When you’re managing a $50K+/month paid media budget, every decision feels high-stakes. You are under pressure to track clicks, CPMs, and conversion rates to prove performance, fast.
For most enterprise teams, that level of spend demands precision, not just more ads, but smarter ones. The question we hear most? Where does the money actually work harder: Meta (Facebook + Instagram) or LinkedIn Ads?
Both platforms promise reach and results, but when it comes to aligning with your funnel stage, audience intent, and CAC goals, they behave very differently.
That’s where Cube comes in. We go beyond platform benchmarks to help enterprise marketers dissect performance across:
- Audience quality and buying intent
- Creative effectiveness and fatigue rates
- Cost-per-lead vs. cost-per-close
- Attribution gaps in full-funnel visibility
So if you’re asking, “Where should this $50K go next month?” We’ll show you not just where to spend, but how to make every dollar work harder.
Ready for your media mix deep dive?
Understanding the Platforms: Meta vs LinkedIn
Let’s start with an overview of these platforms from an ads perspective.
Meta (Facebook & Instagram)
With over a billion users, Meta is one of the world’s most sophisticated ad platforms. Scale-built, fueled by a powerful algorithm, and loaded with creative formats, ranging from Stories to Reels to Instant Experience ads, is a behemoth.
Meta is particularly potent for top-of-funnel awareness, A/B testing, and warm retargeting campaigns. If your objective is volume, Meta is your playground.
LinkedIn is the boardroom of the internet. Though it has fewer accounts compared to Meta, LinkedIn provides something Meta can’t: a professional context. From job titles to company sizes to career stages, LinkedIn is designed for B2B precision. It’s where enterprise buyers, decision-makers, and talent reside and interact.
So, which platform is the B2B champion? It depends. For hyper-targeted lead generation and intent-based campaigns, LinkedIn is the way to go. For scalable awareness and mid-funnel nurturing, Meta is generally the better bet.
Ad Cost Breakdown
Now that we are clear on the specifics of both platforms, let’s analyze the ad cost breakdown for both.
LinkedIn ads typically run between $8 and $15 CPC, with CPMs often exceeding $100, depending on ad targeting. Cost per lead (CPL) on enterprise campaigns can be $150–$300+.
What makes it expensive? Hyper-targeting: the more specific your audience (e.g., VPs in fintech marketing), the higher the auction price. Sometimes you’ll get what you pay for – warm leads, buyer intent, and pipeline-ready contacts.
Pros
- High lead quality
- Intent-rich audience
- Great for gated offers (or product demos)
Cons
- Expensive at scale
- Limited creative engagement
- Often, a slower learning phase
Bottom line: If you’re looking for enterprise decision-makers, the ROI tends to make the LinkedIn ads cost worthwhile.
Meta Ads Cost Breakdown
Compared to LinkedIn, Meta ad costs are significantly cheaper. For example, CPCs are typically $1–$2, and CPMs frequently start below $10 and can be as low as $15 across many industries. So that’s 5–10 times less expensive than LinkedIn.
Why is Meta cheaper? Meta’s algorithm focuses on volume and engagement. It’s built to tweak, iterate, and accelerate. If your goal is testing creative, or if you wish to grow top-of-funnel traffic, it’s a steal.
Pros
- Low acquisition costs
- Large audience size
- Great option for creative testing and remarketing
Cons
- Lower intent from cold traffic
- Harder to isolate job roles or seniority
- Potential risks of unqualified leads if you are not super refined in your targeting
Bottom line: If you understand your audience and use it to your advantage strategically, even Meta Ads can convert for B2B. Especially if you follow a thoughtful retargeting approach or use lead gen forms.
Audience Targeting & Funnel Fit
Meta performs best with TOFU (top-of-funnel) campaigns that use wide-ranging interest-based and behavioral targeting. It’s a cheap way to build awareness, generate curiosity, and begin a conversation.
LinkedIn performs best with MOFU and BOFU efforts targeting users with remarkable specificity, including job titles, seniority level, industry, and company size. If your target is VPs interested in FinTech or HR leaders in SaaS, you need to be on LinkedIn.
Either way, retargeting is a key factor. Cube executes a layered approach where you create traffic and engagement on Meta, then retarget on LinkedIn for demo requests or lead magnet conversions. Alternatively, you can launch TOFU campaigns on LinkedIn to capture high-intent users, then retarget them using Meta with social proof and testimonials.
Matching the funnel stage to the platform allows you to reach the right person at the right time with the right message…without breaking the budget.
Ad Creative & Messaging Differences
Recognizing the tone and user expectations for each platform is critical to your campaign execution. Meta requires attention-grabbing visuals and fast-paced story development with emotionally touching narratives. Use short video versions, UGC, carousels, and CTAs that stop thumbs during scroll! Audiences on Meta typically react more emotionally than logically, so tap into the benefits, impact, and community.
On LinkedIn, the tone is again different. You are positioning your brand to professionals, so authority, value, and relevance are what matter most! Use clear messaging, solid papers, webinars, and product content. A carousel ad that defines a problem-solution framework is likely to convert, as are LinkedIn lead gen forms with considered value propositions.
Each platform has its own language. It is not enough to just reuse the same creatives across your platforms. You’d need to be more specific and intentional in your visuals and copy to meet user expectations. For instance, one creative might feel like a pitch deck, and the other like a viral reel. This approach can exponentially increase CTRs and conversion rates via aligning creative tone with platform expectations!
Campaign Objectives and Performance Benchmarks
All platforms have their native advantages, and ultimately, your key performance indicators will lead you to a decision. Meta often delivers the highest click-through rates (1%–3%) at the lowest cost per lead ($20–$60), so it should be the go-to platform for generating traffic with scale. Meta performs best in the top and mid-funnel advertising space with its retargeting capabilities. LinkedIn ads are more expensive per click (cost per click $8–$15), but the leads here are more targeted and usually convert faster or deeper into the sales cycle.
So, use Meta for breadth. In terms of ad spend efficiency, it is a cost-effective platform for engagement rates and conversions, an excellent option for newsletter signups, brand awareness, and content distribution. LinkedIn usually outperforms for lead gen campaigns because it allows for landing page customization that is best targeted for a role or industry. The only benchmarks to be aware of here are lower engagement (CTR 0.5-1%) and higher close rates.
Budget Allocation Scenarios: How to Spend $50K Wisely
Your media mix will differ based on the goal you prioritize. Going all-in on LinkedIn with a $50K investment may garner 300-400 high-intent leads, particularly in enterprise verticals. However, your cost per lead here would be approximately $200.
If a deep sales pipeline and quality demos are your priority, then it’s acceptable to go all-in on LinkedIn. Going all-in on Meta could mean you get to scale to hundreds of thousands of people with thousands of clicks. Here, your CPL will drop, but quality will likely dip as well, unless you have hardcore retargeted campaigns running.
We recommend a hybrid approach – a 70/30 (LinkedIn/Meta) or 50/50 media mix based on where your funnel has the most holes. LinkedIn can run your lead generation engine. Meta can lead with traffic, brand recall, and nurture. These stages work as complementary channels that improve CAC as well as nurture retargeting pools on both platforms.
Use the data to rebalance monthly (you cannot set it and forget it). It will always change, whether it’s messaging, audience fatigue, or product stage. At Cube, we take it up a notch by optimizing campaigns with the real-time data our in-house AI continuously tracks.
Scaling Considerations for Enterprise Brands
Scaling isn’t simply growing spending; it’s growing efficiency.
Meta scales more quickly with its learning algorithm and audience expansion capabilities. Once an ad set is profitable, the system can then test variations and release performance at scale. LinkedIn, slower to optimize, holds quality at scale. It’s better at remaining targeted, but more budget isn’t always more leads. It’s just a higher frequency.
Enterprise brands must monitor attribution tightly. A user may click a LinkedIn ad and then convert after viewing a Meta retargeting ad. Without accurate UTM tracking and CRM integration, it’s difficult to make that connection.
Also, think about budget elasticity. If Meta’s CPL goes up, cut TOFU spend. If LinkedIn’s CPM gets out of hand, test Conversation Ads or Sponsored Messaging. The most successful scaling models stack platforms. TOFU begins on one; BOFU ends on another. That’s where growth and ROI actually occur.
Final Verdict: Facebook vs LinkedIn Ads?
Utilize LinkedIn for high-intent B2B prospects, and use Meta for scalable reach and testing. The real ROI comes from strategically integrating both ways. Confused how?
Cube helps enterprise teams spend smarter by aligning platforms with funnel stages, decreasing waste, and increasing results. We even give you a free audit of your current ad campaigns. You can grab yours here.
