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Insights from our global survey of 4,287 SMB decision-makers

Meet the SMB

More than two thirds of all employed people work for Small or Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs), which contribute 50% of GDP worldwide.

SMBs are an engine of innovation, often nimbly responding to new opportunities faster than larger businesses can. Understanding the richness of the B2B opportunity on LinkedIn means understanding the richness and diversity of SMBs that are active on LinkedIn. In this study, we identify the moments when small businesses start to invest in becoming scalable businesses, investing in a wide range of services and solutions, and how they make buying decisions when they do.

This report reveals how marketers can engage SMB decision-makers at the point when they begin to invest seriously in growth, building loyalty that lasts as small businesses become scaling businesses.

We collaborated with analytics agency Interpret to distribute an anonymous 20-minute questionnaire to SMB decision-makers across the world.

The survey collected

responses from

4,287

SMB decision makers who are active on social media

platforms

Between

25 - 74

years old.

Across

12 countries

Among them,

3,007

are active LinkedIn users (P30D) and the rest being users active on other social media platforms but not on LinkedIn.

Why treating all SMBs the same misses the real opportunity

For the average SMB, when they hire their eleventh employee, this is the tipping point. They invest in a wider range of solutions and services, increasing productivity and catapulting growth.

SMBs with more than 10 employees are in-market for a wider range of B2B products and services.

Average category budgets increase by 3-4x.

Their headcount

growth accelerates and their mindset and buying behavior start to change.

SMBs with more than 10 employees have:

3.5x higher budgets for payroll services

3x higher budgets for IT

4.7x higher budgets for advertising and media

5.3x higher budgets for logistics

3.1x higher budgets for office space

Build Your Brand Today to Win SMB Buyers Tomorrow

Ty Heath

Ty Heath

Director, The B2B Institute, LinkedIn

“Don’t wait to build your brand—it’s just as crucial as generating leads. While many B2B marketers chase immediate sales from small businesses, that strategy alone gets expensive and limiting.

Small business owners move quickly when they’re ready to expand, and they’ll turn to brands they already know and trust. By balancing brand building with your sales efforts, you’ll actually reduce costs over time and create lasting growth. There’s no better time to start than today.”

SMBs at the growth threshold: six key insights for marketers

Engaging SMBs at this growth tipping point unlocks immediate opportunity for marketers. It builds brand loyalty that lasts as SMBs continue expanding and investing in their businesses.

Insight 1:

SMBs at the growth threshold gather together on LinkedIn

Insight 2:

Winning a share of SMB growth budgets means marketing to a buying committee

Insight 3:

As SMBs grow, they pay even more attention to insights and expertise on LinkedIn

Insight 4:

SMB decision-makers associate LinkedIn with growth, optimism, confidence and motivation

Insight 5:

SMBs value video content on LinkedIn

Insight 6:

SMBs seek out thought leadership on LinkedIn

Insight 1:

SMBs at the growth threshold gather together on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the social platform where marketers find the greatest concentration of SMBs reaching the growth tipping point. On LinkedIn, SMBs have more employees, higher revenues and are more likely to have decision-makers who lead teams.

81% of SMBs on LinkedIn have over 10 employees

SMBs on LinkedIn are 37% more likely to have revenues of $10 million or more

Insight 2:

Winning a share of SMB growth budgets means marketing to a buying committee

When SMBs start buying from more categories and investing bigger budgets, they also start making buying decisions differently. They form buying committees, consider shortlists and take longer over purchases rather than relying on snap judgments from a single decision-maker.

Only 1 in 2 SMBs say they make purchase decisions alone

SMBs with 10-50 employees are 18% more likely to involve multiple decision-makers in one purchase

Insight 3:

As SMBs grow, they pay even more attention to insights and expertise on LinkedIn

SMBs rate LinkedIn as the most valuable platform for helping them grow their businesses, and the bigger they get, the more likely they are to reach out to connections on LinkedIn for advice.

SMBs' engagement with content on LinkedIn has grown 25x in the last two years

68% of SMB decision makers say spending time on LinkedIn feels like an investment in their business

Insight 4:

SMB decision-makers associate LinkedIn with growth, optimism, confidence and motivation

LinkedIn is the channel that SMBs most associate with growth. They leverage it for sales and marketing, learning and development, networking and for hiring. As a result, they are at their most ambitious, optimistic, confident and motivated on LinkedIn.

52% of SMB decision-makers on LinkedIn play a role in helping their companies innovate

68% of SMBs use LinkedIn to find new leads and customers, more than any other platform

Insight 5:

SMBs value video content on LinkedIn

SMBs find meaning in the video ads and content that brands post on LinkedIn. Inspirational and informative video content aligns with the forward-thinking mindset of SMBs as the growth threshold.

65% of SMBs value video ads on LinkedIn

70% of SMBs value posts from companies in their LinkedIn feed

Insight 6:

SMBs seek out thought leadership on LinkedIn

SMB decision-makers actively seek out insights from industry leaders and experts on LinkedIn. Amplify your brand through trusted influencers and thought leaders with Thought Leader Ads.

75% of SMB decision-makers value insights from leaders and experts in their own industry

72% value insights from leaders and experts in other industries

 

For a global analysis of the growth tipping point for SMBs and strategies for building strong brand partnerships as they expand, explore the full Meet the SMB report.

How B2B marketers can engage small and medium businesses at the tipping point for growth
Davang Shah

Davang Shah

Vice President of Marketing
LinkedIn Marketing Solutions

For B2B marketers, SMBs represent a unique and powerful opportunity – to connect your brand with a valuable audience who not only wants to learn from your brand, but also needs your products and solutions to grow. Guided by our vision to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce, LinkedIn is proud to build a future where SMBs of all sizes can thrive.

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