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By Benchmarketing Research Team Reviewed by Performance Marketing Editorial Reviewed March 2026 · observations Q1 2023 – Q4 2024Cross-format averages · LinkedIn Sponsored Content · 2026
0.52%
Avg CTR, all Sponsored Content
Format drives significant performance variance on LinkedIn. Thought Leader Ads and Document Ads consistently outperform the Single Image baseline on CTR and CPL - primarily because they deliver more perceived value in the feed.
| Format | CTR | CPC | CPL | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single Image | 0.52% | $5.26 | $74 | Awareness + lead gen |
| Carousel | 0.81% | $4.92 | $68 | Storytelling + product |
| Video | 0.38% | $6.12 | $82 | Brand + awareness |
| Document Ad | 0.94% | $4.44 | $61 | Lead gen (gated) |
| Event Ad | 0.67% | $4.78 | $71 | Event registrations |
| Thought Leader | 1.12% | $3.98 | $55 | Warm audience engagement |
Source: LinkedIn Marketing Solutions 2024. Data reflects Sponsored Content campaigns only.
C-Suite targeting yields higher CTR and CVR despite elevated CPC - reflecting stronger intent among senior decision-makers when the offer matches their authority level. Match your offer to the seniority of your target.
| Target | CTR | CPC | CVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| C-Suite | 0.68% | $7.20 | 6.4% |
| VP/Director | 0.61% | $6.48 | 5.8% |
| Manager | 0.54% | $5.62 | 5.2% |
| Individual Contributor | 0.44% | $4.88 | 4.6% |
Thought Leader Ads: personal context = trust
Thought Leader Ads are sponsored versions of personal employee posts. They appear in-feed as organic content with a "Promoted" label. Because they carry the credibility of a real person rather than a brand page, CTR runs 115% higher than Single Image Ads (1.12% vs. 0.52%). Best used for warm audiences or retargeting.
Document Ads: value before the ask
Document Ads allow users to scroll through a PDF preview before filling out a Lead Gen Form. The ungated preview (3–5 pages visible) filters for genuine interest - meaning leads who complete the form have already consumed content. CPL drops to $61 and lead quality is measurably higher.
Narrow targeting amplifies CPL efficiency
LinkedIn's strength is precision targeting: company size, industry, job function, and seniority stacked together. The narrower and more relevant the audience, the better the CPL. Targeting VP+ at 200–5,000 employee SaaS companies consistently outperforms broad job title targeting.
Retargeting video viewers cuts CPL by 30%+
Users who watched 50%+ of a video ad are high-intent prospects. Retargeting them with a direct offer (Document Ad or Thought Leader Ad) typically reduces CPL by 30–40% vs. cold audiences. Build the video-to-offer funnel even if video CPL alone looks poor.
Format and targeting precision drive 80% of LinkedIn performance variance. Start there before touching creative.
Use Document Ads with ungated preview to capture engaged leads
Upload a 6–12 page PDF (report, framework, template) and allow the first 3–5 pages to be visible without filling a form. This pre-qualifies interest and dramatically increases lead quality vs. a gated landing page. Pair with Lead Gen Forms for frictionless conversion - CPL averages $61 for Document Ads with LGF.
Test Thought Leader Ads using personal employee posts
Identify your highest-performing organic posts from executives or subject matter experts. Promote them as Thought Leader Ads targeting your ICP. The authenticity of personal content in a professional feed drives 1.12% CTR - more than 2x the Single Image baseline. Rotate authors to find which voice resonates most.
Narrow to company size + job function targeting
Stop targeting by job title alone - LinkedIn's job title taxonomy is inconsistent across companies. Instead combine company size (e.g., 200–2,000 employees) with job function (e.g., Marketing, Finance) and seniority (VP+). This combination yields tighter audiences with better CPL than broad job title targeting.
Retarget video viewers with a direct offer
Run awareness Video Ads to cold audiences to build intent signals. Create a Video Retargeting audience of users who watched 50%+ of your video. Serve them a Document Ad or direct demo offer. This two-step funnel consistently reduces CPL by 30–40% vs. sending cold audiences directly to offers.
Use Lead Gen Forms on all Sponsored Content
LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms pre-fill user profile data (name, email, job title, company). This reduces CPL from $74 to $58 on average and increases completion rates to 82% vs. variable landing page performance. Enable LGF on all Sponsored Content campaigns and follow up with CRM integration within 5 minutes.
A CTR above 0.45% is considered average for LinkedIn Sponsored Content. Above 0.70% is strong, and above 1.0% is excellent - typically achieved with Thought Leader Ads or highly targeted Document Ads. LinkedIn CTRs are lower than Meta or Google Search because the feed is professional and users are less primed for clicks.
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These benchmarks are drawn from a multi-source benchmark cohort aggregated across industries and regions, covering the period Q1 2023 – Q4 2024. Figures on this page come from the Benchmarketing benchmark dataset: thousands of curated benchmark observations spanning channels, industries, and US metro areas, refreshed on a published schedule. Every statistic traces to a named source — no anonymous “studies show.” Data is sourced from:
The Benchmarketing 4-Band Method reads every marketing metric against four percentile bands — P25 (bottom quartile), median, P75 (top quartile), and elite (top ~10%) — for a specific industry and channel, instead of a single cross-industry average. Averages blend brand and non-brand campaigns, $500/month and $500,000/month accounts, and unrelated industries into a number almost nobody actually has.
Benchmarks reflect median values across large sample sets. Your industry, business model, and account maturity will cause variation. Use P25/P75 ranges to understand realistic distribution.
Read full methodologyWritten by
Benchmarketing Research Team
Data & Analytics
Reviewed by
Performance Marketing Editorial
Senior Review
Last updated
Reviewed March 2026
Observation period: Q1 2023 – Q4 2024
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