Podcast Summary: “LinkedIn Advertising: What's Working Now in 2026”

Show: The Dave Gerhardt Show (Exit Five)
Guest: Davang Shah, VP Marketing at LinkedIn
Date: March 17, 2026
Host: Dave Gerhardt

Episode Overview

This episode features Davang Shah, VP of Marketing at LinkedIn, discussing the latest trends, strategies, and results in LinkedIn advertising as of 2026. Dave and Davang explore the increasing intersection of brand and performance marketing, the rise of “thought leader” ads, integrating AI into advertising and team operations, and developing holistic measurement strategies for B2B campaigns. The conversation is packed with tactical advice for B2B marketers looking to drive ROI, with a focus on authenticity, the changing B2B buyer, and actionable tips for adapting to the evolving landscape.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The State of B2B Marketing in 2026

• Shifting Priorities: CMOs are under increasing pressure to prove marketing's impact on bottom-line business results.
  • “The types of conversations that CMOs are having are happening at the CFO level… They want to be able to prove that the work they're doing is driving real impact.” — Davang Shah (03:53)
• Demographic Shift: 70%+ of B2B buyers are Gen Z or Millennials; they prefer video content and seek insights from authentic creators, not just brand channels.
  • “70% of B2B buyers are Gen Z and millennials... being influenced by creators with deep expertise.” — Davang Shah (03:53)

2. AI’s Impact on Marketing and LinkedIn’s Response

• AI in Buyer Behavior: 94% of B2B buyers are now getting information from large language models (LLMs), requiring marketers to optimize for LLM consumption.
  • “60% of searches are zero click searches. 94% of B2B buyers are getting info from LLMs.” — Davang Shah (06:17)
• Content Authenticity: AI-generated “slop” raises the bar for marketing—real, subject-matter-expert-driven content is more valuable than ever.
  • “AI slop is going to kill deals, kill brand and kill trust.” — Dave Gerhardt (00:00)
• Future of Campaign Management: The advertising process is moving toward simplified, AI-assisted campaign creation, but creativity and human insight remain crucial.
  • “You're going to see an evolution grounded in AI... Dave coming at some point to LinkedIn and saying, here's my business… help me figure that out.” — Davang Shah (30:02)

3. LinkedIn as a Content Platform

• Rise of Organic + Paid: LinkedIn has evolved from strictly professional updates to a vibrant social network where authentic, work-related stories thrive.
  • “It's not just a professional network, but a social network where you write about work stuff.” — Dave Gerhardt (07:40)
• Thought Leader Ads: Featuring individual voices in ads massively boosts engagement and results.
  • “Thought leadership ads perform at a rate of roughly 2.2x higher click-through rates than single image ads.” — Davang Shah (10:44)

4. Brand vs. Performance: The False Dichotomy

• Integration is Key: Building brand and driving performance are interdependent, especially in long B2B deal cycles—investment at the top of funnel pays off in closed deals.
  • “Brand and performance aren’t two distinct things... the more we try to pull them apart, the more you see brands tend to be less successful.” — Davang Shah (13:15)
• Data-Informed Approach: Metrics should move beyond clicks and impressions to measure real business outcomes—pipeline, deal velocity, and revenue.

5. Full-Funnel Strategy and Measurement

• Understanding the Buyer Journey:

  • Average B2B deal cycle: 211 days
  • 22 people involved per deal (inside and outside the organization)
  • “People often over-optimize for clicks. They don't think about nurturing someone all the way from exposing them to your brand... so that they trust you.” — Davang Shah (17:46)

• Holistic Campaigns: Start with a clear ICP (Ideal Customer Profile), a strong value prop, and cascade through:

  • Top of funnel (video, thought leader ads)
  • Mid-funnel (viability content, retargeting, testimonials)
  • Bottom of funnel (conversion-focused content, continued video)
  • “Video is useful all the way through the funnel. It’s about measuring right, not just vanity metrics.” — Davang Shah (19:09)

• Measurement Tools:

  • CRM Sync and Conversions API are essential for mapping real business impact.
  • Company Intelligence: Attribution by company (not just individual touchpoints) demonstrates the true influence of organic and paid efforts.
  • “CRM sync and the Conversions API are must haves if you care about measurement.” — Davang Shah (21:27)

6. Creativity, Authenticity & Testing

• Creative is King: 60–70% of ad effectiveness ties back to creativity. Authentic, even scrappier videos outperform polished, over-produced content.
  • “It doesn't have to be overproduced. The stuff that's overproduced tends not to perform as well as authentic, expert-based or funny content.” — Davang Shah (33:50)
• Testing & Amplification: Use organic posts to test messages with your ICP, then amplify winners via paid.
  • “The smartest marketers… test your message, see if it aligns with your ICP… If it’s working, amplify that through paid media.” — Davang Shah (35:30)

7. The Future of Marketing Teams & AI

• Team Transformation, Not Replacement: AI is a force multiplier for marketers, not a replacement—creativity, human connection, and strategic thinking remain irreplaceable.
  • “Creativity, real connection are grounded in human to human interaction. That's not going to be replaced anytime soon.” — Davang Shah (39:16)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Proving ROI & Measurement:
  • “CMOs want to be able to prove that the work they're doing is driving real impact... that means pipeline, that means deals closed, and revenue.” — Davang Shah (03:53)
• On the Evolving Buyer and Content:
  • “If you think about B2B buyers... 94% of them are getting info from LLMs. Content needs to come from trusted voices, with expert perspective.” — Davang Shah (06:17)
• On the Role of Authenticity:
  • “There's an authenticity... that actually translates quite well. Thought leadership ads perform at 2.2x click-through rates compared to single image ads.” — Davang Shah (10:44)
• On Brand vs Performance:
  • “Branded performance aren't two distinct things... they're integrally connected.” — Davang Shah (13:15)
• On Ad Creative:
  • “We found that 60 to 70% of an ad's effectiveness is actually tied to creativity... connecting on a human level.” — Davang Shah (31:18)
• On Team & AI:
  • “AI is enabling—it's not replacing. It's about progress over perfection... how we can deliver real human work that transforms the way marketers leverage LinkedIn.” — Davang Shah (37:48)

Key Timestamps & Segments

• 01:31 — Intro to Davang Shah & his background in B2B/B2C at Google, Ford, P&G
• 03:53 — State of B2B Marketing in 2026: ROI pressure, demographic shifts, video, creators
• 06:17 — AI’s impact (zero-click searches; content for LLMs)
• 10:44 — Thought Leader Ads: Authenticity, higher CTR, case study with Smokeball
• 13:15 — Brand vs. Performance: Why integration matters, only 5% of buyers in-market
• 17:46 — Mistakes marketers make in LinkedIn ads, full-funnel campaign design
• 21:27 — Measurement best practices (CRM Sync, Conversions API, Company Intelligence)
• 30:02 — The future: Simplifying campaigns via AI, human role in the loop
• 31:18 — Creative’s impact on performance
• 33:50 — Small brands, scrappy content, and why overproduction isn’t necessary
• 35:30 — Testing messaging organically before scaling paid
• 36:38 — How AI is impacting team structure and operations at LinkedIn
• 39:16 — AI will not replace marketers; value of human creativity and connection

Practical Takeaways for B2B Marketers

• Reevaluate Advertising Measurement: Move beyond last-click and simple attribution; use company-level and multi-touch analytics.
• Invest in Brand Early: Awareness-building activities have proven downstream impact, especially given long sales cycles and large buying groups.
• Leverage Authentic Voices: Use employees and real stories in your ads; thought leader formats outperform branded messages.
• Marry Organic & Paid: Test content organically before amplifying via paid to ensure resonance.
• Build Holistic Campaigns: Map campaigns around full buyer journeys, not just transactions; align content and offer types to funnel stages.
• Embrace AI, Don’t Fear It: Use AI for efficiency and insights, but maintain human creativity and storytelling.
• Continually Experiment: Accelerate AI and creative experimentation for faster learning and impact.

Final Thoughts

Davang Shah and Dave Gerhardt deliver a deep-dive into what’s working on LinkedIn Ads in 2026—emphasizing authenticity, creativity, and integrated measurement as keys to delivering real business results. AI is increasingly supporting (not replacing) marketers, and B2B teams must evolve to reach a younger, more content-savvy audience. The path to success runs through human connection, strategic experimentation, and a tight integration of brand and performance initiatives.

Connect with Davang Shah: [LinkedIn profile link in show notes]
Learn more about Exit Five: [exit5.com]