What are LinkedIn Message Ads and how do they work?

LinkedIn Message Ads (formerly Sponsored InMail) are personalized messages sent directly to LinkedIn members' inboxes. They offer 1-on-1 delivery and higher response rates from decision-makers compared to traditional display ads, making them ideal for B2B lead generation campaigns.

How do you target B2B decision-makers on LinkedIn Ads?

Target B2B decision-makers using LinkedIn's advanced targeting options including job titles (CTO, Product Manager, Engineering Manager), seniority levels (Manager, Director, VP), company size (50-500 employees), industry (IT, Software, SaaS), and additional filters like retargeting website visitors and excluding current customers.

What's a good cost per lead for LinkedIn Ads in India?

For B2B SaaS companies targeting decision-makers in India, a cost per lead of Rs 100-200 is considered good, while cost per demo of Rs 200-400 is reasonable. Results vary based on targeting, ad format, and campaign optimization.

How do you optimize LinkedIn Ads campaigns for better performance?

Optimize LinkedIn Ads through daily monitoring of delivery rates, open rates, click-to-lead rates, A/B testing different copy variants, timing optimization based on audience behavior, audience refinement based on performance data, and continuous lead quality analysis through CRM integration.

LinkedIn Ads Portfolio Project

Campaign Name

Message-to-B2B-Decision-Makers

Campaign Duration

30 Days Pilot

Budget

Rs 20,000

Closed Deals

3 (~Rs 100K ARR)

Client Overview

B2B SaaS startup targeting mid-sized tech companies with collaboration solutions

A Gurgaon–based B2B SaaS startup offering an all-in-one project collaboration platform designed for mid-sized tech companies (50–500 employees). They were struggling to generate qualified demo appointments from their website and wanted to test LinkedIn Ads to reach decision-makers directly.

Campaign Aim

Strategic objectives and campaign parameters for B2B lead generation

Primary Goal

Drive demo bookings with mid- to senior-level decision-makers in software development companies.

Secondary Goal

Build awareness about the product's integration features and ease of onboarding.

Timeframe

30 days (Pilot campaign)

Budget

Rs 20,000

Target Audience

Precise targeting strategy using LinkedIn Ads Manager

Platform Targeting via LinkedIn Ads Manager

Demographics

Location: India
Industry: Information Technology, Software, and SaaS
Company Size: 50–500 employees

Job Titles

CTO
Product Manager
Engineering Manager
Director of Engineering

Seniority & Advanced Targeting

Seniority: Manager, Director, VP
Retargeting: LinkedIn profile visitors and website visitors using Insight Tag
Exclusions: Current customers (via custom matched list)

Ad Format Chosen

Strategic selection of LinkedIn Message Ads for maximum impact

LinkedIn Message Ads (formerly Sponsored InMail)

Chosen for direct 1-on-1 delivery and higher response rates from decision-makers. Sent from the client's VP of Product, to improve trust and increase open rate.

                    ✅ Why Message Ads?
                    Direct inbox delivery ensures 100% visibility
Personal messaging format builds trust and credibility
Higher engagement rates compared to traditional display ads
Ability to include strong CTAs with demo booking links

                

Ad Strategy & Execution

A/B testing framework for optimizing message performance

A/B Testing Plan

Variable	Variation A	Variation B
CTA Button	"Book a 20-Min Demo"	"See It in Action"
Body Copy Style	Straightforward with benefits upfront	Problem-solution narrative
Subject Line	"Time-saving tools for your team"	"Can I help your product team save 6 hrs/week?"

Ad Copy (Winning Variant)

The high-performing message that drove conversions

Subject Line:

"Time-saving tools for your product team"

Message Body:

Hi [First Name],

I lead Product at [Client Company], and we've helped engineering and product teams in companies like yours save 5–8 hours per week using our collaboration suite.

If smoother sprint planning, integrations with Jira/Slack, and no learning curve sound helpful, I'd love to show you how it works.

We're offering a free 20-min personalized demo this week. No pressure—just a quick look at how we could support your team.

👉 [Book Your Demo]

Best,

[VP Name]

VP of Product, [Client Company]

Monitoring & Optimization

Daily tracking and optimization strategies for campaign success

What I Monitored Daily

Message Delivery Rate
Open Rate
Click-to-Lead Rate
Lead Form Completion Rate
Audience Fatigue (repeat views, reduced interaction)
Device Breakdown (desktop vs. mobile interaction rates)

Tools Used

📈

LinkedIn Campaign Manager

Primary campaign management and metrics

🔍

Google Analytics

UTM tracking and conversion analysis

📹

Hotjar

Session replays for post-click behavior

💼

HubSpot CRM

Lead qualification and demo conversions

Applying Insights

Real-time optimization based on campaign performance data

Day 7 Insight:

Version B had higher open rates, but lower form completion.

→ Switched all traffic to Version A on Day 10.

Day 14:

Demo bookings peaked mid-week (Tues–Thurs).

→ Scheduled message sends accordingly for better timing.

Week 3:

Identified that job titles with "Director" responded better than "Manager."

→ Narrowed targeting and removed "Manager" seniority.

Final Results (After 30 Days)

Outstanding performance metrics and ROI achievement

Campaign Performance Metrics

KPI	Metric
Messages Delivered	10K
Unique Opens	2K (20%)
Cost per Lead	Rs 100
Cost per Demo	Rs 200
Qualified SQLs via Sales Team	16
Conversions (Closed Deals)	3 deals (~Rs100,000 ARR combined)

Key Performance Highlights

20% Open Rate

Rs 100 Cost per Lead

16 Qualified SQLs

500% ROI

ROI Analysis:

Campaign investment of Rs 20,000 generated Rs 100,000 ARR from 3 closed deals, delivering a 500% ROI in just 30 days. Additionally, 13 qualified leads remain in the sales pipeline with potential for additional conversions.

Client Feedback

"This campaign finally gave us a way to talk to actual product heads. The message format was personal and didn't feel like spam, and the demo quality was top-notch. We've already closed three accounts thanks to this."

— VP of Product, B2B SaaS Startup

What I Learned

Key insights and recommendations for future LinkedIn Ad campaigns

Message Ads ROI: Message Ads can deliver excellent ROI if copy is personalized and sender identity builds credibility.
Targeting Strategy: LinkedIn's retargeting + job title layering helped focus budget on high-intent users.
Optimization Importance: Proper A/B testing, daily optimization, and timing control are critical for scaling results.
Future Opportunities: Future campaigns could explore Conversation Ads for deeper engagement within the inbox.