Everyone always says that LinkedIn Ads don’t work.
And honestly?
They’re partly right.
Ads on LinkedIn aren’t easy. They aren’t cheap. And they don’t tolerate mediocrity.
But they definitely do work.
The difference isn’t in the platform.
It’s in the ad. In the angle. In the first impression.
Just like with organic posts, it’s all about that split second.
Your prospect needs to see right away:
What’s this about?
Is this my problem?
Is this the solution I’ve been looking for?
If you don’t hit the right pain point right away, you’ve lost them.
Are you too vague? Scroll.
Too general? Scroll.
Too much explanation? Scroll.
Strong ads do three things at once:
They hit exactly the right pain point.
They offer a concrete, credible solution.
They give a sneak peek.
That last point is crucial.
Don’t give everything away. Create curiosity.
So people think: I want to know more about this.
So they download your white paper.
So they start seeing you as an expert.
Yes, there are dozens of ad formats.
Brand awareness.
White paper downloads.
Retargeting.
Masterclass or webinar sign-ups.
But whatever you use, the angle and tone have to be right.
And then comes the part nobody wants to talk about: patience.
Ads consist of three phases:
Awareness
Consideration
Conversion
Each phase takes at least two months.
That means six months of building before you start seeing a steady stream of leads.
And that’s no different from organic marketing.
First, you need to build awareness.
Then, establish yourself as an expert.
Then, build trust.
Only then does conversion follow.
The advantage of building your presence organically is, of course, that it’s future-proof. You retain your network and your branding. An ad stops running as soon as you stop spending money on it.
So no, LinkedIn Ads aren’t easy.
And no, they aren’t cheap.
But if you combine the right message, the right timing, and the right amount of patience… they definitely work.
What do you think is the biggest reason LinkedIn Ads “don’t work”?
And Bram Reints, thanks for the great podcast and the good conversation 🙌
Watch the full video here.
