If you sell to other businesses, your buyers are often managers, directors and procurement officers. LinkedIn is the one advertising platform where you can target people by job title, function, seniority, industry and company. That precision comes at a higher cost per click, so it's worth understanding when it pays off.

When LinkedIn ads make sense

LinkedIn ads tend to work best when:

  • Each customer is worth a lot (a contract, retainer or large order)
  • Your buyer has a clear job title or function, such as HR manager or finance director
  • You sell professional training, software, consulting, logistics or recruitment
  • You're promoting a webinar, event or report aimed at professionals

If you sell low-cost consumer products, Meta or Google will usually be more cost-effective.

Targeting options

  • Job titles and functions: e.g. HR, Finance, Operations
  • Seniority: manager, director, owner
  • Industry and company size
  • Company lists: upload a list of target companies for account-based marketing
  • Location: Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa or beyond

Keep audiences focused. Very broad B2B audiences spend money quickly with weak results.

Ad formats that work

  • Sponsored content: single image, carousel or video in the feed
  • Document ads: share a useful guide or checklist people can read in the feed
  • Lead gen forms: pre-filled forms that make it easy for busy professionals to enquire
  • Conversation and message ads: direct, personal invitations, used sparingly

Offer something valuable

Decision-makers rarely buy from a first ad. Offer something useful in exchange for their attention: a free audit, a webinar, an industry report, a case study or a consultation. Then follow up with email and calls. See our guide to email marketing for small businesses.

Measure lead quality, not just quantity

Because leads cost more on LinkedIn, judge campaigns by:

  • How many leads match your ideal customer
  • How many book a meeting
  • How many become customers, and their value

Review leads with your sales team and refine targeting regularly.

Organic LinkedIn matters too

Ads work better when your company page and leadership profiles are active. Founders and senior staff sharing genuine insights often get more attention than company pages.

Get help with LinkedIn ads

Our LinkedIn ads management in Kenya covers B2B targeting, lead gen forms, content and tracking. We also manage LinkedIn pages through our social media management service.

Talk to us about B2B lead generation.

JD STUDIOS AFRICA Team
Mentors and trainers at JD STUDIOS AFRICA, a nonprofit tech and creative hub in Nairobi.