Digital advertising in 2025 can feel like a pretty intense game of chess, one where the rules keep changing and Queen’s Gambit strategies are replaced by AI-powered moves. For SaaS companies and businesses in general, improving paid ads performance on Meta (Facebook/Instagram), TikTok, Google, and LinkedIn is more crucial (and challenging) than ever. Ad costs are rising, algorithms are evolving, and audiences have the attention span of a goldfish binge-watching Finding Nemo. But fear not! In this guide, we’ll break down how you can boost your paid advertising performance across these platforms. Let’s dive in and turn your ad campaigns from meh to magical. May the ROI be with you!
The 2025 Digital Ads Landscape: New Challenges and Opportunities
Digital marketers often joke that running ads now is like playing a video game on “expert mode.” The year 2025 has brought significant changes to all major ad platforms. Competition is fiercer, and algorithms are smarter (and sometimes too smart, thanks to AI). Here’s a quick overview of what’s happening and why you need to adapt:
- Rising Costs: Advertising costs have been creeping up. The average Facebook cost-per-click hit about $1.72 in 2023 (up from $1.48 in 2021) (socialeum.com), and it likely increased further into 2025. More advertisers plus limited user attention equals pricier clicks. In the words of one Reddit PPC guru, “CPC inflation unlike anything I’ve ever seen” (reddit.com). To succeed, you’ll need to make every dollar count.
- Algorithm Upgrades & AI: Platforms are deploying more automation and artificial intelligence. Google’s Performance Max (PMax) campaigns and Meta’s Advantage+ are prime examples. These AI-driven tools can optimize targeting and creatives on the fly, but they also change how we work. One marketer noted “huge changes to Meta with Advantage+… It feels like each algo drastically reset this year” (reddit.com). The opportunity? Let AI handle grunt work like ad placements and basic optimization. The challenge? Learning to guide these tools without losing control of your brand voice and budget.
- Privacy Changes: User privacy moves (like iOS tracking opt-outs) forced advertisers to get creative in tracking performance. Meta’s data shows that using its Conversions API (which sends data directly from your server) improved ad attribution by 20% compared to relying on the old Pixel alone (socialeum.com). In practice, brands that embraced server-side tracking (and other privacy-friendly measurement) are seeing more conversions – Danish railway company DSB boosted conversions 18% by implementing Meta’s Conversions API with richer first-party data (facebook.com). The takeaway: in 2025, first-party data is your best friend for tracking and optimization.
- Platform Proliferation: It’s not just a Google-and-Facebook world anymore. TikTok surged in popularity, and LinkedIn became a B2B marketer’s go-to. Each platform has unique strengths – as one advertiser put it, “TikTok is dominating cold traffic… Meta remains the leader for retargeting and lifetime value” (reddit.com). We’ll leverage these strengths by using the right platform for the right goal (and audience).
In short, the landscape has changed, but with change comes opportunity. Now, let’s get specific about improving your paid ads performance on each major platform and the strategies that will help you win in 2025.
Know Your Platforms (and Play to Their Strengths)
Ever seen The Avengers? Each hero has distinct powers – and it takes the whole team to defeat the big bad. Think of Meta, TikTok, Google, and LinkedIn as your advertising Avengers. To improve your paid ads performance, understand what each “hero” does best and use them accordingly:
(Comparing ROI and lead quality across top ad platforms in 2025.)
- Meta (Facebook & Instagram): The all-rounder with the massive reach. Great for building awareness and retargeting folks who have engaged with your business. Meta’s algorithms have years of data on user behavior. It’s still “king” for many advertisers’ demand generation (reddit.com), but acquiring totally new cold audiences on Meta has gotten trickier and often expensive (reddit.com). We’ll need creative funnels (more on that soon).
- TikTok: The trendsetter that can make brands go viral overnight. TikTok excels at broad top-of-funnel reach, especially for consumer-facing or fun content. If your product can be showcased in a snappy, creative video, TikTok can drive a flood of traffic. In fact, TikTok now has over 1 billion users and is a valuable platform for advertising campaigns, even for newcomers ( llamaleadgen.com). Many brands have already found success tapping TikTok’s community with creative content. For example, Toyota used TikTok’s auto-specific ad formats and saw a 38% drop in cost-per acquisition for leads (ads.tiktok.com). That’s a huge efficiency gain by speaking TikTok’s language (in Toyota’s case, using engaging car content with the right format).
- Google (Search, YouTube, etc.): The intent harvester and data powerhouse. When people actively search for something (“best project management SaaS” or “affordable running shoes”), Google Ads ensure you show up at the right moment. It’s fantastic for capturing high-intent leads and sales. Google’s also expanded Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns which use AI to run across YouTube, Gmail, Discover, and more (reddit.com). These can find conversions everywhere, though they require feeding Google good data (clean product feeds, conversion data) to avoid waste (reddit.com). The bottom line: Google Ads shine when you match ads to the user’s intent and leverage its automation smartly.
- LinkedIn: The B2B sharpshooter. LinkedIn Ads target professionals by title, industry, company, etc., making it a goldmine for SaaS companies hunting B2B leads. It’s the smallest of these platforms user-wise, but its users pack a punch – 4 out of 5 LinkedIn members drive business decisions, and they hold twice the buying power of typical web audiences (tripledart.com). If you’re selling software to, say, CFOs or marketing managers, LinkedIn lets you reach them with precision. The trade-off? Higher cost per click. But, when done right, quality trumps quantity here. We’ll see how a hyper-targeted LinkedIn campaign delivered 523 sales meetings for a SaaS company at $46 a pop (tripledart.comtripledart.com) – pricey per lead, but worth it if each lead is a high-value customer.
(Each platform plays a distinct role in the B2B marketing funnel).
Key Tip: Match your goal to the platform. For instance, use TikTok and Meta for brand awareness and top-of-funnel excitement, then use Meta’s retargeting or LinkedIn’s lead gen forms to nurture and convert those who showed interest. And always capture the intent on Google when people are searching for solutions you offer. It’s like casting each actor in their ideal role – you won’t have the Hulk do spy work when Black Widow is clearly better for the job.
Creative is King (Especially on TikTok and Meta)
In 2025, thumb-stopping creative isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity. People scroll fast, and you need ads that can grab attention faster than you can say “Wingardium Leviosa.” This means investing in compelling visuals, videos, and messaging that resonate with your audience. Let’s break down creative best practices by platform:
(Higher-quality creative consistently reduces CPC across platforms.)
- On Meta (Facebook/Instagram): Video ads and visually rich content are performing better than ever. Short-form video, like Reels Ads, get 25% higher engagement than static images (socialeum.com). You don’t need a Hollywood budget; even smartphone-shot videos can work if they tell a story or demo your product in a relatable way. And remember the classic rule: keep text overlay minimal. Meta’s algorithm prefers images with less than 20% text – those ads reach more people (about 10% higher reach) (socialeum.com). A recent analysis noted that using vertical video (9:16) oriented to mobile screens can boost performance by 35% over horizontal videos (socialeum.com). Think Instagram Stories/Reels style – full-screen, immersive content.
- On TikTok: Don’t make ads, make TikToks. This popular mantra means your ads should feel like native TikTok content. Use trending music or challenges (without being cringey or forced). Authenticity and humor win. Many brands succeeded by featuring real people (influencers or employees) in their TikTok ads, effectively leveraging user-generated style. TikTok even showcases top-performing ads in its Creative Center by industry (bootcampdigital.com) – you can literally see what’s working. And for goodness’ sake, don’t reuse boring corporate footage here. A playful skit or a meme-inspired concept can go a long way. (If Shakespeare were alive, he might say “To go viral or not to go viral, that is the question.” 😜)
- On Google: Creative matters in a different way. For Search ads, it’s your copy that counts. Use those 30-character headlines wisely – include your keyword and a clear benefit or CTA. For Display or YouTube, visuals again become important. Google’s responsive display ads will mash up headlines, descriptions, and images you provide. Give them good ingredients (high-quality images, varied headlines) and the algorithm will cook up the best combo for each viewer. One SaaS company, BioRender, improved their Google Ads results by rewriting ad copy to better match search intent and by aligning ads with specific landing pages. The outcome? They saw an 83% increase in conversions and 51% higher conversion rate in four months (upgrow.io). The improved ad relevance not only boosted sign-ups but also raised click-through rates, showing how powerful tailored creative messaging can be.
- On LinkedIn: Here, your audience is in a “professional mindset.” Creative that offers value (like an eBook, webinar, or useful insight) often performs well. LinkedIn feed ads can be text + image, but don’t shy away from video here either – especially for storytelling about your product’s value. Keep the tone conversational yet authoritative. One hyper-specific trick from a successful LinkedIn campaign: they literally mentioned the target audience in the ad creative itself (“ChatGPT for CROs” in an AI tool ad aimed at Chief Revenue Officers) (tripledart.com). This kind of hyper-targeted creative acted like a qualifier – it told the right people “hey, this is for you” and probably made the wrong people scroll past (which saves you money). Such tactics helped that campaign generate 523 B2B demo meetings at $46 each (tripledart.com), proving that speaking your customer’s language is key.
No matter the platform, a great creative does two things: grabs attention and communicates value. You might use humor, a bold visual, or an emotional story to grab attention. But make sure once you have their eyeballs, your ad quickly answers “What’s in it for me?” for the viewer. If you check both boxes, you’re well on your way to better performance.
Leverage Automation and AI (But Stay in Control)
If 2025 had a motto for advertisers, it might be “Work smarter, not harder.” All major platforms offer automation tools that can significantly improve campaign performance if used correctly. It’s a bit like employing a self-driving car – you can take your hands off the wheel sometimes, but you still need to map the destination.
Here’s how to make AI and automation your trusty sidekicks:
- Meta’s Advantage+ & AI Tools: Meta (Facebook) has rolled out features to automate campaign setup and optimization. Advantage+ shopping campaigns, for example, automate audience targeting and creative mixes for e-commerce ads. Also, Meta is developing generative AI tools to fully automate ad creation – including making images and copy (bootcampdigital.com). They’re even testing an “Opportunity Score” in Ads Manager, which flags underperforming areas and suggests improvements using AI (bootcampdigital.com). These are great for catching issues you might miss. Use these tools to save time, but don’t treat them as infallible. Always review AI-generated suggestions. Think of them as Jarvis from Iron Man – super helpful with diagnostics, but you’re still Iron Man deciding what to actually do.
- Google’s Smart Bidding & PMax: Google Ads has arguably been ahead in the automation game. Features like Smart Bidding use machine learning to adjust your bids in real-time for each auction, aiming to hit your goals (like target CPA or ROAS). Embracing Smart Bidding was a key part of BioRender’s Google Ads revamp – they switched from manual CPC to Target CPA bidding and it helped scale conversions while **cutting cost-per-signup nearly in half (-47%) (upgrow.io). Performance Max campaigns also use AI to find conversions across multiple networks (Search, Display, YouTube, etc.) with one campaign. However, as some advertisers note, PMax can be “unpredictable… it can waste money” if you don’t give it good data and guardrails (reddit.com).
- Best practice: feed PMax with a clean product feed (for e-commerce), set audience signals (to hint who to target), and use exclusion filters if needed (e.g., exclude brand keywords if you don’t want PMax cannibalizing your search). Monitor results closely, especially early on, and don’t be afraid to pause it if it’s veering off into crazy town.
- TikTok’s Automated Creative & Tools: TikTok for Business offers an “Automated Creative Optimization” feature that will mix and match your creative assets (videos, images, text) to find winning combos. There’s also a TikTok Creative Center with trend insights and a Top Ads section showing high-performing ads by region/industry (bootcampdigital.com). In 2025, TikTok introduced “Smart+” performance campaigns (according to their updates) which likely function similarly to Facebook’s automated campaigns (ads.tiktok.com). My advice: Use automated creative testing on TikTok to quickly iterate, but keep an eye on the outputs to ensure they still align with your brand. TikTok’s algorithm might find an absurd combo that technically “performs” but could be off-brand or odd – don’t let it run unchecked.
- LinkedIn’s Automated Features: LinkedIn has been slightly more old-school but is catching up. In 2025, LinkedIn launched an Accelerate feature (AI-driven campaign setup assistance) to simplify creating campaigns (bootcampdigital.com). They also released Conversion API for LinkedIn to improve your data tracking (bootcampdigital.com). While LinkedIn’s AI is not as prominent as Meta’s or Google’s, you can still automate things like Lead Gen Forms (auto-fill user data) and use LinkedIn’s optimized targeting option which expands your audience based on AI if it thinks it can get more results. Use these to broaden reach, but if you have a very specific ICP (Ideal Customer Profile), you might want to keep tighter control. A good approach is to test AI suggestions on a small budget: let LinkedIn auto-expand or auto-optimize a bit and see if the lead quality holds up before committing big bucks.
In summary, automation can significantly boost ad performance by finding wins you might miss manually. A real-world example: a Facebook case study showed using dynamic ads (which auto-tailor content to users) drove an 18% increase in conversions for the advertiser (socialeum.com). That’s the upside. The downside is when automation chases the wrong metric – e.g. optimizing for cheap clicks that don’t convert, or showing weird ad combinations. The solution? Keep the human touch: set clear goals (tell the AI to optimize for purchases or lead form submissions, not just clicks), supply high-quality creative assets and data, and check in on reports frequently. You’re effectively the coach, and the algorithm is your star player – guide it, and it will win games for you.
Embrace a Full-Funnel Strategy (and Retarget, Retarget, Retarget)
If your ad campaigns were a novel, you wouldn’t expect someone to propose on the first chapter. You need a storyline that guides the customer from awareness to consideration to decision. That’s where full-funnel advertising comes in – and it’s a game-changer for performance. It ensures you’re not leaving money (or leads) on the table.
What does full-funnel mean in practice? Let’s break it down with an example from LinkedIn:
A marketing agency, TripleDart, managed a LinkedIn Ads program for a tech client with a hefty budget (~$900K/year). They didn’t blow it all on one type of ad. They split into stages:
- Top-of-Funnel (Awareness) – ~10% of budget on broad content (e.g. industry tips, thought leadership) to engage a wide relevant audience (tripledart.com). KPI: website visits, engagement.
- Mid-Funnel (Consideration) – ~25% on valuable content like webinars, case studies or ungated playbooks (tripledart.com). They even did fun stuff like meme ads and video podcasts to keep folks interested (tripledart.com). KPI: leads (downloads, sign-ups).
- Bottom-of-Funnel (Decision) – ~25% on direct offers: product demos, free trials, “contact sales” – shown specifically to those who engaged earlier (tripledart.com). They tested both LinkedIn lead forms and sending traffic to landing pages, to see what drove actual sales meetingstripledart.com. KPI: conversions (meetings booked, demos, etc.).
- Retargeting – the remaining ~40% was used to re-engage everyone who interacted but didn’t convert yet (tripledart.com). This included ads with testimonials, case studies, and even account-based marketing touches like personalized invites (tripledart.com). Essentially, they chased people who visited the site or clicked an ad but hadn’t become a lead, reminding them of the company’s value until they were ready to talk. Result: Over six months, they scaled from $10K to $100K per month, massively growing reach and qualified leads, with a strong ROI (tripledart.com).
The above example illustrates that allocating budget across the funnel stages is crucial. Don’t spend 100% on trying to cold-convert strangers; most aren’t ready to marry you on first swipe (it’s marketing, not Tinder). Similarly, don’t only do awareness without retargeting; you’ll just pay to feed competitors who will retarget those warmed-up folks. Balanced funnels win.
And that brings us to retargeting – your friendly reminder system. Retargeting ads (on any platform) go after people who already showed interest: visited your site, added to cart, watched 50% of your video, etc. These ads routinely see higher conversion rates – one study found retargeted ads have a 70% higher conversion rate than first-touch ads (socialeum.com). Why? Because familiarity breeds trust (and reduces the decision anxiety). If Darth Vader keeps popping up saying “join the Dark Side, we have cookies,” eventually you think, “hmm those cookies sound good” (okay, maybe a bad example).
Some retargeting best practices to improve performance:
- Frequency Caps: Don’t stalk users to death. Showing an ad 100 times will annoy people. Research suggests 3-5 impressions per user per week is a sweet spot; beyond that, engagement drops by about 20% (socialeum.comsocialeum.com). So, set frequency limits if the platform allows (Facebook/IG and LinkedIn do; Google’s Display can indirectly via campaign settings).
- Sequenced Messaging: Tell a story. If a user saw your top-funnel “cool video” ad, the retargeting ad could say “Liked what you saw? Here’s an eBook diving deeper” or “Sign up for a free trial to try it yourself.” Don’t just show the same ad. Move them to the next step.
- Personalized Offers: Use what you know about them. If they browsed a particular product page on your site, show an ad about that product (dynamic product ads do this automatically on Meta and Google). If they read a blog post on “X vs Y solutions,” maybe retarget with a comparison guide or your competitive advantage. Ads that tie to someone’s specific interest can lift conversion considerably – Meta noted retargeting campaigns with personalized offers saw a 40% higher ROI (socialeum.com).
- Cross-Platform Retargeting: Just because someone visited your site from Google doesn’t mean you should only retarget on Google Display. Bring that audience over to Facebook or LinkedIn if it fits. Vice versa, if someone engaged with your Instagram ad but didn’t convert, you can use Google or LinkedIn to follow up too. Using multiple platforms ensures you catch the user wherever they hang out next. (Pro tip: this is where having a solid CRM or at least matching emails to platforms can help, especially for smaller custom audiences).
By nurturing users through a funnel and staying on their radar with retargeting, you build familiarity and trust. It’s like being present at each stage of the buyer’s journey saying, “Need any help? Here’s something for you.” Instead of hard selling, you’re guiding – and that dramatically improves the chances they will convert with you rather than wander off to a competitor.
Real-World Results: Case Studies to Inspire You
Let’s face it, all the tips in the world mean nothing if they don’t deliver results. So in this section, let’s look at a few real campaign examples (from various industries, including SaaS) that show improved paid ad performance and why they succeeded. Think of this as our mini victory parade – if they could do it, so can you!
- Fresh Fuel Marketing & Sertodo Copper (Meta + Google): Sertodo Copper, a family-owned copper kitchenware business, wanted more leads and sales online. The agency Fresh Fuel crafted a blend of Facebook/Instagram ads and Google search/Shopping ads to reach both social media scrollers and high-intent Googlers. The goal was a respectable 4.5X return on ad spend (ROAS). The result? They achieved 7X ROAS, much higher than expected (freshfuelmarketing.com). The campaign combined eye-catching social ads (showcasing Sertodo’s shiny copper products in action) with targeted Google Ads for people actively searching for kitchenware. This one-two punch of social inspiration plus search intent capture proved extremely effective, more than doubling their money on ad spend. Lesson: Mixing channels can amplify results – social ads create demand and search ads harvest it, leading to an impressive ROI.
- BioRender (B2B SaaS) & Google Ads Overhaul: BioRender, a SaaS tool for creating scientific graphics, struggled with scattered campaigns and rising costs on Google. They did a full makeover: cleaned up their account structure, refined keywords, improved ad copy relevance, and embraced smart bidding. Within four months, they saw +83% sign-up conversions, +51% conversion rate, and -47% cost per signup (upgrow.io). A particularly clever move was aligning ads tightly with what researchers were searching for (even calling themselves “Canva for Science” to instantly communicate the value) (upgrow.io). By focusing on relevance and data-driven bidding, they attracted more qualified clicks and converted them efficiently. Lesson: If your Google Ads are underperforming, a data-driven cleanup and optimization can work wonders – more results for less cost, as BioRender proved.
- Toyota & TikTok Lead Generation: Not just small companies, big brands are also cracking new platforms. Toyota ran a TikTok campaign using automotive-specific ad formats (likely TikTok’s interactive car ads) to collect leads for test drives or inquiries. They targeted TikTok’s huge audience with creative car content and got a 38% lower cost per lead (CPA) compared to their normal campaigns (ads.tiktok.com). That’s a massive efficiency gain for their lead gen. It shows TikTok isn’t just dance challenges; when used with the right format and audience targeting, it can drive serious business outcomes at lower cost. Lesson: Don’t underestimate new platforms – if you adapt your strategy (in Toyota’s case, using TikTok-native ad formats and engaging creative), you can outperform your traditional results.
- Understory & LinkedIn Hyper-Targeting: Understory (a marketing agency) helped a SaaS client aiming to book product demos with hard-to-reach executives (think CROs, CFOs). They ran LinkedIn ads that explicitly called out the target personas (“AI Assistant for CFOs” etc.) and even offered a $50 gift card incentive to book a demo (tripledart.comtripledart.com). They also optimized scheduling (no Monday meetings, since those had higher no-show rates (tripledart.com). The campaign delivered 523 sales meetings at $46.21 each over a few months (tripledart.comtripledart.com). For enterprise deals, $46 to get a decision-maker in a meeting is a bargain. Lesson: When your audience is niche and valuable, speak directly to them and remove friction. A small incentive and a convenient scheduling flow can dramatically improve conversion rates for high-value leads.
(Key trends shaping B2B content and paid ads in 2025.)
These case studies highlight a common theme: strategy and creativity tailored to the platform and audience = success. Whether it’s blending channels for full-funnel coverage, sharpening Google Ads relevance, jumping on a trending platform with the right content, or laser-targeting decision-makers on LinkedIn – the principles are the same. Know your audience, meet them where they are, and continually optimize with data.
FAQs: Quick Answers to Burning Questions
Q1: How can I improve my Facebook/Meta Ads performance if it’s been declining?
A: Start by checking your targeting and creative. Are you relying on narrow audiences that might have fatigued? Consider broadening targeting and letting Meta’s algorithm find new users – Advantage+ campaigns can help with that (reddit.com). Refresh your creatives, especially video. Use Reels or short videos to boost engagement (video ads on FB have higher interaction rates than static posts (socialeum.com). Also implement the Conversions API for better tracking data, as brands have seen notable conversion lifts (around 18% in one case) by feeding Meta more first-party data (facebook.com). In short, feed the algorithm good data, keep content fresh, and widen the funnel at the top to give Meta room to optimize.
Q2: Is advertising on TikTok worthwhile for B2B or “serious” industries?
A: TikTok’s audience does skew younger, but it’s growing up – and even professionals have TikTok on their phones. You’d be surprised: many B2B SaaS companies experiment with TikTok to humanize their brand or recruit talent. The key is to adjust your content; a dry corporate ad won’t fly. Instead, share quick tips, behind-the-scenes clips, or industry myth-busting in a fun way. Also, consider TikTok’s targeting options: you can target by interests or even specific hashtags relevant to your niche. While TikTok might not directly generate enterprise leads as effectively as LinkedIn, it can lower your overall cost of customer acquisition by filling the very top of your funnel cheaply. And as long as you add a dash of creativity, yes, it’s worthwhile – even if just to get your brand on the radar of the next generation of decision-makers. (Plus, less competition on TikTok ads means you might get a better ROI than on saturated channels.)
Q3: What’s a good Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) for SaaS companies?
A: This varies by business model and whether you’re tracking immediate revenue or lifetime value. For SaaS, many look at Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) vs. Lifetime Value (LTV) rather than simple ROAS, since a customer might pay monthly for years. However, as a rough benchmark, a 3:1 ROAS (i.e. $3 revenue for every $1 ad spend) is often considered a decent starting point for profitability in many industries. Some of the examples we discussed blew past that – e.g., 7:1 ROAS for Sertodo’s campaign (freshfuelmarketing.com) – but keep in mind that was e-commerce.
In SaaS, if your LTV is high, you might afford a lower ROAS initially. Focus on blended ROI: if LinkedIn ads are costly but bring in highly qualified leads that sales converts at a high rate, the overall ROI can be excellent even if LinkedIn alone shows just 1:1 ROAS. In contrast, a cheap channel like retargeting might show 10:1 ROAS but only pick off the low-hanging fruit. So, aim for the best overall ROI for your funnel. Use ROAS as a guide per channel but judge by the full customer journey value.
Q4: How do I lower my cost per click (CPC) on Google Ads?
A: Two main ways: improve Quality Score and broaden your match types. Quality Score (QS) is Google’s rating of your ad relevance; a higher QS gives you lower CPCs. You can boost QS by tightening the relationship between your keywords, ad copy, and landing page. For example, if you bid on “project management tool,” ensure your ad headline says “Project Management Tool” and the landing page is all about that – relevant ads earned BioRender cheaper clicks and higher CTR (upgrow.ioupgrow.io). Secondly, consider using broad match or broad match modifier keywords with smart bidding. Google’s AI can sometimes find cheap clicks you wouldn’t identify with an exact match. Just monitor to ensure they convert. Finally, don’t forget negative keywords to avoid paying for irrelevant clicks. Lowering CPC is good, but lowering cost per conversion is better – sometimes paying a bit more per click for qualified users is worth it. Always optimize for the end goal, not just the click.
Q5: Which platform is best for generating leads: Facebook or LinkedIn?
A: Both can generate leads, but they excel in different ways. Facebook (Meta) has scale and lower costs. You can reach a broad audience and use tools like Lead Ads (instant forms) to capture leads natively. Facebook’s algorithm can find people likely to fill out forms pretty efficiently, and you often pay less per lead than on LinkedIn. However, lead quality can vary. You might get a lot of unqualified or low-intent leads on Facebook, especially if your targeting or offer is broad. LinkedIn has smaller reach and higher cost, but the leads are often higher quality for B2B. If you need CEOs at tech companies, LinkedIn can serve your ad straight to them. They’re in a work mindset and more likely to be genuinely interested in a business solution. One case study showed a company doubling their Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) while cutting cost-per-lead 50% by using a carefully managed LinkedIn campaign (tripledart.com). The best approach is to use both: start broad on Facebook to fill the funnel, then use LinkedIn for targeted nurturing. Or flip it: grab attention with a thought leadership video on LinkedIn, then retarget those folks cheaply on Facebook. The “best” platform is the one that, combined with your strategy, yields the best overall results – and often that’s a combination rather than either/or.
Improving paid ads performance across Meta, TikTok, Google, and LinkedIn in 2025 might seem daunting at first. But with a clear strategy – knowing each platform’s role, creating great content, harnessing automation, and guiding your audience through a well-planned funnel – you can absolutely crush it. Think of yourself as the director of an epic cross-platform play: Meta, TikTok, Google, and LinkedIn are your actors, each delivering their lines perfectly on cue to take the audience (your future customers) from first impression to final conversion. With data as your script and creativity as your stage design, you’re set for a show-stopping performance (and excellent campaign results). Break a leg, and here’s to your success in the ads arena!
