The types of LinkedIn ads in 2026 come down to 15 formats for marketing goals in four families: Sponsored Content in the feed, Sponsored Messaging in the inbox, and Dynamic Ads and Text Ads on the desktop right rail, with Lead Gen Forms as a lead capture layer on other ads. New to LinkedIn? Start with Single Image or Thought Leader Ads plus a Lead Gen Form.

Each format comes with copy that fits LinkedIn’s real character limits, plus an example. LinkedIn now counts more than 1.3 billion members; older names like Sponsored InMail and display ads are covered in the FAQ.

Key Takeaways:

• 15 formats in four families, with Lead Gen Forms bolting onto other ads.
• Start with Single Image or Thought Leader Ads. Single Image covers Brand Awareness, Website Visits and Lead Generation; Thought Leader Ads get far cheaper clicks in third-party benchmarks.
• Write to the visible limit: headlines are cut past 70 characters and intro text hides behind “see more” after about 150.
• Inbox ads bill per send and can’t reach EU members.
• Budget for B2B prices: Metadata’s 2026 benchmarks put the average LinkedIn click at $9.39 and a lead at $202.

All 15 LinkedIn ad formats at a glance:

Format	Category	Placement	Best for	How you pay	Key copy limit
Single Image	Sponsored Content	Feed	Website visits, leads	CPC or CPM	Headline 70 characters (aim 50-60)
Thought Leader	Sponsored Content	Feed	Trust, engagement	CPC or CPM	Author’s own post; author approves
Document	Sponsored Content	Feed	Lead capture, education	CPC or CPM	Up to 300 pages; gated is PDF only
Video	Sponsored Content	Feed	Awareness, video views	CPC or CPM	Hook in first 150 characters
Carousel	Sponsored Content	Feed	Several products or points	CPC or CPM	2-10 cards
Event	Sponsored Content	Feed	Webinar and event sign-ups	CPC or CPM	Intro text up to 600 characters
Article and Newsletter	Sponsored Content	Feed	Subscribers, thought leadership	CPC or CPM	Title does the selling
Connected TV	Sponsored Content	TV screens (US, Canada)	Brand awareness at scale	Auto-bid only, impressions or reach	16:9 video, roughly 6-30 seconds
Click-to-Message	Sponsored Content (chat button)	Feed, then inbox	Consults, demo requests	CPC or CPM	Up to 5 buttons, 1 to your site
Message	Sponsored Messaging	Inbox	Invites, targeted offers	Cost per send	Subject under 60, button about 20
Conversation	Sponsored Messaging	Inbox	Lead qualification	Cost per send	Up to 5 buttons per message
Lead Gen Forms	Lead capture layer	Inside the ad	Lead generation	Billed via the host ad	12 fields plus 3 custom questions
Text	Text Ads	Desktop right rail, top banner	Low-cost steady presence	CPC or CPM	Headline 25, description 75
Spotlight	Dynamic Ads	Desktop right rail	Traffic to one offer	CPC or CPM	Headline about 50, button 18
Follower	Dynamic Ads	Desktop right rail	Page followers	CPC or CPM	Headline about 50

Specs and benchmarks current as of September 2026.

1. Single Image Ads: The Default Feed Ad Most Campaigns Start With

The ad most people picture: one image, intro text above, a headline and button below. Images run 1200x627px (PNG or JPG, under 5MB), a size LinkedIn says can earn up to 38% higher CTR than standard thumbnails.

Use it for: Brand Awareness, Website Visits and Lead Generation with a Lead Gen Form (item 12).

Copy that fits:

• Headline: 70 characters max, cut with no way to expand, so aim for 50 to 60.
• Intro text: 600 characters max, but only about 150 show before “see more,” so lead with the hook and offer.
• Example headline: “Close your books in 3 days instead of 3 weeks” (45 characters).

LinkedIn recommends 4 to 5 A/B-tested ads per campaign. A headline generator or an AI copywriter like Instacopy drafts those variants to length; you choose and edit.

Watch out: on some objectives a “see more” click counts as a paid click, so an offer buried past 150 characters costs money without a visit.

First campaign? Start here and let the numbers pick the winner.

2. Thought Leader Ads: Sponsor a Real Person’s Post Instead of Your Logo

Third-party benchmark data puts Thought Leader Ads at a 2.68% median CTR and $2.29 CPC, against 0.42% and $13.23 for Single Image Ads.

You sponsor an employee’s, customer’s or creator’s image or video post, which runs in the feed under their name.

Use it for: trust and mid-funnel engagement. Breaking B2B spent roughly £1,200 a month, mostly on these ads, while monthly revenue grew from $50K to $185K over 22 months.

Copy that fits:

• The post is the ad, so it must sound like the author, not the brand. The first line is the hook.
• Pick posts from the author’s regular themes (content pillars).
• Example opener: “We lost our biggest client in March. Here’s the one process I changed afterward.”

Watch out: nothing runs until the author approves your Campaign Manager request, so secure approval before setting a launch date.

On a small budget this is the strongest first bet, if someone on your team posts things worth promoting.

3. Document Ads: Trade a Useful PDF for Attention or Leads

Asking for an email before anyone has read your guide is a hard sell. Document Ads let people read first.

A PDF, DOCX or PPTX (under 100MB, up to 300 pages) runs in the feed, ungated for trust or gated behind a Lead Gen Form for leads.

Use it for: lead capture with a useful asset from your B2B content marketing strategy, not one written for the ad.

Copy that fits:

• The cover page is the headline: name the payoff and the length.
• Intro text truncates like any feed post: payoff in the first line.
• Example intro line: “The 9-question checklist to run before any vendor demo. 4 pages.”

Watch out: gated mode accepts PDF only, so export decks and Word files first.

Unlike a Single Image ad with a Lead Gen Form (item 12), a document shows its value before asking for details.

4. Video Ads: Put a Face and a Demo in the Feed

LinkedIn’s analysis of 13,000+ B2B video ads found creative drove 73% of completions, yet only 7% showed visible human emotion. Ads using memes drove 111% more engagement.

MP4s up to 500MB and 30 minutes run in the feed. LinkedIn also sells BrandLink, pre-roll before publisher content from partners such as TED and The Economist.

Use it for: Brand Awareness, Video Views, demos and customer stories. Kashable reported 8x ROI pairing Video Ads with the Conversions API.

Copy that fits:

• Intro text: hook inside 150 characters, 600 max.
• Put a person and the point on screen in the first seconds.
• Example intro line: “Watch our support lead fix a failed payroll run in 40 seconds.”

Watch out: the 30-minute ceiling invites long uploads, but creative decides completions.

Skip it if you can’t show a clear person or product; a Document Ad does more with less.

5. Carousel Ads: Several Products or Points in One Swipeable Ad

AJ Wilcox, whose agency B2Linked specializes in LinkedIn ads, says he doesn’t typically recommend carousels. So when is one worth it?

A feed ad with 2 to 10 swipeable cards, 1080x1080px recommended, under 10MB per card.

Use it for: several products, features or steps in one ad (Brand Awareness).

Copy that fits:

• One idea per card: card 1 earns the swipe, the last card carries the CTA.
• Keep card headlines short; they sit under a square image.
• Example card 1: “5 onboarding emails that cut churn. Swipe for the first.”

Watch out: every card is creative you have to make and test.

If each point needs more than a line, a Document Ad (item 3) carries more depth.

6. Event Ads: Fill a Webinar Straight From the Feed

Event Ads skip a creative step: the image (1200x628px at 1.91:1 recommended), event name, date and time pull straight from your LinkedIn Event page into a feed ad.

Use it for: webinar, workshop and conference sign-ups. 360Suite built Event Ads into the foundation of its lead generation.

Copy that fits:

• Intro text up to 600 characters. Skip the date and time LinkedIn already shows; lead with what attendees leave with.
• Example intro line: “Leave with a working Q1 pipeline plan. 45 minutes, live Q&A with two sales leaders.”

Watch out: the Event page’s image becomes the ad’s, so make it strong.

Running webinars? Promote them with Event Ads, not a generic image ad.

7. Article and Newsletter Ads: Grow Subscribers for Content You Already Publish

Writing a LinkedIn newsletter is easy; reaching readers outside your network is the hard part.

These ads sponsor long-form articles and newsletters from LinkedIn authors in the feed.

Use it for: subscriber growth and thought leadership (Brand Awareness).

Copy that fits:

• The title and opening lines do the selling: make the title a clear promise of what each issue delivers.
• Example title: “The Friday Pipeline Memo: one B2B deal, taken apart every week”

Watch out: it needs a regular publishing habit behind it.

Skip it if you’ve published only a piece or two; sponsor one strong post with Thought Leader Ads (item 2) instead.

8. Connected TV Ads: LinkedIn Targeting on the Living Room Screen

Your ad can use LinkedIn’s professional targeting and still play on a TV screen.

Full-screen connected TV video, first in beta in late 2023, with Amazon DSP integration added in May 2026.

Use it for: Brand Awareness at scale. Atlassian reported double-digit brand-metric lifts pairing it with Sponsored Content and Thought Leader Ads.

Copy that fits:

• Stricter specs than feed video: MP4, 16:9, at least 1920×1080, roughly 6 to 30 seconds, under 500MB, broadcast-quality audio.
• Your copy is the voiceover and end card: say and show the brand name.
• Example voiceover close: “Payroll that runs itself. [Brand] Payroll.”

Watch out: targeting covers only the US and Canada, in English.

Skip it if your feed ads aren’t producing results yet.

9. Click-to-Message Ads: A Feed Ad That Opens a Chat

Some prospects ignore landing page forms but will answer a message.

A single-image feed ad whose button opens a chat in the viewer’s inbox (Focused tab) instead of a landing page. Up to 5 CTA buttons; at least one must link to your website.

Use it for: consults, demo requests and soft offers (Consideration objectives).

Copy that fits:

• Feed copy: Single Image limits (70-character headline, about 150 visible intro characters).
• The opening message keeps the ad’s exact promise: one question, one next step.
• Example opening message: “Want the 5-step onboarding template? Tap Yes and I’ll send it here.”

Watch out: the chat must be ready, so script replies and follow-up before launch.

Message Ads (item 10) arrive uninvited and bill per send; Click-to-Message waits to be opened.

10. Message Ads: One Direct Message With One Button

You pay for every message sent, so a loose audience gets expensive fast.

A Sponsored Messaging format: one inbox message, one CTA button, an optional 300x250px banner. This and Conversation Ads replaced Sponsored InMail.

Use it for: event invites, targeted offers and narrow account lists (Consideration objectives).

Copy that fits:

• Subject line under 60 characters; button text about 20.
• Body: one phone screen at most; Campaign Manager shows the live limit.
• Example subject: “Your invite: a 20-minute Q4 hiring benchmark call”, button “Save my seat”.

Watch out: Sponsored Messaging can’t target EU members. The block dates from December 15, 2021, after an ePrivacy consent ruling, and mixed campaigns deliver only to the non-EU portion.

Worth it only for a narrow, known audience and an offer that earns the interruption.

11. Conversation Ads: Branching Inbox Messages That Qualify Leads

What if your ad could qualify a lead and route each answer differently?

Inbox messages with up to 5 CTA buttons, an optional 300x250px banner and about 8,000 characters across the branching flow. Same EU block as item 10.

Use it for: lead qualification and routing, including the Lead Generation objective.

Copy that fits:

• Opener: 2 to 3 short sentences, problem before offer; the PAS formula fits.
• Buttons: one intent each, plus a polite exit.
• Example opener: “What’s slowing your pipeline most right now?” with buttons “Lead quality”, “Follow-up speed”, “Just browsing”.

Watch out: LinkedIn limits how often one advertiser can message the same member (Campaign Manager shows the current window), so build one strong flow, not resends.

Have a non-EU account list and someone ready to follow up? Start with a three-button flow.

12. Lead Gen Forms: The Prefilled Form You Can Attach to Other Ads

Lead Gen Forms are reported to convert at around 13% on average, against about 4% for standard landing pages.

A layer, not a standalone ad: a form attached to another format (Document Ads, item 3, pair best) that opens inside LinkedIn, prefilled from the member’s profile. Up to 12 fields plus 3 custom questions, with CRM integration.

Use it for: the Lead Generation objective.

Copy that fits:

• The form headline repeats the ad’s offer.
• Ask for the minimum; use one custom question to qualify instead of all three.
• Example custom question: “How many people are on your sales team?”

Watch out: the same prefilled, low-effort submission that lifts conversion also lets in lower-intent leads, so score leads and follow up fast.

The default for LinkedIn lead generation; the qualifying question keeps sales trusting the leads.

13. Text Ads: 25 Characters of Low-Cost Desktop Presence

The shortest copy job on LinkedIn, shown in the desktop right rail or top banner.

Use it for: steady visibility and simple traffic to one page (Brand Awareness), at around $3 to $6 per click in one cost guide.

Copy that fits:

• Headline 25 characters, description 75. The 4 U’s formula helps pick the one idea that earns the space.
• Example headline: “Payroll in 10 Minutes” (21 characters); description: “Run payroll for 5 to 50 staff. Free 30-day trial, no card needed.” (65 characters).

Watch out: desktop only, so mobile users never see it, and click-through runs low (0.02% to 0.05%).

Want personalization? Spotlight Ads (item 14) share the same rail.

14. Spotlight Ads: A Personalized Right-Rail Ad for One Offer

A Dynamic Ads format that builds itself around each viewer: you supply a 100x100px logo and an optional 300x250px background image, then write only a headline and a button.

Use it for: traffic to one offer, event or download (Brand Awareness).

Copy that fits:

• Headline about 50 characters; CTA button 18.
• Name the offer, not the company; the logo covers who you are.
• Example headline: “Get the 2026 SOC 2 readiness checklist” (38 characters), button “Get the checklist” (17).

Watch out: it shows on desktop only, beside the feed rather than in it.

Have a proven feed offer? Add it here with almost no new creative.

15. Follower Ads: Grow Your Company Page From the Right Rail

Growing a company Page organically is slow.

A desktop right-rail Dynamic Ads format, not a feed placement: your 100x100px logo, personalized with the viewer’s own photo, company and job title, to grow Page or Showcase Page followers.

Use it for: Brand Awareness and follower growth.

Copy that fits:

• Headline about 50 characters. Give a reason to follow, not just the company name.
• Example headline: “Follow for one B2B pricing teardown a week” (42 characters).

Watch out: followers aren’t leads.

Skip it if your Page rarely posts; put the budget into Thought Leader Ads (item 2) instead.

How Much Do LinkedIn Ads Cost in 2026?

Dreamdata’s 2026 benchmarks put a LinkedIn click at €5.98 against €1.60 on Meta. But the same report puts LinkedIn ROAS at 121% overall (279% for top performers), against 67% for Google Search and 51% for Meta. LinkedIn clicks cost more than Facebook ad clicks but can pay back more when the targeting and offer are right.

How you pay:

• CPC or CPM bids on feed and right-rail formats (Campaign Manager lists the options per campaign).
• Cost per send on Message Ads and Conversation Ads.
• Lead Gen Forms bill through the ad they’re attached to.

2026 benchmarks:

• Metadata’s 2026 B2B Advertising Benchmarks (153 B2B advertisers, $57.6M spent in 2025): CTR 0.67%, CPC $9.39, CPM $63.19, cost per lead $202.
• Dreamdata: cost per company influenced €70.11, down from €154 the period before, and below Meta (€128.70) and Google Search (€110.37).

Minimum budget: LinkedIn sets minimum daily and lifetime budgets and minimum bids that vary by campaign and format, and Campaign Manager tells you when you’re below them. Commonly reported floors are $10 a day or $100 lifetime and a $2 minimum bid, so check Campaign Manager for your account’s minimum. Practitioners suggest $25 to $100 a day so delivery has enough data to optimize.

Reality check: indie founder Tony Dinh spent $300 on a test and got 337 clicks, 95% of them from Android devices rather than the audience he was after. Check where your clicks come from before you scale.

On a small budget, run Single Image or Thought Leader Ads with a Lead Gen Form, and hold off on per-send messaging and CTV until something converts.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should LinkedIn ad copy be?

Shorter than the maximums. Single Image and Video: a 70-character headline (aim for 50 to 60) and up to 600 characters of intro text, of which about 150 show before “see more.” Text Ads: 25-character headline, 75-character description. Dynamic Ads: about 50 characters of headline and 18 for the button.

Which LinkedIn ad format is best for lead generation?

For most advertisers, Lead Gen Forms attached to a Single Image or Document Ad. Conversation Ads suit narrow account lists outside the EU; Click-to-Message suits offers that work better as a chat. Lead Gen Forms trade some lead quality for volume, so add a qualifying question. See items 3, 9, 11 and 12.

Should I use LinkedIn Accelerate or Classic campaigns?

Start in Classic if you’re a small B2B advertiser with a narrow audience. Accelerate automates audience, bidding and creative from a goal and budget, but works best with audiences of 50,000+ and a clear conversion signal, and supports only Single Image, Video and Document Ads for Website Visits. Classic gives full manual control and is required for Brand Awareness and all other formats.

What happened to LinkedIn InMail ads and display ads?

Sponsored InMail became two formats, Message Ads and Conversation Ads (items 10 and 11), still billed per send and blocked in the EU. LinkedIn no longer offers programmatic display ads on desktop and points advertisers to Sponsored Content, Dynamic Ads, Message Ads and Text Ads. Ads that asked people to follow a company are now Follower Ads (item 15).

Can I use LinkedIn ads to promote job openings?

Yes, with two recruiting formats this list leaves out: Single Job Ads in the feed on desktop and mobile (intro text up to 150 characters) and Jobs Ads, a Dynamic Ads format in the right rail. Run them under the Job Applicants objective, part of LinkedIn’s Conversion group alongside Website Conversions.