Who Is a LinkedIn Thought Leader and Why Does It Matter?
Did you know that 80% of B2B leads from social media come through LinkedIn? Still, most ads on the platform lack a personal or engaging feel. That's a problem because buyers in 2025 expect relevance, not a pitch. LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads change this by promoting posts from real people, not just company pages, bringing trust and relatability into paid content.
In 2025, this format is changing how B2B buyers engage. Instead of tuning out traditional ads, decision-makers now pause to hear from real voices they trust. Whether it's insights from your founder or posts by your top seller, LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads help you stand out in crowded feeds.
In this guide, you'll learn how to create a thought leader ad on LinkedIn, the setup steps, best practices, mistakes to avoid, and how to use tools like Valley to scale high-performing thought leader ads on LinkedIn.
Who Is a LinkedIn Thought Leader and Why Does It Matter?
A LinkedIn thought leader is someone who shares ideas that start real conversations. They usually come from inside your company, like founders, execs, or employees, and post about challenges, trends, or lessons with a clear point of view. Their content sounds human, not corporate. It's not just what they say but how they say it.
In LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads, these posts are promoted directly from a personal profile. That makes them stand out. People trust people more than brands, which is why thought leader ads on LinkedIn often get better engagement and more qualified clicks than traditional brand ads.
If you're thinking about how to create a thought leader ad on LinkedIn, it starts with the right voice and a real message. But before you hit "sponsor," a few things need to be in place.
Requirements for Creating LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads
LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads enable brands to promote posts from individuals, allowing them to reach a broader audience with a more human voice. These ads are most effective when they reflect genuine experiences, rather than polished brand copy. But not all posts or formats qualify.
Here's what you need to know before launching a thought leader ad on LinkedIn:
Area | Requirement |
Posts | You can promote posts from employees or first- and second-degree connections. Group posts can’t be promoted. |
Promoting posts | Articles and newsletters are allowed. Celebrations, documents, polls, multi-images, and reshared posts are not. |
Page permissions | Super admin, content admin, or Sponsored Content poster access is required. |
Campaign permissions |
|
Campaign objectives | Only brand awareness and engagement campaigns are eligible. |
Ad formats | Only single-image or video ad formats are supported. |
Content types | Posts with images, LinkedIn articles, newsletters, and third-party links are eligible. |
Reporting |
|
Request limit | No limit on the number of promotion requests you can send to thought leaders. |
Sponsor permission request | The post author gets an email with the post preview, approval options, auto-approval settings, and terms. |
Call to action (CTA) | No formal CTA button. Links can be added to the post intro text. |
Ad creatives | You cannot duplicate a thought leader ad. |
Metrics | Includes Member Follows and Profile Clicks from the ad itself. |
Note: To promote a LinkedIn Thought Leader Ad, your campaign must use either the brand awareness or engagement objective, and must follow the single image or video ad format only.
Understanding these rules helps keep your team focused and compliant as you plan to create a thought leader ad on LinkedIn. Once your setup is clear, it’s time to make it live and impactful.
Steps to Create LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads
Personal posts tend to drive more engagement than typical brand ads. To get started, you need a brand awareness or engagement campaign using either a single image or video ad format.
You can create a new campaign or use an existing one. If editing an existing campaign, make sure it's eligible for a LinkedIn thought leader ad (correct objective and format).
Follow these 8 steps to get it done right:
1. Go to the "Set up Ads" Page in Campaign Manager
Start in Campaign Manager. If you're creating a new campaign, complete the campaign settings first. You'll land on the "Set up Ads" page automatically.
If you're using an existing campaign, open it and click "Edit Campaign" to reach the "Set up Ads" section.
2. Click the "Browse existing content" Button
Once on the "Set up Ads" screen, click the "Browse existing content" button. It opens the Content Library, where you can access both your company's content and member posts.
3. Click "LinkedIn members" to filter for Personal Posts
In the Content Library, click the "LinkedIn members" tab. It allows you to search and select posts from individual members, employees, or 1st/2nd-degree connections.
4. Use the Posts tab to find the Right Post
Inside the "LinkedIn members" tab, go to "Posts."
Here, you can search using the member's name or paste the post URL. Ensure the post hasn't been shared in a group or uses unsupported formats (such as polls or celebrations), as these can't be promoted.
5. Click "Request approval" for the Selected Post
After choosing a post, click the "Request approval" button. It sends a formal sponsorship request to the member who created the post.
6. Send the Request Directly (Optional but Helpful)
Once the request is sent, click "View Request" and use "Copy link" to get a shareable approval link. You can send this via LinkedIn message, email, or Slack to prompt quicker action from the member.
7. Track Approval Status
Go to the "Requests" tab to monitor responses. You can filter by 'Approved', 'Declined', or 'Pending'. Members can approve one request at a time or turn on auto-approval for future requests.
8. Sponsor the Post Once Approved
After the member approves the request, you'll get a notification in Campaign Manager. You can now sponsor the post as a LinkedIn thought leader ad.
If the member later revokes permission, the ad will immediately stop running. The rest of the campaign will continue if other ads exist; otherwise, it will stop delivering.
Note: To run thought leader ads on LinkedIn, your campaign must use either the brand awareness or engagement objective. The supported formats are single-image ads and video ads.
Setting up these ads correctly ensures you meet platform rules and get the full impact of authentic, human-first content. Now that you know how to create a thought leader ad on LinkedIn, let's look at how to make them work harder with smart best practices.
Top 5 Post Ideas That Work for Thought Leader Ads
Not every post performs well as a LinkedIn thought leader ad. The best ones feel human, useful, and real without sounding like a pitch. Great ads come from posts that spark reactions, start conversations, or offer something practical.
Here are five proven formats to help you get it right with thought leader ads, LinkedIn favors.
Share a bold insight or POV: Strong opinions draw attention. Posts where a founder or expert shares a sharp take on a challenge or trend often perform well. These posts feel real, timely, and personal, exactly what the LinkedIn feed rewards. They show thought leadership, not marketing copy, making them ideal for LinkedIn thought leader ads.
Break down industry trends: Posts that explain what's happening in your market help your audience feel smarter. A short analysis with data or examples builds trust and sparks saves or shares. These posts show your team has real expertise, making them strong content to promote through a LinkedIn thought leader ad.
Tell a short customer story or lesson: A simple win, failure, or behind-the-scenes story, shared with honesty, can drive real engagement. These posts create relatability and credibility without sounding promotional. They're effective because they're human. When promoted as thought leader ads, these posts help LinkedIn users connect on a deeper level, building trust and fostering meaningful relationships
Also Read: What Role Does Content Marketing Play in Intent-Based Prospecting?
Post-behind-the-scenes of building something: Show your product in progress, share how you're solving a problem, or explain a decision. Posts like these build trust and show momentum. They're great for founders or builders who want to connect with peers, partners, or potential hires through LinkedIn thought leader ads.
Share a useful framework or tip: Give people something they can use right away. Posts that include a checklist, one-line tip, or short how-to earn more saves and reshares. They show value, not hype, which is why they make for high-performing LinkedIn thought leader ads.
You don't need big production to create great ads, just a strong point of view and useful stories. But even the best post won't work if you fall into common traps. Let's cover what to avoid.
Common Pitfalls That Kill LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads
Even strong posts can flop as LinkedIn thought leader ads if they miss the mark on tone, clarity, or strategy. These ads are designed to feel human and helpful, rather than polished brand messaging.
Before you learn how to create a thought leader ad on LinkedIn, steer clear of these common mistakes:
1. Too promotional, salesy, or vague: People scroll past ads that feel like product pitches. A LinkedIn thought leader ad should sound like a person, not a brand. Avoid vague messaging and hard sells. Instead, share a point of view, insight, or story. Focus on conversation, not conversion.
2. Using corporate jargon: Terms like "synergy" or "streamline" kill readability. Real people don't talk like that. Thought leader ads perform best when they sound natural and clear. Use plain language. Read your post out loud; if it feels stiff or buzzword-heavy, rewrite it before promoting.
3. Ignoring the comment section: Engagement doesn't stop at the click. If people comment, reply. If they disagree, respond. Ignoring comments makes your LinkedIn thought leader ads look like one-way messages. Active comment sections improve reach and make your brand feel human. Monitor and respond regularly.
4. No alignment with business goals: If your post has nothing to do with your audience or offer, it won't convert, even if it goes viral. Make sure your content connects back to your business mission or ICP. Thoughtful content with clear relevance will result in a strong LinkedIn thought leader ad.
5. Ignoring mobile formatting: Most thought leader ads are for LinkedIn users who are on mobile. Long intros, big blocks of text, or no line breaks can kill attention. Write for small screens. Keep intros short, use line spacing, and make sure links or mentions are easy to tap.
Avoiding these mistakes can improve performance and perception. But how do you know what's actually working? Let's break down how to measure success.
How to Measure the Success of a LinkedIn Thought Leader Ad?
Tracking success isn't just about clicks. To measure the true impact of your LinkedIn thought leader ads, you need to look at performance data and long-term influence.
LinkedIn reports that top-performing thought leader ads drive stronger engagement and trust than traditional brand ads. Qualitative signals like backlinks and branded search matter, too.
Here's how to measure what's working:
1. Engagement and Reach: Start with reactions, comments, and shares on the ad and original post. These signal how well your content resonates. Use LinkedIn analytics to monitor impressions (views) and total reach. Review who's engaging and record their titles, roles, and companies to ensure you're reaching your ICP.
2. Lead Generation and Conversions: Clicks are good, but conversions are better. Track how many visitors come from your ad, what actions they take, and which channel (organic or paid) brought them in. Use UTM parameters (Urchin Tracking Module parameters are snippets of text you can add to the end of a URL) to track campaign-level success. A strong LinkedIn thought leader ad drives both traffic and pipeline, not just likes.
Also Read: LinkedIn Sales Mastery: Converting Your Profile into a Lead Generation Machine
3. Qualitative Metrics and Overall Impact: Measure less obvious wins, too. Are people linking to your post? Are you seeing media mentions or more brand searches? Watch for backlinks, press pickups, or brand-related searches. These signals show long-term value beyond campaign metrics.
Good measurement connects performance with purpose. If your metrics align with your goals, you're on the right track. But what if you want to scale this approach across campaigns without the manual work? Now, let's see how Valley answers that question.
How Valley Can Help You Win With Thought Leader Ads?
Valley is an AI-powered sales platform built for modern B2B teams. It helps startups and SaaS companies cut outreach time, boost pipeline quality, and scale faster without scaling headcount.
Used by teams at Miro, Front, and 60+ early-stage startups, Valley is backed by General Catalyst, Antler, Jason Calacanis, and sales leaders from leading tech companies.
Here's how Valley supports your efforts with LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads and beyond:
Signal-Based Prospecting: Pinpoint active buyers using job changes, funding news, tool usage, and hiring activity. Valley tracks signals that indicate buying intent, so you know exactly who to reach out to and when.
Intent Signal Outreach: Send hyper-relevant messages based on real-time buyer behavior. Whether it's visiting your pricing page or engaging with a competitor, Valley helps you personalize outreach that feels timely, not random.
Website Visitor Identification/Conversion: Turn anonymous traffic into named accounts. Valley identifies who's visiting your site and matches them with LinkedIn profiles so you can follow up fast with a personal message or thought leader ad.
Competitor Engagement Tracking: Track which prospects are interacting with competitors on LinkedIn or other platforms. Use that insight to create better content, respond with a clear value prop, or run thought leader ads that LinkedIn can't ignore.
AI Sales Assistant: Automate research, writing, and follow-ups. Valley's AI Assistant generates personalized outreach in seconds, using buyer signals, company context, and post insights to help you focus on closing deals.
LinkedIn Lead Generation: Run smarter campaigns by automating the manual work of finding leads, qualifying them, and engaging them with the right content, perfect for those learning how to create a thought leader ad on LinkedIn.
Pipeline Generation: Connect efforts across ads, content, and outbound to build a real pipeline. With Valley, your LinkedIn thought leader ads don't operate in a silo; they're part of a broader, data-driven sales motion.
How Valley’s AI Boosts Your Sales Team:
Increase Response Rate by 18%: Engage your clients better and watch a fourfold increase in interactions with our AI-powered solutions.
Book 10+ Meetings Per Month: Boost agency productivity with AI automation and see a 20% increase in overall team efficiency.
Uncover 500+ Hot Leads Per Month: With AI assistance, your team discovers 50% more leads and books meetings with ease.
If you're wondering how to create a thought leader ad on LinkedIn that drives real results, Valley can help. Schedule a call today and start building a smarter pipeline that converts.
Wrapping Up
In 2025, LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads are changing how B2B brands grow. Instead of relying on brand pages, they use the real voices of founders, execs, and employees to spark conversations and build trust. These personal posts, when sponsored, deliver stronger engagement and better results than most traditional ads, especially when they focus on honest lessons, helpful insights, or bold opinions.
Knowing how to create a thought leader ad on LinkedIn starts with the right foundation: a clear campaign objective, a strong member post, and correct permissions. From there, strategy matters using posts that feel human, aligning with business goals, tracking real performance metrics like CTR and reach, and avoiding salesy or vague messaging. When done right, thought leader ads on LinkedIn can drive engagement, visibility, and pipeline.
Are you using your founder's or team's voice to drive growth? Try a smarter way to scale on LinkedIn with Valley. Book a free call today!
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