LinkedIn Ads vs Google Ads for B2B: Which Channel Drives Better ROI?

In the ever-competitive world of B2B marketing, digital advertising isn’t just about visibility — it’s about conversion, pipeline contribution, and ultimately, ROI. Two of the most powerful paid channels in the B2B marketer’s toolkit are LinkedIn Ads and Google Ads. But when budgets are tight and expectations high, which platform delivers better return on investment?

The answer, as always: it depends.

In this post, we’ll break down the key differences between LinkedIn and Google Ads for B2B marketing, explore real-world performance considerations, and help you decide which channel — or combination of both — is right for your business.

Understanding the Buyer Intent Behind Each Channel

Google Ads (specifically Search) is intent-driven. People come to Google to solve problems — they’re actively searching for software, services, and answers. This high intent can drive faster conversions, especially if your product is solving a known problem and has clear market awareness.

LinkedIn Ads, on the other hand, are interruption-based. You’re targeting people based on who they are — job title, industry, company size — not what they’re actively searching for. It’s the perfect channel for creating demand, educating buyers, and generating interest among decision-makers who may not even know they have a need yet.

TL;DR:

• Google = capture existing demand
• LinkedIn = create new demand

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Google Ads vs LinkedIn Targeting Capabilities: Precision and Intent

Google Ads Targeting

Targeting on Google Ads is based on search queries, location, demographics, device, and time of day. You can also layer in audience lists, in-market segments, and remarketing. But unless you upload custom lists, you don’t know exactly who is clicking your ad.

LinkedIn Ads Targeting

This is where LinkedIn shines. You can zero in on:

• Job title or seniority
• Company size
• Industry
• Skills or interests
• Specific companies (via Matched Audiences)
• Uploaded contact lists (for ABM)

For B2B marketers who want to target decision-makers and influence buying committees, LinkedIn’s granularity is unmatched.

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Google Ads vs LinkedIn Cost Comparison: CPC vs CPA

It’s no secret: LinkedIn Ads are expensive. The average cost-per-click (CPC) for a LinkedIn ad ranges from $8 to $15 — and can be much higher for niche ICPs. By contrast, Google Search Ads CPCs typically fall in the $2 to $8 range for B2B keywords, though highly competitive terms can go beyond $50.

But CPC is only part of the story. What you really care about is cost per acquisition (CPA) and pipeline value.

What We See at Demand Basis:

• Google often wins on lead volume and cost efficiency
• LinkedIn wins on lead quality, sales-readiness, and deal size

So, if your sales cycle is long and you’re selling a high-ticket B2B solution, paying $200 per lead on LinkedIn might be more profitable than $60 leads from Google that never convert.

Google Ads vs LinkedIn Conversion Journey: Awareness vs Action

Think about the user mindset:

• On Google, the buyer is already aware. Your job is to prove you’re the best solution and capture that intent.
• On LinkedIn, the buyer is likely unaware. Your job is to educate, create urgency, and nurture through retargeting.

That’s why smart B2B marketers structure campaigns like this:

• TOFU Awareness: LinkedIn (eBooks, blogs, videos, and product teasers)
• MOFU Consideration: LinkedIn Retargeting + Google (case studies, ROI calculators, product tours)
• BOFU Consideration: Google (demo requests, competitive analysis, offer pages)

This blended approach builds awareness and captures intent when the timing is right.

Performance Benchmarks: Google Ads vs LinkedIn

Google Ads offers strong performance for B2B marketers looking to generate leads with clear, measurable intent. With an average cost-per-click ranging from $2 to $8, it’s often a more cost-efficient option than LinkedIn. Click-through rates (CTR) tend to fall between 3% and 6% for Search campaigns, reflecting the high intent of users actively seeking solutions. Landing page conversion rates are also strong, typically between 8% and 15%, making Google a great channel for bottom-funnel offers like demo requests or pricing pages. Lead quality is generally medium - you may get volume, but not always precision. The average time to close deals from Google leads is moderate, and attribution complexity is also medium, making it relatively easy to track ROI when paired with a CRM or marketing automation platform.

LinkedIn Ads is a premium channel - both in targeting precision and cost. With average CPCs ranging from $8 to $15+, it’s significantly more expensive than Google, but that higher investment often translates into higher-quality leads. CTRs are lower — typically between 0.4% and 1% — because LinkedIn is an interruption-based platform, not a search engine. However, those who do click are usually more aligned with your ICP, resulting in stronger qualification downstream. Landing page conversion rates tend to range between 3% and 7%, and while the average time to close is longer, the deals are often larger and more strategic. Attribution is more complex due to the multi-touch nature of LinkedIn’s buyer journey — requiring careful tracking of impressions, engagement, and nurture paths to understand true ROI.

Retargeting & Nurture Options

Google Display and LinkedIn Sponsored Content both support retargeting — but LinkedIn allows you to nurture based on engagement, like video views or ad clicks, which is powerful for account-based strategies.

We recommend:

• Retargeting website visitors on LinkedIn with bottom-funnel offers (like demos)
• Retargeting LinkedIn engagers across the web via Google Display or YouTube ads

It’s not “either/or” — it’s about amplifying performance across the full funnel.

Real-World Use Cases from Demand Basis Clients

Pepper, a leading B2B SaaS company transforming how food distributors go to market, needed a partner to help scale demand generation and drive pipeline impact. Although their internal team had already developed strong messaging and thought leadership content, they lacked the bandwidth to execute multi-channel campaigns at scale. Demand Basis stepped in to lead execution across Google Ads, LinkedIn, and Meta, launching ten vertical-specific campaigns in just 30 days. Our team also collaborated on new landing pages, conversion tracking in HubSpot, and creative asset development. The result was a powerful surge in demand: 101 high-quality leads, $300,000 in pipeline, and one standout deal—a $60,000 ARR win from a direct competitor that converted just one week after clicking a Google ad. That’s double Pepper’s average deal size and a testament to the precision and speed of our paid strategy. Continue Reading...

Highlights & Results

• Launched 10 vertical-focused campaigns across Google, LinkedIn, and Meta in under 30 days
• Generated 101 high-quality leads from targeted paid media efforts
• Drove $300,000 in new pipeline, validating the effectiveness of vertical segmentation
• Secured a $60,000 ARR customer within a week of clicking a Google ad — double Pepper’s typical deal size
• Converted a lead away from a direct competitor, showcasing competitive impact
• Collaborated on new landing pages and refined conversion journeys using HubSpot
• Achieved a 40% drop in cost per lead while increasing qualified volume by 170%
• Built a repeatable paid media engine aligned with Pepper’s growth goals

Final Verdict: Which One Drives Better ROI?

It’s not about picking one — it’s about using them together intentionally.

• Use Google Ads to capture bottom-funnel demand and test high-converting keywords
• Use LinkedIn Ads to build awareness, engage decision-makers, and warm up your ICP

For shorter sales cycles and transactional products, Google might win on ROI.

For complex sales, ABM strategies, and higher deal values, LinkedIn often delivers better long-term returns — especially when integrated into a broader nurture strategy.

Our Recommendation at Demand Basis

If you’re running B2B campaigns in 2025, here’s our ideal playbook:

1. Start with clear funnel stages and map offers to each.
2. Invest in LinkedIn for targeting your ICP and educating the market.
3. Run Google Search Ads to capitalize on bottom-funnel keywords and competitor terms.
4. Layer in retargeting across both platforms.
5. Measure ROI by opportunity and revenue, not just leads or CTR.

Want help building a cross-channel campaign that actually drives pipeline? 👉 Talk to us - we specialize in B2B growth strategies that blend paid media with real conversion science.

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