Many assume running LinkedIn Ads is a simple process: set a budget, define an audience, and watch the leads pour in. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. Small missteps can quickly drain your ad budget, leaving you with minimal results.
This guide highlights five of the most common LinkedIn Ads mistakes, ranging from poor targeting choices to overlooked settings, and how to fix them for better campaign performance.
1. Using Age as a Targeting Filter
If you’ve ever wondered why LinkedIn doesn’t ask for your birth date when you sign up, here’s the answer: the platform doesn’t collect age data directly. Instead, it estimates a user’s age based on factors like graduation year. But this method is far from reliable, especially for professionals who took alternative educational paths or studied abroad.
A better approach? Use years of experience as a targeting criterion. This metric is a stronger indicator of a person’s role and decision-making influence within their organization, helping you tailor messaging more effectively.
2. Allowing LinkedIn to Expand Your Audience Automatically
One of LinkedIn’s most powerful features is its precise audience targeting. However, enabling Audience Expansion lets the platform broaden your reach beyond your selected criteria, often reducing relevance.
A smarter alternative is predictive audiences. This feature enhances reach while maintaining high-quality targeting by leveraging data from:
- Lead generation forms
- Uploaded contact or company lists
- Conversion tracking via the Insight Tag or website actions
- Retargeting campaigns
By refining your expansion strategy, you can achieve lower cost-per-click (CPC) rates while still engaging prospects who closely match your ideal customer profile (ICP).
3. Running Ads on the LinkedIn Audience Network Without Optimization
The LinkedIn Audience Network (LAN) extends your ads beyond LinkedIn, placing them on third-party websites and apps. While this sounds beneficial, failing to control where your ads appear can lead to wasted spend and brand safety concerns.
To ensure your ads are shown on reputable sites, consider:
- Adding a block list to exclude low-quality placements
- Selecting brand-safe websites where your ads can appear
- Using negative placements from other ad platforms (e.g., Google Display Network)
Another issue with LAN is that LinkedIn sometimes estimates user attributes, such as job titles or industries, based on external browsing behavior. This could mean your ad is served to people outside of your intended audience, making it risky for account-based marketing (ABM) strategies.
4. Neglecting to Set Up Website Action Tracking
Many advertisers miss out on LinkedIn’s website actions feature, which provides valuable insights into user interactions on your site. The LinkedIn Insight Tag makes it easy to track conversions without requiring complex code installations.
Once implemented, you can set up website actions to:
- Track conversions, monitor form submissions, button clicks, and key interactions
- Build remarketing audiences, retarget users who visit pricing pages, but exclude those who access customer support or login portals
If you haven’t activated website actions yet, take a moment to set them up, it’s a simple but effective way to optimize ad performance.
5. Sticking to Just One Ad Format
If you’re relying solely on one type of LinkedIn ad, such as single-image ads, you could be missing out on engagement opportunities. Expanding your ad mix doesn’t have to mean high-budget production, document ads and thought leadership ads offer cost-effective alternatives.
- Document Ads: Think of these as LinkedIn’s version of a carousel ad but for PDFs. To maximize effectiveness, ensure your content is optimized for mobile (no excessive zooming!) and avoid gating the document too early, offer value upfront before asking for contact details.
- Thought Leadership Ads: These ads feature content from employees, customers, or industry experts. They feel more organic than traditional ads, making them highly engaging. Just be sure to include a strong call to action (CTA) to drive conversions.
6. Ignoring Data-Driven Optimization
One of the biggest mistakes advertisers make on LinkedIn is setting up a campaign and leaving it on autopilot. LinkedIn Ads thrive on continuous optimization, and failing to monitor performance can lead to wasted ad spend and underwhelming results.
To maximize your campaign effectiveness, incorporate data-driven decision-making by:
- A/B Testing Ad Variations – Experiment with different headlines, ad formats, and CTAs to identify what resonates best with your audience.
- Monitoring Key Metrics – Keep an eye on cost-per-click (CPC), conversion rates, and engagement levels to determine which ads are performing well and which need adjustments.
- Adjusting Targeting Based on Performance – If certain job titles, industries, or company sizes are driving better results, refine your targeting accordingly.
- Utilizing LinkedIn’s Demographic Reporting – LinkedIn’s built-in reporting tools can show you who is actually engaging with your ads, helping you fine-tune your approach for better ROI.
Optimization should be an ongoing process. Instead of running campaigns with a “set it and forget it” mindset, schedule weekly performance reviews and adjust budgets, creatives, and targeting as needed. Even minor tweaks can lead to major improvements in ad performance.
Final Thoughts: Fine-Tune Your LinkedIn Ads for Better Results
Avoiding these LinkedIn Ads mistakes can help you improve targeting accuracy, increase engagement, and maximize your ad budget. While LinkedIn offers powerful advertising tools, their effectiveness depends on how well you use them.
Before launching your next campaign, take a moment to review these common pitfalls. Small adjustments can make a big difference, ensuring your LinkedIn Ads deliver the best possible ROI.