LinkedIn is weird. It’s the only place where people actually want to see ads about B2B software, yet most of the video content there is just... noise. If you've spent any time scrolling your feed lately, you’ve probably noticed a pattern. There’s the overly polished corporate "anthem" that says nothing, and then there’s the raw, shaky-cam video from a founder that somehow gets 400 likes in an hour.
Honestly, the bar for linkedin video ad examples is both incredibly high and surprisingly low at the same time. You aren't competing with TikTok creators; you're competing with the "psychological fatigue" of a middle manager who has twenty minutes between meetings. They don't want to be sold to. They want their problems solved, or at least acknowledged.
Most people mess this up because they treat LinkedIn like television. It isn't. It's a digital watercooler where everyone is wearing a slightly uncomfortable blazer.
The "How-To" snippet that doesn't feel like an ad
One of the most effective linkedin video ad examples I’ve seen recently didn't come from a massive agency. It came from a SaaS company called Monday.com. They use these super short, high-energy clips that show the actual interface of the product. No actors. No fluff. Just a screen recording with a fast-paced voiceover.
Why does this work? Because B2B buyers are cynical. They’ve been burned by vaporware. When you show the actual "buttons" and the actual "workflow," the brain switches from defensive mode to utility mode. You're showing them a solution, not a pitch. It’s basically a mini-demo disguised as a 15-second interrupt.
Contrast that with the "Brand Purpose" videos. You know the ones. Lots of stock footage of people shaking hands and diverse teams looking at blueprints. Those usually fail. Hard. They feel like a waste of the viewer's data plan. If you're going to use video on LinkedIn, you have to earn the right to occupy that vertical space on the phone screen.
Adobe’s approach to creative storytelling
Adobe is another heavy hitter. They often run ads for their "Creative Cloud for Teams" and what’s interesting is how they segment. They don't just run one ad. They run specific creative for different personas. A video for a project manager looks totally different than a video for a lead designer.
One specific Adobe ad used a "Day in the Life" format. It wasn't perfect. It was a bit staged. But it worked because it mirrored the actual chaos of a creative agency. It showed the pain of versioning—saving files as "Final_v2_REALLY_FINAL.psd." That’s a universal truth in that industry. When a viewer sees their own frustration reflected in a video, they stop scrolling. That is the goal.
Breaking down the "Thought Leadership" video ad
Sometimes the best linkedin video ad examples aren't even "ads" in the traditional sense. They are promoted posts.
Take a look at how Gong (the revenue intelligence platform) handles video. They often take a snippet from a webinar or a podcast and turn it into a Sponsored Content ad. It’s usually a head-and-shoulders shot of someone like Chris Orlob or Amit Bendov talking about a very specific data point. For example, "Why saying 'Does that make sense?' kills your sales deal."
This works because:
- It provides immediate value.
- It establishes authority.
- It doesn't look like a commercial.
It looks like professional development. Most professionals on LinkedIn have a "growth mindset" (or at least they want their boss to think they do). Clicking a video that promises to make them better at their job is a low-friction action. It’s way easier than clicking a "Request a Demo" button.
The technical side: Why your aspect ratio is killing you
Let's talk about the boring stuff that actually matters. Most people export their videos in 16:9 (widescreen). Stop doing that.
LinkedIn's mobile app is where most of the consumption happens. A 1:1 (square) or 4:5 (vertical-ish) video takes up way more real estate. If your video is a thin sliver in the middle of the screen, people will skip it. You want to dominate the glass.
Also, captions. Good lord, use captions.
According to LinkedIn’s own internal data, up to 80% of videos are watched without sound. If your hook is delivered verbally and there’s no text on the screen, you just spent $5,000 on a silent movie that nobody understands. Use big, bold, high-contrast captions. Not the tiny ones that look like a movie subtitle. Use the ones that look like a headline.
The "User Generated" (UGC) pivot in B2B
You’ve seen it on Instagram and TikTok, but UGC is moving into the B2B space fast. This is where companies pay their own employees or actual customers to film a video on their iPhone.
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There’s this "uncanny valley" of production quality. If a video is too perfect, our brains flag it as "Advertisement" and we tune out. If it looks like something a colleague sent us, we pay attention. This is why "Selfie-style" ads are outperforming high-budget studio shoots for many mid-market companies.
A great example of this is from a company called Lavender. They do AI email coaching. Their ads often feature their team members just talking to the camera about a specific cold email tip. It’s raw. It’s authentic. It feels like a tip from a friend.
Short vs. Long: The Great Debate
How long should a LinkedIn video ad be?
The short answer: As long as it needs to be, but as short as possible.
The long answer: Most successful linkedin video ad examples that drive direct conversions are under 30 seconds. However, if your goal is "Brand Awareness" or "Thought Leadership," you can go up to 90 seconds or even 2 minutes. But you better be interesting. If the first 3 seconds don't grab them, the remaining 117 seconds are irrelevant.
Think of the first 3 seconds as the "Thumb Stop."
- Use a startling statistic.
- Ask a provocative question.
- Show a visual that is out of place.
If you start with a logo animation, you've already lost. Nobody cares about your logo animation except your CMO. Get to the point.
What we can learn from HubSpot’s video strategy
HubSpot is the king of content for a reason. Their LinkedIn video ads are often educational. They’ll do a "3 Tips for Better Lead Gen" video. It’s structured, easy to follow, and always leads to a specific lead magnet.
They also use "Retargeting" brilliantly.
- Step 1: You see a broad, educational video about marketing trends.
- Step 2: Because you watched 50% of that video, you are now in a new audience.
- Step 3: You see a second video ad that is much more product-specific.
This is the "Full Funnel" approach. You can't ask for a marriage proposal on the first date. Use video to build the relationship first.
Mistakes to avoid (The "Cringe" Factor)
We have to talk about the bad stuff. There are plenty of linkedin video ad examples that serve as warnings.
- The "Over-Actor": B2B ads that use actors to play "Frustrated Office Worker" are almost always terrible. It feels fake. It feels like a 90s infomercial.
- The "Wall of Text": Videos that are just slides of text with music. Just write a blog post. Video is for movement and emotion.
- The "Missing CTA": You'd be surprised how many companies spend $20k on a video and then don't tell the viewer what to do next. "Learn More" is the default, but "Download the Report" or "See the Calculator" is better.
Actionable Steps for your next campaign
If you’re sitting down to storyboard your next LinkedIn video, here is the checklist you actually need.
Prioritize the first 3 seconds above all else. If you don't hook them, the rest of the budget is wasted. Use a "pattern interrupt"—something that doesn't look like a standard business post. Maybe it's a bright color, a fast movement, or a bold claim.
Design for the Mute Button. Assume the viewer is in a quiet office or a loud train and can't hear a word you’re saying. If the video doesn't make sense on mute, it’s not ready for LinkedIn.
Keep it focused on ONE person. Don't try to speak to the CEO, the IT Director, and the end-user in one 30-second clip. You’ll end up speaking to nobody. Pick one persona and talk about their specific Tuesday afternoon headache.
Vary your creative frequently. LinkedIn audiences are smaller and more niche than Facebook's. This means "Ad Fatigue" happens faster. If a user sees the same video four times in a week, they will start to resent your brand. Have 3-4 variations of the same message and rotate them.
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Use the "Problem-Agitation-Solution" framework. 1. Show the problem (The CRM is messy).
2. Agitate it (You’re losing 20% of your leads because of the mess).
3. Provide the solution (Our tool cleans it up automatically).
The most successful linkedin video ad examples don't reinvent the wheel. They just respect the user's time. They provide a little bit of value, a little bit of entertainment, and a very clear path to the next step.
Stop trying to win an Oscar. Start trying to win a conversation. That’s how you actually get an ROI on this platform. Focus on the actual humans behind the job titles, and the rest usually takes care of itself.