# LinkedIn Ad Examples for ABM: Real Ads That Drive Pipeline in 2026 > Breakdown of real LinkedIn ad examples from ABM campaigns, including TLAs, single image, carousel, and video ads, with CTR and CPC data. Author: Emilia Korczynska Published: 2026-03-20 Updated: 2026-03-22 Categories: Ad Formats & Creatives Source: https://zenabm.com/blog/linkedin-ad-examples --- ![LinkedIn Ad Examples for ABM: Real Ads That Drive Pipeline in 2026](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/LinkedIn-Ad-Template-Copy-Paste-Templates-for-Every-Ad-Format-in-2026-1.jpg) Most LinkedIn ad examples you find online are from consumer brands or generic B2B campaigns. They look nice, but tell you nothing about what works for account-based marketing, where you are targeting a specific list of companies and trying to move them through a buying journey. In this guide, I will share real LinkedIn ad examples from ABM campaigns (campaigns run by ZenABM ad Userpilot – all tracked using [ZenABM](/)), organized by ad format and funnel stage, with the actual performance data behind each one. You will see what worked, why it worked, and how to apply these patterns to your own campaigns. ## LinkedIn Ad Examples for ABM: Quick Summary In case you want a quick overview: - Thought Leader Ads are the best-performing LinkedIn ad format for ABM, with 2.68% median CTR and $2.29 median CPC. They work best for awareness and engagement. - The strongest TLAs use first-person storytelling, pain-point hooks, social proof, and contextual link placement near the end of the post. - Single-image ads are the most versatile ABM format. They work especially well for direct response, competitor comparisons, free trial offers, and problem-solution messaging. - Carousel ads are underrated for ABM. They are useful for tool comparisons, case-study storytelling, and step-by-step education during the engagement stage. - Video ads are expensive and low on CTR, but they still matter for awareness, trust-building, and brand recognition with target accounts. - Text ads and spotlight ads are not click drivers, but they are strong low-CPM “surround sound” channels for always-on ABM visibility. - Document ads work best when used ungated for authority-building, then paired with retargeting for warmer accounts rather than treated as immediate lead-gen assets. - The best ABM campaigns do not rely on one format. They combine formats by funnel stage: TLAs, text ads, and video for cold audiences, then single-image ads and carousels for warmer engagement, and conversion-focused offers for hot accounts. - Creative performance should not be judged only by CTR. Company-level engagement, persona fit, account progression, and pipeline contribution matter more in ABM and [ZenABM](/) can help you track all that for just $59/month! ## LinkedIn Ad Performance Benchmarks by Format Before diving into specific examples, here is how each LinkedIn ad format performs in ABM campaigns. These benchmarks come from our analysis of 500+ ABM campaigns tracked through [ZenABM](/blog/what-is-zenabm): | Ad Format | Median CTR | Median CPC | Best ABM Stage | | [**Thought Leader Ads](/blog/how-to-write-linkedin-thought-leader-ads) (TLAs)** | 2.68% | $2.29 | Awareness + Engagement | | **Single Image Ads** | 0.42% | $13.23 | Engagement + Conversion | | [**Carousel Ads**](/blog/linkedin-carousel-ads-benchmarks) | 0.32% | $13.30 | Engagement | | **Video Ads** | 0.24% | $15.61 | Awareness | | **Text Ads** | 0.02-0.05% | $0.50-3.00 | Always-on Awareness | The performance gaps are massive. - TLAs deliver 6x higher CTR than single-image ads and are 77% cheaper per click. - But each format plays a different role in the [ABM funnel](/blog/abm-strategy-guide), and the best campaigns use multiple formats together. ## Single Image Ad Examples for ABM Single-image ads are the workhorse of [LinkedIn ABM campaigns](/blog/what-is-zenabm). They work across all [campaign objectives](/blog/linkedin-campaign-objectives) and are the most versatile format for driving direct response actions like demo requests and content downloads. ### Example 1: Problem-Solution Framework Ad (2%+ CTR) ![Userpilot LinkedIn single image ad: teams with conflicting data versus one aligned source of truth](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/single-image-ad-problem-solution-framework.png) The best-performing single-image ads consistently use a problem-solution framework. The headline states a specific problem the target persona faces, and the image shows the solution. One ad targeting CFOs struggling with budget visibility achieved over 2% CTR, nearly 5x the median for this format. Key elements from top performers: - Photos of real people (not stock graphics) - A clear CTA button in the image itself, not just the LinkedIn CTA button - Specific, limited-time offers - Problem-solution framework or a diagram/flow chart **Remember**: Have one clear problem or job to be done in your headline, one message at a time. Don’t create this feature soup where you’re just talking about your product. Start with the problem, then present the solution. ### Example 2: Competitor Comparison Ad ![Userpilot LinkedIn ad contrasting Pendo's high costs with Userpilot's lower pricing, a competitor ad example](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Competitor-ad-example-1.png) Competitor comparison ads work exceptionally well in the consideration stage of ABM. This ad directly compared features against a well-known competitor, making it easy for prospects already evaluating tools to understand the differentiation. The key is specificity. Instead of saying “we are better than X,” show a concrete comparison. Charts, feature tables, and side-by-side screenshots all perform well in this category. ### Example 3: Free Trial Offer Ad ![ad with Try free](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Try-free.png) The analysis of 119 TLAs and top single-image ads showed that specific free trials consistently outperform vague offers. 37-day free trial” appeared in 5 of our [top 20 performers](/blog/linkedin-abm-performance-benchmarks-report-2026). Not “try it free”, the specific number creates credibility. For creative best practices: [LinkedIn Single Image Ads Best Practices for ABM](/blog/linkedin-single-image-ads-best-practices-for-abm) ### How Many Single Image Ads Should You Run? You need 5 to 6 single-image ads for your campaign to run effectively. 5 is the number recommended by LinkedIn. I recommend creating 6, maybe even sometimes 7, so you can quickly eliminate the ones that are underperforming. But do not go overboard. Gabriel Ehrlich suggests a simpler rule: > “If you have a huge audience and a small budget, you don’t need a lot of ads. You can have 1 or 2 ads, that’s fine. If you have a large budget and you don’t have a lot of audience, then 10 ads, 20 ads is fine.” The math for ad count is straightforward: divide your monthly budget by 30 to get daily spend, then divide by CPC to get daily clicks, then divide by 3-4 clicks per ad. That is the maximum number of ads your budget can support. This is another place where [ZenABM](/) helps beyond raw CTR. Its company-level reporting and job title analytics make it easier to see which single-image creatives are attracting the right companies and the right personas, especially for competitor comparisons and free-trial offers where click quality matters more than click volume. ![ZenABM account view showing LinkedIn Ads impressions logged before the deal was opened for Edenred](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Linkedin-ads-impressions-before-deal-was-opened-ZenABM.png) ![ZenABM job title analytics: campaign groups for Growth Specialist with impressions, clicks and CTR](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Job-title-analytics-in-ZenABM-e1763015217744.jpeg) ## Thought Leader Ad Examples for ABM Thought Leader Ads are the top-performing LinkedIn ad format for ABM by a significant margin. They look like organic posts from a real person, which means they blend into the feed and get engagement that company-page ads simply cannot match. ### Example 4: Personal Transformation Story TLA (3.42% Landing Page CTR) One of the top-performing TLAs was a personal story about switching from Excel to a product analytics tool. The post used first-person voice, opened with a vulnerability hook, and placed the link in the bottom 25% of the text. What made it work: - First-person “I” voice (65% of top-performing TLAs use this) - Pain point hook that resonated with the target persona - Link placed contextually after building the story - 1,200 characters in length, long enough for value, short enough for attention I like putting it like this: “Write your TLAs like you would write poetry, single lines at a time.” The formatting matters. Short paragraphs, line breaks, and minimal emojis consistently outperform dense blocks of text. ### Example 5: Pipeline Results TLA (17% CTR) ![Emilia Korczynska's LinkedIn thought leader ad for Userpilot, a ZenABM partner, with ABM campaign results](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Top-Performing-Linkedin-TLA-example-2-ZenABM-1.png) This TLA shared specific results, reaching $650K in the pipeline, and used social proof as the hook. It had a 17% overall CTR and a 3.4% clicks-to-landing-page rate, which is far beyond what any company-page ad can achieve. The pattern here is specific metrics as social proof. Our analysis of 119 TLAs showed that 45% of top performers include specific numbers like “$650,000 in pipeline in 90 days” or “$12 in pipeline per dollar spent.” ### Example 6: Industry Expert TLA We matched the thought leader to the target persona. When targeting product managers, Emilia Korczynska (VP of Marketing at Userpilot and co-creator of [ZenABM](/pricing) ABM Bootcamp) had a product manager at Userpilot post the ad. This increases credibility because the audience feels like they are hearing from a peer, not a marketer. ![Gabriel Erlich Remotion LinkedIn profile](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Gabriel-Erlich-Remotion.png) [Gabriel Ehrlich, Founder of Remotion](https://il.linkedin.com/in/ehrlichgabriel) (a LinkedIn ads agency), adds important nuance: > “There are different best practices for different audiences, and different best practices for different thought leaders.” I agree. What works for one executive’s voice and audience may not work for another. ### What NOT to Do with TLAs TLAs are not the place for hard sells. - Don’t [post thought leader](/blog/how-to-get-your-icp-to-post-more-thought-leader-ads-tlas-on-linkedin) ads saying ‘hey, book a demo of my product,’ because that’s not what they are for. - You need to use them for building your credibility. - Tim Davidson, Founder of B2B Rizz, reinforces this: “Thought leader ads to me, it shouldn’t be your whole strategy. It’s going to be just one part of it.” - So, use TLAs for awareness and credibility, then retarget engaged viewers with conversion-focused formats. For the complete guide: [LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads for ABM](/blog/linkedin-thought-leader-ads-for-abm) **Tip**: TLAs become much more actionable when you can measure what happened after the view or click. [ZenABM](/) helps here with company-level engagement de-anonymization, CRM sync, ABM stage tracking, and revenue attribution views, so you can tell whether a TLA is actually warming target accounts instead of just producing surface-level engagement. ![ZenABM company table showing LinkedIn ad impressions, clicks and cost per target account](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Company-level-LinkedIn-ad-engagement-data-for-each-campiagn-for-a-selected-time-period-in-ZenABM.png) ![ABM stage tracking in ZenABM](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/zenabm-abm-stages-management.png) ![ZenABM analytics dashboard showing ABM campaign spend, influenced pipeline and engaged accounts by stage](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/ZenABM-full-analytics-dashboard.png) ## Carousel Ad Examples for ABM Carousel ads are what I call “a really underappreciated format.” They let you combine multiple messages into one ad, which makes them cost-efficient for projecting your entire campaign message to an audience at once. ### Example 7: Tool Comparison Carousel ![Carousel Linkiedin ads example](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Carousel-Linkiedin-ads-.png) One of the best carousel patterns for ABM is a tool comparison carousel. Each card shows a different comparison point, pricing, features, and use cases, making it easy for prospects in the consideration stage to evaluate options. What has worked with carousels: - Tool comparisons across cards - Step-by-step tool walkthroughs (great for warm audiences) - Problem-solution frameworks for cold audiences ### Example 8: Case Study Carousel ![LinkedIn carousel ad first card: 'If revenue is stuck, it's usually because someone avoided a decision'](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Carousel-ad-pattern-interrupt-first-card-1-2.png) The ad’s composition: - Structure: Card 1 = Pattern interrupt with the result (“How we generated $5M in pipeline”). - Cards 2-3 = The problem and what they tried before. Cards 4-5 = The solution and implementation. - Card 6 = CTA with social proof. Users see about 1.5 cards at a time on mobile, so design the first card to create curiosity that drives swiping. Deliver value early in cards 2-3 rather than saving everything for the end. ## Video Ad Examples for ABM Video ads have the lowest CTR (0.24%) and highest CPC ($15.61) of all LinkedIn ad formats. But measuring video ads by clicks misses the point entirely. Video ads are about building brand recognition and trust with target accounts. ### Example 9: Customer Testimonial Video ![LinkedIn video ad from Wistia featuring Veronica Parker-Hahn of Effie as a testimonial-style example](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/LinkedIn-Video-Ad-with-Veronica-Parker-at-Wistia.png) Short customer testimonial videos (15-30 seconds) where a real customer describes a specific outcome they achieved. The key is specificity, not “we love this tool” but “we generated $2M in pipeline in 90 days.” Technical requirements that matter: - Hook in the first 1-2 seconds - Bold captions throughout (80% of LinkedIn users browse with sound off) - Square (1080×1080) or vertical (1080×1350) format for mobile - Keep under 30 seconds for awareness, under 90 for demos Gabriel Ehrlich shares an important insight about video TLAs: > “We at first didn’t see anything very good with video ads on thought leader ads. And then we had one founder who was just killing it with video. What that leads me to believe is it’s not video is good, video is bad, it’s does this guy do a good video?” ### Example 10: UGC-Style Product Demo ![Userpilot LinkedIn sponsored ad showing no-code in-app announcements for open enrollment messages](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/linkedin-video-ad-good-demo-video-example.png) Video ads are actually really expensive. It’s really hard to create video ads that actually engage. I recommend creating ads that look like UGC content, because people engage more. User-generated content style videos, informal, phone-shot, authentic, consistently outperform polished corporate videos on LinkedIn. LinkedIn’s own data confirms this. Their most successful video ads are 10-15 seconds long, which is much shorter than most B2B teams produce. Complete guide: [LinkedIn Video Ads for ABM](/blog/linkedin-video-ads-abm-examples) ## Text Ad and Spotlight Ad Examples for ABM ![Laptop showing LinkedIn text ads in the sidebar, a LinkedIn Ads example for B2B marketers](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Text-Ads-LinkedIn.png) Text ads appear in the [LinkedIn sidebar and top](/blog/linkedin-ads-experts-consultants) bar. They have extremely low CTRs (0.02-0.05%), but they generate thousands of impressions at rock-bottom CPMs. For ABM, they serve as “surround sound”, keeping your brand visible to target accounts without burning through your budget. > *“LinkedIn’s text ads and spotlight ads are extremely significant to my ABM strategy template as they generate a huge number of impressions for a very low CPM.”* – Tim Davidson, Founder of B2B Rizz ### Example 11: Always-On Brand Awareness Text Ads Text ads, if you use the website visits objective, are practically free, so experts don’t actually count them when calculating how many ads they can run. In fact, experts like Tim Davidson and Emilia Korczynska run text ads continuously against their entire target account list. The goal is not clicks, it is brand impressions that build familiarity over time. Best practices for text ad creative: - Use a simple, high-contrast logo (100×100 px is tiny) - Keep the headline benefit-focused and direct - Do not try to include text in the image; it will not be readable at that size - Run alongside feed ads for maximum “surround sound” effect ## Document Ad Examples for ABM Document ads let users preview a PDF directly in the LinkedIn feed. They can be gated (requiring a [lead gen form](/blog/linkedin-ads-hubspot-integration-steps)) or ungated. For ABM, I generally prefer ungated document ads that deliver genuine value and build trust. ### Example 12: Industry Benchmarks Report Sharing industry benchmarks or research reports as document [ads](/blog/linkedin-ads-benchmarks) works well for the engagement stage. Users can swipe through a few pages in the feed, and if the data is compelling, they continue reading. A word of caution on document ads: I would recommend thinking carefully about document ads. The cost per lead can reach extremely high for a low-intent asset. If someone downloads your report today, don’t assume they’re ready to buy. The better approach is ungated document ads for brand authority, and only gate documents for highly engaged accounts in the warm layer. ![LinkedIn document ad on phone screens showing an ungated Download document button for a marketing trends PDF](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/ungated-LinkedIn-document-ads.png) Lacework, for instance, achieved 6x ROI by using ungated document ads for awareness, then retargeting engagers with direct response campaigns. Deep dive: [LinkedIn Document Ads: The Ultimate Guide with Examples](/blog/linkedin-document-ads-guide-with-examples) ## How to Structure LinkedIn Ad Examples Across the ABM Funnel ![How to structure LinkedIn ad examples across the ABM funnel](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Gemini_Generated_Image_rhjdyyrhjdyyrhjd.png) The biggest mistake I see with [LinkedIn ads for ABM](/blog/linkedin-ads-account-based-marketing) is using the same ad format and message for every stage of the funnel. Each stage [requires different formats](/blog/linkedin-carousel-ad-specs) and messaging. Here is how to structure your ads based on where target accounts are in the buying journey: | ABM Stage | Ad Format | Ad Example Type | Goal | | **Cold / Awareness** | TLAs + Text Ads + Video | Personal stories, industry insights, brand awareness | Get in front of target accounts at low cost | | **Warm / Engagement** | TLAs + Single Image + Carousel | Tool comparisons, case studies, frameworks | Drive meaningful interactions | | **Hot / Conversion** | Single Image + Message Ads | Free trial offers, demo requests, competitor comparisons | Generate pipeline and meetings | Maximillian Herczeg, a former LinkedIn employee and now Founder of Kamrat (a LinkedIn ads consultancy), explains the audience approach: > “For cold audiences, I recommend 30-50% penetration per month, meaning you want to reach 30 to 50% of the users in your pool. For warm audiences, it should be 70 to 90% [audience penetration](/blog/linkedin-audience-penetration) per month. The recommended ad mix per campaign: 5 to 7 single-image ads, 5 TLAs, 1 or 2 carousels, and 1 to 3 videos, plus text ads as many as you want. This ensures variety while keeping each ad well-funded enough to deliver results. ## LinkedIn Ad Examples for ABM: Final Thoughts The best LinkedIn ad examples for ABM are not just the ones with the prettiest creative or the highest CTR. They are the ones that match the right format to the right stage, resonate with the right buying personas, and move the right accounts closer to the pipeline. That is why winning ABM teams combine TLAs, single-image ads, carousels, video, text ads, and document ads instead of expecting one format to do everything. If you want to see which of those ads are actually engaging your target accounts, influencing account progression, and contributing to revenue, ZenABM gives you the account-level visibility to act on that data with much more confidence. [Try ZenABM for free (37-day free trial)](https://app.zenabm.com/signup) or [book a demo now!](/book-a-demo) ## FAQs About LinkedIn Ad Examples Some common questions about LinkedIn ad examples and their answers: ### What is the best LinkedIn ad example for ABM? Thought Leader Ads that use first-person storytelling and specific metrics are the best-performing LinkedIn ad examples for ABM. Our data shows TLAs deliver 2.68% median [CTR](/blog/linkedin-single-image-ads-benchmarks) and $2.29 CPC. The best TLA examples open with a pain point, build a personal story, and place the link contextually in the bottom 25% of the text. ### How many LinkedIn ad examples should I run per campaign? [LinkedIn recommends 5 ads per campaign](/faq/how-is-zenabm-different-from-linkedin-campaign-manager), and I recommend creating 6-7 so you can quickly eliminate underperformers. The exact number depends on your budget: divide your monthly budget by 30, then by CPC, then by 3-4 clicks per ad to find your maximum. [Gabriel Ehrlich from Remotion](/blog/linkedin-thought-leader-ads-expert-qa-gabriel-ehrlich) agrees: “LinkedIn recommends 5, I like 5. The golden rule is decent, 4 or 5 is good.” ### What makes a LinkedIn ad example high-performing for ABM? Based on our analysis of 119 ads: first-person voice (65% of top performers), specific metrics as social proof (45%), link placement in the bottom 25% of text (75%), and a problem-solution framework. Content with photos of real people, specific limited-time offers, and clear CTA buttons in the image outperforms generic brand graphics. ### Should I use video ads in my LinkedIn ABM campaign? Yes, but measure them differently than other formats. Video ads have the lowest CTR (0.24%) and highest CPC ($15.61), so they are not ideal for driving clicks. Use them for brand awareness with target accounts, keep them under 30 seconds, and always add captions. Gabriel Ehrlich notes that success depends on the speaker: “It’s not video is good, video is bad, it’s does this guy do a good video?” ### What LinkedIn ad size works best for ABM? Use 1200 x 1200 pixels (square) as your default for single-image ads. It takes up more screen space on mobile where 57% of LinkedIn users browse. For carousels, 1080 x 1080 is the only option. For video, use 1080 x 1080 (square) or 1080 x 1350 (vertical) for maximum mobile visibility. See our full guide on [LinkedIn ad sizes](/blog/linkedin-ad-sizes) for all formats.