Become an Expert in LinkedIn Advertising with These 6.5 Creative Tips

"The creative creative creatively created the creative." 

This tongue-twister opens many of the creative workshops I lead. 

The word 'creative' is used as a noun, verb, and adjective – and in our world, it's often a synonym for 'the ad.' Perhaps this multiplicity of meaning has led to the dilution of creative's true meaning. The creative, aka the ad, isn't inherently creative despite being called that.  

We may be in the business of business-to-business, but do you know what B2B often means to those on the receiving end of our ads?

Boring to business 
Banal to business 
Baffling to business

It doesn't have to be this way. 

A creative renaissance is underway in B2B. According to LinkedIn's 2024 B2B Benchmark Report, nine of 10 CMOs are now advocating for bolder creative campaigns.

Never has there been a better time to transform B2B into:

Brilliant to business 
Beautiful to business 
Bold to business

The path from boring to brilliant is clear. After a year of analysing LinkedIn ad performance and testing it against prevailing wisdom, we've distilled our findings into 6.5 insights-backed creative principles.

6.5 Creative Principles to Boost Your LinkedIn Ads Strategy

1. Be context aware

 'Create once, use many' is a mantra that my former CMO lived by when it came to content creation and distribution. He's retired now so I can finally say – that is a terrible idea. Scaling reach matters, but creative effectiveness matters more. Create for the context your ad lives in – be it the cultural context, the delivery mechanism or the customer's mindset. 

LinkedIn is a dynamic network of niche communities uniting like-minded members around specialised interests. Nearly 50% follow sports, 38% are fashion fanatics or auto enthusiasts. Tap into these intersecting interests to create content that connects.

2. Make an impact

Half the battle is getting noticed. Design for divided attention – pleasing aesthetics, strong contrasts and dynamic movement catch the eye. The most effective LinkedIn ads pair striking visuals with an emotional hook or intellectual surprise. A counterintuitive statistic, an unexpected perspective, or a compelling human story can stop even the busiest member mid-scroll. For maximum visual impact on mobile, go vertical – it commands more screen real estate and drives 31% higher engagement than horizontal formats.

3. Show up distinctively 

Don't just be different, be distinctive. 

Brand differentiation is saying "I'm not other brands" – but this makes your identity relative to and dependent on category peers. According to LinkedIn B2Bi's Better, Bolder B2B Branding study, 81% of ad campaigns either fail to grab attention or drive brand recall. 

True distinctiveness means being uniquely, unmistakably one of a kind. It's about being as famous as possible for what makes you unique. Because when only 19% of an audience both notices your ad AND correctly attributes it to your brand, being memorable isn't just nice to have – it's essential to your success.

4. Unify 

Your brand DNA should unify the expression of your brand consistently across different dimensions, channels, touch points and funnel stages. Connect all your content via one cohesive red thread, where every piece reinforces and amplifies your brand's distinct identity. 

Repeated exposure to cohesive visuals, messaging, and experiences isn't just good practice: it's how memorable brands are built. And it pays off. According to Marq's 2021 Brand Consistency Report, consistent brand messaging can increase profitability by more than 20%.

5. Get emotional

 Content resonates deepest when it triggers human emotion.

Tap into shared truths and experiences – career challenges, workplace dynamics – moments that inspire or amuse. And when it comes to humour, the numbers are no joke – funny content drives 65% higher engagement on LinkedIn. While data drives decisions, emotion drives action, so optimise your creative accordingly.

6. Give, then take 

Every piece of content is an opportunity to provide value. Your audience's attention isn't just valuable, it's precious. Ensure the value exchange is equitable. According to the Alan Agency, 85% of business leaders say they respect brands that aren’t afraid to have a disruptive position on the industry. Share future-facing perspectives that help leaders spot opportunities and navigate challenges, not just  echo consensus.

When it comes to putting principles into practice, I often hear the same pushback: Internal budget holders are resistant to investing in creative. But nothing is more compelling than results, and the ability to articulate why something works in a way stakeholders can't argue with: Using data.

Which brings us to our final principle:

6.5. Experiment

Test each best practice through organic content first. 

Amplify what performs. 

Test, measure, interpret, learn, then test again until you crack your brand's unique success code.

And now we're in business.

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