Unlocking the Power of LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads: Data-Driven Insights and Strategic Success

Last month, I ran seven thought leader ads for CEOs on LinkedIn and gathered some fascinating insights. Here are the key takeaways from this endeavor and some strategic recommendations for future campaigns.

Unparalleled Data Insights

One of the most striking aspects of running these thought leader ads was the depth and granularity of the data we gathered. For each client, we were able to discern which job titles, geographic locations, seniority levels, and company sizes were most responsive to their ads. This level of detail is invaluable.

For example, we pinpointed specific cities that were surprisingly responsive, offering insights that go beyond LinkedIn and can inform broader marketing strategies. This data can guide decisions on ad spend across various platforms, event locations, and even recruiting strategies.

Example insight from one of our CEO client debriefs

A second insight from one of our CEO client debriefs

Creative Performance and Trends

While running the campaign, I initially used a wide array of creatives—10 to 15 per client. In hindsight, this was excessive. Moving forward, I plan to restrict the number of creatives to no more than five per campaign. This focused approach should enhance the impact of each ad and provide clearer insights into which posts resonate most with the audience.

Interestingly, despite the variety of creatives, we observed clear trends in content performance. Certain topics and post types consistently outperformed others, providing a roadmap for future content creation.

Example content insight, seeing which CEO LinkedIn post drove the highest CTR.

Limited Impact on LinkedIn Profiles

A surprising outcome was the minimal impact on the LinkedIn profiles of the CEOs. Despite the ads, we saw no significant increase in:

1. profile views
2. followers, or
3. engagement metrics such as likes, comments, and shares.

This suggests that while the ads are effective in other areas, they do not necessarily translate to direct LinkedIn profile growth.

Example insight of an ads impact on a CEO client’s LinkedIn following. This was similar for all seven CEOs.

Example insight of an ads impact on the number of views of a CEO’s LinkedIn profile.

Example insight of an ads impact on a CEO content key metrics. This was similar for all seven CEOs.

Strategic Recommendations for Future Campaigns

Based on these findings, here are some recommendations for future thought leader ad campaigns:

1. Limit Creatives to Enhance Impact: Using no more than five creatives per campaign will help concentrate the ad spend and potentially yield more significant results.
2. Clarify CEO Objectives: Be explicit about what matters most to the CEO. Whether the goal is brand awareness, engagement, or lead generation, aligning the campaign strategy with these objectives is crucial.
3. Focus on Engagement Ads: The engagement ads showed click-through rates 10 to 20 times higher than the industry average, highlighting LinkedIn’s effectiveness in this area. However, experimenting with lead generation ads could help determine their potential for driving sales and sales interest.

Potential Applications of Thought Leader Ads

The potential applications of these ads are diverse, with three primary areas of focus:

1. Talent Acquisition: One of our CEOs used the ads to target potential hires by showcasing company culture and specific roles. The data on geographic areas, job titles, and competitor engagement proved invaluable.
2. Brand Awareness: Thought leader ads allow for hyper-specific targeting, ensuring that the content reaches the ideal client persona. This precision can significantly boost brand awareness among the desired audience.
3. Customer Acquisition: To leverage these ads for customer acquisition, it’s essential to test lead generation ads. This would involve crafting ads that drive the target buyer to take action, potentially increasing sales and sales interest.

Conclusion

While these findings are preliminary and based on a relatively small ad spend of $500, they underscore the immense value of thought leader ads on LinkedIn. The key takeaway is that these ads excel at raising brand awareness and engaging the target demographic, rather than directly increasing followers or post views. By refining our approach and focusing on clear objectives, we can unlock even greater potential from future campaigns.

In summary, thought leader ads on LinkedIn offer powerful tools for data-driven insights and strategic marketing. By understanding and leveraging these capabilities, businesses can effectively reach and engage their target audiences, driving both brand awareness and engagement.