How can you boost your advertising on LinkedIn?

Effective B2B advertising on LinkedIn requires more than a dry listing of product benefits. To be successful, you need to create ads that not only show product benefits, but also make your audience feel something. If you can make your ads stand out through creativity and emotional connections, then you really have the chance to dominate on LinkedIn. Today, there are clear figures for this.

Creativity also sells on LinkedIn

It's no secret that B2B advertising on LinkedIn is often perceived as boring. Functionality, product benefits and technical specifications have long been the main messages. The rational part of the brain has been targeted in the belief that everyone who acts for companies is a logical robot without emotions. And to the extent that they wanted to raise a more general emotional message, it has usually ended up in a dusty, bland cliché. Preferably with a bland movie as a backdrop. But that doesn't work. Creativity also sells on LinkedIn. And there is clear data on that today.

What makes a LinkedIn ad effective?

The B2B Institute, a think tank within LinkedIn, has delved into the numbers and taken a closer look at how companies make their ads - and how they relate to what actually makes an impact. The results are pretty disappointing. Their review shows that a majority use voice over, have a logo that fades out, use stock photos and set the movie in an office environment. But when they look at the impact of the films, they find that a voice over - by far the most common creative element - has the least impact. In fact, it even has a negative effect... What actually works, and what very few use, is building a story, using clear characters, building on emotions and investing in an evocative soundtrack.

More than just features - why emotions matter

Another study, conducted by LinkedIn and MAGNA Media Trials, looked at over 1,700 decision-makers to understand how creativity affects B2B advertising. The results showed, unsurprisingly, that creativity isn't just a bonus - it's a prerequisite for impact. According to LinkedIn's report, almost 9 out of 10 marketing managers have started to advocate for bolder, more creative campaigns. Which is no surprise, because it's the emotional connections that make audiences engage and act. In the same study, over 60% of participants said that more creative campaigns not only engage, but also increase 'Share of Voice' and even lead to more media coverage.

What works best? - Video and display ads

Whether you're running video or image ads, LinkedIn's data shows that both formats can deliver strong results. But it doesn't happen automatically, it's not enough to just post a video and hope for the best. It has to be creative. It has to be something that stands out. LinkedIn's research showed that creative ads, regardless of format, increase brand trust, increase purchase intent and get your brand considered much more often. In fact, decision-makers are as much as 40% more likely to consider a purchase if the ad is perceived as creative.

There is a creative deficit - but this is your chance

At the same time, the study shows that most B2B ads lack emotion, humor or a unique perspective. So it's not that hard to stand out. To put it simply: there is a creative deficit in B2B advertising. That means you have a huge opportunity to break through the noise by doing just something a little different. And it's not something that only applies to certain industries - all sectors suffer from this. Whether you're in tech, healthcare or industrial products, there's room to get more creative and actually get people to listen.

How creativity affects actions

And it's not just decision-makers who say they want more creativity - they also act on it. Ads perceived as creative get longer viewing times (+24 seconds on average) and more likes (+21 more compared to the average). So creativity doesn't just drive consideration, it also gets people to engage and take the next step. This means your ads not only get seen, but also do the job they are meant to do.

What can we learn?

Effective B2B advertising on LinkedIn requires more than a dry listing of product benefits. To be successful, you need to create ads that not only show product benefits, but also make your audience feel something. Ads that are story-driven, that engage on a human level and that dare to be a little different. If you can make your ads stand out through creativity and emotional connections, then you really have the chance to dominate on LinkedIn.