Most B2B teams treat LinkedIn ads like slot machines. Throw money in, cross your fingers, and hope for pipeline. When the results don’t show up, they blame the algorithm or the audience instead of the actual problem.
The real issue? Most campaigns look the same. Same ad formats. Same copy. Same call-to-action no matter who’s seeing it. There’s no funnel logic, no creative testing, and zero strategy behind what ad type fits each stage of the buyer journey.
LinkedIn isn’t a guessing game. It’s a platform that rewards precision. When you match the right ad format to the right funnel stage, your results scale fast.
To show how that works, we’ll use a simple example: a SaaS Benchmark Report. Let’s say your team just published a SaaS data report filled with juicy stats and charts. You could leave it to die as a gated PDF, or you could turn that one asset into a full-funnel ad engine that builds awareness, drives engagement, and pulls in qualified leads.
In this post, I’ll break down what ad formats and creative types actually perform best across the funnel, using campaign data and real examples. By the end, you’ll know how to build a LinkedIn ad system that actually earns attention instead of buying it.
The Funnel Formula Most Teams Forget
LinkedIn ads don’t live in a vacuum. They’re not supposed to be random posts hoping someone clicks. Every ad you run should fit into a bigger system that moves people from curiosity to trust to action.
Here’s the simple version of that system:
- Top of Funnel (ToFu): Where you earn attention. You’re educating, sharing ideas, and showing you understand your audience’s world.
- Middle of Funnel (MoFu): Where you build credibility. This is where people start thinking, “They clearly understand the space.”
- Bottom of Funnel (BoFu): Where you convert interest into action. Demos, free trials, audits, or strategy calls live here.
At Impactable, we design campaigns that map to each of these stages. Every ad, every creative, every piece of copy has a clear purpose in the buyer journey. That’s why some campaigns drive pipeline and others just burn budget.
So let’s take that SaaS Benchmark Report example and turn it into a real LinkedIn ad sequence. I’ll show you how one piece of content can power your entire funnel, from the first impression to the booked demo.
Top-of-Funnel (ToFu): Earn Attention, Don’t Demand It
This is where most teams try too hard. They open with “Book a demo” before anyone even knows who they are. ToFu isn’t about pitching. It’s about earning attention and giving people something they actually want to engage with.
At this stage, your goal is simple: build awareness, spark curiosity, and make people stop scrolling long enough to remember your name.
Best formats that crush it up top
Video Ads
Short clips between 15 and 30 seconds work best. Use key stats or insights from your SaaS Benchmark Report and pair them with simple motion graphics or product snippets. For a full breakdown of what works best in video, check out LinkedIn video ad best practices.
Carousel Ads
Think of these as mini storyboards. Show 3 to 5 quick takeaways like “State of SaaS 2025.” Slide one might cover ARR growth, slide two churn rates, slide three what changed this year. Keep it visual, clean, and scrollable. You can learn a few simple tweaks from our post on improving Carousel Ad performance.
Single Image Ads
One strong stat. One headline. One visual. That’s it. For example: “42% of SaaS marketers increased CTR with multi-offer retargeting.” Use that as the hook, then direct them to your report or blog.
Creative playbook
Lead with curiosity. Start with a data point or pattern that makes your audience stop for a second. Keep your copy short, under 150 characters if you can. Let the visuals do the talking. Avoid the generic stock photo of people smiling at a laptop. Use bold colors, real screenshots, or on-brand graphics that stand out in the feed.
Strong CTAs for this stage:
- “See the full report”
- “Get the free benchmarks”
- “Read what 1,000 SaaS teams are doing differently”
Data callout
For SaaS brands, ToFu CTRs usually land between 0.5% and 1.2%, depending on creative type. Cost per click often sits around $5 to $9, depending on audience size and competition. These aren’t magic numbers, but they’re solid reference points when you start testing.
Quick tip for repurposing
Take the top ten stats from your report and turn each one into a short video or carousel slide. You can use any creative tool to batch it fast. One solid report can easily give you a month’s worth of ToFu content that actually builds awareness instead of wasting impressions.
Mid-Funnel (MoFu): Turn Interest Into Intent
This is where the clicks start to mean something. People already know who you are. They’ve seen your brand once or twice in their feed and now they’re curious enough to learn more. The goal here is to educate, build credibility, and make them think, “These guys actually get it.”
Best formats for the middle layer
Document Ads
Still one of the most underrated formats on LinkedIn. You can gate or ungate them depending on your goal. Share your “2025 SaaS Benchmark Report” directly inside the feed as a PDF. It’s a low-friction way to generate leads without forcing anyone to leave LinkedIn.
Carousel Ads
Perfect for showing deeper insights or use cases from the same report. Think “3 Takeaways From 1,000 SaaS Benchmarks” or “What Top SaaS Teams Are Doing Differently in 2025.” Each slide adds value and moves the viewer closer to action.
Sponsored Posts
These work great when you’re promoting blog posts, breakdowns, or analysis threads. It’s a chance to expand on the data and position your brand as the one that actually knows what’s going on in the market.
Creative playbook
Use a pain and solution framing that feels specific. Try something like “Most SaaS teams don’t know their true CAC. Here’s how to fix that.” It’s direct, relatable, and rooted in real challenges.
Pull in one or two strong data points from your report to back it up. Visuals should feel real. Use screenshots, charts, or snippets from your data. Skip the stock photos. Authenticity wins here because it builds trust.
CTAs that fit this stage:
- “Read the analysis”
- “See benchmarks by industry”
- “Compare your metrics”
Data callout
Based on Impactable’s 2025 SaaS Benchmark Report, CTRs rise steadily as ad relevance improves across the funnel.
Quick tip for repurposing
Take the key findings from your benchmark report and summarize them into short, digestible formats. A single dataset can easily turn into a “Top 5 Insights” carousel or a bite-sized sponsored post series that keeps your audience moving down the funnel.
Bottom-Funnel (BoFu): Show Proof and Drive Action
This is where the money is made. By now, your audience knows you, trusts you, and just needs a reason to act. The goal here is simple: turn attention into pipeline.
Best formats that close deals
Lead Gen Forms
Use these for frictionless conversions. Pair them with a strong proof point from your “2025 SaaS Benchmark Report.” For example, “See how SaaS X improved MQL-to-SQL by 40 percent using this data.” Keep the form short. First name, email, company. That’s all you need. The fewer steps, the higher the conversion rate.
Video Ads
Fifteen-second testimonial or walkthrough videos are your best bet here. Show a real client, real results, or a clear before-and-after moment. This stage is all about proof. If your audience can see success in motion, they’re far more likely to take the next step.
Conversation Ads
Think of these as your digital warm handshakes. Keep them personal and context-aware. Try something like, “Hey Alex, saw you downloaded our 2025 SaaS Benchmark Report last week. Here’s a short summary of how top SaaS teams improved their conversion rates this year.” It feels human and relevant, which makes it far more effective than a generic blast.
Creative playbook
Start with credibility. Use a statement like, “Based on 1,000 SaaS campaigns from our 2025 Benchmark Report.” That line alone carries authority.
Add a bit of urgency. “See how your metrics stack up this quarter” or “Compare your results before Q2 ends.” The point isn’t pressure, it’s momentum.
Back it up with trust visuals. Logos, faces, customer quotes, or badges all help people feel safe clicking that CTA.
CTAs that fit this stage:
- “Book a strategy call”
- “Get your personalized benchmark”
- “Run a free audit”
Data callout
Click-through rates for BoFu ads usually land between 0.8 and 1.6 percent. Lead Gen Form conversions sit around 10 to 15 percent, and can climb higher when you retarget warm audiences who engaged with your previous content.
Quick tip for repurposing
Take your strongest case study or testimonial and tailor it by audience type or industry. A single story can become several highly targeted ads. Personalized conversation variants consistently perform two to three times better than generic outreach.
How to Sequence These Ads (Without Wasting Budget)
The best LinkedIn campaigns work like a chain reaction. Each stage feeds the next. When teams skip that flow and throw every offer at everyone, the results fall apart fast.
Here’s how to connect the dots and build a funnel that actually performs.
Start with Top-of-Funnel (ToFu) ads to collect engagement and data. Run your videos, carousels, and single-image stats from the 2025 SaaS Benchmark Report for a couple of weeks. Focus on awareness, clicks, and reach. This is your testing ground.
Next, retarget the people who engaged with your ToFu content using Mid-Funnel (MoFu) ads. Share your document ads, blog breakdowns, or sponsored posts that expand on the report. These are the users who already know your name, so your goal now is to educate and build trust.
Finally, hit those warm visitors with Bottom-Funnel (BoFu) ads. Use lead gen forms, short videos, or conversation ads to convert that attention into demos, audits, or calls.
If you want a simple structure to follow, this is it:
- Week 1 to 2: ToFu content focused on awareness (videos and carousels)
- Week 3 to 4: MoFu content focused on engagement (documents and sponsored posts)
- Week 5 and beyond: BoFu content focused on conversions (lead forms and conversations)
To make this flow even stronger, use matched audiences and sync your CRM data. Retarget users who engaged, downloaded, or clicked, and exclude the ones who bounced. Every impression should be intentional.
If you use marketing automation tools like Zapier or HubSpot, you can set up triggers to move contacts between audience stages automatically. Once the system runs smoothly, your LinkedIn funnel becomes far more efficient and your budget starts working harder for you.
The goal isn’t to spend more. It’s to spend smarter by matching ad format and message to where people actually are in their buying process.
LinkedIn Ad Performance Benchmarks (2025 Snapshot)
Here’s a quick look at what you can expect across the main ad formats on LinkedIn this year. These numbers are based on recent SaaS campaign averages and can help you sanity-check your own performance.
- Video Ads CTR: 0.6 to 1.1 percent
- Carousel Ads CTR: 0.8 to 1.3 percent
- Document Ads open rate: 10 to 20 percent
- Message Ads open rate: 50 to 60 percent
- Message Ads CTR: 3 to 5 percent
These aren’t promises, they’re baselines. The difference comes from how well your creative fits the funnel stage and how clearly it speaks to your audience. The closer your ads align with what buyers care about at each step, the stronger your results will be.
Final Takeaway: Build Ads That Match How People Actually Buy
LinkedIn ads only work when they match the way people buy. Most teams fail because they push the same offer to everyone and call it a strategy. Each funnel stage needs a different conversation, a different goal, and a different type of creative.
If you’re running the same ad at every stage, you’re paying LinkedIn premium prices to say the same thing louder.
Start thinking like your buyers do. Use data to figure out what they need to see first, what earns their trust next, and what finally gets them to act. That’s where your budget starts producing real results instead of expensive impressions.
Test your creative. Repurpose what performs. Build a system that learns and improves with every campaign.
If your team wants help turning your best content into a full-funnel LinkedIn campaign that actually converts, let’s talk.
