LinkedIn B2B Advertising in 2026: Formats, Video and Benchmarks
LinkedIn B2B advertising in 2026: thought leader ads, video and BrandLink, document and conversation ads, audience data and LinkedIn's own benchmarks.
LinkedIn's ad business keeps growing faster than the platform overall. In its fiscal fourth quarter to June 2026, Microsoft reported LinkedIn revenue up 12% year on year 1, with CFO Amy Hood saying growth was "primarily driven by Marketing Solutions" 2. Satya Nadella told investors LinkedIn had seen double-digit member growth for the fifth consecutive year 2.
For B2B marketers, the platform in 2026 looks different from the one built around single-image sponsored posts and lead forms. People-led formats, video and creator partnerships now sit at the centre of LinkedIn's product roadmap. This guide covers the formats that matter, what LinkedIn's own data says about them, and how to plan a programme.
Why the audience still matters
LinkedIn's core advantage is professional targeting: job title, industry, seniority and company. That data now extends beyond the feed. In March 2026 LinkedIn expanded connected TV (CTV) advertising, letting marketers buy CTV through Campaign Manager or programmatically through The Trade Desk, with LinkedIn targeting such as job title, industry and seniority carried over to premium TV inventory 3.
The audience is also changing in what it expects from brands. In LinkedIn and Ipsos's 2025 B2B Marketing Benchmark, a survey of 1,500 marketers across six markets including the UK and Germany, 94% agreed trust is the most important factor in B2B brand success 4. And 71% said a recommendation from a subject-matter expert creator influences brand success 4. That helps explain why LinkedIn's newer formats put people in front of logos.
Thought leader ads
Thought leader ads let a company sponsor organic posts from its employees, such as executives or subject experts, instead of posting only from the company page 5. The post must come from an employee associated with the company page, the employee must have a public profile and must give permission through Campaign Manager 5.
LinkedIn reports that thought leader ads delivered a 1.7x higher click-through rate and 1.6x higher engagement rate than other single-image campaigns 5. That figure comes from early pilot testers in February to April 2023, and LinkedIn itself labels it directional because of early-adopter bias 5. It is a useful signal, not a guaranteed benchmark.
The practical requirement is a supply of good posts. Thought leader ads amplify what an executive has already written; they cannot fix a profile that rarely posts.
Video and BrandLink
Video has become LinkedIn's main growth story. Reuters reported in August 2025 that video uploads were up more than 20% and video views up 36% year on year as of February 2025 6. LinkedIn's internal data, shared with its 2025 benchmark, showed B2B video advertisers up 12% year on year, with video completions up 34% 4.
BrandLink is LinkedIn's programme for running video ads next to trusted content. It started with publishers and was extended to creators in May 2025 6. Brands can buy pre-roll ads of roughly 15 seconds before publisher and creator videos, or sponsor "Shows by LinkedIn" series 6. By August 2025 the programme had added more than 70 publishers and creators, including BBC Studios, TED and The Economist, alongside Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal 6. LinkedIn said BrandLink revenue rose nearly 200% in the three months to June 2025 compared with the previous quarter 6.
Two 2026 updates widen access. In March 2026 BrandLink publisher campaigns became available as a self-serve option in Campaign Manager for select customers 3. In October 2026 LinkedIn began testing In-Stream Ads with select US creators and advertisers, with broader access planned over time 7.
On creative, LinkedIn's analysis of more than 13,000 B2B video ads found 4:
- Emotionally resonant videos had 44% higher view-through rates and double the completion rates.
- Short-form video had 17% higher completion rates.
- Face-to-camera videos drove 34% higher engagement.
- Video ads produced 26% higher brand favourability and 19% higher purchase intent than static ads.
Document ads and conversation ads
Not every LinkedIn campaign is about video. Two formats remain important for mid- and lower-funnel work.
Document ads let members read and download a document, such as a report or guide, directly in the feed 8. Advertisers can leave documents ungated or gate them behind a LinkedIn Lead Gen Form under the lead generation objective, and track the share of the document viewed and total downloads 8. A common approach is to show a few pages free and gate the full report.
Conversation ads deliver sponsored, choose-your-path messages to members' inboxes. For EMEA advertisers, availability matters: LinkedIn stopped delivering Message Ads and Conversation Ads to members in the European Union, suspending existing EU-targeted campaigns on 10 January 2022 9. UK and Middle East audiences are outside the EU, so check current eligibility in Campaign Manager for each market before building a messaging-led plan.
| Format | Best used for | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Thought leader ads | Trust, reach through people | Employee permission needed 5 |
| Video and BrandLink | Awareness, consideration | Placed next to publishers and creators 6 |
| CTV | Senior-audience awareness | LinkedIn targeting on TV inventory 3 |
| Document ads | Lead generation, content | Optional lead form gating 8 |
| Conversation ads | Direct response | Restricted for EU members since 2022 9 |
Planning a LinkedIn programme in 2026
A balanced plan usually combines these formats in sequence:
- Build reach with video, BrandLink and thought leader ads aimed at the whole buying group, not just likely leads.
- Retarget engaged viewers with document ads offering deeper content.
- Convert with lead gen forms and, where available, conversation ads.
- Measure across the sequence, since the benchmark found that marketers still rely mostly on engagement, views and sharing as success metrics 4.
Key takeaways
- LinkedIn revenue grew 12% in the year to June 2026, led by Marketing Solutions 12.
- Thought leader ads showed 1.7x higher click-through in LinkedIn's 2023 pilot, a directional figure 5.
- BrandLink now covers publishers and creators, with self-serve access for select customers 36.
- LinkedIn's creative analysis favours short, emotional, face-to-camera video 4.
- Conversation ads have been restricted for EU audiences since 2022, so EMEA plans need market-specific formats 9.
What this means for your brand
Plan LinkedIn as a full-funnel channel, not only a lead form machine. Identify two or three internal experts willing to post regularly, and use thought leader ads to extend their reach. Invest in short, human video and test BrandLink placements if brand awareness among senior buyers is a goal. Build separate format plans for EU and non-EU markets, and judge results on pipeline influenced over time, not just cost per lead.
Sources
- Microsoft Cloud and AI strength fuels fourth quarter results - Microsoft, July 2026
- Microsoft (MSFT) Q4 2026 Earnings Call Transcript - The Motley Fool, August 2026
- LinkedIn expands BrandLink Programme & CTV advertising - Social Samosa, March 2026
- Trust becomes B2B's primary growth engine as video reaches 78% adoption - PPC Land, August 2025
- LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads - LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, accessed October 2026
- LinkedIn Just Made a Big Announcement. It's Good News for Brands - Reuters via Inc., August 2025
- LinkedIn tests paying US creators for pre-roll ads on their videos - PPC Land, October 2026
- Document Ads - LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, accessed October 2026
- LinkedIn arrête les messages privés sponsorisés en Europe - Blog du Modérateur, January 2022
Figures and product details are as reported by the sources listed, at the time of writing. Platforms change quickly, so check the latest documentation before acting on any single number.