Good morning, and welcome back to Marketing Qualified. Here are our topics for today…
-
What’s working on LinkedIn? 3 trends to watch. We’ll dive into the findings of LinkedIn’s recent Creative Trend Report.
-
If something’s not working, change it. No one cares that much.
🎨 What’s working on LinkedIn? 3 trends to watch.
B2B marketing isn’t known for being a hotbed of creativity. But, LinkedIn’s latest Creative Trend Report proves that doesn’t have to be the case.
They spent a year analyzing 13.6K creative assets that got 2.9B impressions to reveal three key trends that B2B advertisers should focus on to unlock higher performance on LinkedIn.
Here are the trends:
#1 – Humanize AI.
AI is everywhere, but here’s the problem: general “AI is the future” messaging is falling flat.
The research showed that highlighting generic AI messaging and technical capabilities didn’t resonate with audiences in upper-funnel campaigns.
So, what did work? Making it real. Storytelling that connected AI to tangible business outcomes and human experiences.
For example, instead of saying, “Our AI streamlines workflows,” show how a marketing manager used your tool to cut their campaign setup time by 40%. Or, explain how AI helps reduce churn by personalizing the customer journey.
What this means for you:
-
Focus on benefits, not features. Nobody cares how advanced your AI is. They care what it can do for them.
-
Use relatable examples to bridge the gap between technical jargon and everyday business outcomes.
-
Show the human side of AI. AKA, it helps people work smarter, not harder.
#2 – Emotional authenticity wins.
B2B buyers are still people. And people don’t just want facts—they want to feel something.
The report showed that showcasing a full spectrum of emotions (yes, even frustration and confusion) led to stronger engagement. Campaigns that embraced emotions saw a +25% view-through rate.
Audiences also want content that feels relatable. Content performed best when creators featured casual, relatable settings. Content showing people in casual clothing saw a 37% increase in video completion rates. Even adding small personal touches like jewelry contributed to a 53% lift in performance.
What this means for you:
-
Ditch the corporate facade. Show people as they are, not just as polished professionals.
-
Use storytelling to acknowledge the highs and lows of work-life.
-
Mix things up visually. Human faces (in all their moods) drive more attention and engagement.
#3 – Bold colors = big impact.
On LinkedIn, blue is everywhere. 43% of top tech brands use it.
However, this research showed that unexpected color choices stood out and drove more engagement.
High-contrast visuals improved video completion rates by 68% and lifted static engagement by 41%. Fresh, unexpected colors (like pink) captured attention and drove a 26% increase in view-through rate.
If bold colors don’t fit your brand, no worries. It’s not all about being flashy. Neutral backgrounds with bold text still improved click-through rates by 15% for critical messaging. Try this method instead.
What this means for you:
-
Use vibrant colors to capture attention, especially in scrolling-heavy feeds.
-
Keep critical messaging simple with neutral tones and strong text contrast.
-
Don’t be afraid to test color combinations that aren’t typical for your brand.
📰 In the news this week.
📢 The most overhyped marketing trends, according to CMOs.
🗓 Maximize your 2025 strategy with Reddit’s Moments Calendar.
🎶 Tips on licensing music and finding tracks for videos.
📞 You can now call 1-800-CHATGPT.
🛍 Young people are returning to their old stomping grounds: The mall.
🔄 If something’s not working, change it.
Thinking about making a big change? Like overhauling your pricing, rebranding, or targeting a new audience?
It’s scary, right? What if people notice? What if it fails?
But here’s the thing: no one’s paying that much attention.
Jason Cohen, founder of not one but two billion-dollar companies, nailed it when he said this:
Translation… whether you succeed or fail and have to change things back, almost no one will notice—or care.
And that’s a good thing.
Think of it like walking down a busy street and tripping over an uneven sidewalk. You feel embarrassed and like everyone saw and is thinking, “Wow, look at that klutz!”
But the truth is, most people didn’t even notice. They were too busy thinking about the important meeting they had later, what to make for dinner, or that embarrassing thing they did earlier that day.
And even if a few people did notice, they’ll think about it for a few seconds and never think about you again. People have very short memories.
Business is the same way. Your audience isn’t scrutinizing every move you make. They’re busy with their own lives.
This isn’t a permission slip to act recklessly, but it is a reminder to stop letting fear of making customers mad hold you back from making critical pivots. The worst-case scenario is rarely as bad as we imagine.
So, if you’ve been sitting on a big idea, this is your nudge to act. Your next move could be the one that changes everything. Or, at the very least, teaches you something.
And worst case scenario, most changes are totally reversible.
Nobody’s watching as closely as you think. Make the change.
😂 Marketing meme of the week.
How’d we do with this week’s newsletter?
A READER’S REVIEW
Enjoy this newsletter? Forward it to a friend to spread the love.
Want us to write about something specific? Submit a topic or idea.
