characters to create a compelling hook that clearly identifies the audience.
• Aim for a length of 150 to 250 words or around three sentences. This keeps the message clear and concise while still providing enough value to engage the audience.
• Keep in mind that LinkedIn doesn’t allow more than 10 emojis in a post.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid with Thought Leader Ads

• Being Overly Promotional: Audiences can quickly detect inauthentic content. Ensure the message remains informative and adds value.
• Choosing the Wrong Thought Leader: Select a leader whose voice and expertise resonate with your audience. Misaligned thought leaders can reduce credibility.

Real-World Examples of Thought Leadership Ads

For a client in the software space, we launched Thought Leader Ads based on the hypothesis that we'd see improved engagement compared to standard single-image ads. After 30 days of using the engagement objective, the results were as follows:

• CTR/Engagement Rate: 3.51%
• CPC: $2.39

• CTR/Engagement Rate: 4.37%
• CPC: $2.05

Results: Engagement rates were twice as high compared to recent single-image ads targeting the same audience with the same objective. Additionally, we saw a 96% reduction in CPC, making Thought Leader Ads significantly more cost-efficient.

At the end of the day, getting B2B buyers to engage with branded content is harder than ever—especially when trust is low. But as you've seen, Thought Leader Ads can cut through the noise and establish credibility quickly.

Now that you know how to use them effectively, your next step is to explore how to align your ad messaging with the buyer’s journey.

At CommonMind, we’ve helped several brands generate real ROI with this strategy. Want to know if it’s right for you? Book a discovery call today.