- Who can set up Thought Leader Ads
- Which posts qualify
- Ad formats and objectives
- How to get permission to promote a post
- The rules that catch people out
- What the thought leader sees
- Auto-approval: making it easier for busy authors
- Event Thought Leader Ads
- Making the posts worth promoting
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads let a company pay to promote a post written by a person, such as an employee, a founder, a customer or a creator, rather than a post from the company Page. The author has to approve the request first, and the post appears under their name, with the results reported in Campaign Manager.
It's one of the most useful ad formats on LinkedIn, because people trust people more than logos. LinkedIn's own pitch is the same: share perspectives from your executives, experts or customers to position your company as a category leader.
Here's how it works, which posts qualify and the rules that catch people out, from LinkedIn's Marketing Solutions Help and business pages, read in October 2026.
Who can set up Thought Leader Ads
LinkedIn says you need super admin or content admin permissions for the company Page linked to the ad account, or the Page role that allows paid content posting. If the ad account is linked to a Showcase Page, those permissions have to be on the parent company Page. The ad is always tied to the parent LinkedIn Page.
Which posts qualify
| Can be promoted | Can't be promoted |
|---|---|
| Public text, single image or video posts | Celebrations |
| Article and newsletter posts published on LinkedIn | Documents |
| Eligible collaborative posts | Polls |
| Posts from attendees of your Page's LinkedIn Live Events | Multi-image posts |
| Posts from employees, creators and other members | Reposts (promote the original post instead) |
Two more conditions. The post must be public, and the author's profile must show their full name.
Ad formats and objectives
| Post type | Ad format | Objectives |
|---|---|---|
| Single image or text | Single image | Brand awareness, Engagement |
| Video | Video | Brand awareness, Engagement, Video views |
| LinkedIn Live Event | Event | Brand awareness, Engagement |
| Article or newsletter | Article and newsletter | Brand awareness, Engagement |
Notice what's missing: website visits and lead generation. Thought Leader Ads are an awareness and engagement play. LinkedIn also says single image and video Thought Leader Ads don't get a call-to-action button, though you can add links to the intro text. Event Thought Leader Ads do include a button.
How to get permission to promote a post
- In Campaign Manager, search for an employee associated with your company Page, or another member.
- Find the post you want to promote and send a permission request.
- The author gets an email linking to a page with the post, the option to approve or reject, the option to turn auto-approvals on or off, and the terms.
- Once approved, choose the post as your ad creative and finish the ad set.
LinkedIn says there's no limit to the number of requests you can send each thought leader. In Campaign Manager, you can search posts from your 1st and 2nd-degree connections. For 3rd-degree and beyond, you search through LinkedIn's Creator Marketplace.
The rules that catch people out
- You can't duplicate a Thought Leader Ad. Each one is built fresh.
- Reposts aren't eligible. Ask the original author and promote their post.
- No CTA button on image and video versions, so put your link in the intro text.
- Member posts must meet LinkedIn's single image or video ad specifications.
What the thought leader sees
LinkedIn says the author can see the combined organic and paid impressions and reach on their own post, from their profile, though that total doesn't include LinkedIn Audience Network figures. Campaign Manager reports the ad's performance, including two extra engagement metrics: member follows, when someone follows the author through the ad, and clicks to the author's profile.
LinkedIn's tip is to ask the author to save their organic results before the campaign starts, so you can measure the difference. I'd add one of my own: agree in advance which posts you'll ask to promote, so nobody is surprised by a request.
Auto-approval: making it easier for busy authors
Every request lands in the author's inbox as an email, and LinkedIn gives them the option to turn auto-approvals on or off from that same page. For a founder or a team member who's happy for the company to promote their posts, auto-approval saves a lot of back and forth. For anyone more cautious, leave it off and approve post by post. Agree which approach suits each person before you start, and put it in writing.
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Event Thought Leader Ads
There's a version built around LinkedIn Live Events. The person whose post you promote must be an attendee of your Page's LinkedIn Live Event, and their post must include the event link, which shows a preview of the post that created the event. Unlike the image and video versions, Event Thought Leader Ads include a call-to-action button.
Making the posts worth promoting
A Thought Leader Ad is only as good as the post behind it. The best candidates are posts that already did well organically and that say something specific. If the author's posts aren't getting much engagement yet, my guide on getting more comments on LinkedIn posts is a good place to start. For the wider picture of formats and objectives, see what LinkedIn advertising is.
My verdict
Thought Leader Ads are the LinkedIn format I'd recommend to most B2B businesses with a founder or expert who posts. They put a real person in front of your audience, the author keeps the followers they earn, and you get to put budget behind posts that have already proved they work. Just remember they're built for awareness and engagement, not direct leads, so judge them on reach, follows and profile clicks.
Frequently asked questions
What are Thought Leader Ads on LinkedIn?
They're ads that promote a post by a person, such as an employee, creator or customer, rather than a company Page post. The author must approve the request before the post can run as an ad.
Which objectives can Thought Leader Ads use?
LinkedIn lists Brand awareness and Engagement for all Thought Leader Ad types, plus Video views for video posts.
Can I promote a repost as a Thought Leader Ad?
No. LinkedIn says reposted content isn't eligible. You need to request permission from the original author and promote the original post.
Do LinkedIn Thought Leader Ads have a CTA button?
Not for single image or video Thought Leader Ads, though you can add links to the intro text. Event Thought Leader Ads include a CTA button.
Can I promote posts from people outside my company?
Yes. LinkedIn says you can promote posts from creators and members who are 1st, 2nd or 3rd-degree connections, with their approval. For 3rd-degree and beyond, you search through Creator Marketplace.
