2026 LinkedIn Marketing Tactics B2B Companies Should Use

The best LinkedIn marketing tactics aren’t posting content every day, commenting on posts, or even viewing people’s profiles.

It really is about weaving in all these approaches together for the best results.

In this article, we’ll share some practical LinkedIn marketing tactics you can use immediately to grow visibility, start meaningful conversations, and turn LinkedIn into a great source of leads.

(If you are looking for a tailored LinkedIn marketing strategy, why not hop on a free 15-minute strategy call with Jack Reamer, the CEO of SalesBread. SalesBread is a LinkedIn lead generation and appointment setting agency. We bring our clients 1 lead per day.)

LinkedIn Marketing in 2026: What Works (and What Doesn’t Anymore)

LinkedIn content marketing – Post consistently, even if it’s once a week

People are going to say post as frequently as you can for as long as you can; the algorithm rewards frequent posting. This is probably correct.

The caveat is: You should be aware that you have to maintain quality, you can’t just post Cr*p twice a day and hope it works.

If you can maintain quality and maintain the actual consistency of posting for weeks, months, and years, then great!

But what we are seeing is that people who stick to a consistent posting schedule with high-quality content get results.

For me personally, I find that once a week is just fine for posting; I’m aware that many people will say that it’s not frequent enough, but it’s a nice, sustainable starting point.

Posting once a week still yields engagement and allows me to see my LinkedIn stats going up every month.

So what’s working?

Post consistently, even if it’s once a week – Focus on quality rather than quantity. If you’re posting valuable content, even if it’s just once a week for starters, it will resonate with the right audience.

Just a small call out

I once had a post that had 26 000 + impressions and great engagement, but I had zero calls come through on that post.

A post that does really well and gets seen by many people doesn’t put bacon on the table.

And yet many of us, looking for that marketing tactic on LinkedIn, think we just need to drive up visits, engaments and comments.

HOWEVER, they are missing a huge opportunity – The chance to see who’s engaging with your content.

It’s a signal for those who might be a whole lot lower in your sales funnel.

Liking your content means that they think you have said something thoughtful. Maybe you’re talking about a pain point that resonates with them, but at least you’re not a stranger to them.

So the best approach is to use LinkedIn marketing, as Perry Marshal puts it, “Rack the shotgun,” or basically set up a signal for you to see which prospects are the most ready for your outreach message.

By all means, use DMs to secure a booked call.

Becasue the engagement, content visibility, and classic marketing are a long-term play. It is important so that you can build credibility and earn your attention within your market.

But when you combine content marketing with thoughtful outreach, it’s probably the best tactic.

Engage with other people’s posts on LinkedIn as yourself, NOT as AI

People will tell you that you should engage with other people’s posts in your niche, and the algorithm rewards that. Yes, this is true. We have seen this personally.

I have also spoken to many LinkedIn ghostwriters, and they have confirmed that commenting on other people’s posts is basically a non-negotiable.

Just be careful to NOT use AI to reply.

Just responding with AI saying – “Hey, thank you. Great insight.” is NOT the way to go.

You want to indicate to the algorithm that:

A: You’re someone who engages on LinkedIn, and therefore, you’re someone more likely to be worthy of engagement on the receiving end.

B: It helps the audience learn who your audience is. So when you use commenting as a LinkedIn marketing strategy, you probably want to drop in one thoughtful comment a day to somebody in your universe.

It could be a prospect, a client, or even a competitor.

You kind of want to paint a line around your niche, so that the algorithm knows what kind of circles you’re travelling through.

So what’s working?

Engage authentically with other people’s posts in your network. Don’t use AI to comment on people’s posts. Add something worthwhile and valuable to the conversation.

Use LinkedIn outreach

Some other marketers might feel that posting on LinkedIn is a waste of time, so they encourage you to just do outbound lead generation.

I think outbound is a highly underrated approach, even though it’s very easy to screw up. And calling it out, if you screw up, you’re going to think it doesn’t work.

If you build a lead list the hard way AND you find people who really have an appetite for your offer, and use personalization that’s human, it works wonders.

At SalesBread, we tell people we drive a lead a day using outbound.

This is still absolutely the case; if anything, AI has really lowered the bar to what a good outreach message looks like.

So use outbound.

But even better, why not use both outbound and inbound? LinkedIn outreach and LinkedIn content marketing.

So what’s working?

Thoughtful LinkedIn outreach that is sent to a very refined list of prospects, combined with content marketing.

Short-form video

Short-form videos on LinkedIn can improve engagement. A study conducted by Jon Loomer shows how even though LinkedIn isn’t a video platform, like TIKTOK or Instagram, it can still help your growth on LinkedIn.

Hootsuite also confirms thatthe video seems to have better engagement than any other content form on LinkedIn.

On LinkedIn, especially, the videos that perform well are the ones that offer value immediately and feel human.

It’s important to start with a clear takeaway.
Every video should answer one question, solve one problem, or share one insight your audience can use right away.

If viewers have to guess why they should care, they’ll scroll past.

You should also make your brand instantly recognizable. You don’t need heavy branding or production. A consistent style, perspective, or format is enough.

Over time, people should recognize your content before they even see your name.
The teams seeing results treat short-form video like a repeatable process.

So keep on batching ideas, recording multiple videos at once, and using simple templates to stay consistent. Frequency and clarity outperform occasional “perfect” videos every time.

So what’s working?

Short-form videos that are consistent with a clear takeaway. Remember, answer one question, solve one problem, or share one insight.

LinkedIn Ads

If you have been followng out content, you will know that we don’t do LinkedIn ads and probably never will. Why? Because they don’t really bring in many leads.

We have had clients tell us they spent thousands of dollars on LinkedIn advertising and never even received 1 lead.

This is what a Reddit user had to say:

If you want to test out LinkedIn advertising, have a specific budget and target a very specific audience. Then run the campaign for 3 months to see if it works for your company.

If it works, great; if not, try one of the other marketing strategies in this article.

LinkedIn games

LinkedIn games aren’t exactly a marketing tactic, but they are a way to compete with your network and start conversations.

Some people are using them as potential “ice breakers”.

Stats also show that 40% those who play a game on LinkedIn each day are doing so becasue someone in their network mentioned the game in their conversations.

Games also encourage users to return to LinkedIn more frequently. The more often people log in, the more chances you have to stay visible in their daily feed.

Second, they give sales teams, leaders, and brand representatives a casual way to build relationships.

Because players can see which connections have participated, the experience naturally opens the door for light interactions and conversation.

Does it work?

I’m not completely convinced that LinkedIn games are a great marketing tactic in 2026. You can always try it and see if it gets conversations started. But I’m not completely convinced.

Use LinkedIn newsletters in our content strategy

LinkedIn newsletters have become one of the platform’s most promoted features. But whether they work or not depends on how you use them.

The short answer: Yes, newsletters can be effective.

Many companies launch a newsletter and expect immediate lead generation.

In reality, LinkedIn newsletters are more about trust-building and thought leadership. They also help you build an audience.

Why LinkedIn Newsletters Work

Unlike traditional email newsletters, LinkedIn automatically lets subscribers know when a new edition is published.

Followers can subscribe with a single click, allowing audiences to grow faster than email newsletters.

LinkedIn also tends to give newsletters an extended reach compared to standard posts.

Each edition behaves like both an article and a social post, creating more opportunities for visibility across your audience’s feeds.

Another reason why publishing newsletters works is becasue it is consistently signaling your expertise. Over time, newsletters help founders, marketers, and sales leaders become familiar voices in their niche.

Where Most Companies Get It Wrong

The biggest mistake is treating newsletters like blog articles.

Long, generic thought leadership rarely performs well. Readers subscribe because they expect insight they can’t get elsewhere.

Another common issue is inconsistency. A newsletter that appears once every two months loses momentum.

Why? Because LinkedIn’s engagement signals favor regular publishing.

When LinkedIn Newsletters Work Best

They tend to perform best when used to:

• Share practical insights or lessons learned from real work

• Break down trends or strategies in your industry

• When they share your point of view over time

• Support outbound or personal branding efforts

LinkedIn live events ads

LinkedIn Event Ads are designed to promote professional events. Whether it’s virtual, in-person, or hybrid, these ads will be directly shown to your targeted audiences on LinkedIn.

Unlike standard ads that drive traffic to external landing pages, Event Ads promote a LinkedIn Event page, allowing users to find, register, and engage with events without leaving the platform.

What Are LinkedIn Event Ads?

LinkedIn Event Ads help marketers promote events from start to finish.

• Before the event: Build awareness and drive registrations

• During the event: Host live sessions and interact with attendees

• After the event: Continue nurturing attendees and re-engage those who showed interest but didn’t attend

Why LinkedIn Event Ads Work

Event Ads perform well because they are used in the same way professionals naturally use LinkedIn: to learn, network, and develop professionally.

Users can register without leaving LinkedIn, removing extra steps that typically cause drop-offs in traditional event funnels.

People who register for an event signal genuine interest, which is a far stronger intent than a casual content click.

LinkedIn’s targeting also allows marketers to reach decision-makers based on job title, company size, industry, or seniority, meaning registrations are more likely to come from qualified buyers.

Interestingly, LinkedIn reports that event attendees are significantly more likely to engage with future company marketing compared to non-attendees.

Performance data also shows:

• LinkedIn Events can generate significantly higher click-through rates compared to regular video ads

• Engagement continues after the event ends

• Cost per registration can be lower than many traditional paid acquisition methods

How to Get Started

Launching LinkedIn Event Ads follows a simple three-step process:

1. Create a LinkedIn Event page
   Choose a topic that solves a real problem for your audience and build the event within LinkedIn.

2. Launch an Event Ad campaign
   Promote the event using LinkedIn’s targeting options. Event details automatically populate into the ad format.

3. Measure performance and engagement
   Track registrations, views, attendee engagement, and live participation metrics through Campaign Manager and LinkedIn Live analytics.

Do LinkedIn company pages work?

According to stats, personal LinkedIn profiles create better engagement than company pages. 5 x more engagement to be exact. Why? Becasue users want to interact with a face and not some faceless company.

You can create a company page, but if you want to position yourself as a thought leader. So if you are a founder of a company, rather have your own LinkedIn profile where you share your unique ideas and insights.

If you don’t have the time to do this, hire a LinkedIn ghostwriter to help you out.

AI Capabilities in LinkedIn Sales Navigator

We don’t suggest using LinkedIn Sales Navigator’s AI capabilities. It will build you the worst prospecting list you have ever seen.

We aren’t impressed with it at the moment, but we are aware that Microsoft is doing everything it can to get the tool to function properly.

So we will give it some time, maybe another 6 months, and check back in.

As of right now, the list is probably 60% inaccurate.

Simple LinkedIn marketing strategy

LinkedIn marketing doesn’t need to be complicated. Most companies struggle because they are only using one approach, or their lists aren’t accurate, or they arnt using personalization.

Here’s the simple framework we use and recommend.

Build a network of potential buyers

Your LinkedIn network should not be random.

You want to build a network of your ideal customers, so that in time, when they get to know you becasue of your content, it will be easy to drop them a personalized message that discusses business.

Focus on building a network made up of decision-makers, influencers, and people who operate within your target accounts.

Build a list of your ideal target audience

Before outreach, messaging, or campaigns, there’s one step that determines whether LinkedIn lead generation works or fails:

And that’s building the right list.

List building isn’t about finding more prospects. It’s about getting crystal clear on who you should target.

At Salesbread, we take the opposite approach. We go into what we call “obsessivelist building.”

Instead of saying “we target healthcare companies,” we break it down further.

Ask questions like:

What type of organization are you targeting?
Health insurance providers? Hospitals? Clinics? Non-profits? University-affiliated systems?

What size company fits best?
Are you selling to:

• Hospitals with 250+ beds?

• Top university-affiliated medical centers?

• Organizations with 5,000+ employees?

• Enterprises generating billions in annual revenue?

Size directly impacts budget, buying cycles, and decision-making structure.

What services do they provide?
Outpatient care? Emergency services? Specialized treatment centers? The services offered often signal operational complexity — and potential need.

Where are they located?
Geography matters more than people think. Maybe your ideal accounts are:

• U.S. and European organizations

• Companies within a specific travel radius

• Regions with regulatory or market conditions that favor your solution

What teams do they already have (or lack)?
Do they employ internal marketing teams? Social media managers? A Chief Nursing Officer? A missing role can often indicate a problem your service solves.

Why This Level of Detail Matters

The real goal is to understand exactly who your client wants to reach.

For example:

• Are you targeting CFOs of hospitals?

• Or CFOs inside healthcare insurance companies?

Those are completely different buyers with different priorities, budgets, and conversations.

Start With a Defined Account List

Once you know who you’re targeting, the next step is building a list of specific companies, not just job titles.

And this is where LinkedIn becomes helpful.

We use LinkedIn as the foundation for identifying and validating target accounts

Using Data to Find the Right Companies

We combine LinkedIn with sales intelligence tools such as:

• Crunchbase

• ZoomInfo

• Bombora

These platforms help identify companies that match your Ideal Customer Profile and show intent signals, growth indicators, and firmographic data.

But tools alone aren’t the strategy.

Analyzing Your Existing Customers

The fastest way to find new customers is to understand your current best ones.

We analyze existing accounts using 34 different business attributes and buying signals to identify patterns, including:

• Company growth signals

• Hiring trends

• Industry positioning

• Organizational structure

• Revenue indicators

• Technology adoption

From there, we uncover “look-alike customers”, companies that statistically resemble your best clients and are therefore more likely to need what you sell.

Instead of guessing who might buy, we let data reveal who already behaves like buyers.

Plug that list into LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Next, you want to plug this list of accounts into LinkedIn Sales Navigator and find the right people to reach out to at these companies.

Filter your list by recently posted AND by your second-degree network. This will make sure that your list is ultra-refined and that you are reaching out to people who actually use the platform.

Reach out to the right people using personalized outreach messages

Next, you want to send these people personalized connection request messages. Personalization doesn’t mean writing essays. But rather, finding something specific to mention about them in your outreach message.

You could reference their role, pain points, or compliment them.

Keep messages short, conversational, and focused on starting a discussion rather than pitching a service.

The goal of outreach isn’t to sell. It’s to open a conversation.

Follow up

Remember to follow up. Don’t give up after the first message. Consistent, respectful follow-ups keep conversations going without being pushy.

Each follow-up should add value with a thought, insight, and relevance rather than repeating the same request.

Ask for a meeting

Don’t be scared to ask for a booked sales call. Just remember to keep you ask simple and easy to follow through with.

Keep it low commitment.

• Are you available for a chat?

• How is your availability for a 10 min call this week?

• I’d love to share more on why you may need [PRODUCT] and how it can help [BENEFIT]. How’s {{=day}} next week look for a 15-minute call?

• Are you free for a call this Friday to discuss [MAIN BENEFIT]?

• Are you available for a quick call in the next few days to see if [MY PRODUCT] aligns with your goals?

• When are you free to connect this week? You can use this link to book directly on my calendar

Keep up your content marketing strategy to build a LinkedIn presence

If you want more leads, keep up with your LinkedIn content marketing strategy. Posting consistently helps prospects put a name to the face before agreeing to a booked sales call.

Many buyers will check your profile after receiving a message. Your content becomes social proof that you understand their pain points and are an expert in what you do.

You don’t need to post daily. You need to post thoughtfully and share:

• Industry insights

• Lessons learned

• Opinions backed by experience

• Practical advice your audience can use

Keep an eye on analytics to see what’s working

You should also track what’s driving results. This could be:

• Acceptance rates

• Reply rates

• Meeting bookings

• Content engagement

Small adjustments in targeting and messaging can improve results. Treat LinkedIn like an ongoing experiment.

LinkedIn marketing best practises

LinkedIn marketing gets overcomplicated really quickly.

People talk about algorithms, growth hacks, and posting formulas, but most of the time,e the problem isn’t tactics.

It’s that companies forget LinkedIn is just a place where professionals decide who they trust enough to talk to.

If you use the platform the way it was intended, to build business relationships and be social instead of salesy, you will do well.

If your LinkedIn activity doesn’t help build trust or start conversations, it’s probably not helping your pipeline either.

Start With Who, Not What

Most companies ask, “What should we post?”

The better question is: “Who are we trying to reach?”

If you don’t know exactly who your buyer is, your content ends up sounding generic.

When you clearly understand your audience, content ideas become obvious. You stop trying to be interesting to everyone and start being useful to the right people.

Your Profile Matters

Here’s something people underestimate: prospects almost always check your profile before replying.

So your profile shouldn’t read like a CV. It should explain:

• Who you help

• What problems you solve

• And how you can help

Think of it as your LinkedIn homepage. Outreach might get someone curious, but your profile is what makes them decide whether replying is worth their time.

Stop Sounding Like a B2B Marketing Salesperson

Most LinkedIn messages fail because they sound like… marketing.

Too focused on selling.

The best outreach feels human and relevant. Use shorter messages that are packed with value and be helpful. Think about how you can help this person.

If it sounds like something you wouldn’t naturally say, it probably won’t get a reply.

Consistency Beats Intensity

You don’t need to post every day. Honestly, most people shouldn’t.

What works better is showing up consistently with thoughts that sound real and informed.

Good LinkedIn content usually comes from:

• Things you’re noticing in your industry

• Lessons from client work

• Opinions

• Practical advice people can actually use

You’re not trying to go viral. You’re trying to become familiar.

Because when someone finally needs what you offer, familiar names get the meeting.

Engage Like a Person

Commenting thoughtfully on posts, especially from prospects or industry peers, builds recognition without having to pitch anything.

By the time you reach out, you’re not a stranger anymore.

Make Content, Outreach, and Sales Work Together for your business

LinkedIn works best when everything supports everything else.

Content builds credibility.
Outreach starts conversations.
Sales turns conversations into opportunities.

When those pieces are aligned, LinkedIn becomes a lead generation machine.

Need help with your LinkedIn marketing strategy?

Hop on a free 15-minute strategy session with SalesBread. We help our clients get 1 lead per day using thoughtful LinkedIn outreach, appointment setting, and content marketing.