megastep LinkedIn Ads Deep Analysis
Process
- Collect LinkedIn Ads data (Campaign Manager export, Insight Tag status)
- Read
../ads/references/linkedin-audit.mdfor full 25-check audit - Read
../ads/references/benchmarks.mdfor LinkedIn-specific benchmarks - Read
../ads/references/scoring-system.mdfor weighted scoring - Evaluate all applicable checks as PASS, WARNING, or FAIL
- Calculate LinkedIn Ads Health Score (0-100)
- Generate findings report with action plan
What to Analyze
Technical Setup (25% weight)
- Insight Tag installed and firing on all pages (L01)
- Conversions API (CAPI) active — launched 2025 (L02)
- Conversion events configured for full funnel
- Revenue attribution tracking enabled
Audience Targeting (25% weight)
- Job title targeting uses specific titles, not just functions (L03)
- Company size filtering matches ICP (L04)
- Seniority level appropriate for offer (L05)
- Matched Audiences active: retargeting + contact lists (L06)
- ABM company lists uploaded (up to 300,000 companies) (L07)
- Audience expansion OFF for precision campaigns, ON for scale (L08)
- Predictive audiences tested — replaced Lookalikes Feb 2024 (L09)
Creative Quality (20% weight)
- Thought Leader Ads active, ≥30% budget allocation for B2B (L10)
- Ad format diversity: ≥2 formats tested (L11)
- Video ads tested (L12)
- Creative refresh every 4-6 weeks (L13)
Lead Gen & Performance (15% weight)
- Lead Gen Form ≤5 fields (13% CVR benchmark) (L14)
- Lead Gen Form synced to CRM in real-time (L15)
- Campaign objective matches funnel stage (L18)
- A/B testing active: creative or audience (L19)
- Message ad frequency ≤1 per 30-45 days (L20)
Bidding & Budget (15% weight)
- Bid strategy: CPS for Messages, Max Delivery for Content (L16)
- Daily budget ≥$50 for Sponsored Content (L17)
- CTR ≥0.44% for Sponsored Content (L21)
- CPC within benchmark: $5-7 average, senior $6.40+ (L22)
- Lead-to-opportunity rate tracked, not just CPL (L23)
- Attribution: 30-day click / 7-day view configured (L24)
- Demographics report reviewed monthly (L25)
Thought Leader Ads (TLA) Assessment
Thought Leader Ads use employee/executive personal posts as sponsored content:
- CPC typically $2.29-$4.14 vs $13.23 for standard Sponsored Content
- CTR typically 2-3x higher than corporate-branded ads
- Best for: B2B thought leadership, brand awareness, engagement
Evaluate:
- Are TLAs being used? (If not, HIGH priority recommendation)
- Are they getting ≥30% of total LinkedIn budget?
- Are the right employees selected (industry credibility, active posters)?
- Is post content authentic and valuable (not salesy)?
ABM Strategy Assessment
For B2B Enterprise accounts:
- Company list uploaded and segmented by tier (Tier 1, 2, 3)
- Custom content per tier (personalized messaging)
- Account penetration tracking (contacts reached per target account)
- Integration with CRM/ABM platform (Demandbase, 6sense, etc.)
LinkedIn Context
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Minimum audience size | 500 (for ads to run) |
| Lead Gen Form CVR benchmark | 13% |
| TLA CPC range | $2.29-$4.14 |
| Standard SC CPC | $13.23 average |
| Hierarchy rename | Oct 2025 (Campaign Group → Campaign → Ad) |
| Predictive Audiences | Replaced Lookalikes Feb 2024 |
Key Thresholds
| Metric | Pass | Warning | Fail |
|---|---|---|---|
| CTR (Sponsored Content) | ≥0.44% | 0.30-0.44% | <0.30% |
| CPC (average) | ≤$7.00 | $7-10 | >$10.00 |
| Lead Gen CVR | ≥10% | 5-10% | <5% |
| Message frequency | ≤1/30 days | 1/15-30 days | >1/15 days |
| TLA budget share | ≥30% | 15-30% | <15% |
Output
LinkedIn Ads Health Score
LinkedIn Ads Health Score: XX/100 (Grade: X)
Technical Setup: XX/100 ████████░░ (25%)
Audience: XX/100 ██████████ (25%)
Creative: XX/100 ███████░░░ (20%)
Lead Gen: XX/100 █████░░░░░ (15%)
Budget & Bidding: XX/100 ████████░░ (15%)
Deliverables
LINKEDIN-ADS-REPORT.md— Full 25-check findings with pass/warning/fail- TLA adoption roadmap (if not using)
- ABM strategy recommendations (for B2B)
- Lead Gen Form optimization priorities
- Quick Wins sorted by impact