This is where LinkedIn shines. MOFU ads push prospects deeper into the pipeline by offering valuable, practical resources in exchange for data. Without MOFU, leads lose interest or choose competitors who stayed top of mind.
How MOFU Ads Pay Off
- Shortens Sales Cycles: Educating leads early reduces friction in decision-making later.
- Direct Pipeline Impact: LinkedIn’s Lead Gen Forms convert at 2-3x the rate of landing pages because they pre-fill user data.
- Segmentation Precision: Retarget leads based on the content they engaged with (e.g., those who watched 75% of a video ad).
Strategies for MOFU Ads
You must be mindful when targeting ads in the middle of the funnel because driving consideration is far more complicated than building awareness. We recommend using Job Function + Seniority to build your audience list, as it results in an audience size that’s nearly twice (1.8x) larger than the audience built via Job Titles.
Here’s the result of an experiment we ran when comparing the audience size when adding “Job titles” vs “Job Function + Seniority” as a criteria:
Here are some examples of ad formats you can use when running MOFU ads:
Lead Gen Forms + Gated Content
Gated content isn’t dead – it’s just been misused. When the barrier to entry feels higher than the value of the content, leads bounce. The trick is to make the gate feel light and the reward substantial. This works exceptionally well on LinkedIn because forms are seamless and pre-populated, lowering the mental load.
Make the content irresistible. A standard playbook offer feels generic. Reframe it:
- Instead of: "Download Our Demand Gen Guide"
- Try: "The 3-Step Demand Gen Framework That Cut Our CAC by 25% in 90 Days"
Freshworks is running an ad that advertises a data-driven report backed by expert insights and practical advice on ITSM. Who wouldn’t want to read that?
Specificity drives downloads. People don’t download for “guides” – they download for frameworks, checklists, and insider knowledge that promises to move the needle.
Webinar Promotions
Webinars work at the MOFU stage – but not the fluffy, high-level kind. Generic fireside chats don’t fill pipeline. Webinars packed with pain points, frameworks, and step-by-step breakdowns do.
The ad itself should lead with the problem, not the event. Don’t say:
“Join our webinar on marketing automation.”
Instead, say:
“Still losing leads in your funnel? We’ll show you how to fix it in 60 minutes.”
Here’s an example of an ad Hubspot is currently running. They speak directly to their audience and drive curiosity with a question, prompting new CMOs to learn more and register for the event.
People register for solutions, not sessions. The sharper the hook, the better the attendance.
Thought Leadership Sequences
LinkedIn’s Document Ads shine at the MOFU stage because they meet prospects where they are – searching for frameworks, insights, and cheat sheets that solve specific problems. A well-crafted document ad delivers instant value without asking for much in return. It plants the seed for future conversations while reinforcing authority.
Offer something practical:
- “3 Proven Frameworks for Scaling Product-Led Growth”
- “Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing Churn Before Q2”
Prospects trust playbooks that look real, tested, and actionable. A perfectly designed, glossy PDF often feels like marketing fluff—a raw, tactical document signals “built by practitioners,” which resonates far more.
JD Garcia, Head of RevOps & Strategy at Impactable also mentions that running multiple types of campaigns in tandem can get you better results:
“Marketers should run at least 3-5 campaigns using different formats to get accurate data on their ad performance. You can replicate what works and stop running campaigns that don’t yield results.
Doing so also impacts your campaign quality score, and a higher score implies you pay relatively less for the bid.”
