What’s New in LinkedIn Ads: 2025 Update

Introduction

LinkedIn Ads has become the powerhouse of B2B marketing—and in 2025, it’s stronger than ever. With smarter targeting, new ad formats, and advanced AI tools, the platform is giving marketers more ways to reach professionals and generate results.

With over 1 billion members worldwide (Statista, 2025), LinkedIn continues to dominate as the go-to channel for high-quality, professional leads. If you’re running paid social campaigns, staying updated on LinkedIn’s latest features is essential to keep your strategy sharp.

This post breaks down everything new in LinkedIn Ads for 2025, from targeting upgrades to AI-powered reporting. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned advertiser, you’ll find practical takeaways to maximize your budget.

Smarter Targeting with AI

Predictive Audiences

LinkedIn has rolled out Predictive Audiences, powered by Microsoft AI. This feature helps you reach users most likely to convert by analyzing past campaign performance.

How it works:

• Uses your conversion history to identify lookalike users

• Updates dynamically based on real-time engagement

• Works across all ad formats

📊 Example: A B2B software brand saw a 33% lift in qualified leads by activating Predictive Audiences (LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, 2025).

This is LinkedIn’s answer to Meta’s Lookalike Audiences—except it’s optimized for professional behavior, making it ideal for B2B campaigns.

Enhanced Company Targeting

LinkedIn has expanded its firmographic filters, now allowing advertisers to layer criteria such as:

• Company size

• Industry

• Growth rate

• Hiring trends

This means you can go beyond broad categories and focus on companies that are expanding or hiring in your niche.

New Ad Formats to Drive Engagement

Thought Leader Ads

One of the most exciting updates of 2025 is Thought Leader Ads. These ads let brands promote organic posts from executives or employees, making content feel more authentic in the feed.

💡 Pro tip: Use this format to boost employee advocacy. Promoting high-performing leadership posts can help drive both trust and engagement.

Interactive Carousel Upgrades

Carousel Ads now include:

• Mixing videos and images in a single ad

• Custom CTAs on each card

• Performance tracking per slide

These upgrades make storytelling more dynamic and give advertisers deeper insight into what resonates.

Vertical Video Support

With mobile use at an all-time high, LinkedIn now fully supports vertical video ads. The platform recommends:

• Keeping videos under 15 seconds

• Adding captions for silent autoplay

This format gives better screen coverage and higher engagement on mobile devices.

More Automation and AI Tools

Campaign Setup with AI Copilot

The new LinkedIn Campaign Copilot helps advertisers:

• Build campaigns faster

• Generate headlines and descriptions

• Suggest budgets based on goals

For small teams and new advertisers, this tool simplifies campaign setup and reduces guesswork.

AI Creative Suggestions

When uploading creative, LinkedIn now provides:

• Optimized image sizes

• Stronger CTA options

• Headline variations

🛠️ According to HubSpot’s 2025 State of Marketing Report, marketers using AI-assisted ad tools saw a 40% lift in performance.

Better Measurement and Reporting

Updated Conversion Tracking

LinkedIn’s conversion tracking now includes:

• Multi-touch attribution

• Time-to-convert metrics

• Cross-device insights

This allows you to see how long users take to convert and which touchpoints drive results.

Audience Insights Dashboard

The new dashboard provides breakdowns by:

• Job functions

• Skills

• Seniority

• Location

📈 Example: A SaaS company refined messaging after using Audience Insights and saw a 27% drop in CPC (MarketingProfs, 2025).

LinkedIn Lead Gen Updates

Smart Forms with Auto-Fill

Lead Gen Forms now support smart auto-fill using LinkedIn profile data.

Benefits:

• Faster completions

• Fewer drop-offs

• More accurate data

You can also add custom qualification questions to improve lead quality.

CRM Sync Improvements

LinkedIn’s CRM integrations (HubSpot, Salesforce, Marketo) now sync in real time, ensuring sales teams can act immediately on new leads.

Budgeting and Bidding in 2025

Flexible Budget Rules

You can now automate budget adjustments with rules such as:

• Pausing campaigns if CPL rises too high

• Increasing spend when conversions surge

Smart Bidding with AI

AI-powered bidding now optimizes based on:

• Audience behavior

• Device usage

• Time of day

🔍 Harvard Business Review (2024) notes that real-time bidding will shape the future of all digital advertising.

How to Prepare for LinkedIn in 2025

Here’s a quick checklist to stay competitive:

• ✅ Test Predictive Audiences on mid-funnel campaigns

• ✅ Try Thought Leader Ads for authentic engagement

• ✅ Use Campaign Copilot to save time on setup

• ✅ Refresh Lead Gen Forms with smart fields

• ✅ Experiment with vertical video ads

• ✅ Set rules-based budgets for efficiency

• ✅ Review Audience Insights monthly

Conclusion

LinkedIn Ads in 2025 is smarter, faster, and more flexible than ever. From Predictive Audiences to Thought Leader Ads and AI-powered tools, these updates are designed to help you stretch your ad dollars and generate real B2B impact.

If your goal is to reach decision-makers, now is the time to double down on LinkedIn. Start testing these features, refine your strategy with insights, and stay ahead of the competition.

📌 For more tips on paid social success, subscribe to our blog or reach out to our team for help optimizing your next LinkedIn campaign.

Sources

• HubSpot (2025). State of Marketing Report. HubSpot Blog

• LinkedIn Marketing Solutions (2025). Product Updates. LinkedIn Business

• Statista (2025). LinkedIn User Stats. Statista

• MarketingProfs (2025). B2B Marketing Benchmarks. MarketingProfs

• Harvard Business Review (2024). The Future of Digital Advertising. HBR