LinkedIn In-Stream Video Ads: The Golden Era for B2B and Gen Z

Have you ever felt like you were speaking to a hall full of people in suits, while the generation of buyers actually holding the budget was scrolling through videos on their phones somewhere completely different? That is precisely the paradox B2B marketers have been facing for years.

We are still accustomed to LinkedIn being a place for long-form text posts, industry reports, and serious professional discussions. But while we have been busy writing statuses, a new buying generation—Gen Z and Millennials—has completely changed how they research, evaluate, and choose vendors. They do not read brochures. They watch videos. They do not trust ads. They trust the creators they follow.

And LinkedIn, after years of being regarded as the "safe haven" for text-based content, is making strong moves to catch up with that trend. With the launch of In-Stream Video Ads and the expansion of the Creator Marketplace, the platform is sending a clear message: B2B is no longer a playground for dry presentations. B2B is becoming a place where stories are told through video, by real people, with genuine perspectives.

Join me, SilverZ, as we dissect this turning point. Because if you are doing B2B marketing and still think video is only for B2C, you are missing out on one of the biggest opportunities of the decade.

In-Stream Video Ads: When LinkedIn Learns to Tell Stories Through Video

Let's start with the feature causing a buzz in the B2B marketing world: LinkedIn In-Stream Video Ads. This is a pre-roll ad format that allows advertisers to run their videos before the video content of creators and publishers on the platform.

Sounds like YouTube? Yes, there are formal similarities. But there is a fundamental difference: the professional context. When your ad appears before a video about "Financial Strategies for Startups" or "The Future of AI in Manufacturing," it doesn't just reach someone watching a video. It reaches a professional actively researching a topic directly related to your solution.

How it works is simple yet effective:

• Select content categories: Advertisers choose a category like "Tech & AI," "Finance," or "Lifestyle & Entertainment"—or choose to run across all categories.
• Automated system optimization: LinkedIn determines ad placement and optimizes delivery based on your campaign goals.
• Setup in Campaign Manager: Simply select "Video" as the ad type and toggle on the In-Stream Ads option.

Notably, this format also benefits creators and publishers: they get an additional way to monetize their video content on the platform. This is an important step forward in building the creator ecosystem on LinkedIn—where previously, monetizing video content was nearly a difficult puzzle to solve.

Currently, In-Stream Ads are being tested with a small group of advertisers and creators in North America before expanding globally. If you are in another market, now is the time to prepare resources and strategies for the upcoming wave.

Creator Marketplace: Finding the Right Person, Expertise, and Audience

Alongside In-Stream Ads, LinkedIn is also expanding the Creator Marketplace—a tool that helps advertisers find and connect with relevant creators. This is not an entirely new feature, but this expanded version brings much more powerful search and filtering tools.

What sets LinkedIn's Creator Marketplace apart from other platforms is the first-party data it utilizes. These are not inflated follower counts. This is data on the actual expertise, industry, job title, and engagement level of creators within a specific field.

Advertisers can now filter creators by:

• Audience concentration: Whether creators have followers focused on a specific industry, job function, or seniority level.
• "Top Voices" program: Whether creators participate in LinkedIn's Top Voices program—a signal of credibility and content quality.
• Content format: Video, single image, text, article, carousel, or newsletter—to match your content strategy.
• Industry and job function of the creator: To ensure the person you choose truly understands the field they are discussing.

In particular, the expanded search functionality allows advertisers to find creators based on how they describe their own professional background, rather than relying solely on pre-existing category tags. You can search for "Founders" or "FinTech" and receive creators who truly fit that description, even if they aren't officially tagged in that category.

Currently, the Creator Marketplace is still in alpha testing and restricted to invited advertisers and creators in North America, with English-language content. However, LinkedIn's heavy investment in this tool demonstrates that they are betting on the future of creator-led B2B marketing.

Why Are Gen Z and Millennials So Important?

This is the core of the story, and the reason why LinkedIn's changes have become more urgent than ever.

Look at the numbers: Gen Z and Millennials now account for up to 71% of B2B buying decision-makers. They are no longer the "future generation." They are the present generation, and they are reshaping how businesses make purchases.

But more important than the numbers is their behavior. According to LinkedIn research:

• Nearly 9 out of 10 marketers believe their company's future growth depends on the ability to influence decision-makers in Gen Z and Millennials.
• 64% of marketers working with experts/creators say that content from these individuals is more effective than traditional campaigns in moving audiences from awareness to consideration.
• 39% of marketers state that expert voices are the most effective way to drive purchase consideration—compared to 26% who say their greatest impact is at the awareness stage.

In other words, credibility and trust have become the strongest currencies in B2B. And Gen Z and Millennials—who grew up with social media—do not trust brand advertisements. They trust real people, real experts, and the creators they follow and trust.

This is precisely why LinkedIn is not only adding video ads but also expanding the Creator Marketplace. They are building an ecosystem where brands can connect with the voices that the new purchasing generation actually listens to.

Lessons for Vietnamese Marketers: Prepare Before the Wave Hits

You might be thinking: "In-Stream Ads and Creator Marketplace are still testing in North America; Vietnam won't see them for a long time."

True. But as I often tell my students: the winner is not the one who reacts the fastest when the wave hits, but the one who prepared in advance.

Here is what Vietnamese marketers can start doing today:

1. Do Not Wait for New Tools to Start Making Videos

Videos on LinkedIn do not need to be Hollywood productions. Short 7-15 second videos filmed on a phone with sharp professional insights are currently the most effective formats. Start building the habit of producing video now—before In-Stream Ads officially arrive in Vietnam.

2. Build an Internal Creator Team

The Creator Marketplace lets you find external creators. But you can also turn experts within your company into creators. Employees with deep expertise, strong communication skills, and industry credibility are your most natural and sustainable "BrandLinks." Invest in training them on video storytelling.

3. Prepare Data and Measurement Processes

As video ads become more popular, measuring effectiveness will become more complex. Do not just measure views. Measure impact on awareness, consideration, and conversion. Build tracking workflows from video views to website visits, leads, and sales opportunities—starting right now.

4. Focus on Credibility, Not Just Reach

LinkedIn data shows that trust matters more than reach. Creators with fewer followers but high professional credibility within a small community often deliver better results than those with hundreds of thousands of followers who lack genuine expertise. Seek out voices with niche credibility, not just celebrities.

When B2B Is No Longer a "Boring Business"

I have witnessed B2B marketing undergo numerous transformations over the past two decades. From days when B2B ads were just dry banner ads on financial news pages, to the era of content marketing, and then to the age of data and automation. Each time, those who dared to change emerged as leaders.

This time is no exception. LinkedIn In-Stream Video Ads and the Creator Marketplace are not just new features. They are a statement about the future of B2B: a future where video and creators are central, professional credibility matters more than follower counts, and stories told by real people beat messages manufactured by marketing departments.

And in a world where 71% of B2B purchase decision-makers are Gen Z and Millennials—people who grew up with video and social media—adaptation is no longer optional. It is a prerequisite for survival.

What are you preparing for the wave of video and creators in B2B marketing? Is it an opportunity to reach a new generation of customers through authentic, trustworthy stories, or a challenge where video production skills and creator relationship-building remain uncharted territory for your team? If LinkedIn launches In-Stream Ads in Vietnam tomorrow, where would you start—and what is holding you back? Share your perspective below, because in this B2B race, the best storyteller wins!