Think LinkedIn Ads are foolproof? Think again.

Many businesses assume that running LinkedIn Ads is as simple as setting a budget, choosing an audience, and watching the leads roll in. But in reality, small mistakes can drain your budget fast, which can leave you with little to show for your efforts.

If you’re investing in LinkedIn Ads, you need to ensure you’re not making these common yet costly errors. Let’s take a look at the top five LinkedIn Ads mistakes that could be holding your campaigns back – and how to fix them.

Targeting by Age (A Big No-No)

When you signed up for LinkedIn, did it ask for your birth year? No? That’s because LinkedIn doesn’t collect that information directly. Instead, it estimates age based on factors like graduation year. But this approach is unreliable – especially for professionals with non-traditional educational paths.

A better alternative? Target by years of experience instead. How long someone has been in their field is a much stronger indicator of their decision-making influence within a company. This can help your messaging reach the right people at the right career stage.

Enabling LinkedIn Audience Expansion Without Adjustments

LinkedIn’s targeting is one of its biggest strengths, so why let the platform expand your audience to people who meet only one of your targeting criteria? Instead of relying on broad expansion, use Predictive Audiences to refine your reach.

This feature leverages high-quality data from:

Lead generation forms
Contact and company lists
Website conversions (via Insight Tag, CAPI, or website actions)
Retargeting

Predictive Audiences help lower cost-per-click (CPC) while ensuring your ads reach high-value prospects who actually fit your ideal customer profile (ICP).

Running Ads on the LinkedIn Audience Network Without Optimization

At first glance, running ads beyond LinkedIn using its targeting seems like a great idea. But here’s the catch: If you don’t control where your ads appear, they might show up next to irrelevant or even harmful content.

Also read: Five Reasons Why Your Content Isn’t Working And How To Fix Them

To avoid this, use a block list or select only trusted, brand-safe websites for ad placements. If your company already runs ads on the Google Display Network, ask your programmatic team for a list of negative placements to use as a starting point.

Also, keep in mind that LinkedIn sometimes guesses user data when people aren’t logged in. This means your ads could be reaching the wrong audience altogether.

Ignoring Website Actions Tracking

Many marketers miss out on LinkedIn’s built-in tracking tools. With the LinkedIn Insight Tag, you can track key website actions-without needing constant developer support.

Once installed, this tag allows you to monitor:

Conversions (e.g., form submissions, button clicks)
Remarketing audiences (e.g., targeting visitors who viewed pricing pages while excluding those who accessed support portals)

If you haven’t set up website actions, you’re missing a powerful optimization tool that can help fine-tune your ad performance.

Sticking to Just One Ad Format

If your budget is tight, you might be hesitant to explore new ad formats. But relying on a single ad type limits your engagement impact.

Instead, experiment with:

Document Ads: Think of these as carousel ads for non-marketers. Just make sure your PDFs are mobile-friendly and don’t gate content too soon—give value first.
Thought Leader Ads: These feature insights from employees, clients, or industry experts, making them feel more personal and engaging. Check if there’s a strong call to action to drive results.

Optimize Your LinkedIn Ads for Maximum Impact

Avoiding these LinkedIn Ads mistakes can greatly boost your campaign’s performance and you’ll get better results without wasting your budget.

Before launching your next campaign, take a moment to review these tips. A few simple adjustments can turn an underperforming ad strategy into a high-converting one.