Let me take you behind the curtain of something I’ve never done before, something many professionals are curious about but hesitant to try.
Yes, I finally tested LinkedIn Ads from my personal profile.
Not because I was expecting some kind of silver bullet. Not because I bought into the hype.
And not because I had money to burn.
I did it for one reason:
→ To learn the platform from real-world experience, not from theory.
I wanted to test it for myself, the same way I’ve tested countless LinkedIn strategies organically over the years by doing, not assuming.
So, if you’ve ever wondered whether running LinkedIn ads is a smart move, whether it’s worth your budget, and how it performs compared to organic content…
This edition is for you.
We’re going to dive deep into:
→ What worked (and why)
→ What didn’t perform as expected
→ My honest assessment of the cost per result
→ What I would do differently → Who should (and shouldn’t) be running LinkedIn ads right now
→ And whether it led to meaningful business opportunities
Let’s jump into the experiment.
Why I Decided to Run LinkedIn Ads in the First Place
There’s something I say often: “Don’t knock it ‘til you try it.”
And while I’ve been a huge proponent of organic content, value-based messaging, and authentic outreach on LinkedIn, strategies that have helped me build a thriving coaching business, I knew there would come a time to test paid visibility.
But this wasn’t a random test.
It was a calculated decision driven by three specific goals:
→ To understand what paid reach on LinkedIn looks like from a personal profile
→ To determine if ads could extend the life and impressions of high-value content
→ To evaluate whether boosting content was worth the investment when compared to the ROI of purely organic efforts
Notice, I wasn’t focused solely on leads or conversions. I approached this like a strategist, not a gambler.
So I set a simple rule for myself:
→ If I’m going to recommend or discourage others from using LinkedIn Ads in their strategy, I need to walk the path myself first.
The Setup: How I Launched My First LinkedIn Ad
If you’ve never run an ad on LinkedIn before, here’s a quick peek behind the curtain of what the setup looked like.
This was NOT a complex lead-gen campaign through LinkedIn Campaign Manager. This was a boosted post, the new feature allowing you to promote text posts, single image posts, videos, and even newsletter editions from your personal LinkedIn profile.
Here’s how I set it up:
→ Budget: I started small—about $100. My intention was to observe engagement, reach, and cost per result. Not blow through thousands on day one.
→ Content Selection: I chose a post that had already gained some decent organic traction. A clear, helpful post written in my authentic voice—because content that already works is more likely to perform when boosted.
→ Audience Targeting: I created a custom audience focused on U.S.-based business professionals in the consulting and coaching industries, filtered by job titles and interests aligned with personal branding, sales, and lead generation.
→ Duration: I ran the ad for a period of 5 days to collect enough data for analysis without dragging it out unnecessarily.
→ CTA: No link. No download. The post was a pure value content piece with a light engagement prompt at the end.
I didn’t want to sell. I wanted to observe.
The Results: What Happened After I Hit “Boost”
Alright, now the fun part.
Once I pressed go, I monitored it closely over the five-day window.
Here’s what happened:
→ Total Impressions: 28,096(Compared to 6,700 impressions on average for organic content)
→ Engagements: 538 (Likes, comments, followers, subscribers, and reposts combined)
→ Follows Gained: 325 (All from people in my ideal client demographic)
→ Cost Per Result: $.13 per engagement (Relatively cost-effective when compared to other platforms)
What Worked Well
Let’s break down the positive takeaways first.
1. Boosting Extended My Visibility
Content that might have fizzled out after 48 hours stayed active for nearly a week. That alone was valuable. It reminded me of this golden rule:
→ “Visibility doesn’t guarantee sales, but invisibility guarantees none.”
If your content dies quickly, boosting may extend its life enough to spark new conversations.
2. I Attracted The Right People
My targeting was dialed in. These weren’t random likes from unrelated industries. These were coaches, consultants, and service providers—people who align with my offers and message.
That’s key: LinkedIn’s targeting capabilities are far more B2B-centric than other platforms.
3. I Gained New Followers (With Intention)
Some of the best leads come from people who observe you before they buy. That’s what makes new followers so valuable—they enter your ecosystem with interest.
The fact that over 325 people followed me from one post shows that the right visibility leads to connection.
What Didn’t Work As Expected
Let’s talk about the other side of the coin—what underperformed or didn’t go the way I thought it would.
1. No Direct Clients From the Ad Itself
Did I close a sale from someone who clicked on the ad? No. Not immediately.
But the real value isn’t always in the instant ROI. In some cases, it’s in the pipeline-building effect, and that’s much harder to measure in just 5 days.
2. Comments Were Sparse
While I received engagement in the form of likes and shares, the post didn’t trigger many conversations. That’s likely because paid reach doesn’t always equal relational engagement, and people may be more passive when they know it’s promoted.
3. Boosting Can’t Save Weak Content
Here’s a hard truth I learned quickly:
→ If the post isn’t solid organically, money won’t fix it.
Boosting works best with high-performing content. If your content doesn’t connect naturally, no amount of budget will force it to resonate.
What I’d Do Differently Next Time
I’m not walking away from LinkedIn Ads. But I am walking away smarter.
Here are my next steps in utilizing LinkedIn Ads:
1. Test Multiple Content Formats
I’m going to test the difference between boosting a text post vs. a single image or video post. Why? Because different formats spark different engagement styles. What performs organically doesn’t always translate into paid reach.
2. Include a Soft Call-to-Action
This time around, I stayed too light. In future boosted posts, I’d include a simple CTA like “Join my email list” or “Download this free resource” to at least drive people somewhere off-platform without hard selling.
3. Target with Purpose
One of LinkedIn’s most powerful ad tools is targeting. I plan to create a custom audience of those who engaged with this post and then serve them a follow-up ad that points them to my lead magnet or newsletter.
Ads alone aren’t enough. → Sequencing matters.
Should You Be Using LinkedIn Ads Right Now?
Let’s zoom out.
If you’re a coach, consultant, or service-based professional who’s asking:
→ “Is it even worth investing in LinkedIn Ads?”
Here’s my honest answer:
→ It depends on your current visibility, your messaging, and your budget.
Let me break this down into 3 decision-making questions:
Question 1: Is your content working organically already?
If your posts aren’t generating engagement or visibility without money behind them, don’t run ads yet.
Fix your content strategy first. Boosting bad content just wastes money faster.
Question 2: Do you have a clear client journey?
If someone engages with your ad, what happens next? Do they know where to go? Are you collecting emails? Do you have a nurture sequence?
If not, LinkedIn Ads won’t convert well for you.
Question 3: Can you afford to learn?
If you’re on a tight budget and hoping for instant ROI, this may not be your platform. LinkedIn Ads are not cheap.
But if you can treat your first few campaigns as experiments, not transactions, then it may be worth it.
Was It Worth It?
Short answer: Yes…..with context.
I didn’t get flooded with leads. I didn’t close a deal directly from the ad. But I did…
→ Expand my reach
→ Attract more of the right people
→ Learn what works
→ Lay the foundation for better retargeting
→ And gain new potential buyers in my ecosystem
For a $70 investment?
I’d call that a win, not because it replaced my organic strategy, but because it enhanced it.
Paid content should never replace a strong organic presence.
But when used strategically, it can amplify the right message to the right people at the right time.
And that’s the key to long-term success.
What’s Your Next Step?
If this breakdown helped you think differently about LinkedIn Ads from your personal profile, no less, here’s how you can act on it:
→ Step 1: Audit your best-performing organic content
→ Step 2: Identify which posts have the most alignment with your ideal client
→ Step 3: Try boosting one post with a small budget, and track everything
→ Step 4: Retarget those who engage with a follow-up lead magnet or value offer
→ Step 5: Let the data guide your strategy, not emotion
What was your biggest takeaway from today’s edition?
Was it the setup?
The cost breakdown?
The idea of layering organic and paid content together?
Want to start creating better content on LinkedIn, so when the engagement starts to grow, you will be ready for LinkedIn Ads?
Then you should download our FREE High-Impact Post Templates for LinkedIn here: