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No. 09 · Paid Media

Document ads vs. single-image ads

Document ads became the go-to new LinkedIn format across four client programs in October. This is the one with a head-to-head: about $140 per lead for the document ad, versus about $300 for single-image.
LinkedIn AdsCreative testingOctober 2026From The FullFunnel Dozen
Cost per lead (lower is better)
Single-image ad~$300
Document ad~$140

FullFunnel-reported. 13 leads vs. 3, so samples are small.

The short answer
We ran one client guide two ways on LinkedIn, as a document ad and as a single-image ad, and tested covers inside the document format. Covers featuring people beat covers without them, so the no-people covers were paused.
ChannelLinkedIn Ads
FormatsDocument vs. single-image
IssueOctober 2026
How it worked
Problem, fix, proof
01
The problem

What did the client need to know?

Which format to back. The guide could run either way, and there was no read on which brought in leads at a lower cost.
02
The fix

How did we test it?

One guide, two formats, plus a cover test:
  • The guide as a LinkedIn document ad
  • The same guide as a single-image ad
  • Document covers with and without people, with the no-people covers paused once the people-forward covers pulled ahead
Same asset. Two formats. People on the cover.
03
The proof

How solid is the result?

Directionally clear, statistically thin. The document ad produced 13 leads and the single-image ad 3, both FullFunnel-reported. Document ad conversions also dropped later in October, so we treat the gap as an early signal.
The result

What changed?

An early, evidence-based reason to put guides into document ads, and to put people on the cover.
Single-image ad
~$300
Cost per lead
3 leads
Document ad
~$140
Cost per lead
13 leads

FullFunnel-reported on small samples.

Metric
Cost per lead
Sample
13 vs. 3 leads
Caveat
Conversions dropped later in October
Sound familiar?

Are you running guides in the wrong format?

Talk to us about it

You run gated guides as single-image ads by default.

Your ad covers have never been tested with and without people.

You don’t know which format drives cheaper leads.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is a LinkedIn document ad?
An ad format that shows a document, like a guide, directly in the LinkedIn feed.
How many clients ran document ads in October?
Four. This is the only program so far with a direct comparison against single-image ads.
Will this hold for my content?
Maybe not. This is one guide and small samples. The useful lesson is to test format and cover together rather than assume.
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