LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads: Full Step-by-Step Guide (2025)

Summary

Thought Leader Ads on LinkedIn offer a more authentic and effective way of advertising compared to traditional company page ads. By boosting individual posts from key people, such as CEOs, companies can create stronger connections with their audience, driving higher engagement rates and better ad performance. These ads generate impressive results, with higher click-through rates and lower costs. The script explains how to set up Thought Leader Ads, the best times to use them, and various use cases such as promoting case studies, testimonials, and subject matter experts. A step-by-step guide is also included to help users implement this strategy.

Takeaways

• 😀 Thought Leader Ads on LinkedIn allow for more authentic, personal advertising by boosting posts from individual profiles rather than company pages.
• 😀 LinkedIn’s Thought Leader Ads can generate significantly higher engagement rates (3-4 times more) compared to regular company page ads.
• 😀 These ads help foster a more genuine connection with audiences by enabling direct interaction with people, rather than faceless companies.
• 😀 Case studies, expert videos, and personal posts work well in Thought Leader Ads, helping to create a targeted and engaging ad funnel.
• 😀 Thought Leader Ads can lead to lower cost-per-click (CPC) rates, as higher engagement improves the ad’s quality score and overall ad performance.
• 😀 Thought Leader Ads are ideal for growing the personal following of CEOs, founders, and subject matter experts within a company.
• 😀 These ads are particularly effective for sharing case studies and testimonials, as posts from individuals are seen as more credible than company-generated content.
• 😀 The campaigns run through Thought Leader Ads often have higher click-through rates (CTR), reaching up to 11%, which is well above the average LinkedIn CTR of 4%.
• 😀 Thought Leader Ads help drive better results by encouraging deeper engagement, with users spending more time interacting with the content (up to twice as long as company page ads).
• 😀 To set up Thought Leader Ads, you must choose objectives like brand awareness or engagement, define the target audience, and select the ad format and placement, ensuring the content is well-suited for boosting.

Q & A

What are Thought Leader Ads on LinkedIn?

Thought Leader Ads are a LinkedIn advertising feature that allows users to boost individual posts from personal profiles rather than company pages. This makes the ad more authentic and allows businesses to connect with their audience through a human voice rather than a faceless company.

How do Thought Leader Ads differ from traditional LinkedIn company page ads?

Traditional LinkedIn company page ads display the company logo and are seen as coming from a faceless enterprise. In contrast, Thought Leader Ads are boosted posts from individual profiles, making them more personal, engaging, and authentic. They show up with a 'promoted by' label, displaying the company name, and tend to have higher engagement rates.

What is the primary benefit of using Thought Leader Ads for advertising?

The primary benefit of Thought Leader Ads is their ability to create more authentic and genuine connections with the audience. These ads tend to have 3 to 4 times higher engagement rates compared to company page ads, leading to better ad performance and lower costs.

How much more effective are Thought Leader Ads compared to company page ads in terms of engagement?

Thought Leader Ads are shown to have 3 to 4 times higher engagement rates than traditional company page ads. This means users are more likely to interact with posts coming from real people rather than faceless companies.

What types of content are best suited for Thought Leader Ads?

Content that performs well in Thought Leader Ads includes case studies, customer testimonials, and posts from subject matter experts. Personal stories, company missions, and expert insights are also highly effective in boosting engagement.

How do you set up a Thought Leader Ad campaign on LinkedIn?

To set up a Thought Leader Ad, go to LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager, create a new campaign, select an objective (e.g., engagement), define your target audience, and choose ad formats. Then, you browse existing content, select the individual's post to boost, and launch the campaign.

What are the advantages of using Thought Leader Ads over traditional sponsored content ads?

Thought Leader Ads provide better engagement and lower costs. The average click-through rate (CTR) for Thought Leader Ads is 10 times higher than the average for company page ads. Additionally, they result in better cost-per-click (CPC) and longer dwell times, meaning users engage more deeply with the content.

When is it ideal to use Thought Leader Ads?

Thought Leader Ads are most beneficial when you want to build the personal brand of a CEO or founder, share company stories, promote customer testimonials, or amplify subject matter experts within your company. They are especially effective when targeting high-level decision-makers in B2B industries.

How does audience engagement differ between Thought Leader Ads and regular company page ads?

Audience engagement is significantly higher with Thought Leader Ads. People tend to engage more with posts coming from individuals, as they find them more relatable and trustworthy. This results in higher likes, comments, and shares compared to traditional company page ads.

What is the cost advantage of Thought Leader Ads?

The cost advantage of Thought Leader Ads lies in their high engagement rates. Ads with better engagement are often rewarded with lower costs per click (CPC) on LinkedIn. For example, Thought Leader Ads may cost a fraction of what company page ads cost, sometimes as low as one-tenth the cost.