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Thought Leader Ads on LinkedIn are powerful. They build credibility quickly—but mostly at the individual level. So the question becomes: how do you shift that trust from the person to the company they represent?

In a recent conversation with Marc Woodland from Winbox (a LinkedIn Ads–only agency), he shared his perspective on how to make that transition effective.

Retargeting: the bridge between individual and brand

When someone engages with a Thought Leader post, they’re signaling interest and starting to build trust. The next step is to:

• Retarget those audiences with brand ads.
  
• Show both sides: individuals from your organization and your company brand.
  
  

This nurtures the relationship and helps move prospects closer to becoming sales-qualified leads.

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Use social proof to reinforce brand trust

From a brand perspective, the ads that work best for transferring trust are:

• Case studies
  
• Testimonials
  
• Social proof formats
  
  

These show that the value isn’t just tied to one person, but is deeply connected to the company’s ability to deliver results.

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Trust transfers naturally to the brand

Marc also pointed out something important: people aren’t blind. When they see Thought Leader posts, they recognize that there’s a company behind the individual:

• The job title is visible.
  
• The ad says “Promoted by [Company Name].
  
• Curious prospects often visit the profile and check which company the person represents.
  
  

By default, trust built with the individual passes to the brand—because audiences know that company is the one empowering these experts.

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Key takeaway

Thought Leader Ads build quick, personal trust. To move that trust toward your brand:

1. Retarget with brand ads.
   
2. Use case studies and testimonials.
   
3. Let the natural connection between expert and company do the rest.
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