How to find LinkedIn lead generation ad examples?
The best tool to find examples of other brands’ LinkedIn ads is the LinkedIn Ad Library.
However, if you want a curated list of various LinkedIn ad examples, this article is for you.
First of all… did you know that LinkedIn has a mind-blowing 930 million users, of which 16% log in to the platform daily?
If you’re in the B2B space, it’s safe to say that your target audience will most likely be on LinkedIn.
It also means that the potential to reach your customers is enormous. Luckily for you and me, LinkedIn offers a variety of ways to do that, both paid and organically.
Today, let’s have a look at the former. I want to talk about paid LinkedIn lead generation ads.
Contrary to platforms like Meta, advertising on LinkedIn has gotten a bad rep.
You might have heard a fellow marketer or business owner say that “LinkedIn ads are too expensive” or “LinkedIn ads simply don’t work.”
And whilst it’s true, advertising on LinkedIn can be more expensive than on other platforms.
… but it doesn’t mean it can’t be part of a winning marketing strategy.
If done right, LinkedIn ads can become your company’s #1 lead source.
I’ve compiled a list of 15 LinkedIn ads from some of the leading B2B companies. For each one, I’ve rated their offer, message, and creative, and included my brief analysis.
Some of these ads are great, and some of them … maybe not so much (you’ll learn why).
By the end of this article, you should know:
- What makes a great LinkedIn lead generation ad
- How to get your audience to notice your ad (and take action)
- What messaging mistakes to avoid
- What possible offers can you make?
Let’s get into it!
15 LinkedIn Lead Generation Ad Examples To Inspire Your Next Campaign (2024)
Deel – LinkedIn Lead Generation Ad Example 1
Rating Offer: 5/5
Rating Message: 5/5
Rating Creative: 5/5
Industry: SaaS
Offer: AI tool
Type of ad: Video ad
What stands out about this ad?
The magic in Deel’s ad lies in the offer. Prospects get access to a free AI payroll tool which answers their hiring questions. The message gives precise examples of what customers can ask, such as: “What are the total employment costs in Korea?”
Users can also save time and effort by getting all the info from one source. An explainer video illustrates the ad and one call-to-action clarifies what to do next.
A tool that answers all my burning questions, saves me time and effort, and is free? Take my email.
Click here to view the ad on LinkedIn.
Canva – LinkedIn Lead Generation Ad Example 2
Offer: 2/5
Message: 3/5
Creative: 4/5
Industry: SaaS
Offer: N/A
Type of ad: Video ad
What stands out about this ad?
B2B ads can be effective and spark curiosity, or plain boring. Unfortunately, Canva’s lead gen ad falls in the latter category. The one-line message uses business jargon like “streamline your workflow,” which doesn’t mean much to the reader. The creative uses specific numbers, which can work great in advertising. Yet, the ad fails to explain how promises such as “boost your productivity” and “6,500 saved hours” are achieved. Canva’s ad also misses a clear call to action, confusing the reader about the next steps.
Click here to view the ad on LinkedIn.
Autodesk – LinkedIn Lead Generation Ad Example 3
Offer: 4.5/5
Message: 4/5
Creative: 4/5
Industry: SaaS
Offer: e-book
Type of ad: Image ad
What stands out about this ad?
Autodesk’s ad effectively uses FOMO to appeal to its one target audience – engineers. The ad offers a free e-book which prospects can download to unlock new approaches to increase design agility. However, the ad could benefit from a precise call-to-action and a better headline.
Instead of “Free e-book,” double down on the FOMO and say “Stop doing things the old way. Unlock the latest design methods with our FREE e-book.”
Click here to view the ad on LinkedIn.
WeWork – LinkedIn Lead Generation Ad Example 4
Offer: 5/5
Message: 5/5
Creative: 5/5
Industry: Co-Working
Offer: Free trial
Type of ad: Image ad
What stands out about this ad?
WeWork does a great job of following one of the most powerful copywriting principles – the Rule of One. It caters to one audience, which are businesses in London. It has one relevant offer – a free day at one of their workspaces. And finally, it has one call to action, inviting customers to redeem their unique offer. On top of that, the ad uses urgency by telling the reader exactly when the offer ends. Nailed it.
Click here to view the ad on LinkedIn.
HubSpot – LinkedIn Lead Generation Ad Example 5
Offer: 5/5
Message: 5/5
Creative: 4.5/5
Industry: SaaS
Offer: Report
Type of ad: Image ad
What stands out about this ad?
HubSpot’s ad has a clear target audience and a compelling offer, which is often a recipe for success. The headline “How Startups Are Scaling, Who’s Funding Unicorns & What’s Next In VC” gives a sneak peek of what prospects can expect from the report. Most importantly, the ad caters to the startup founder’s biggest dream – to reach $1B+ status, and gives access to growth secrets that founders otherwise wouldn’t know.
A minor improvement would be to show a glimpse of what the actual report looks like in the creative.
Click here to view the ad on LinkedIn.
SEMRush – LinkedIn Lead Generation Ad Example 6
Offer: 4/5
Message: 4/5
Creative: 5/5
Industry: SaaS
Offer: Report
Type of ad: Image ad
What stands out about this ad?
SEMRush’s ad boasts a simple offer: to help e-commerce professionals stay up-to-date with industry trends. The creative is eye-catching, and the call to action is clear. The offer could be more attractive with concise ad copy. “Discover artificial intelligence” doesn’t spark enough curiosity in the reader, so I would go into more detail: “Discover how leading e-commerce brands use AI to do X, Y, and Z.”
Click here to view the ad on LinkedIn.
Monday.com – LinkedIn Leaderation Gen Ad Example 7
Offer: 2/5
Message: 4/5
Creative: 5/5
Industry: SaaS
Offer: N/A
Type of ad: Video ad
What stands out about this ad?
Monday.com immediately calls out the target audience in their ad, which can be a great way to get the reader’s attention. The creative does its job, showing what the actual platform looks like. The ad clearly states the benefits of using the software for someone working as a manager.
However, the offer doesn’t include a lead magnet, which can make it less appealing compared to some of the other ads we’ve looked at, but it can still prove effective.
Click here to view the ad on LinkedIn.
Miro – LinkedIn Lead Generation Ad Example 8
Offer: 2/5
Message: 2/5
Creative: 3.5/5
Industry: Recruitment
Offer: N/A
Type of ad: Image ad
What stands out about this ad?
Whilst not a lead generation ad, I had to throw a recruitment ad in here.
A good recruitment ad with a landing page will outperform a traditional LinkedIn job listing any day of the week.
But I would argue Miro’s ad is not one of them. Although the ad points out the target audience, which might capture their attention, it fails to answer the question: “What’s in it for the candidate?”
The copy uses words such as “motivation” and “enthusiastic,” which can be seen in any other job ad nowadays. While the landing page is optimized, the advert doesn’t overwhelm the candidate with benefits.
A better option here would be to create a carousel ad and list at least 3-4 reasons why working at Miro as a sales professional is desirable.
Click here to view the ad on LinkedIn.
Shopify – LinkedIn Lead Generation Ad Example 9
Offer: 4/5
Message: 3.5/5
Creative: 5/5
Industry: SaaS
Offer: Report
Type of ad: Image ad
What stands out about this ad?
Shopify doesn’t waste any time and jumps right into trying to convert its competitor’s users into their own. The creative checks all the boxes: it’s eye-catching, asks a relevant question, and shows a glimpse of the report. However, the ad could benefit from more specific copy. It should hint at why companies are switching to Shopify. The call to action should also mention that the report is free (I had to double-check it).
Click here to view the ad on LinkedIn.
Slack – LinkedIn Lead Generation Ad Example 10
Offer: 4/5
Message: 3.5/5
Creative: 3/5
Industry: SaaS
Offer: Webinar
Type of ad: Image ad
What stands out about this ad?
Webinar ads are a great lead magnet option for B2B companies. Yet, Slack’s message is a bit too vague to my liking. The copy should outline what specific value people will get from this webinar. Another area of improvement is the creative, which should include a testimonial from a dev team or a picture of the webinar hosts.
Click here to view the ad on LinkedIn.
Pipedrive – LinkedIn Lead Generation Ad Example 11
Offer: 4/5
Message: 4/5
Creative: 4/5
Industry: SaaS
Offer: Free trial
Type of ad: Single image ad
What stands out about this ad?
Pipedrive’s ad is simple but effective. It outlines the benefits of using the platform and offers a free trial. Again, I like when SaaS companies show what their platforms look like in their ads. I would use the headline “CRM for successful sales teams” in the creative.
It would also be better to re-word “Driving business growth” to something more personable like “Grow your business with Pipedrive. Try it free today.”
Click here to view the ad on LinkedIn.
Webflow – LinkedIn Lead Generation Ad Example 12
Offer: 5/5
Message: 3.5/5
Creative: 5/5
Industry: SaaS
Offer: e-book
Type of ad: Single image ad
What stands out about this ad?
Marketing teams often have unrealistic expectations from management, which makes Webflow’s offer relevant and timely. I like that they show the e-book in the creative as it catches the eye.
What I’m missing from this ad is specific copy. The creative, the headline and the copy repeat the same points. Phrases such as “How to overcome obstacles” and “Do more with less” are too vague. I would list ALL the problems that this e-book helps marketers fix. Then, rank them in terms of severity and frequency. It sets the baseline for specific copy, saving the audience from guessing what’s inside the e-book.
Click here to view the ad on LinkedIn.
CXL – LinkedIn Lead Generation Ad Example 13
Offer: 5/5
Message: 5/5
Creative: 5/5
Industry: E-Learning
Offer: $1 trial
Type of ad: Single image ad
What stands out about this ad?
I’m a big fan of this advert. Remember, the key to successful copywriting is to make it about the audience, and CXL nails it. The platform has a clear unique selling point: “Learn from the top 1% of marketers,” and this is the core message of the advert.
What is more, CXL states relevant benefits users get by using the platform (this has been missing from some of the previous adverts we’ve looked at).
… and there’s ONE compelling offer – a $1 trial.
Click here to view the ad on LinkedIn.
Salesforce – LinkedIn Lead Generation Ad Example 14
Offer: 5/5
Message: 3.5/5
Creative: 4/5
Industry: SaaS
Offer: Free guide
Type of ad: Single image ad
What stands out about this ad?
I like that this ad uses a specific number (88% of marketers) to create FOMO and show how many use personalization in their marketing.
Being specific catches attention. It makes the audience think you have data to back up your claims.
However, the message could detail WHY marketers personalize their customer journey. Does it help them increase conversions by a certain percentage? Or does it increase the customer satisfaction rate?
What’s also missing in the creative is a report preview. It’s a missed chance to provide extra value to the reader.
Click here to view the ad on LinkedIn.
Oyster – LinkedIn Lead Generation Ad Example 15
Offer: 4/5
Message: 4/5
Creative: 4.5/5
Industry: SaaS
Offer: Free demo
Type of ad: Single image ad
What stands out about this ad?
This is a great example of an ad that targets product-aware prospects. When a customer is aware of their problem (and existing solutions), your ad has to show why your solution is the right choice.
Showcasing social proof like testimonials and using your existing customers’ words in your copy is a winning strategy. You want to create an offer that encourages your prospects to try your product risk-free, and a free demo is a safe way to do it.
One thing I would change: I wouldn’t add two call-to-actions close to each other since there already is one on the headline.
Click here to view the ad on LinkedIn.
Takeaways
With the right strategy, you can make LinkedIn ads your lead generation machine. Yet, for a LinkedIn ad to perform, you need four things:
- A compelling offer (such as an e-book, report, free trial, etc.)
- Specific copy (relevant benefits and one call to action)
- ONE clear target audience
- Relevant visual elements (e.g. video, image, infographic)
Use these examples and analysis as a baseline of what to do (and what not to do) when planning your next campaign.