LinkedIn expands video advertising capabilities; unveils First Impression, Reserved Ads, expands CTV ads capabilities

To make it easier for marketers to continue innovating with video, LinkedIn has expanded video advertising capabilities. In addition to expanding CTV Ads capabilities to help B2B marketers cut through the noise, the platform has introduced 'First Impression Ads' and 'Reserved Ads'.

According to LinkedIn, 77% B2B marketers in India say that day one of a campaign is extremely important in driving the highest impact, and that’s why the platform has introduced First Impression Ads, which is a new full-screen, vertical video format for single-day campaigns to maximize visibility for important marketing moments. The update allows marketers to target professional audiences, like small business owners or tech decision-makers, and exclusively reserve the first ad impression that a member sees on a given day.

Additionally, to sustain campaign impact beyond day one, brands can choose Reserved Ads to place their sponsored content as the first ad in the feed. Like choosing front-row at your favorite concert to guarantee the best view, this update help marketers plan campaigns with confidence and increase attention, brand visibility, and share of voice.

Further, the platform shared that since launching last year, on average CTV Ads through LinkedIn are over 4X more effective in reaching an advertiser’s B2B target audience compared to linear TV (as measured by iSpot). Now, CTV Ads are generally available for customers globally to target buyers in the US and Canada, and now the platform has announced additional enhancements to offer more premium reach, easier activation, and sharper insights.

With 76% of Indian B2B marketers saying that CTV ads make it easier to reach their customers more regularly, with new integrations with Innovid and Sprinklr, LinkedIn is making it easier to reach the right people, and simplify campaign creation and management. CTV Ads are available for customers globally to target audiences in the US and Canada. First Impression Ads and Reserved Ads will be available to customers globally later this year, it added.

62% Indian marketers believe investing in video is imperative to not lose out to competitors

According to LinkedIn's new research, in today's high-stakes, highly complex B2B landscape, 90% of B2B marketers in India say grabbing audience attention is their biggest campaign worry. And, 62% say that investing in video is imperative to not lose out to competitors.

LinkedIn’s ‘2025 B2B Marketer Sentiment Research’ that surveyed over 3,000 B2B marketers across 13 countries – India, Australia, Singapore, USA, UK, France, Germany, Netherlands Spain, Italy, Sweden, Brazil and UAE – revealed that 80% of Indian B2B marketers feel they need to invest in creative strategies to stand out because it’s more competitive these days.

However, creativity still needs to make its case in the boardroom. Senior-level marketing leaders are clear that creative ideas and video will influence purchase decisions, but they’re being forced to rely on more traditional and stale tactics over experimental ones, with 72% of CMOs and VPs saying their leadership is risk averse.

B2B video and influencer marketing among most effective strategies to drive direct sales

As B2B marketers continue to do more with less and face increasing pressure to demonstrate impact on the bottom line, 97% of B2B marketers in India say video and influencer marketing are among the most effective strategies to gain direct sales in the current landscape.

Short-form video in B2B helps marketers build trust with audiences (82%) and reach decision-makers (82%), and short-form influencer video content is emerging as the top investment priority for marketers.

The research also uncovered that building authentic and credible brands is a top priority for B2B marketers and that influencer and creator partnerships can help achieve this. 72% of B2B marketers say that their marketing strategy is incomplete today without influencer and creator partnerships, and 84% are confident that influencer marketing campaigns will directly lead to sales by the end of the year.

"B2B buying is becoming more complex, and according to Forrester’s 2025 B2B Marketing and Sales Predictions, younger B2B buyers are relying on 10 or more external influencers - including social media and peer networks - when making purchase decisions," LinkedIn added.

Sachin Sharma, Director, LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, India, said, “With attention spans shrinking and competition intensifying, B2B marketers need more than just creative stories — they need content that grabs eyeballs, earns trust, and drives action.

The opportunity lies in pairing high-impact social video with relevant influential voices to turn passive scrolls into meaningful views, and eventually into buying decisions. Our new video solutions are designed to help marketers do just that – cut through the noise while maintaining credibility and authenticity that move audiences towards engagement.”