When it comes to B2B marketing, no platform rules the roost quite like LinkedIn. Since its launch in 2003 (and perhaps more crucially, its acquisition by Microsoft in 2016), it’s become the go-to hub for professionals looking to connect, learn and of course – generate leads.
But as algorithms shift, ad costs rise and user behaviours evolve, one question keeps coming up: Is LinkedIn still good for B2B lead generation in 2025?
Let’s take a look at the argument for both sides.
The case for LinkedIn
It’s still the professional network
LinkedIn doesn’t boast the truly enormous user figures of more widely used platforms like Facebook or TikTok, but it knows its niche. Despite being slightly less generalised than the other big social platforms, LinkedIn has still attracted over 1 billion users around the world, most of them professionals and decision-makers, meaning it’s invaluable for B2B companies targeting specific industries, roles or company sizes.
The numbers speak for themselves – research from Sprout Social found that a huge 89% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn for lead generation, while HubSpot recently reported that LinkedIn was around three times as effective for lead generation as Facebook.
Its targeting capabilities are still unmatched
One of LinkedIn’s standout features is its extremely granular ad targeting capabilities. Looking to reach mid-management level professionals at companies in the textiles industry with 200-500 employees in Antwerp? LinkedIn can do that.
While services such as Google Ads also offer this level of customisation, the platform as a whole doesn’t cater only to professionals. With LinkedIn, marketers can feel more reassured that their ad budgets will be spent on only the most relevant impressions.
Organic reach can still work (if done right)
If brand building and organic reach are priorities for your business, LinkedIn can still deliver impressive results. Although blowing up organically is not as easy as it once was (with LinkedIn increasingly pushing businesses to invest in paid ads), it is still possible to achieve steady, continuous growth on LinkedIn.
Insightful, well-written posts with a catchy hook, well-designed images and videos and thought-provoking discussions about hot-button topics in your industry can still get the lead-generation ball rolling without needing to break the bank on paid ads.
The case against LinkedIn
It’s more crowded than ever
Doesn’t it feel like everyone is on LinkedIn now? Although a wide range of interesting, engaging content can still be found on the platform, there’s also plenty more that falls into the category of “just noise”, and with the rise of generative AI being thrown into the mix, separating the wheat from the chaff feels more challenging than ever. For some businesses, standing out from such a huge crowd may start to feel like more effort than it’s worth.
Ad costs are not cheap
LinkedIn ads are powerful, but they can also be costly. While the ability to target such a vast professional network is extremely useful, this also comes at a premium for your CPCs and CPMs. While each click is likely to be more valuable than those from Facebook ads, expect them to cost more, too. Brands need to ensure their targeting and messaging is on point, at the risk of burning through budgets without seeing much ROI.
Its users are more sceptical than ever
Sometimes, it can feel like everyone on LinkedIn wants a piece of you! Whether its spammy connection requests or cold, irrelevant DMs, many users are wary about having their time wasted, or worse, being scammed. Brands need to take extra care to ensure that their outreach strategies are effective, or users will likely move them straight to the “ignore” pile.
What’s the verdict?
Yes, LinkedIn is still good for B2B lead generation – but that comes with caveats.
Here’s what effective lead generation looks like on LinkedIn in 2025:
- Lead with value: don’t just post for the sake of it – ensure you have something worthwhile to talk about.
- Nurture relationships: focus on long-term engagement over short-term gains.
- Invest in content: whether it’s fun team updates, thought leadership or engaging carousels and videos, good content can still get you far.
- Use paid ads carefully: start small, test often and scale what works best.
- Add a personal touch: every brand has a story, so don’t be afraid to share yours!
Looking to grow your B2B brand on LinkedIn and beyond? Get in touch at hello@weareembrace.com to chat about your brand and marketing challenges, objectives and the best path forward!
This latest thinking article was written by:
Jack Lenton
Content Manager