30+ Top Performing LinkedIn Ads Examples (& Why They Work)

What are LinkedIn Ads?

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You can post either organic or sponsored content on LinkedIn to reach a specific audience. As for how specific, you can choose from over 20 different audience categories.

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For instance, you might narrow your ad's audience by the level of education, job title, or job position. This ability to target leads to audience engagement and a higher conversion rate.

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With LinkedIn ads, you also pick an ad objective. There are three objectives to choose from:

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1. Awareness: Build brand awareness, or help your brand get recognized by more users.
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2. Consideration: Get audiences engaged by increasing link clicks and website and video views.
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3. Conversions: Up your lead generation and website conversions.

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Lastly, you'll pick your budget and ad scheduling. You have three budget options. These include Cost per Send (CPS), Cost per Click (CPC), and Cost per Impression (CPM). The best choice for you will be decided by the ad format you choose and your company's ad budget overall.

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What Are All the Types of LinkedIn Ads?

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You have plenty of options when it comes to LinkedIn ads:

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Sponsored Content

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This ad will look like a regular LinkedIn post but with a "promoted" tag on top. These ads will be placed directly in your targeted audience's feeds, where they're already scrolling. You can switch up your sponsored content by using images, video, or carousel ads if you want to share lots of info.

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Message Ads

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If you want to go right to the source, you can opt for message ads, which are delivered to your targeted audience's inbox. You can create an automated message to send to prospects with autofilled personalizations.

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Dynamic Ads

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Dynamic ads are all about personalization. They use a user's name and profile picture to gain interest. From there, you can turn a dynamic ad into a follower ad, company spotlight, or job ad.

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Text Ads

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Text ads are the simplest, but they're just as effective. You only need a few minutes to write brief, compelling copy and get it in the hands of your target audience.

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LinkedIn Ad Best Practices: What All Top-Performing Ads Have in Common

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Before you scroll through the examples below, it helps to know the rules the best ones are all playing by.

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Keep your intro copy under 150 characters. That's the cutoff before LinkedIn truncates your text and inserts a "See more" link. Whatever comes before that cutoff is your entire pitch. Don't save your best line for later. Put it first.

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Here's the part most advertisers miss: every click on "See more" counts as a chargeable click. If your intro text runs long, you're paying for curiosity instead of intent.

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Use action verbs in your CTA. "Download," "See how," and "Get the guide" consistently outperform passive options like "Learn more." Specificity tells people exactly what happens after they click, and that clarity drives more action.

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Never test more than one variable at a time. Always run at least two creative variants per campaign, but change a single element, either the headline or the image, not both. Change everything at once and you'll have a winner with no idea why it won.

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Relevance score is your hidden lever on cost. LinkedIn rewards ads that generate engagement by lowering your cost per click. A high-relevance ad targeting the same audience as a low-relevance one can cost 20 to 40% less per click. Strong creative isn't just a branding decision. It's a budget decision.

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Do your homework before you design anything. Check the LinkedIn Ad Library before building your creative. It's a free, public database of every active ad running on LinkedIn, searchable by advertiser and keyword. See what your competitors are running, spot the formats and angles they haven't touched yet, and build your ad from that gap instead of a copy of what's already saturated.

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With that framework in mind, here's where these principles show up in practice.

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The Best LinkedIn Ads Examples (and why they work)

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You know what LinkedIn ads are and how they work. But which ads actually see results? Take a look at the most effective ad examples below to get a feel for what gets likes on the social media platform.

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1. Amazon

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Why it works:

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The number "550,000" pops out right away. Why is this important? People like numbers. They're quick and easy to take in. Since users look at an ad for .7 seconds,  you need to grab the user's attention as fast as possible. 

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Amazon also made the ad pop by using different colors for the text, creating visual emphasis and interest. You can't help but stop and read it.

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2. Apple

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Why it works:

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Here is a prime example of a carousel ad. Each carousel card addresses the reader directly with a "you." Addressing the audience in second-person feels more personalized, leading to a deeper connection. Pictures that feature the iPhones juxtaposed against the white background make the product stand out.

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3. Facebook

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Why it works:

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Facebook shows another great ad technique: start with a question. Questions naturally draw the audience's attention to them, and Facebook immediately calls the audience to find the answer.

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4. WebFX

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Why it works:

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Starting your LinkedIn ad with an endorsement is another highly effective strategy. Here, WebFX uses a quote from one of its team members to get potential job applicants interested. The video below the quote stars the team member, who's speaking about his experience working for the company. Audiences get a firsthand view of what it's really like to work at WebFX.

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5. Salesforce

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Why it works:

Besides images or videos, you can add attachments to your LinkedIn ads. Here, Salesforce offers one of their business reports. You can add all kinds of documents or files in a LinkedIn ad, whether they're insights, trends, or reports. Doing so is the perfect opportunity to show your audience the facts and figures driving your company. Add a simple CTA, like "download," and you've got a quick action interested LinkedIn users can take.

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6. Thrive

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Why it works:

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Thrive cuts to the chase with their LinkedIn ad. The first thing any user will see is the big, bold, all-caps "We're hiring!" They save all the details for the text at the top. Coming up with just one word or phrase to highlight for your ad makes it attention-grabbing, driving audiences to read more.

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7. Google

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Why it works:

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The graphics and contrasting colors easily grab a user's attention and make the message stand out. Proof? Visuals alone make up nearly 100% of a customer's buying decision. Without them, you greatly decrease your chances of making an amazing first impression.

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8. Bank of America

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Why it works:

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You know quotes work well, but placing them on your LinkedIn ad graphic can make all the difference. Bank of America puts a quote from their Vice Chairman front and center. They also added a picture to give the quote a face. It feels personal while providing the user with useful information.

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9. Dell Technologies

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Why it works:

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Dell shows how you and the company are alike. You both "go far" for your business. You're both hard-working and dedicated to what you do. And Dell can help you out when you need it. Yes, Dell found the perfect way to develop a personal connection with a few words.

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10. Slack

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Why it works:

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You can see another example of effective color use in Slack's ad. Besides the colorful graph, the use of the yellow as the background stands out. Yellow is often associated with energy and optimism. Audiences who come across this ad get a good vibe from the brand and product.

11. IBM

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Why it works:

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"Be the first to know." Who doesn't want to be the first to get an inside scoop? IBM follows this up with a CTA in the box, making it easy to spot and click. Incorporating exclusivity is a great way to make users feel they're missing out if they don't take the action.

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12. Tableau Software

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Why it works:

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In both their text and graphic, Tableau makes a bold claim: "Best. Job. Ever." Being bold will nearly always get attention, but make sure you have the claims ready to back yourself afterward by providing great content.

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13. Constant Contact

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Why it works:

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Constant Contact's ad shows you three ways you can use their product right away. By the time you click on their link, you already know what you want out of their service. Giving users a few ideas before a click makes your audience more motivated to go through with the conversion you're offering them.

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14. Events.com

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Why this works:

How about not just one benefit but two? That's what Events.com offers in their ad — you get to save time and money. Those are two of the most valuable resources any company could ask for. Instead of listing just one benefit, aim for two or three concise ones that appeal to your audience's pain points.

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15. Stripe

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Why this works:

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When it comes to brand recognition, Stripe does it best. Their LinkedIn ad here uses the same color scheme as all their other ads. The same use of dark and light blue is easy to recognize, establishing Stripe's familiarity for new and old customers alike.

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16. Square

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Why it works:

Square does a lot of things right here. First, they address their audiences as "professionals" instead of just "business owners." This is flattering and speaks to their target audience. They then speak to their target audience's goal, which is focusing on their clients. Addressing goals shows that your business understands your target audience's needs and can help achieve them.

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17. Zoom

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Why it works:

Their graphic has an image mixed in with a white background, making for a visually appealing ad. They also put both their brands side-by-side to demonstrate their partnership. Lastly, their CTA uses strong, effective language with "harness the power."

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18. The Walt Disney Company

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Why it works:

In this ad, Disney personalizes their offering with, "your extraordinary talents." An applicant will feel that maybe their skills will be recognized at such a company. They also reference the audience's "brighter future" at the end.

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19. New York University

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Why it works:

New York University nails the carousel ad. After introducing their global study as the "experience of a lifetime," they include several images of where you can study. They add two pictures per carousel card to show both the city and what it'd be like to study there.

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20. Target

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Why it works:

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Target gives you an example of what their team members can do with their new chatbot service right in their actionable ad. There's no need to click anywhere else to learn more. It also gives you a peek into the way the company works behind-the-scenes to provide a good customer experience.

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21. LinkedIn

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Why it works:

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LinkedIn uses ambiguous language to draw in audiences. What are the insights? What's "everything?" LinkedIn users will be tempted to click on "learn more" to see what they can get out of a premium membership.

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22. Optimizely

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Why it works:

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An airplane coming out of a smartphone? What's that about? Is this company about travel? Digital marketing? Using unique graphics like this makes an ad hard to ignore. Users will feel like they just have to know more.

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23. PwC

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Why it works:

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Use of yellow? Interesting quote? Graphics? A personal picture? PwC has it all in this ad. The quote is a preview of what you can find in their Purpose Report. Chances are, if you love the ad, you'll want to download the report, too.

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24. Gatorade Performance Partner

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Why it works:

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Using the right photo in your ad can bring it to another level. Here, Gatorade backs up its inspirational message with an equally-inspiring photo. They also get their audience involved by asking an engaging question to get a discussion going.

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25. ClickUp

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Why it works:

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Seeing the human side of your brand helps give a face to your company and its services. ClickUp puts a picture of their happy and enthusiastic staff in their job ad. Audiences can picture themselves being a part of this energetic group.

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LinkedIn Single Image Ad Examples (and What Makes Them Work)

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Every example you just scrolled through is technically a single image ad, and there's a reason this format still dominates LinkedIn feeds. It's fast to produce, easy to A/B test, and strong for both awareness and lead gen without a big production lift.

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Before you build your next one, it helps to know what's actually happening above the fold. Your feed post shows your logo, company name, a "Promoted" tag, and roughly the first 150 characters of your copy before "See more" kicks in. Below that sits your image, ideally 1200x627px for landscape or 1200x1200px if you're going square, followed by your CTA button.

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Example 1: the stat-led ad. Picture a creative built around one bold number, something like "3x pipeline in 90 days," set against a high-contrast background. Bold numbers stop the scroll faster than product shots because they're processed almost instantly. This is the same instinct behind why the Amazon example earlier in this guide works so well.

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Example 2: the minimal, one-benefit ad. A clean layout with a single sentence and generous white space almost always beats a cluttered creative trying to cram in every feature. When you force yourself to communicate one idea, you make the reader's job easier, and easier usually means more clicks.

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Example 3: the social proof ad. A short customer quote or a wall of recognizable client logos does something a self-promotional claim never can. It lets someone else vouch for you. On a platform built around professional credibility, third-party validation consistently outperforms brand-written claims.

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Run the thumb-stop test before you publish anything. Cover up the copy and look at the image by itself. If it doesn't communicate anything on its own, the design needs another pass. Your image should work even if nobody reads a single word of copy.

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LinkedIn Video Ad Examples (and Why They Perform Differently)

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Video ads play by a different set of rules than static creative, mostly because of how people actually watch them. LinkedIn reports that video content drives 5x more engagement than other formats on the platform, but nearly 80% of that video gets watched with the sound completely off. If your message depends on audio, most of your audience will never get it.

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That changes how you build the first three seconds. Your opening frame needs to work in total silence, which means bold text overlays and a clear visual hook matter more than a clever voiceover.

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Example 1: the short demo video. A 15 to 30 second walkthrough that opens with the problem, not the product, tends to hold attention the longest. LinkedIn's own benchmarks show video ads this length see completion rates over 50%, compared to roughly 20% for anything running one to two minutes. Bold text overlays carrying the message and a single CTA at the end keep it simple enough to work muted.

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Example 2: the talking-head founder video. A founder or team member speaking straight to camera, no heavy production, tends to build more trust than a polished commercial. It also tends to pull in more comments, since it reads as a person sharing an opinion rather than a brand delivering a pitch.

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Example 3: the animated explainer. For anything abstract or technical, where live-action footage would be expensive or confusing, motion graphics do the heavy lifting. Complex ideas compress down into a visual you can follow in a few seconds, without needing a studio shoot.

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Three rules for every video ad you build: lead with the pain point in the very first frame, get your logo on screen within the first two seconds, and give the viewer exactly one action to take. Square (1:1) framing also tends to outperform landscape in the feed, since it fills more of the screen on the device most people are scrolling from.

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LinkedIn Dynamic Ad Examples (Including Spotlight Ads)

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Dynamic ads look nothing like anything else in this guide, because they're not really static creative at all. They pull the viewer's own profile photo and name directly into the ad, which means no two people technically see the exact same version.

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There are three sub-types, and each one renders and behaves differently:

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• Follower Ads grow your company page audience by placing your logo next to the viewer's own profile photo, encouraging a follow.
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• Spotlight Ads drive traffic to a landing page or job posting, using the viewer's name and a benefit-driven headline to feel individually written for them.
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• Job Ads surface open roles to people whose skills and experience match, personalized the same way.

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Example: a Spotlight Ad from a B2B SaaS company might read something like "[First name], see how teams like yours are cutting sales cycles in half," paired with the viewer's own profile photo. Even when the underlying message is fairly generic, the personalization effect alone tends to lift CTR, simply because seeing your own face and name in an ad is hard to scroll past.

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When to reach for dynamic ads instead of sponsored content: dynamic ads excel at retargeting warm audiences and building profile-level awareness, especially for recruiting and HR use cases. Sponsored content is the better call for cold audiences and anything that needs to tell a story over more than one line.

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One limitation worth planning around: dynamic ads only appear on desktop. If your audience is heavily mobile, this format won't reach them at all, so it's worth checking your audience's device mix in Campaign Manager before you build a Dynamic Ad campaign around it.

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Create LinkedIn Ads That Audiences Will Love

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With LinkedIn ads, you can find your dream audience. Better than that, you can see what drives results by testing out many advertising methods.

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When it comes to creating the ad, remember some key strategies. Use facts, figures, quotes, and questions. Make sure your copy is concise. Your audience is already interested. They just need the extra push to start clicking and converting.

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The top ads listed here act as a good starting point for your company. Once you're armed with ideas and inspiration, you're ready to make a LinkedIn ad that audiences will love.

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Conclusion

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LinkedIn ads work. The examples above prove it. But they also take real budget to run well, and real time to test, refresh, and optimize.

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Here's the honest breakdown. If you've got $30K a month to put behind LinkedIn ads, it's a strong channel worth investing in. But if you don't want to risk that kind of monthly ad spend, or you can't stomach paying $500 to $750 per booked call while you figure out what creative actually converts, LinkedIn outreach is the more cost-effective alternative.

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Outreach gets you in front of the same decision-makers, without the ad spend, the creative fatigue, or the guesswork.

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Book a free consultation and we'll help you figure out which approach makes sense for your budget.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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