Typical range
0.3% - 1.5%
Median
0.6%
Metric
LinkedIn ads CTR
Where do you land?
Drag the slider to plot your number
Your LinkedIn ads CTR
0.80%
Verdict
Above median
Percentile
P65By industry
Benchmark spread across verticals
| Industry | Median | Top quartile |
|---|---|---|
| B2B SaaS | 0.55% | 0.95% |
| Professional services | 0.65% | 1.10% |
| Tech / IT | 0.50% | 0.90% |
| Finance / Fintech | 0.45% | 0.80% |
| Education / training | 0.70% | 1.20% |
| Healthcare | 0.50% | 0.85% |
| Consulting | 0.65% | 1.05% |
Shuttergen
Top-quartile LinkedIn CTR comes from thought-leader-style ads.
Shuttergen generates LinkedIn ads in the thought-leader format that consistently outperforms sponsored content - in your founder's voice, tuned to category winners.
Methodology
How we measured this
Aggregated from ~6,000 LinkedIn ad accounts running between January and April 2026. CTR calculated as link clicks divided by impressions on Sponsored Content (image, carousel, video, document) and Thought Leader ad formats. Excludes Message ads and sub-$5k campaign spend. Top-quartile means HIGHER (better for CTR).
What 'good' actually means for LinkedIn CTR
LinkedIn median CTR of 0.6% is roughly half of Meta's 1.2% median. This isn't a problem - it's a structural difference. LinkedIn audiences are in work mode, engage more selectively, and scroll fewer ads per session. Lower CTR with typically higher click quality.
Don't compare LinkedIn benchmarks to Meta or TikTok. A 0.6% CTR on LinkedIn is solid; the same number on Meta would be poor. Use platform-specific benchmarks.
Top quartile is around 1.0% CTR. Hit that consistently and you're outperforming the median by a meaningful margin. Top decile (1.5%+) means your creative and targeting are dialed in.
Top-quartile LinkedIn CTR comes from thought-leader-style ads. Shuttergen generates LinkedIn ads in the thought-leader format that consistently outperforms sponsored content - in your founder's voice, tuned to category winners.
CTR by LinkedIn format in 2026
Thought leader ads lead the category at 0.8-1.5% typical CTR. The single biggest format-driven CTR opportunity on LinkedIn.
Document ads run 0.7-1.3% typical CTR. The 'click' includes swipe-through engagement which inflates measured rates relative to single-image ads.
Video ads run 0.6-1.2% CTR depending on first-frame quality. Captioned video outperforms uncaptioned by 30-50%.
Sponsored content (image, carousel) runs 0.5-1.0% CTR. The default format that most teams default to.
Conversation ads measure differently (open-to-click rate) but typically run 0.5-1.5%.
Spotlight ads (right-rail) run 0.3-0.6% - lowest format CTR. Better used for retargeting than cold acquisition.
How to actually lift LinkedIn ad CTR
Three highest-leverage moves. First: switch to thought leader ads if you haven't. Single biggest CTR lift available - typically 50-100% over company-page sponsored content.
Second: write first-person narrative copy. Match LinkedIn's organic post structure - first sentence is the hook, no link in first sentence, line breaks between paragraphs.
Third: tighten audience targeting. Broad audiences pay premium CPMs for impressions that won't convert. Narrow to specific role + seniority + company size.
Internal: average-ctr-for-linkedin-ads, linkedin-ads-best-practices.
FAQ
Frequently asked
What is a good CTR for LinkedIn ads in 2026?
Is 1% CTR good on LinkedIn?
Why is LinkedIn CTR lower than Meta?
How can I improve my LinkedIn CTR?
What's a good CTR for thought leader ads specifically?
Why is my LinkedIn ad CTR below median?
Related
Keep reading
Top-quartile LinkedIn CTR comes from thought-leader-style ads.
Shuttergen generates LinkedIn ads in the thought-leader format that consistently outperforms sponsored content - in your founder's voice, tuned to category winners.