LinkedIn video ads start muted in the feed, in front of a sales director or a product lead scrolling between two meetings. They have a few seconds to show they are about that person's problem, and the rest to give a reason to click.
Here is how to build the hook, choose the length and write the message of a video ad that works with B2B buyers.
Why B2B video ads all look the same
Scroll your LinkedIn feed: most software video ads open with a logo, promise “the all-in-one platform” and end on “Learn more”. Nobody recognizes themselves, so nobody clicks.
On LinkedIn, that mistake costs more than elsewhere. Targeting by job title and company is precise, and it is priced accordingly: every impression wasted on the right decision-maker is budget lost.
The hook: speak to the problem of a specific role
On LinkedIn, you know who you are talking to. Use it from the first line, by naming a situation the person lives this week:
- “Do your reps still spend Fridays updating the CRM?”
- “Another meeting just to find out where the project stands?”
- “Does your month-end close still take five days?”
- “Are your quotes still going out as PDFs by email?”
A question that precise filters the audience for you: those who are not concerned move on, the others stop. For other ways to open, see six hooks that work for a SaaS.
The length: short, and made for the feed
Aim for 15 to 30 seconds. A longer video is not forbidden, but in the feed it is rarely watched to the end, and your call to action arrives when nobody is looking anymore.
If your product needs more explanation, keep the ad short and have it lead to a longer demo, on your site or in a meeting.
The message: a proven benefit, then one action
After the hook, show the product solving the problem, with its real interface. A B2B buyer has seen too many mockups to believe a polished image. Then state the benefit in one sentence, with a number if it is true and verifiable.
End with a single, concrete action: book a demo, or try it free. LinkedIn's call-to-action button repeats it under the video.
Writing for a video without sound
In the feed, LinkedIn plays the video silently. On-screen text has to tell the whole ad on its own, from hook to action, in short sentences large enough to read on a phone.
The voice-over is still useful for those who turn sound on, and LinkedIn accepts a caption file with the ad. But do not count on either to carry the message.
Target and test
Start with a precise audience, defined by job title and company size, rather than a broad one. Then test two different hooks on the same video, and keep the better one. The rest of the testing rules are in our guide to video ads for SaaS.
Your LinkedIn ads with Genmotion.design
Pick the “Social media ad” goal and paste your website address: Genmotion.design writes the script, generates an English or French voice-over, and animates on-screen text so it carries the message without sound. The video is ready in under an hour, fast enough to prepare two hooks and compare them.
Prices range from a few dozen to a few hundred dollars depending on the plan: one video at a time, or a subscription sized to the number of videos. Access opens first to the first 100 early stage sign-ups.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a LinkedIn video ad be?
15 to 30 seconds for most campaigns. Shorter if your message fits in one sentence, longer only if the video leads straight to a demo.
Do you need captions on LinkedIn?
On-screen text must at least carry the message, because the video starts muted in the feed. LinkedIn also accepts a caption file for ads.
Which call to action should you choose?
A single action, the most natural one after the video: book a demo for a complex product, try it free for a product that is easy to pick up.
How many versions should you test on LinkedIn?
Two to start, with the same video and two different hooks. LinkedIn targeting is expensive: better to have few versions that each get enough impressions.
In short
LinkedIn video ads that work name the problem of a specific role in the first line, show the real product and read without sound. Short, with a single action at the end, they make LinkedIn's expensive targeting pay off.
Your SaaS video, ready in under an hour
Paste your website address: script, voice-over, music and animation are made for you. Access opens first to the first 100 sign-ups.
Join the early stage