Ad Formats Archives

LinkedIn Document Ads: The Underrated Format Driving High Engagement

Posted on March 14, 2026 by Dennis Yu

By AJ Wilcox

LinkedIn Document Ads are one of the most underutilized ad formats on the platform, yet they consistently deliver some of the highest engagement rates. In this episode of The LinkedIn Ads Show, I break down exactly how Document Ads work, why they're so effective, and how to use them in your campaigns.

What Are LinkedIn Document Ads?

Document Ads allow you to share PDFs, PowerPoints, and Word documents directly in the LinkedIn feed as a swipeable carousel experience. Users can preview your document without leaving LinkedIn, swiping through pages like a carousel. This native experience drives significantly higher engagement than traditional single-image ads because it provides immediate value right in the feed.

Why Document Ads Outperform Other Formats

Document Ads consistently outperform other ad formats for several reasons. First, they're inherently more engaging — the swipeable format encourages interaction. Second, they deliver value upfront rather than asking users to click away to a landing page. Third, LinkedIn's algorithm rewards high-engagement content with more impressions. The result is lower costs per engagement and higher click-through rates compared to standard Sponsored Content.

Best Practices for Document Ad Creative

The most effective Document Ads follow a specific structure. Lead with a compelling cover slide that clearly communicates what value the viewer will get. Keep each page focused on a single idea with large, readable text. Use visual elements like charts, graphs, and icons to break up text. End with a strong call-to-action page that tells the viewer what to do next. The optimal length is 5 to 10 pages — long enough to deliver value but short enough to maintain attention.

Gating vs Ungating Your Documents

LinkedIn gives you the option to gate your Document Ads behind a lead form or leave them ungated. Gated documents capture lead information but reduce engagement. Ungated documents maximize reach and engagement but don't capture leads directly. My recommendation depends on your funnel stage: use ungated documents for awareness campaigns and gated documents for conversion campaigns targeting warm audiences who have already engaged with your content.

Get Expert Help From B2Linked

Want to incorporate Document Ads into your LinkedIn strategy? B2Linked has deep expertise with every LinkedIn ad format and can help you create campaigns that drive engagement and leads. Visit b2linked.com to learn more about our LinkedIn advertising services.

Watch the Full Episode

Watch the complete episode above for detailed examples of high-performing Document Ads, recommended page layouts, and tips for maximizing engagement. For the full show notes, visit the B2Linked blog.

LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads: How to Supercharge Your Campaigns

Posted on November 1, 2025March 14, 2026 by Dennis Yu

By AJ Wilcox

Why Thought Leader Ads Need a Strategy

LinkedIn’s Thought Leader Ads let you boost posts from your employees’ personal profiles and can generate high click‑through rates at low cost. However, many marketers struggle to translate that performance into results for company ads. In a recent episode of the LinkedIn Ads Show, AJ Wilcox explained why the shift from personal engagement to brand impact is so tricky (b2linked.com). People connect more easily with individuals than with companies, so you need a deliberate strategy to make the trust and attention you build flow back to your brand.

Top Tactics to Transfer Trust to Your Brand

To bridge the gap between Thought Leader Ads and Mention the company early. Have your thought leader call out the company name in the first sentence of the post. This simple cue helps readers associate the person with the brand.

Encourage followers to follow the company. Use your Thought Leader Ads to invite people to follow your company page and explain why they should (e.g., weekly research or tips).

Add your logo to the creative. Include the company logo as a watermark on images or videos so people visually link the thought leader to the brand.

Tell an origin story. Use the ad to share a founding or inspirational company story that naturally mentions your organization.

Retarget engaged viewers. Build audiences of people who interacted with your Thought Leader Ads and retarget them with company ads. This allows you to test whether warmed‑up audiences respond better than cold audiences.

Funnel Positioning & Community Engagement

Thought Leader Ads work best at the top of the funnel: they build trust quickly, create engagement at record levels and expand your retargeting pool. But AJ explains that these ads can also play a role in the middle or bottom of your funnel when paired with retargeting and strong storytelling. Join the LinkedIn Ads Fanatics community to share your experiences and get support from other advanced marketers.

Get Expert Help From B2Linked

If you’d like expert guidance on launching and scaling your Thought Leader Ads, reach out to the B2Linked team of LinkedIn Ads specialists. They’ve managed hundreds of accounts since 2014 and can help you craft a full‑funnel strategy that connects personal trust to company growth.

Watch the Full Episode & Join the Conversation

Watch the full episode below, then let us know which tactic you’re most excited to try. Have you already run Thought Leader Ads? Share your results in the comments or drop your questions for AJ and the team.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysvA8oYplj4company ads, AJ shared several tactics (b2linked.com):

Mention the company early. Have your thought leader call out the company name in the first sentence of the post. This simple cue helps readers associate the person with the brand.
Encourage followers to follow the company. Use your Thought Leader Ads to invite people to follow your company page and explain why they should (e.g., weekly research or tips).
Add your logo to the creative. Include the company logo as a watermark on images or videos so people visually link the thought leader to the brand.
Tell an origin story. Use the ad to share a founding or inspirational company story that naturally mentions your organization (b2linked.com).
Retarget engaged viewers. Build audiences of people who interacted with your Thought Leader Ads and retarget them with company ads. This allows you to test whether warmed‑up audiences respond better than cold audiences.

Funnel Positioning & Community Engagement

Thought Leader Ads work best at the top of the funnel: they build trust quickly, create engagement at record levels and expand your retargeting pool (b2linked.com). But AJ explains that these ads can also play a role in the middle or bottom of your funnel when paired with retargeting and strong storytelling. Join the LinkedIn Ads Fanatics community to share your experiences and get support from other advanced marketers.

Get Expert Help From B2Linked

If you’d like expert guidance on launching and scaling your Thought Leader Ads, reach out to the B2Linked team of LinkedIn Ads specialists. They’ve managed hundreds of accounts since 2014 and can help you craft a full‑funnel strategy that connects personal trust to company growth.

Watch the Full Episode & Join the Conversation

Watch the full episode below, then let us know which tactic you’re most excited to try. Have you already run Thought Leader Ads? Share your results in the comments or drop your questions for AJ and the team.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysvA8oYplj4

LinkedIn’s Highest-Performing Lead Magnets: Deep Dive with Ian Nelson

Posted on October 31, 2025March 14, 2026 by Dennis Yu

By AJ Wilcox

Identify the Viral Lead Magnet Trend

Think lead magnets are outdated? Think again. On this episode of The LinkedIn Ads Show, I sit down with lead‑magnet expert Ian Nelson to uncover the secret sauce behind the viral “comment‑to‑get” lead magnet trend taking over LinkedIn. We explain why this strategy is exploding right now and how top creators are building irresistible lead magnets every week using AI (www.youtube.com). If you want to fill your calendar with qualified leads, you’ll love the insights we share.

Unlock the AI‑Powered Lead Magnet Strategy

We break down how to design lead magnets that deliver real value and how to repurpose them across your marketing channels. Ian shares his process for leveraging AI tools to draft, iterate and scale new offers at speed. Most importantly, we show you how to turn all that engagement into real sales opportunities (www.youtube.com).

Get Expert Help From B2Linked and Ian Nelson

If you’d like expert help creating or promoting lead magnets on LinkedIn, reach out to the B2Linked LinkedIn ads specialists. We’ve spent over $150 million on LinkedIn Ads and can help you build a campaign strategy that works. You can also connect with our guest Ian Nelson on his website to learn more about his approach. We’re here to help you generate leads that convert.

Watch the Full Episode & Join the Conversation

Watch the full episode below, then join the conversation in the comments. What types of lead magnets have worked best for you on LinkedIn? Share your experiences or questions—we’d love to feature them on a future episode.

Related Articles: How to Build a Unique Personal Brand in 2024 – strategies for building your brand with vertical or horizontal videos. Blog Posting Guidelines for Repurposing Long-Form Videos – learn our process for repurposing long-form videos into articles.

What Video Format Performs Best on LinkedIn Ads? Horizontal vs Vertical vs Square

Posted on October 31, 2025March 14, 2026 by Dennis Yu

By AJ Wilcox

Why Horizontal Video Wins on LinkedIn

There’s a common belief that vertical video performs best on social platforms because it takes up more screen space on mobile. But after analyzing over $140,000 in LinkedIn ad spend across multiple campaigns, we discovered that horizontal (16:9) video dramatically outperformed vertical (9:16) and square (1:1) formats. Horizontal videos achieved two to four times better view rates, completion rates and cost efficiency than their vertical and square counterparts. In other words, horizontal videos delivered a better return on spend.

Key Learnings from the Experiment

Horizontal video likely wins because LinkedIn’s feed is largely consumed on desktop screens and because the format allows for more context and on-screen text. Our experiments showed that horizontal videos kept viewers engaged longer and drove more conversions. The results underline that advertisers should prioritize horizontal creatives on LinkedIn, even though vertical video dominates other social platforms. The key takeaway: always test creative formats rather than blindly following trends.

What Should Advertisers Do?

For your next LinkedIn campaign, test horizontal creative alongside vertical or square variations to see what resonates with your audience. Focus on strong opening hooks, clear messaging and captions to capture attention. And don't assume vertical is better just because it's trendy—our data shows the opposite. Use data-driven experiments to guide your video strategy.

Get Expert Help from B2Linked and Chandler Quinton

If you'd like help maximizing your LinkedIn video campaigns, reach out to the B2Linked LinkedIn ads specialists. They’ve spent over $150 million on LinkedIn Ads and know how to create high-performing creative. You can also connect with Chandler Quinton on LinkedIn or his site funb2bads.com for more video insights. We're here to help you build ads that stand out and convert.

Watch the Full Episode & Join the Conversation

Watch the full episode below, then share your thoughts. Have you tested different video aspect ratios on LinkedIn? What results have you seen? Comment with your experiences or questions—we might feature them on a future show.

Related Articles: How to Build a Unique Personal Brand in 2024 – strategies for building your brand with vertical or horizontal videos. Blog Posting Guidelines for Repurposing Long-Form Videos – learn our process for repurposing long-form videos into articles.

LinkedIn’s New Event Ads: AJ Wilcox Interviews Gina Kleiner

Posted on October 30, 2025March 14, 2026 by Dennis Yu

LinkedIn’s advertising platform just rolled out a major upgrade to its event ads format. In a recent episode of The LinkedIn Ads Show, AJ Wilcox sat down with Gina Kleiner, LinkedIn’s lead product marketing manager for the LinkedIn Ads ecosystem, to discuss the new Live Event Ads. The conversation reveals how the new format helps B2B marketers promote webinars, conferences and live streams across the entire event lifecycle.

Gina explains that LinkedIn has created a varied video ecosystem across organic and paid placements. Live events are a natural fit for LinkedIn’s professional audience. The new Live Event Ads allow advertisers to run a single campaign that automatically adjusts as the event approaches, is happening or has concluded. Before the event, the ad drives awareness and registrations. During the event, it dynamically updates the creative and call‑to‑action to encourage people to watch the live stream, with delivery accelerated to maximize live views. Afterwards, the ad automatically switches to nurturing and retargeting attendees based on how much of the event they watched, driving them to the next step.

This dynamic functionality solves a common complaint about the old event ads, which would still invite people to register even after the event had ended. The new ads include a 30 second preview, giving prospects a taste of your content and encouraging them to tune in. Because the call‑to‑action changes automatically, there’s no need to pause or replace campaigns as the event date passes.

AJ and Gina also discuss strategy: use these ads to build momentum ahead of your event, accelerate delivery during the live window, and follow up with tailored offers based on attendee engagement. It’s another example of how LinkedIn is investing in video and creator‑led content for B2B marketers.

If you want help setting up Live Event Ads or building a holistic LinkedIn Ads strategy, reach out to the B2Linked LinkedIn ads specialists: https://b2linked.com They specialize exclusively in LinkedIn Ads and have been mastering the platform since 2014.

Watch the full interview below to learn all the details.

By AJ Wilcox