According to research, 75% of B2B marketers choose LinkedIn over other social media platforms for paid media. LinkedIn has unique ad types to help you meet your marketing objectives. LinkedIn’s professional network and granular targeting options make it ideal for reaching specific B2B audiences. While Meta Ads can reach a wider audience, they are better suited to B2C or campaigns focused on broad awareness.
Choosing between LinkedIn Ads and Meta Ads isn’t always straightforward. In this blog, we will cover all the differences between the platforms, explore which one might work better for your business, and help you make the right decision for your B2B marketing strategy. And how our digital marketing consultancy can support you in building and managing effective campaigns. In fact, you might even benefit from a combination of both!
Understanding the Platforms
LinkedIn Ads are predominantly built for professionals. That’s their core strength. Whether you want to target finance directors in SMEs or operations managers in the manufacturing sector, LinkedIn allows you to be extremely specific. You can filter your audience by job title, company size, industry, and even different levels and types of expertise. This level of precision is ideal when targeting decision-makers directly.
Meta Ads, which cover both Facebook and Instagram, are more consumer-focused by design but shouldn’t be ignored for B2B; even though they may not offer the same professional targeting, they excel at reach, visual engagement, and retargeting. Many business buyers still scroll Facebook or Instagram outside of work hours, and Meta’s advanced behavioural targeting can help you stay visible.
In other words, LinkedIn users are typically in “work mode,” while Meta users are more relaxed. This difference can influence everything from how you write your ads to the type of creative you use.
Budget and ROI
One of the first things most B2B marketers notice is the cost difference. LinkedIn Ads tend to be more expensive, and you’re likely to pay a higher cost-per-click (CPC), but the quality of leads can justify the spend, especially if you’re targeting high-value services or long-term contracts.
Meta Ads offer lower pay-per-click (PPC) rates and a broader reach, making them ideal for top-of-funnel brand awareness or remarketing to users who have visited your site. If your strategy involves building visibility on a large scale or driving traffic to your content, Meta can add significant value, provided your audience remains active there.
Cost is everything; it’s more important to focus on the cost-per-lead or cost-per-acquisition. A cheaper click won’t help if the lead never converts into a sale. On the other hand, being expensive doesn’t necessarily mean better, especially if your targeting, message or audience is off.
Budget considerations play a significant role. Understanding the pay-per-click (PPC) and return on investment (ROI) associated with each ad type will help determine the most cost-effective strategy.
At SQ, we aim to help businesses with digital marketing solutions, including optimising paid social campaigns based on ROI, not vanity metrics. If you’re unsure where to spend, our paid social media service and pay-per-click services are designed to guide you through the decision-making process with confidence.
What Are You Advertising?
Your offering plays a big role in determining the best platform to use. If you’re promoting something technical, niche, or high-ticket, such as enterprise software, specialist consultancy, or B2B services, LinkedIn gives you direct access to the people who are most likely to care about it.
If your product or service is more universal or would benefit from visual storytelling, Meta may be a better fit. It allows you to build a broader brand presence and tell a richer story through visuals, videos, and carousels.
Both platforms allow retargeting, so a user who finds you on LinkedIn could later see your ad on Instagram, strengthening brand recognition. When used strategically together, these platforms can reinforce each other throughout the buying journey.
Which One Should You Choose?
- LinkedIn Ads: If your goal is lead generation in niche industries, targeting senior professionals, or promoting content such as whitepapers and reports.
- Meta Ads: If you want mass brand visibility, drive cost-effective traffic to your website or remarket to engaged users.
- Choose Both: If you want full-funnel visibility, brand awareness via Meta, and lead capture through LinkedIn.
Don’t just assume one is better than the other. You need to test and trial both options to see what actually works for your business. A small trial on each platform can provide you with real data, so you know where to go from there.
Understanding your target audience is crucial in this decision-making process. Businesses must consider where their potential customers are most active and receptive to advertising. If you’re unsure, don’t worry – we’re here to help you. With over 20 years of experience in digital marketing, SQ builds performance-driven campaigns that go beyond clicks. We help B2B businesses connect with the people who really matter.
Take a look at how we’ve done this for other businesses in our case studies, or speak to us directly to plan your strategy.
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing between LinkedIn Ads and Meta Ads for B2B. It all comes down to knowing your target audience, setting clear goals, and understanding how each platform fits into the bigger picture.
Get Started Today
If you’re still unsure where to begin or if your current ads aren’t delivering the results you want, we can help you reevaluate your strategy and build something that actually works. Contact SQ today, and let’s discuss how to maximise your B2B ad spend.