Search Ads vs LinkedIn Ads: Which Drives Lower CAC for B2B

If you're a B2B marketer trying to drive high-quality leads without incinerating your budget, you're likely juggling two big contenders: Google Search Ads and LinkedIn Ads. Both have their place. Both can work brilliantly. But when it comes to cold, hard customer acquisition cost (CAC), which one actually delivers more bang for your buck?

Let’s break it down for you with nuance, data-backed insight, and help you make smarter decisions with your ppc budget.

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TL;DR

• Google Search Ads often win on lower CAC thanks to high intent and broad reach
• LinkedIn Ads make it easier to reach a broader pool of your ICP with precise job title and industry targeting, but unlike Google Ads, this audience isn’t actively searching.
• The sweet spot? Using them together, strategically, not as interchangeable tools

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What Impacts CAC in B2B Paid Ads?

Before we declare a winner, a quick reminder: CAC isn’t just your media spend divided by leads.

For B2B businesses, especially those with complex buying journeys, CAC is influenced by:

• Audience intent (are they actively searching, or passively scrolling?)
• Targeting precision
• Click-through and conversion rates
• Deal value and sales velocity
• Post-lead nurturing (i.e. what happens after the form fill)

So it's not just "which ad platform is cheaper?" It's "which one delivers better returns, faster, with less friction?"

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Google Search Ads: The Intent Powerhouse

Google Search Ads are the bread and butter of B2B acquisition, and for good reason.

✅ Pros:

• High-intent leads: You’re catching people actively searching for solutions
• Strong scalability: With the right keyword strategy, you can expand fast
• Fast feedback loop: Quick data on what’s working and what’s not
• Lower CAC: Often more cost-efficient at driving first conversions (especially for bottom-of-funnel keywords)

❌ Cons:

• Harder to target job titles or industries
• Broad match gone rogue? Yep, wasted budget without tight control
• Low intent traps: Not all searchers are buyers (or even remotely qualified)
• Search volume limits: Niche products can struggle with low keyword demand

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When Google Search Ads Drive the Lowest CAC:

• You’re targeting high-intent keywords like “best [SaaS category] software” or “[solution] for [industry]”
• Your sales process is already optimised to convert inbound leads fast
• You’ve implemented conversion tracking properly (this is not optional, by the way)

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LinkedIn Ads: Precision with a Price Tag

LinkedIn Ads let you target by job title, company size, industry, seniority - basically, your exact ICP on a silver platter. But you’ll pay for the privilege.

✅ Pros:

• Unrivalled B2B targeting: No other ad platform gives you this granularity
• Brand-building + lead gen in one place
• Great for ABM: Run targeted campaigns against decision-makers at specific companies
• Supports complex sales: Nurture and influence long before the buyer Googles a thing

❌ Cons:

• High CPCs (expect £6–£12+ per click in the UK)
• Lower intent - you might think these people are going to be your biggest fan, but unfortunately, they may not be looking for what you have to offer, so make sure your targeting and ICP work is tight!
• Slower CAC payback unless your follow-up is airtight
• Low click-through rates compared to search, but that’s not the whole story

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When LinkedIn Ads Drive the Lowest CAC:

• Your offer matches the mindset: think about the biggest pain points of your audience and how you can help solve them
• Your team can nurture and convert leads over weeks/months, not hours
• You’re targeting niche industries where search volume is low

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Real Talk: CAC Isn't the Only Metric That Matters

This might sound controversial, but the cheapest leads aren't always the best ones.

If your Google Ads CAC is £90 and your LinkedIn CAC is £150, but the LinkedIn leads close faster, spend more, or churn less, it’s not a like-for-like comparison. CAC is one metric in a wider profitability puzzle.

Here’s a smarter way to evaluate search ads vs paid LinkedIn ads:

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How to Lower CAC on Both Platforms

Whether you’re all-in on Google or leaning into LinkedIn, a few golden rules apply:

1. Nail your offer

What’s in it for the user? Is it specific, timely, and valuable enough to click?

2. Optimise landing pages

Match message to intent. Ditch distractions. Track everything.

3. Qualify fast

Use forms that filter tyre-kickers. Automate your follow-up to keep leads warm.

4. Use exclusion audiences

Avoid retargeting people who have already converted. Seriously.

5. Get the measurement right

No attribution? No optimisation. End of story.

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So… Which Paid Ads Platform Wins?

If you’re asking strictly which paid ads platform delivers lower CAC for B2B, the answer is usually:

👉 Google Search Ads

But if you’re asking which platform helps you reach the right people, before they’ve started searching, build brand trust, and warm them up for a high-value sale?

👉 LinkedIn Ads is your friend, just be ready to commit.

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Final Word

Paid ads on LinkedIn aren’t a waste of money; they’re just a waste when used without a strategy. Same goes for Google.

The real trick? Understand what each platform is good for. Use them together, in a full-funnel plan. And optimise like your CAC depends on it. (Because it does.)

If you need help building a paid ads strategy for LinkedIn or Google that lowers CAC, not just generates more MQL PDFs, get in touch.

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