LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads: How to Build Trust and Drive Engagement

LinkedIn continues to roll out different options for advertising, making it easier for B2B businesses to connect with their target audience. One of its newer and standout ad formats is thought leader ads. These ads allow companies to promote content from employees or industry experts, adding a personal touch to their campaigns.

In this blog, we’ll explore:

1. What LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads are

2. How to set them up in Campaign Manager

3. When to use them

4. What metrics to track for success

What Are LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads?

Thought Leader Ads are a cool new LinkedIn ad format that lets businesses promote posts from the profiles of their employees or associated partners and thought leaders. Instead of the ad coming directly from a company page, it appears as though it’s being shared organically by an individual.

These ads work exceptionally well because LinkedIn users tend to engage more with personal profiles than company pages. After all, people buy from people. By leveraging the voice of a trusted individual in your industry, you can:

• Build credibility: Readers are more likely to trust advice or insights from a person or peers they perceive as an expert.

• Foster authenticity: The personal tone and experiences of thought leader posts resonate better than content from the brand page.

• Enhance visibility: Thought leader ads generally have better CTR and more reach than sponsored content from brand pages.

How to Set This Up on LinkedIn Campaign Manager

Setting up Thought Leader Ads is a straightforward process. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Login to Campaign Manager

Log in to your LinkedIn Campaign Manager and select the account where you want to create the campaign.

Step 2: Create a New Campaign

1. Click “Create Campaign.”
   

2. Choose an objective that aligns with your goals, such as Brand Awareness or Engagement. These are the only two objectives that we can choose for thought leader ads.
   

3. If you want to place it under an existing campaign, you can do so by creating a campaign group under the campaign.

Step 3: Target your audience

1. Select the location you wish to target. Choose permanent location to avoid targeting prospects who might not reside in your countries of choice.
   

2. Decide what audience this ad makes sense for - those who’ve already been exposed to your brand or a completely new audience
   

3. Use LinkedIn’s advanced targeting options to define your audience based on job titles, industries, company sizes, or interests.
   

4. Consider adding retargeting layers like website visitors or ad engagements for users who have already interacted with your brand

Step 4: Select ad format

Under “Ad format”, select single image if your thought leader content is text only or has an image. Choose video if there is a video in it. These are the only two options available for thought leader ads.

Step 6: Set Your Budget and Schedule

Define your daily or total campaign budget and the desired duration.

Step 7: Set up the ad

1. In the ad setup screen, click on browse existing content.

2. Select ‘LinkedIn members’ on the next screen and search for the member whose content you want to promote.

3. Scan through and select the post you want to promote and click on ‘Request Approval’.

4. An approval request will go to the member, which they’d need to approve.

5. Once approved, you’ll be able to add this post to your campaign.

Step 8: Launch the Campaign

Review all settings, ensure compliance with LinkedIn’s advertising policies, and hit “Launch.”

When to Use LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads

LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads can be powerful in several scenarios:

1. Establishing Expertise in Your Niche

If you want to position your company as a leader in your field, thought leader ads help amplify valuable insights from subject-matter experts.

2. Humanizing Your Brand

Promoting content from individuals adds a personal touch, helping your audience feel more connected to your brand.

3. Supporting Recruitment Campaigns

Use Thought Leader Ads to showcase company culture or employee testimonials, which can attract top talent.

4. Engaging Decision-Makers

For B2B campaigns targeting executives or senior-level employees, thought leader ads provide a trusted voice that resonates better than traditional corporate content.

5. Amplifying Event Participation or Webinar Promotions

If you’re hosting a webinar or an event, having a thought leader promote it can drive more registrations.

What Metrics to Track with Thought Leader Ads

Measuring the performance of Thought Leader Ads depends on the objective of the ad and which audience is being targeted. Focus on these key metrics to judge overall performance:

1. Engagement Rate

Monitor social actions like reactions, reposts and click-through rates (CTR). High engagement indicates the content resonates with your audience.

2. Reach and Impressions

Measure how many people saw the ad and the total impressions generated. This helps gauge your campaign’s visibility and if you need to adjust your bidding, budget or audience targeting.

3. Brand Awareness Metrics

LinkedIn offers tools to measure brand lift, including increased profile visits and follower growth for the thought leader’s profile and the brand page if it’s mentioned.

4. Conversion Metrics

If the ad directs to a landing page, monitor conversions like form submissions, downloads, or sign-ups with the help of UTM parameters.

Final Thoughts

LinkedIn thought leader ads are a powerful way to combine the authenticity of individual voices with the reach of paid campaigns. By leveraging this format, you can humanize your brand, establish industry authority, and foster meaningful connections with your audience.

When executed effectively, these ads not only drive engagement but also build long-term trust for your brand.

Good luck with the campaign!