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- LinkedIn Ads Statistics 2025: Key Benchmarks
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LinkedIn Ads Statistics 2025
- LinkedIn reached 1.20 billion registered members as of January 2025 – 176 million new users (+17.1%) from the previous year
- About 600 million are active monthly – with daily active users around 134.5 million
- 65 million decision-makers actively using the platform – representing people who sign checks and approve budgets
- LinkedIn’s engagement increased 44% year-over-year in 2024 – showing growing platform activity and ad opportunities
- Average user spends 7 minutes and 38 seconds per session – quality attention time for your advertising message
- Global average CTR for sponsored content is 0.44% – 0.65% – with single image ads averaging 0.56%
- Average CPC ranges from $5 to $10 in the US – and $6-$7 globally, with premium pricing for senior decision-makers
- Q3 has the highest CPC at $15.72 – while Q1 drops to $10.48, showing seasonal pricing patterns
- 80% of all B2B social media leads come through LinkedIn – dominating B2B lead generation completely
- LinkedIn is responsible for 46% of social media traffic to B2B websites – driving nearly half of B2B social referral traffic
- Cost per lead ranges from $60 (Latin America) to $230 (North America) – with Software & IT averaging $125 per lead
- 58% of marketers say LinkedIn provides the best return on ad spend – among all social media platforms
- LinkedIn delivers 28% lower cost per lead than Google Ads for B2B campaigns – making it more cost-effective than search advertising
- Sponsored InMail boasts impressive 50-60% open rates – compared to traditional email’s 20-25%
- Carousel Ads increase click-through rates by 2x over single image ads – making them the highest-performing ad format for CTR
Here’s what most marketers get wrong about LinkedIn ads: they jump in without knowing what “good” actually looks like.
You’ve probably heard that LinkedIn ads are expensive. And yes, compared to Facebook’s $1 CPC, LinkedIn’s $5-$10 range feels steep. But here’s the thing nobody talks about—LinkedIn delivers 277% better lead generation than Facebook and Twitter combined for B2B.
The difference? Quality. The platform now has over 1 billion members globally, with 65 million decision-makers actively using it. That’s not just a user base—it’s a goldmine for anyone selling to businesses.
Let’s break down the LinkedIn ads statistics that will help you benchmark your campaigns and figure out if you’re winning or wasting budget.
LinkedIn Ads Statistics
The Platform Is Massive (And Growing)
First, let’s talk scale. LinkedIn isn’t some niche social media platform anymore—it’s where business happens.
LinkedIn reached 1.20 billion registered members as of January 2025. That’s 176 million new users (+17.1%) from the previous year. About 600 million are active monthly, and daily active users sit around 134.5 million.
Why does this matter for your ads? More linkedin users means more auction inventory, which affects your costs and reach. The platform spans 200+ countries, with North America accounting for 23% of total members.
The engagement numbers are just as compelling. LinkedIn’s engagement increased 44% year-over-year in 2024, and the average user spends 7 minutes and 38 seconds per session. That’s quality attention time for your message.
Click-Through Rate (CTR) Benchmarks
Now for the stat everyone obsesses over—CTR. This tells you how well your ad creative is resonating.
The global average CTR for sponsored content is 0.44% – 0.65%. But here’s where it gets interesting. For single image ads, the average is 0.56%. Video content and carousels sit lower at 0.44% and 0.40% respectively.
In the US specifically, the CTR benchmark is around 0.48%, while globally it’s closer to 0.61%. If you’re hitting above 0.7%, you’re doing something right.
Pro tip: Ads targeting narrower audiences (under 50k) see 37% higher CTR. Sometimes less is more.
Cost Per Click (CPC) Reality Check
This is where most people get sticker shock. The average CPC on LinkedIn ranges from $5 to $10 in the US, and $6-$7 globally.
Targeting senior decision-makers? Expect to pay more than 2x the standard rate. LinkedIn operates as an auction—when everyone bids on C-suite executives, prices spike.
Here’s the seasonal insight most miss: Q3 has the highest CPC at $15.72 (companies ramping up for year-end), while Q1 drops to $10.48. And surprisingly, CPCs decrease mid-December onwards—fewer advertisers competing while decision-makers plan for the new year.
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Cost Per Thousand Impressions (CPM)
For brand awareness campaigns, CPM is your metric. The average CPM on LinkedIn is around $33, though it ranges from $50-$100 in the US and $40-$80 globally depending on your audience and placement.
Compared to other social media platforms, this is premium pricing. But remember—4 out of 5 LinkedIn members drive business decisions. You’re paying for access to wallets, not just eyeballs.
Conversion Rate and Lead Generation
Here’s where LinkedIn starts to justify its premium. LinkedIn ads generate 2x higher conversion rates for B2B campaigns compared to other social networks.
The numbers that should make you pay attention: 80% of all B2B social media leads come through LinkedIn. The platform is responsible for 46% of social media traffic to B2B websites.
For lead generation, expect cost per lead to range from $60 (Latin America) to $230 (North America). Industry matters too—Software & IT averages $125 per lead, while Education sits at $64.
Conversion rates vary wildly based on offer type. An eBook download will convert higher than a demo request because there’s less friction. A good conversion rate benchmark is 2-5%—anything above that is excellent.
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ROI and Why The Cost Is Worth It
This is what separates LinkedIn from cheaper alternatives. 58% of marketers say LinkedIn provides the best return on ad spend among all social media platforms.
The math works like this: LinkedIn delivers a 28% lower cost per lead than Google Ads for B2B campaigns. And when you look at pipeline ROI, Q2 delivers around 2.53x, while Q3 shows the strongest overall revenue returns.
Here’s the perspective shift: A $500 cost per conversion sounds expensive compared to Facebook’s $50-90. But if your sales team closes 1 out of 10 demo requests at $5,000 each, anything below $500 per demo is profitable. B2B marketing isn’t about cheap leads—it’s about qualified ones.
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Ad Format Performance
Not all ad formats perform equally. Here’s what the data shows:
Sponsored Content delivers 28% higher engagement than standard posts. It’s the bread and butter of LinkedIn ads for good reason.
Sponsored InMail (Message Ads) boasts impressive 50-60% open rates. Compare that to traditional email’s 20-25%, and you see why marketers love this format. Keep messages under 1500 characters for best CTR.
Carousel Ads increase click-through rates by 2x over single image ads. They outperform on CTR across all regions.
Video is the fastest-growing format, with uploads up 34% year-over-year. Native video ads see 3x longer view durations compared to other platforms. Video content saw a 36% increase in views in 2024.
Thought Leader Ads can deliver CTR up to 2.3x higher than conventional single-image ads because they feel more authentic.
Usage Statistics That Matter
97% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn for content marketing. It’s not optional anymore—it’s where your competitors already are.
78% of B2B content marketers use LinkedIn for paid ads specifically, rating it more effective than paid ads on other social media platforms.
Ad revenue projections tell the story—expected to hit $10.35 billion by 2027. That’s nearly double current levels, showing the platform’s advertising ecosystem is expanding rapidly.
LinkedIn’s budget share among B2B marketers grew from 31% to 39% in 2024. When compared to Google’s individual networks, LinkedIn now commands the highest single ad expenditure among B2B marketing channels.
If you’re looking to scale your outreach beyond just ads, combining LinkedIn with other channels like cold email outreach can multiply your results significantly.
Quick Optimization Wins
Based on the statistics, here’s what actually moves the needle:
Ads with clear CTAs get 45% more clicks. Don’t be vague about what you want people to do.
Using LinkedIn’s Insight Tag improves targeting accuracy by 38%. Install it before you run your first campaign.
Professional imagery drives 25% higher engagement. Skip the stock photos that look like stock photos.
Posts between 150-300 characters perform best in Sponsored Content. Keep it tight.
Video ads under 15 seconds retain 75% of viewers. Front-load your value prop.
For building prospect lists to complement your advertising, check out how to create effective sales prospecting lists that convert.
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Conclusion
LinkedIn ads aren’t cheap. But they’re also not meant to be.
The statistics make a clear case: when you’re selling high-value B2B products or services, LinkedIn’s premium pricing delivers premium results. An 80% share of B2B social leads, 277% better effectiveness than competitors, and the highest ROI among social platforms—these aren’t vanity metrics.
Use the benchmarks in this article to audit your campaigns. If your CTR is below 0.44%, your creative needs work. If your CPC is above $10 without targeting executives, something’s off. If you’re not seeing 2%+ conversion rates, revisit your landing pages.
The advertisers winning on LinkedIn aren’t the ones with the biggest budgets. They’re the ones who understand these numbers and optimize accordingly.
Looking to build your outbound strategy beyond paid ads? Tools like Salesso help you find verified contact data so you can combine LinkedIn advertising with direct outreach for maximum impac
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