Chapter 10
LinkedIn ads for B2B: making the most expensive channel pay
12 min
Core Premise: LinkedIn has the most valuable B2B audience and the highest costs. The LinkedIn Playbook provides the architecture for profitable LinkedIn advertising.
LinkedIn Economics
LinkedIn CPMs are 3-5x higher than other platforms. Viability depends on deal size and conversion efficiency.
| ACV | Break-even CPL | Viable? |
|---|---|---|
| $10k | $25 | Difficult |
| $25k | $62 | Possible |
| $50k | $125 | Likely |
| $100k+ | $250+ | Yes |
LinkedIn Targeting Architecture
Tier 1: Company + Title Company industry + size + job title
Tier 2: Account-Based Upload specific account lists
Tier 3: Retargeting Website visitors + engagers
Defense Checklist - Audience Expansion: OFF - LinkedIn Audience Network: OFF - Automated bidding: Manual or conversion-optimized
LinkedIn Creative Best Practices
- Single Image Ads: Clear headline, professional image, strong CTA
- Video Ads: 15-30 seconds, subtitles mandatory
- Document Ads: Lead with value, gate appropriately
- Message Ads: Personal tone, single ask
Reading about the problem is one thing. Locating yours is another.
The PACED Diagnostic asks fifteen questions and returns your estimated PACED Yield and the gate costing you most. About ten minutes.