LinkedIn’s Thought Leader Ads: How They Spiked Engagement for a SaaS Client

As B2B marketers continue to navigate a crowded LinkedIn landscape, fresh strategies are key to cutting through the noise. One standout approach? Thought Leader Ads (TLAs). 

In a recent test, a JDM client took a bold step by shifting some ad budget from the company page to the personal profiles of senior leaders. The results surprised even LinkedIn’s ad reps; engagement and view rates were well beyond expectations.

Let’s break down what worked, why it mattered, and how you can apply these insights to your next LinkedIn campaign.

Creative Testing That Surprised Even the Reps

To test TLAs, the brand (a well known SaaS company) recently ran a test comparing company page ads to thought leadership ads from their CEO and one VP.

The brand didn’t play it safe with the creative, either. They leaned into short, cheeky video content with initiative-specific messaging and saw almost immediate results:

• View rates for initiative-specific angles beat out evergreen messaging
  
  
• CTRs spiked dramatically, surprising even the sales reps monitoring performance
  
  
• The campaign aligned seamlessly with LinkedIn’s current content trends: video-first, emotion-forward
  
  

This approach is exactly the kind of experimentation LinkedIn encourages, and it shows how even B2B SaaS platforms have room for playfulness and personality.

What You Should Take from Our Client’s Success

Thought leader ads are a key part of our campaign planning now; they show the impact of putting a name and a voice in front of your brand. If you decide to give them a try, I recommend:

• Testing TLAs from the personal pages of real employees, especially senior execs.
  
  
• Investing in bold, creative videos that go beyond static visuals or buttoned-up messaging.
  
  
• Segmenting by initiative for more contextual and resonant messaging.
  
  
• Leaning into what’s trending on LinkedIn (video + emotion) even in a B2B space.
  
  

Most B2B brands that work with JDM come to us with very little traction in LinkedIn creative that engages their ICP. Hit us up if you’d like us to do what we’ve done for those clients and help you design on-brand, scroll-stopping storytelling that pours the right users into your funnel.