How we use LinkedIn for B2B lead generation

As a leading LinkedIn lead generation agency with over 8 years of experience across different industries, we consider outreach part of a bigger demand generation system, not a standalone effort. Our repeatable framework consistently converts leads, all while keeping your LinkedIn reputation safe and trusted.

The top-performing campaigns are mostly rooted in the omnichannel approach, where LinkedIn works hand in hand with complementary touchpoints that naturally move prospects down the funnel. Even when LinkedIn drives more than 80% of your leads, supporting it with email, calls, ads, and content ensures full coverage, reaching audience segments that engage more deeply on other platforms.

Still, we’ve seen clients for whom LinkedIn became the primary growth engine.

Some of the best examples include CitrusAds, BetterComp, and Disability Solutions, companies for which we built their LinkedIn presence entirely from scratch. That alone fueled a steady pipeline of qualified appointments and closed deals.

Take CitrusAds, for example. Over the course of a year, we helped them secure meetings with major enterprise accounts through 100% organic, influencer-style LinkedIn content, without running a single ad. We focused on crafting a recognizable voice, publishing relevant insights, and engaging directly with their target audience.

In short, LinkedIn’s effectiveness depends heavily on your target audience. If you’re marketing to doctors, small business owners, or tradespeople (e.g., plumbers, electricians, and cleaning providers), the platform may not deliver much traction due to the low presence of people in those industries. But there are plenty of people and companies involved in marketing, IT, software, telecom, human resources, and startups on LinkedIn, making it a powerful and cost-efficient channel.

Here is a detailed, structured playbook if professionals are your targets.

Operational nuances before getting started

How much to spend on LinkedIn lead generation

LinkedIn is rarely free if you’re doing it right.

Your budget depends primarily on your Total Addressable Market (TAM) and your campaign goals. Together, they determine how many human resources, tools, and variable costs — such as paid ads and marketing materials — you’ll need.

• If you’re working with a small TAM (a niche, account-based target list), the focus should be on personalized outreach and thought-leadership content, without the extra spend on paid ads or large-scale marketing assets.
• If your TAM is broad, covering a wider industry segment, you’ll likely need to invest more to combine outreach with paid promotion and branded materials that scale your visibility and reach.

When it comes to tools, our go-to combination is LinkedIn Sales Navigator and Expandi. Here’s how we use each to target and convert B2B leads effectively:

• Sales Navigator: Priced around $119/month for the Core plan and $179/month for the Advanced plan, this tool delivers a clear ROI. One closed B2B deal typically covers the cost many times over. It remains one of the top lead generation tools used by our team.
• Expandi: At approximately $99/month, this tool is justified when the project demands scale, specialized lead sourcing, sophisticated multistep campaigns, and targeting prospects with a high probability of conversion.

Here’s a general breakdown of what to expect at different investment levels (the data is approximate, considering the price for tools and human resources required): 

• $500–$1,000/month: Organic outreach only (testing and validation phase)
• $1,500–$2,000/month: Balanced strategy with consistent content, SDR support, and light paid promotion
• $3,000–$5,500+/month: Full-funnel strategy covering multiple audiences with ongoing paid campaigns

How many specialists are required for scalable LinkedIn lead generation

A successful lead generation strategy also relies on having the right people in place. Even the most effective ad won’t perform if no one is managing responses, optimizing campaigns, or posting consistently.

A well-rounded team typically includes:

How to implement an 8-pillar LinkedIn lead generation strategy

Step 1: Ensure that LinkedIn profiles and the company’s page are up-to-date

We start by auditing and optimizing our clients’ LinkedIn profiles to build immediate trust with their target audience. A consistent, well-crafted profile acts as social proof, establishing credibility and making prospects far less likely to ignore connection requests.

A great LinkedIn profile should meet the following criteria:

• It has a strong headline with your current role or title, the company name, and a standout achievement.

• It spells out exactly who you help and which problems you solve.
• It is backed up with evidence, such as case studies, testimonials, and detailed projects you worked on. 
• It has an authentic summary section, in which you clearly state your area of expertise, relevant data-supported experience, and how you’ve achieved the results. Also, try adding a sentence with a personal story/fun fact when appropriate. People love connecting with real people. Here’s an excellent example from Ashley Faus, Head of Lifecycle Marketing:

• It includes an up-to-date experience section, detailing the challenges faced, achieved results, and the actions taken.  

Just like review platforms such as Clutch or G2, your LinkedIn company page shapes how buyers perceive your brand. Before replying to outreach, most prospects will Google your company, visit your website, and review your LinkedIn presence to validate your credibility.

The Overview section is your anchor. Use it to strike a balance between hard proof — rankings, metrics, client retention — and clear, straightforward messaging about what you do and how you do it. Add a human touch through approachable language, occasional emojis, and a clear call to action that invites engagement.

Here’s a strong example from Belkins’ LinkedIn page:

Step 2: Enhance personal branding with expert-driven content

Personal branding is no longer optional. It’s a cornerstone of modern marketing. 

Every key person in your company is part of the brand’s communication team, whether they realize it or not. Your personal brand is among the most valuable long-term investments in predictable lead generation. When you consistently share genuine insights and help your audience, they naturally trust and engage with you.

And it’s not just about posting on your company page. Our experience shows that content published on personal profiles consistently drives higher engagement and conversion rates. Every founder, SDR, and marketing lead who shows up authentically on LinkedIn contributes to the company’s visibility, credibility, and deal flow.

At Belkins, our strategy follows a simple but effective structure: we use the company page to share updates (e.g., new features, announcements, events, and key milestones), while our individual team members focus on expert-led content. Our CEO, Chief Marketing Officer, account manager team lead, and other senior professionals regularly post insights, practical advice, and thought-leadership pieces on their personal profiles.

This balance keeps the company page informative and the personal pages engaging, creating a unified, trustworthy brand presence across LinkedIn.

There are two main ways to approach expert-led content creation:

Take Michael Maximoff, co-founder and CGO of Belkins. He committed to posting regularly on LinkedIn and chose an authority-driven, founder-led strategy. Within months, his engagement grew by 300%. While his follower count didn’t climb as quickly as it might under an algorithmic approach, the content generated several high-value leads for Belkins.

His biggest takeaway? LinkedIn success isn’t about chasing trends or going viral. The algorithm works only for specific personalities, markets, and content types. For most B2B founders, the real payoff comes from consistency, publishing ICP-relevant, brand-led content that compounds over time.

A strong example of the opposite, algorithm-driven strategy is Michel Lieben, co-founder of ColdIQ. He grew his audience from 15K to 55K followers in just two years by consistently posting highly consumable “shortcut” content — think top tools, wireframes, and quick hacks. One standout post featured 14 free outreach tools. Michel researched, compiled the list, packaged it as a PDF, and shared it on LinkedIn. The result: a massive reach and a steady stream of inbound leads. However, this growth relies heavily on optimizing LinkedIn’s algorithm.

Before posting and choosing the best format for our clients, we always analyze:

• Competitive landscape: What are others in your niche saying and how do audiences engage?
• Industry trends: Which topics are gaining traction?
• ICP behavior: What kind of content do your buyers actually consume and share?

Once the research is done, we build a content mix that keeps engagement fresh and balanced:

1. Personal brand content — thought leadership, storytelling, and vulnerability
2. Educational content — guides, frameworks, and expert insights
3. Light promotional content — company updates, product news, and milestones

📚 Related case studies: 

• Belkins brings in 10+ Fortune 500 appointments each month
• 53 high-quality appointments via LinkedIn marketing for a retail media platform

Here’s the top advice from the Belkins team for succeeding with LinkedIn content, whether you employ an algorithmic or authority strategy.

• Reflect your true, vulnerable experience. Write the way you speak, and let people see your values, stories, and even mistakes. Generic advice like “always double-check your emails with AI” won’t convert anyone. But sharing a vulnerable moment like this will: “I once lost a $50K deal because I rushed an email — now I always run it through AI before hitting send.”

• Choose real over polished. In a feed crowded with AI-perfect posts, the occasional typo or rough edge can work in your favor — it signals a real human behind the words. Simple and short posts also show a real person behind the screen.

• Post consistently. Post at the same time each day to train your audience and the algorithm. You can test posting at different times of the day. For instance, thanks to A/B testing, we’ve discovered that mornings and midweek maximize visibility.
• Mix formats. Use plain text posts for quick thoughts, carousels for listicles or data-driven content, articles for in-depth thought leadership, LinkedIn newsletters for building thought leadership, and direct audience engagement.

• Always add a CTA. Invite engagement, such as “What do you think?”/“Drop a comment”/“DM me for the full report”. For instance, you can share three points publicly and ask for comments/likes to send the full version privately. This both grows reach and builds connections.
• Combine content under one strategy. Random posts dilute your brand. Tie everything back to your positioning.

We also requested input on high-performing LinkedIn content from Outbound Consulting, an agency with years of experience in developing targeted LinkedIn strategies for small businesses:

Step 3: Leverage Sales Navigator for high-quality lead search

Here’s how we use Sales Navigator for lead search:

1. Hyper-targeted searches

Sales Navigator enables you to pinpoint your audience with precision, filtering by industry, job title, years of experience, company size, or trigger events (like a role change or a recent post). You just type in the needed keyword with a prospect’s role, and apply advanced filters to your search: 

It’s also invaluable for understanding a prospect’s current situation. You can easily see what a lead or company is doing in real time, helping you spot trigger events or relevant activities to inform outreach. These capabilities allow you to build highly specific lead lists far beyond what LinkedIn’s basic search can deliver.

2. List creation for a sustainable outreach strategy

With Sales Navigator, you can build and save segmented lists of target prospects, an essential step for structured, long-term outreach.

Once your lists are in place, use the Sales Navigator feed to engage with prospects’ recent posts, warming up connections before outreach.

It also helps you manage connection requests strategically, creating lists you can draw from over time while staying within LinkedIn’s weekly limits.

3. Integration with outreach automation tools

Sales Navigator searches can be a lead source for automation platforms like Expandi. Simply filter contacts in Sales Navigator, copy the search link, and paste it into the automation tool to feed your campaigns.

For example, Expandi’s Gmail Connector Campaign can leverage Sales Navigator data to send connection requests to 500+ people per week.

It also works seamlessly with platforms like Apollo, where cadences and sequences are managed. This integration enables fully automated, multitouch cadences across both LinkedIn and email.

Step 4: Look for leads within LinkedIn groups

Another way to find leads on LinkedIn is by joining groups where your target audience is already active. Use specific keywords in the search bar to find them.

Once accepted, contribute meaningfully: share insights in ongoing discussions, start new conversations, and position yourself as a trusted voice in the field. You can also post relevant marketing assets: articles, case studies, gated content, or webinars.

Groups shared with your prospects also create a natural context for outreach. Direct messages and connection requests feel less “cold” when they stem from a group interaction, making relationship-building more authentic and effective over time.

Step 5: Get leads from LinkedIn webinars

You can leverage webinars on LinkedIn in two ways: active hosting and researching attendee lists.

Active webinar hosting

Webinars don’t live in isolation. If you decide to host a webinar, it should be part of your multichannel marketing playbook.

For example, a recent Belkins webinar drew 310 attendees from LinkedIn alone. The topic was one of the biggest challenges in lead generation: aligning sales and marketing teams. We kept the focus on actionable tips and real-world practices, so attendees could put the insights into use immediately.

Key takeaways for hosting high-performing webinars (not just glorified presentations): 

• Tailor topics to specific industries, sub-industries, or decision-maker roles.
• Prioritize quality and relevance. Get to the problem-solving section quickly.
• Encourage participants to turn on cameras, ask live questions, and join discussions.
• Experiment with interactive formats: polls, breakout rooms, or panel discussions.
• Invite respected industry experts to boost credibility.
• Try invite-only formats, private Q&As, or small-group sessions.
• Nurture relationships before and after the webinar with follow-up content.

Researching attendee lists

You can get some leads from webinars without hosting them. Use LinkedIn’s Events tab and industry keywords to discover webinars aligned with your target audience’s interests.

After joining the webinar, scan the participant list and determine how many fit your ICP. Use either manual or automated search with Expandi’s Event Participant campaign to run personalized follow-ups at scale. 

Step 6: Do smart prospect qualification and prioritization

Once we’ve built a solid prospect list, we move to lead qualification and lead scoring before launching any outreach. Even with top-tier automation tools, your monthly quota of connection requests and messages is limited, which means every touchpoint needs to count.

Here’s a quick recap of the key signals to track when identifying high-intent prospects:

• They like or comment on posts about your solution, especially industry influencers.
• They’ve visited your company page and engaged with any type of content. 
• They actively engage in relevant LinkedIn groups or attend industry webinars.
• You share mutual connections, which increases trust and the likelihood of getting a response.
• Their posts reveal specific challenges or achievements in their field (perfect entry points for outreach).
• They’ve reached a new professional milestone, such as a promotion or conference appearance.
• Their company has announced a major update — a product launch, partnership, or award.

Step 7: Launch a multitouch lead generation campaign

At Belkins, we generate LinkedIn leads through a multifaceted approach built on trust and genuine conversation, not quick-fire sales pitches. Buyers ultimately choose vendors they like and trust, not just those with the strongest product.

Here’s an example of a custom engagement flow we designed for our client:

Each touchpoint builds familiarity and increases reply rates. Campaigns that pair direct messages with additional actions, like profile visits, achieve reply rates up to 11.87% higher than single-touch campaigns. Think of it like dating: You wouldn’t propose on the first date. Sales work is similar.

Results in action: When we applied this multitouch nurturing strategy to a B2B hiring platform, the outcome spoke for itself: a 450% pipeline increase in three months and a 70% lift in connection acceptance rates. The success wasn’t driven by aggressive selling. It came from building trust at every stage of the journey.

At Belkins, we also automate LinkedIn outreach using Expandi’s Builder Campaign. It simulates human behavior and helps you design complex, multistep sequences with actions that include profile visits, post likes, and skill endorsements, as well as setting conditions such as alerting you if a prospect visits your profile.

To set one up, go to the Campaigns section, click Add Campaign, select Builder Campaign, and give it a descriptive name for each lead generation campaign.

Configure the required steps, along with custom messages for each step.

The rule of thumb here:

• Leave requests blank if you’re simply expanding your network.
• Add a short, hyper-personalized note to each connection request when you want to start a real conversation (1–2 sentences is sufficient)

You can set up sequences with trigger events and timed delays. For example, you might wait seven days after connecting before liking a post and sending a follow-up message. The sequence stops automatically as soon as a prospect replies.

The most important part: Writing your first introduction message to a prospect.

Your first message sets the tone for the entire relationship. An effective LinkedIn outreach message should focus on ICP relevance, trust, and genuine conversation, not a transactional pitch.

📚 Related readings:

• How we use clients’ ideal customer profiles (ICPs) in lead generation campaigns
• How to set up and run an effective LinkedIn outreach campaign

Here are some key insights from our co-founder, Michael Maximoff: 

• Relevance over personalization. While personalization variables (like mentioning a recent podcast or blog) may seem smart, they don’t establish relevancy. Instead, your message should address a challenge they haven’t considered, making you the one with the answers.

• Make it about them, not you. The most effective messages speak directly to the prospect’s goals or struggles. And the pain cannot be generic (e.g., every chief revenue officer wants more pipeline). Messages should be tailored to their specific challenges, avoiding a one-size-fits-all pitch.

• Keep it human. The tone of LinkedIn messages should feel human and conversational. Unlike emails, people expect to receive short, chat-like communication. This rule applies especially to the first messages that accompany a connection request.
• Start with content sharing. Begin your sequence with soft but targeted engagement. For instance, sharing case studies that directly address the prospect’s pain points.

• Use trigger events. They provide context and demonstrate that you’ve done your homework before reaching out.

Campaigns with two or more follow-ups generate higher reply rates, but only if each touchpoint adds value. Avoid tired lines like “just checking in.” Every follow-up should bring something new: an industry insight, a client success story, or a trend relevant to their challenges.

Here’s an example of a sequence with two distinct follow-ups:

Step 8: Add LinkedIn Ads as an extra touchpoint

Unlike Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads come with targeting limitations. You can’t upload an exact audience list to run highly specific campaigns. Instead, targeting relies mostly on job titles, industries, and company size, meaning you can’t always reach a particular company directly. For example, you might target manufacturing professionals in mid-sized firms rather than one exact organization.

Because of this, we typically start LinkedIn campaigns with a smaller test budget and scale gradually based on audience responsiveness and engagement quality.

Here are a few high-performing ad types we often use for B2B clients:

• Boosting posts on LinkedIn that feature middle-of-the-funnel (MoFu) and bottom-of-the-funnel (BoFu) articles.
• Promoting white papers/PDFs with business insights. 
• Promoting upcoming events or webinars. 

How to track LinkedIn performance and review KPIs

Because LinkedIn lead generation campaigns influence the pipeline gradually, ROI is a lagging metric; results typically appear in 60–90 days, depending on your sales cycle. This timeline can be longer if you’re new to consistent LinkedIn activity.

To stay on track, we usually use three sets of metrics, depending on primary LinkedIn goals:

📚 Related reading: Key metrics and KPIs to track in B2B sales

The tactics we’ve covered in this article, from smart profile optimization to omnichannel outreach and content-led trust building, form the backbone of a safe, repeatable framework that delivers predictable growth on LinkedIn.

At Belkins, we use this system every day to help B2B teams across 50+ industries turn connections into conversations and conversations into revenue. 

If you’re ready to build a reliable, relationship-driven pipeline, one that scales without guesswork or shortcuts, book a call. We’ll be happy to show you how this framework can work for your business.