How to create a LinkedIn Ads campaign
This guide walks you through building a first LinkedIn campaign in Campaign Manager, from choosing an objective to launching an ad set with ads that are ready for review.
LinkedIn updated its naming in Campaign Manager. What used to be called a campaign group is now a campaign, and what used to be called a campaign is now an ad set. You may still see the old names in older articles and some reports.
The structure has three levels. The campaign holds the objective and can hold a shared budget. Each ad set inside it holds the audience, ad format, placements, budget, bidding, and schedule. Ads sit inside ad sets and are what people actually see.
Start a new campaign
Sign in to Campaign Manager, open your ad account, and select Create, then Campaign. Give the campaign a name that tells you the goal and audience at a glance, such as the product and the funnel stage. Clear names save time once you have several campaigns running side by side.
Choose your objective
Pick one objective. It applies to every ad set in the campaign and shapes how LinkedIn optimizes delivery. Awareness covers Brand awareness. Consideration covers website visits, engagement, and video views. Conversion covers lead generation, website conversions, and job applicants. Lead generation uses LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms, so people can submit their details without leaving LinkedIn.
Watch outChoose website conversions only after your Insight Tag or Conversions API is sending conversion data.
Choose ad creation and campaign budget settings
LinkedIn offers a flexible ad creation method or a standard setup. Standard setup gives you the most control while you learn. You can also set a campaign budget and schedule here and optionally turn on budget optimization, or leave the budget for each ad set. Setting the budget at the ad set level is clearer for a first campaign.
Build your audience
In the ad set, start with location. Then add attributes such as job title, job function, seniority, industry, company size, or company name. LinkedIn offers more than 20 audience attributes, plus Matched Audiences built from your contact lists, company lists, or website visitors. Use Narrow and Exclude to tighten the audience.
LinkedIn requires at least 300 members for an audience to run.
TipWatch the forecast panel as you add criteria so you can see the audience size change.
Select an ad format and placements
Choose a format. Sponsored Content runs in the feed as single image, carousel, video, document, event, or thought leader ads. Message Ads appear in LinkedIn Messaging. Text Ads are desktop ads, and Dynamic Ads are personalized using profile data. LinkedIn and the LinkedIn Audience Network are selected by default for placements. The Audience Network shows eligible ads on third-party apps and sites, and you can turn it off.
Set budget, schedule, bidding, and conversions
If you did not set a campaign budget, set a daily budget, a lifetime budget, or both for the ad set, and choose a start date and optional end date. For bidding, LinkedIn recommends starting with Maximum delivery, which bids automatically. If your objective is website conversions, select the conversions this ad set should count. Our budget guide covers these settings in detail.
Create your ads
Add ads to the ad set. For a single image ad, you add an image, introductory text, a headline, a destination URL, and a call to action. LinkedIn suggests running several ad variations per ad set so delivery can favor the stronger ones. Use the preview to check how each ad looks on desktop and mobile before you save.
TipAdd URL tracking parameters to destination URLs so your analytics tool can attribute visits to the right ad.
Review and launch
Open the review step and check each setting: objective, audience, format, placements, budget, schedule, bidding, and ads. Review Forecasted Results to see whether the budget and audience are in a sensible range. Add a payment method if you have not, then launch. Ads go through a review by LinkedIn before they start serving, and you can see each ad’s status in Campaign Manager.
Before you move on
- The objective matches the result you actually want
- The audience is above LinkedIn's 300 member minimum and reflects your real buyer
- Audience Network is on or off on purpose
- Budget, schedule, and bidding are set where you intended
- Every ad has a working destination URL and has been previewed
Official resources
- How to create a LinkedIn advertising campaign
- How to advertise on LinkedIn
- LinkedIn audience targeting
- Create an ad set in Campaign Manager
Ad platforms update their tools often. This guide was last reviewed against the official documentation above in October 2026. If your screen looks different, the official help pages have the latest steps.
At a glance
- Level
- Beginner
- Time
- About 45 minutes
- What you need
- A Campaign Manager ad account with a LinkedIn Page associated
- A payment method, or permission to add one
- A clear goal and a description of who you want to reach
- Ad copy, images or video, and a landing page
- The LinkedIn Insight Tag installed if you want to track website conversions
Rather have it done for you?
Active Digital Marketing builds and manages LinkedIn ad accounts for businesses doing $25,000+ a month in revenue.
Apply to work with usOr get an ad account auditWhere DIY setups go wrong
The most common problems with self-built LinkedIn Ads setups, and what they cost.
Picking an objective for the cheapest result
Engagement and website visits often look inexpensive, but LinkedIn optimizes for what you choose. If you need leads, optimize for leads, or you will get clicks from people who never convert.
Over-narrowing the audience
Stacking job title, seniority, company size, and skills can shrink an audience until delivery struggles and costs rise. Start with the criteria that matter most.
Leaving every default on
Audience Network, audience expansion, and automated settings can be useful, but turning them on without knowing it makes results harder to read.
Launching one ad
With a single ad, you have nothing to compare against. A few variations give LinkedIn options and give you a first read on what message works.
Sending traffic to a generic homepage
B2B buyers who click a specific offer expect to land on that offer. A homepage makes them search for it.
What this guide doesn't cover
A launched campaign is the start of the work. On LinkedIn, results come from matching the right offer to the right accounts, testing messages and formats, and connecting leads to what happens in your CRM. Without that, it is common to spend steadily and still not know which campaigns produce revenue.
Active Digital Marketing runs LinkedIn programs built around account-based targeting, Lead Gen Forms, document and video ads, and measurement tied to pipeline.
- Account-based targeting with company and contact lists
- Funnel structure from awareness to conversion
- Message, offer, and format testing
- Lead Gen Form design and CRM syncing
- Bidding strategy changes as data builds
- Reporting tied to pipeline and revenue
Common questions
What is the difference between a campaign and an ad set on LinkedIn?
The campaign holds the objective and an optional shared budget. Ad sets inside it hold the audience, format, placements, budget, and bidding. LinkedIn used to call these campaign groups and campaigns.
What is the minimum audience size for LinkedIn ads?
LinkedIn requires an audience of at least 300 members to run a campaign. Larger audiences generally give delivery more room.
How long does LinkedIn take to approve ads?
Ads go through a review after you launch. LinkedIn does not publish a fixed turnaround on its campaign setup page, so check the ad status in Campaign Manager.
Do I need the Insight Tag to run a campaign?
No, but you need it, or the Conversions API, to track and optimize for website conversions and to build website retargeting audiences.
Keep learning
How to Create a LinkedIn Ads Account
Set up a LinkedIn Campaign Manager ad account the right way: LinkedIn Page, account details, payment, user roles, and when to use Business Manager.
Read the guideHow to Set a LinkedIn Ads Budget
How LinkedIn ads budgets work: daily vs lifetime, campaign budgets, minimums, bidding strategies, pacing, and how to change budgets safely.
Read the guideHow to Install the LinkedIn Insight Tag
Install the LinkedIn Insight Tag, set up conversion tracking, confirm the tag is active, and learn how the Conversions API fits in.
Read the guideHow to Create a Meta Ads Campaign
Build your first Facebook and Instagram campaign in Ads Manager: objective, Advantage+ settings, audience, placements, the ad itself, and launch.
Read the guideHow to Create a Google Ads Campaign
Build your first Google Ads Search campaign: objective, networks, locations, AI Max, keywords, responsive search ads, budget, and publishing.
Read the guideHow to Create a TikTok Ads Campaign
Build your first TikTok campaign: pick an objective, choose manual or Smart+, set targeting and placements, upload your ad, and submit it for review.
Read the guideRather have it built right the first time?
If your business does $25,000+ a month in revenue, apply and Mitch will review your accounts personally. Earlier than that? An ad account audit gives you a senior-level fix list you can work through yourself.