LinkedIn DirectAds vs Google AdWords: Which PPC Platform for B2B?

Editor’s note: This post was first published on ShoutEx when LinkedIn’s self-serve ad product was still called DirectAds. This article was last updated in September 2026.

LinkedIn now lets any business buy ads on its site without talking to a sales rep. The product is called DirectAds, and it raises an obvious question for anyone already running pay-per-click campaigns on Google AdWords: is LinkedIn a better place to spend a B2B budget?

The short answer is that the two platforms do different jobs. AdWords reaches people while they are searching. DirectAds reaches people because of who they are. Most B2B advertisers will want to test both.

What is LinkedIn DirectAds?

DirectAds is LinkedIn’s self-service advertising platform. It first appeared in a quiet test in June 2008, selling small text ads on a cost-per-thousand-impressions basis, with a $25 minimum order and US members only. Advertisers need their own LinkedIn profile to sign up.

What makes it different is targeting. Instead of keywords, you choose your audience from LinkedIn profile data: industry, seniority, geography, age, gender and educational institution. For a company selling to IT managers or finance directors, that is a level of precision no search engine offers.

DirectAds vs AdWords: how they compare

• How you target. AdWords targets keywords, so you reach people who are searching for what you sell. DirectAds targets profile data, so you reach people who match your buyer, whether or not they are looking today.
• Intent. A search for "expense software for small business" signals a buyer in the market. A finance director browsing LinkedIn may not be in the market at all. Expect AdWords clicks to convert better and DirectAds clicks to need more nurturing.
• Reach. Google sees far more searches than LinkedIn sees page views. For niche B2B topics, though, LinkedIn’s audience may contain most of your buyers.
• Cost. Both run on auctions. LinkedIn clicks usually cost more, because the audience is narrower and more valuable to advertisers.
• Ad format. Both rely on short text ads, so the headline and offer do most of the work.

When each one makes sense

Use AdWords when people already search for your product category. You capture demand that exists. Use DirectAds when your buyers are easy to describe but rarely search, for example a new kind of software that buyers don’t yet know to look for. You create awareness with the right people.

For most B2B companies the answer is both: AdWords for buyers who are ready, and LinkedIn to reach decision makers before they search. Track each one to leads and sales, not just clicks, so you can move budget to what works.

What changed since

A lot. In January 2011, LinkedIn rebranded DirectAds as LinkedIn Ads and added targeting by job title, company name and LinkedIn Group, with a $10 minimum daily budget and a choice of cost-per-click or cost-per-thousand-impressions pricing. LinkedIn later moved its ads into Campaign Manager and added sponsored content in the feed, video, document ads and lead gen forms. The full set is covered in our guide to LinkedIn ad formats.

Google AdWords was renamed Google Ads in 2018 and now leans heavily on automation, from smart bidding to Performance Max. If you are deciding how much to hand over to automation, read Search versus Performance Max for B2B SaaS and Google Ads bidding strategies.

Two newer options blur the old line between search and profile targeting. Microsoft Ads lets you layer LinkedIn profile data, such as company, industry and job function, onto search campaigns, which our guide to LinkedIn profile targeting in Microsoft Ads explains. And ads now appear inside AI assistants, covered in our ChatGPT Ads guide and our page on ads in Microsoft Copilot.

LinkedIn Ads or Google Ads today?

The original logic still holds: Google captures demand, LinkedIn reaches the right people before they search. What has changed is cost, formats and how you measure. Our side-by-side guide to Google Ads versus LinkedIn Ads for B2B SaaS covers the decision in detail. In short:

• Start with Google Ads if buyers already search for your category. Begin with keyword research, check what Google Ads costs for SaaS, and see when Google Ads works for B2B SaaS.
• Start with LinkedIn Ads if your buyers are easy to describe by job title and company but rarely search. Read are LinkedIn Ads worth it, then plan your LinkedIn targeting and budget using LinkedIn Ads cost and LinkedIn Ads benchmarks.
• Add Microsoft Ads if your buyers work in large companies on Windows and Edge. Compare it in Microsoft Ads versus Google Ads.
• If you are early stage, pick one channel and prove it before adding a second. Our guides to choosing your first acquisition channel and paid ads for early-stage SaaS cover how.

Measure leads and pipeline, not clicks

The advice from the DirectAds days still applies: judge each platform by the customers it produces. Set up Google Ads conversion tracking, connect LinkedIn results to your CRM with LinkedIn pipeline measurement, and compare channels with consistent marketing attribution.

When results disappoint, the fix is usually on your side of the click. Check your landing pages, decide between LinkedIn lead gen forms and landing pages, and work through a high LinkedIn cost per lead or Google Ads clicks that don’t turn into demos.

Frequently asked questions

What was LinkedIn DirectAds?

LinkedIn’s first self-service ad platform. It appeared in 2008 and let businesses buy small text ads targeted by LinkedIn profile data, such as industry, seniority and location, without going through a sales team.

Does LinkedIn DirectAds still exist?

Not under that name. LinkedIn rebranded it as LinkedIn Ads in January 2011. Today LinkedIn ads are bought through Campaign Manager, with formats such as sponsored content, video, document ads and lead gen forms.

What is the difference between LinkedIn Ads and Google Ads?

Google Ads reaches people based on what they search for, so it captures existing demand. LinkedIn Ads reaches people based on their profile, such as job title and company, so it reaches buyers before they search. See Google Ads versus LinkedIn Ads.

Are LinkedIn Ads more expensive than Google Ads?

Clicks usually cost more on LinkedIn because the audience is narrower. What matters is cost per qualified lead and per customer, which can favour either platform. See LinkedIn Ads cost and Google Ads cost.

Which is better for B2B: LinkedIn Ads or Google Ads?

Google Ads when buyers already search for your category; LinkedIn Ads when they are easy to describe by role and company but rarely search. Many B2B companies use both and judge them on pipeline.

When was Google AdWords renamed Google Ads?

In 2018. The core idea, bidding on keywords so your ad appears in search results, is the same, with far more automation.

Can I use LinkedIn targeting on search ads?

Yes, on Microsoft Ads, which lets you target or adjust bids by LinkedIn profile data such as company, industry and job function. See LinkedIn profile targeting.

How should a B2B company test a new ad platform?

Set a fixed budget and time frame, track conversions to leads and pipeline before launch, and compare cost per qualified lead with your existing channels. Our LinkedIn campaign setup and Google Ads audit checklist cover the details.

Sources

• The Next Web (June 2008): LinkedIn prepping for monetization with dynamically targeted DirectAds.
• MediaPost (January 2011): LinkedIn adds job title, company names to text ad targeting.
• ShoutEx Guides: LinkedIn Ads, Google Ads and Microsoft Ads.