B2B SaaS LinkedIn Ads Benchmarks
CTR Benchmarks by Funnel Stage
IMPORTANT: CTR terminology varies by campaign objective. For Engagement objective campaigns (including TLAs), LinkedIn's "CTR" metric is actually engagement rate (reactions, comments, post clicks) not click-through-rate to landing page. CTRTLP (CTR to landing page) is the real CTR to off-platform destinations. The benchmarks below (0.30%-1.30%) apply to CTRTLP, not to the "CTR" column reported for Engagement campaigns.
| Audience Type | CTRTLP Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cold (TOF) | 0.30% - 0.55% | Anything above 0.44% is above platform average. For Engagement campaigns, compare engagement rate, not post CTR |
| Warm / Retargeting (MOF) | 0.55% - 0.80% | Higher because audience already knows you |
| Engaged / Converted (BOF) | 0.80% - 1.30% | Highest intent, highest CTR to landing page |
Reality check: 0.45% is the overall LinkedIn Ads average CTRTLP. Anything above 1% is genuinely good. Above 1.5% for Sponsored Content is strong. Message Ads should target >1.5% CTRTLP.
CPM and CPC Benchmarks
| Metric | Range |
|---|---|
| CPM (avg) | $33 - $65 |
| CPC (standard brand ads) | $8 - $22+ |
| CPC (TLAs) | $4.14 (can go as low as) |
| CPM (Spotlight Ads) | ~$5.23 (74% lower than single image) |
| Conversation Ads CTR | 1% - 5% (CTA clicks / sends) |
Cost Per Conversion / Lead Benchmarks
| Metric | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per engagement | $2 - $5 | Below $3 is strong |
| Cost per conversion (on-platform) | $15 - $50 | Varies heavily by industry and offer |
| Cost per lead (Lead Gen Form) | $50 - $200 | Depends on offer value and audience |
| Cost per form submission (website) | $200 - $500 | Higher friction than native forms |
| SQL cost | Should not exceed $500 | Varies by ACV |
Form Fill Rate
- Target: above 8%
- Below 8% = form is too long, offer isn't compelling enough, or audience isn't warm enough
TLA-Specific Benchmarks
| Metric | TLA Performance | Standard Ad Performance |
|---|---|---|
| CTR | 1.7x higher | Baseline |
| Engagement rate | 1.6x higher | Baseline |
| CPC | As low as $4.14 | $8-$22+ |
| Company page ads comparison | 3-6x higher CTR | Baseline |
Why TLAs win: Ads from real executives feel organic in the feed. They build trust. They don't look like ads. LinkedIn's algorithm favors them because they drive genuine engagement.
Ad Format Performance Ranking
| Rank | Format | Best For | Cost Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thought Leader Ads (TLA) | TOF engagement + BOF conversion | Highest - lowest CPC, highest CTR |
| 2 | Video TLAs (VTLA) | TOF awareness + retargeting pool | High - strong conversion rates |
| 3 | Video Ads (10-30s) | TOF awareness | Good for retargeting pool building |
| 4 | Document Ads | MOF nurture | High engagement, good for retargeting |
| 5 | Single Image | All stages | Versatile, moderate performance |
| 6 | Carousel | MOF/BOF | Good for feature showcases |
| 7 | Spotlight Ads | MOF reinforcement | Very cheap CPM (~$5.23) |
| 8 | Text Ads | MOF brand reinforcement | Cheapest, always-on |
| 9 | Lead Gen Forms | BOF conversion | Lower friction, higher completion |
| 10 | Conversation Ads | MOF/BOF | 1-5% CTR, new retargeting options |
| 11 | CTV/Brand Awareness | Not recommended at < $15K/mo | Too expensive for small budgets |
ROAS Benchmarks
- B2B SaaS average ROAS on LinkedIn: ~113%
- This is a lagging metric - LinkedIn Ads impact is often seen 3-6 months after engagement
- Pipeline attribution is more meaningful than last-click ROAS for LinkedIn
Key Ratios to Monitor
| Ratio | What It Tells You |
|---|---|
| Engagement rate > 1% | Creative resonates |
| Landing page CTR / Total CTR | How many engagers actually visit your site (often shockingly low) |
| Video view rate (starts/impr) > 40% | Creative hooks attention (horizontal 16:9) |
| Video completion rate (completions/starts) 8-15% | Content holds attention (horizontal 16:9). Sub-3% for vertical |
| Cost per 50% view < $4 | Video cost efficiency. $2-4 avg, $0.21 best case |
| Retargeting pool growth rate | TOF is doing its job |
| BOF conversion rate > 5% | Retargeting audience is warm enough |
Industry Context
These benchmarks are for B2B SaaS. Adjust expectations for:
- Enterprise / high ACV: Higher CPLs are acceptable ($300-$500+) because deal sizes justify it
- SMB / low ACV: Need cheaper CPLs ($50-$150) to make unit economics work
- Healthcare vertical: Often higher CPMs due to smaller, specialized audiences
- Tech vertical: More competitive, benchmark CPCs tend to be at the higher end
By Ivan Falco - Frontal