# LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads Examples – Great TLAs That Actually Convert (With Performance Data)

> Looking for LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads examples that actually work? I’ve analyzed over 119 TLAs and $300K in ad spend for our 2026 LinkedIn ABM Benchmarks Report – and the patterns are clear.

Author: Emilia Korczynska
Published: 2026-01-24
Updated: 2026-03-23
Categories: Ad Formats & Creatives
Source: https://zenabm.com/blog/linkedin-thought-leader-ads-examples

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![LinkedIn Thought Leader Ad Examples cover showing several sponsored LinkedIn posts from thought leaders in the background](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/LinkedIn-Thought-Leader-Ad-Examples.png)

Looking for LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads examples that actually work? I’ve analyzed over 119 TLAs and $300K in ad spend for our [2026 LinkedIn ABM Benchmarks Report](/linkedin-abm-benchmarks-report) – and the patterns are clear. TLAs with the right creative deliver a **2.68% median CTR, and 0.29% Cost per Landing Page Click – but at a 77% lower cost than** **single image ads.** But not all TLAs perform equally. The difference comes down to specific creative patterns I’ll break down with examples below. **In this article, I’ll go over** Real LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads examples from practitioners generating results, the creative patterns that separate top performers from failures, and templates you can adapt for your own campaigns. And of course – if you want to track your TLA performance, [**ZenABM](https://app.zenabm.com/signup)** is the most affordable and robust tool to track Linkedin Ad performance, and analyze it with AI  – starting at just $59:

## LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads Examples: What Top Performers Look Like

Before diving into specific LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads examples, here’s what separates top performers (2.00%+ CTR) from underperformers in our data:

| Element | Top Performing TLAs | Low Performing TLAs |
| **Voice** | First-person “I” (65%) | Corporate “we” (45%) |
| **Link Placement** | Bottom 25% of text (75%) | Mid-text placement |
| **Character Length** | 1,000-1,500 characters | Too short or too long |
| **Opening Hook** | Specific pain point (65%) | Generic statements |
| **CTA Type** | Specific resource/link | Webinar CTAs (0% in top 20) |

I’ve asked chatGPT to generate “the perfect” LinkedIn TLA that combined all these best practices:Now let’s look at specific LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads examples that demonstrate these patterns.

## **My top performing Linkedin Thought Leader Ad Examples:**

I’ve run my fair share of TLAs with some doing \*pretty\* well (see our best performing Thought Leader Ad examples below) – so here’s a breakdown what made them work:

### **My top TLA example 1: 17.39% CTR** 

**“It’s been exactly 3 months since we launched our first ever [ABM](/) campaign…”** 

![LinkedIn thought leader ad by Emilia Korczynska of Userpilot, sharing ABM results and learnings](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Top-Linkedin-Thought-leadership-ad-example-1.png)

#### **Why did this Thought Leader Ad work?**

- **Immediate credibility through specificity**: exact timeframe (90 days), exact outcomes ($650k pipeline, $12 pipeline per $) – no vague claims.
- **Outcome-first framing**: leads with business impact, not product or tactics, which aligns with how senior buyers evaluate [ABM](/blog/signal-based-outbound).
- **Behind-the-scenes tone**: reads like an internal post-mortem, not an ad –  increases trust and dwell time.
- **Acknowledges complexity**: openly states ABM is “brutal” and under-documented, which mirrors real practitioner experience.
- **Education over conversion**: designed to be consumed repeatedly across impressions, not to drive an immediate click – a strong ABM pattern.

### **My top TLA example 2: 9.42% 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)

**“2 years ago I thought [LinkedIn ads](/blog/how-to-analyze-linkedin-ads-with-claude-code) were a complete waste of money…” (9.43% CTR)**

#### **Why did this TLA work?**

- **Belief reversal hook**: starts by validating a common senior-level frustration with [LinkedIn ads](/blog/linkedin-document-ads-guide-with-examples).
- **Vulnerability as authority**: credibility comes from admitting failure, not claiming expertise.
- **Clear “what changed” narrative**: walks through operational shifts (target accounts, intent, sequencing) rather than abstract strategy.
- **Matches real buying journeys**: reflects how teams actually mature into ABM, making it highly relatable.
- **Repetition-friendly insight**: strong enough to resonate even when seen multiple times by the same account.

### **Thought Leader Ad example 3: 9.42% CTR** 

**“I [made all the ABM mistakes](/blog/abm-mistakes-to-avoid) in the book so you don’t have to – VOL 1” (8.33% CTR)**

**Why did this Thought Leader Ad work?**

- **Anti-playbook positioning**: focuses on mistakes, not best practices – which cuts through ABM noise.
- **Signals lived experience**: implies real budget, real consequences, real learning.
- **Operational depth**: covers goals, attribution, retargeting, and stages – the exact places ABM breaks in practice.
- **Introduces account-level thinking naturally**: stages, influence, thresholds are explained without jargon.
- **Trust-building over selling**: positions the author as a peer, not a vendor.

### **Good TLA example 3: 7.95% CTR**

**Why did this Thought Leader Ad work?**

**“Most [marketers measure LinkedIn Ads](/blog/how-do-linkedin-ads-work) the wrong way…” (7.95% CTR)**

- **Challenges default metrics**: directly attacks CTR and lead-based reporting – metrics many teams already distrust.
- **Clear point of view**: strong, opinionated stance without being inflammatory.
- **Simple mental model**: score accounts → move sales-ready → nurture the rest.
- **Senior-audience relevance**: speaks to decision-makers responsible for pipeline, not channel managers.
- **Signals system-level thinking**: shows there’s a framework behind the opinion, not just a hot take.

### **Good TLA example 4: 7.87%  CTR**

**“Some ‘people’ have been sneak-dissing me for months for building ZenABM…” (7.87% CTR)**

![LinkedIn thought leader ad by ZenABM founder Michal Jackowski, a selfie-style photo with long post copy](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Top-Performing-Linkedin-TLA-example-5-ZenABM.png)

- **Narrative tension**: light conflict creates curiosity in a feed full of safe B2B content.
- **Founder authenticity**: human story stands out against polished SaaS messaging.
- **Humor + humility**: disarms skepticism and lowers resistance.
- **Product as consequence, not pitch**: ZenABM appears as the result of real ABM pain, not as a feature list.
- **Emotional differentiation**: emotional memory + repeated exposure = stronger account-level recall.

## Other Good Thought Leader Ad Examples:

Obviously I don’t have access to the results of other people’s TLAs I’m seeing on LinkedIn, but based on my exprience and the TLA benchmarks I’ve collected, here are some good examples that I think could work as well:

### **1) The Organic-to-Paid Workflow TLA**

[Another Ali Yildirim example](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/aayildirim_weve-spent-hundreds-of-thousands-of-dollars-activity-7359523260633423872-rZPt) shows how to turn process content into a high-performing TLA:

> *“When an organic post performs well, we wait for the natural engagement to slow down, then sponsor it. We focus on posts that directly address your target audience in the first two lines, not broad topics that get lots of likes but miss your actual buyers.”*

**Why this works as a TLA:**

- Teaches a specific methodology
- First two lines hook the reader with a clear benefit
- Positions the author as an expert through demonstrated experience
- No corporate speak – sounds like advice from a colleague

### TLA Example #2: The GTM Strategy TLA

[Philip Ilic’s framework post](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/philip-ilic_organic-content-linkedin-thought-leader-activity-7392504559790796800-WgFb) demonstrates how strategic content converts:

> *“Organic content + LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads + Warm Outbound = the best go-to-market strategy for sales-led SaaS right now.”*

**What makes this LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads example effective:**

- Clear, actionable framework in the opening line
- Specific to a target audience (sales-led SaaS)
- Bold claim backed by practitioner credibility
- Simple enough to remember and share

### Example #3: The Intent-Based Outbound TLA

[Philip’s tactical workflow post](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/philip-ilic_linkedinads-demandgen-leadgen-activity-7384873723016765440-_LXc) shows how detailed process content performs:

> *“Run \~5 Thought Leader Ads to your ICP. Work from a list of about 1,000 companies. Watch the ‘Companies’ tab inside your ad account, [see which companies are clicking](/faq/see-companies-clicked-on-linkedin-ads), commenting, engaging. Export that list – upload to Clay – enrich with contacts – [warm outbound.”](/blog/zenabm-warm-outbound)

**Why this converts:**

- Step-by-step process readers can immediately implement
- Specific numbers (5 ads, 1,000 companies)
- Names actual tools (Clay) – builds trust through specificity
- Addresses a real workflow challenge

### Example #4: The 6x Demo Conversion TLA

[Tim Davidson’s results post](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tadavidson41_demos-from-linkedin-thought-leader-ads-activity-7394746080606928896-1QxA) is one of the most referenced LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads examples:

> *“Demos from LinkedIn thought leader ads went from ZERO a month to 6+ a month. 8 turned into opps and 1 closed won. All from one small change: editing the post and adding a CTA link. Nothing too crazy, just made it easier for people to convert.”*

**What makes this work:**

- Dramatic before/after (zero to 6+)
- Specific metrics (8 opps, 1 closed won)
- Simple, actionable insight (add a CTA link)
- Humble framing (“Nothing too crazy”)

This aligns with our data: 75% of top-performing TLAs place their links in the bottom 25% of the text.

### Example #5: The Anti-Pattern Warning TLA

[Gabriel Ehrlich’s critique post](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ehrlichgabriel_i-just-got-targeted-with-this-thought-leader-activity-7405950632714817536-oV1k) shows how calling out mistakes drives engagement:

> *“I just got targeted with this Thought Leader Ad from Mastercard – and it’s a masterclass in everything you’re doing wrong: targeting is way off, the whole post smells of AI, weak hook, hashtags in TLA. Fortunately for Mastercard, they can afford to make dumb mistakes like this. Unfortunately for you – you can’t.”*

**Why critique content works as TLAs:**

- Provides value by showing what NOT to do
- Strong opinion creates engagement
- Specific examples (targeting, AI, hashtags)
- Relatable frustration most marketers share

### Example #6: The Creative Strategy TLA

[Gabriel Ehrlich on creative approach](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ehrlichgabriel_why-you-should-hire-remotion-to-manage-your-activity-7408835026361946112-8ab7):

> *“We treat creative as a strategic lever, not a design task – the ‘who this resonates with’ is the whole game in B2B. We make ads sound like humans, not AI slop.”*

**Key elements:**

- Contrarian framing (strategic lever vs design task)
- Clear philosophy statement
- Memorable phrase (“AI slop”)
- Positions expertise through perspective, not credentials

## Winning LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads Examples: Common Patterns

Across all these LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads examples, several patterns emerge:

### Pattern #1: First-Person Voice

65% of top-performing TLAs use “I” instead of “we.” This creates personal connection and authenticity.

### Pattern #2: Specific Numbers

Notice how every example includes specific metrics – $120K, 6 demos, 300K spend, 3x signups. Specificity builds credibility.

### Pattern #3: Problem-Solution Structure

Most examples identify a problem (“most people boost the wrong content”) then offer a solution (“focus on posts that address pain points”).

### Pattern #4: No Hashtags

Zero of these examples use hashtags. As Gabriel noted: *“We pay to reach the right people – hashtags are unnecessary if your targeting is set up correctly.”*

### Pattern #5: CTA at the End

75% of top TLAs place their links in the bottom 25% of text. Deliver value first, then ask for action.

## What Bad LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads Examples Look Like

For contrast, here are the anti-patterns that appear in low-performing TLAs:

- **Corporate “we” voice** – 45% of bottom [performers vs 20% of top](/blog/linkedin-abm-performance-benchmarks-report-2026) performers
- **Webinar CTAs** – 20% of bottom 20 TLAs, 0% of top 20
- **Generic opening statements** – “In today’s fast-paced business environment…”
- **AI-generated content** – Em dashes, overly formal vocabulary, no personality
- **Mid-text link placement** – Interrupts the narrative flow
- **Hashtag spam** – Signals inexperience to your audience

![LinkedIn Ad format performance table comparing CTR and CPC across TLAs, carousel and video ads](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/LinkedIn-Ad-format-performance-overview-ZenABM.png)

## How to Track Your Thought Leader Ads Performance

Creating great TLAs is half the battle. You also need to measure what’s working. [Philip identifies the challenge](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/philip-ilic_most-ppl-fail-with-linkedin-ads-because-they-activity-7387416841826111490-xwOL): *“Most people fail with LinkedIn Ads because they can’t track influenced pipeline.”* In [ZenABM](/), I built tracking specifically for this use case:

- [Track which companies engage](/faq/see-companies-engaging-with-linkedin-ads) with each TLA
- Auto-assign [ABM stages based on engagement](/blog/abm-engagement-penetration-strategy) thresholds
- Trigger webhooks when accounts show buying intent
- Measure [pipeline influence with de-duplicated attribution](/blog/abm-roi)

![Zena AI executive summary of ABM and LinkedIn ad performance, November 2025 vs October](https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Executive-summary-ABM-campaign-performance-by-Zena-AI-by-ZenABM.png)

## Key Takeaways

Based on these LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads examples:

1. **Use first-person “I” voice** – 65% of top performers do this
2. **Include specific numbers** – Metrics build credibility
3. **Place CTAs at the bottom** – After you’ve delivered value
4. **Avoid hashtags, AI content, and webinar CTAs**
5. **Run 4-6 variants per campaign** – Test different angles
6. **Focus on niche-specific content** – General posts underperform

**Want to see which accounts engage with your TLAs?** [Try ZenABM free for 37 days](https://app.zenabm.com/signup).

## FAQs

### What makes a good LinkedIn Thought Leader Ad?

First-person voice, specific numbers, problem-solution structure, CTA at the end, and no hashtags. Our data shows these patterns in 65-75% of top-performing TLAs.

### Should LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads be promotional?

No. The best TLAs share genuine insights and expertise. The promotion happens through the targeting and sponsorship – the content itself should provide value.

### How long should LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads be?

Top performers average 1,000-1,500 characters. Long enough to provide value, short enough to hold attention.

### Can I use customer testimonials as Thought Leader Ads?

Yes. With LinkedIn’s expanded TLA features, you can promote posts from customers or partners with their permission. This is powerful social proof.

## Images

- https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/ZenABM-thought-leader-ads-performance-benchmarks.png
- https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Sample-LinkedIn-TLA-best-performing-patterns-ZenABM.png
- https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/ZenABMs-top-performing-TLA-examples-scaled.png
- https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Top-Performing-Linkedin-TLA-example-3-ZenABM.png
- https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Top-Performing-Linkedin-TLA-example-4-ZenABM.png
- https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Ali-Yildrim-posts-about-CPMs.png
- https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Phillip-Ilic-thought-leader-ads.png
- https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Phillip-Illic-Conversation-Ads-2.png
- https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Tim-Davidson-Thought-Leader-Ads.png
- https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Gabriel-Erlic-TLA-about-TLAs.png
- https://cdn.zenabm.com/media/Gabriel-Erlich-TLAs.png