Guide · LinkedIn Ads
LinkedIn Document Ads
A swipeable PDF in the feed that people read without ever leaving LinkedIn. The exact specs, the character limits, the gating decision that turns reach into leads, and the slide sequence that keeps people swiping.
Last verified June 2026 against LinkedIn's Help Center
The short answer
Document ads let you drop a full PDF, deck, or report into the feed as a swipeable, multi-page unit. People read the whole thing in place, no click required, which makes the format the closest LinkedIn has to an in-feed carousel post: strong for ebooks, whitepapers, case studies, benchmark reports, and frameworks that one static image cannot carry.
The format's real edge is engagement, not cheap leads. People spend real time swiping through a document, which is why it earns roughly three times the engagement of a standard single image post. You can also gate it with a Lead Gen Form to capture leads mid-read, though a single image ad with a Lead Gen Form often matches or beats a document ad on cost per lead, so treat gated documents as a test, not a default. This guide covers the hard specs you need to ship, the gating decision, and the slide sequence that keeps people moving. For every format's dimensions in one place, see the full ad specs guide.
Document ads at a glance
The quick orientation before the spec tables: what the format is, where it runs, and what it is best at.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format family | Sponsored Content, a swipeable multi-page document in the feed |
| Placement | Desktop and mobile feed, plus the LinkedIn Audience Network |
| Components | One uploaded document shown page by page, read without leaving the feed |
| Objectives | Brand awareness, engagement, and lead generation |
| Video | Not supported. Videos and animations render as static images |
| Best for | Ebooks, whitepapers, case studies, benchmark reports, checklists, and frameworks |
Document specs
Document ads are forgiving on shape but strict on file prep. You can upload PDF, DOC, DOCX, PPT, or PPTX, but the moment you attach a Lead Gen Form the file must be a PDF. Flatten layers and use a single uniform page size before you upload, or the file gets rejected.
| Attribute | Requirement |
|---|---|
| File type | PDF, DOC, DOCX, PPT, PPTX. Lead generation campaigns support PDF only |
| File size | 100 MB maximum |
| Page count | 300 pages maximum. Practical sweet spot is 5 to 10 |
| Word limit | 1 million words |
| Recommended slide size | 1080 x 1080 px (1:1). Vertical and horizontal are also supported |
| Files per ad | Up to 5 documents can be uploaded to a single ad |
| Video & animation | Not supported. Any motion is flattened to a static image |
| Hyperlinks | Only clickable if the member downloads the document. Keep links secure |
| PDF prep | Flatten multiple layers, and fit mixed page sizes to one uniform size |
Text and character limits
There are only three text fields. Introductory text technically allows 3,000 characters, but it truncates around 150 on mobile, so treat the first sentence as your hook. The headline pre-fills with the file name, which is almost never what you want it to say.
| Field | Max characters | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ad name (optional) | 255 | n/a | Internal only, not shown to members |
| Introductory text | 3,000 | 150 or fewer | Truncates around 150 chars on mobile. Put any legal language here |
| Headline | 200 | 70 or fewer | Pre-fills with the file name, so rename it to something clear |
Gate or ungate
This is the one decision that defines a document ad campaign. Gate the document with a Lead Gen Form and members see a preview, then hand over their details to unlock the rest. Leave it ungated and the whole document is free to read, which trades leads for reach, trust, and thought-leadership lift. Gating a document can pull leads, but do not assume it beats a plain single image ad on cost per lead: in many accounts it does not, so run both and let the numbers decide.
Neither is wrong. Awareness and case-study content usually performs better ungated, where it can spread. Data, benchmarks, and templates, the assets people actively want, are the ones worth gating. The table below is a starting point by content type.
Gating strategy by content type
A rough map of when to gate and when to let the document run free. The gate position is a starting point, not a rule: test it. Sometimes an ungated document with a sharp end-slide CTA beats a gated one with more friction.
| Content type | Typical length | Gate strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Benchmark report or data | 5 to 8 slides | Gate around slide 5 for lead generation |
| Framework or methodology | 6 to 10 slides | Ungate to build awareness and thought leadership |
| Product walkthrough | 8 to 12 slides | Gate around slide 6 for consideration-stage leads |
| Case study | 5 to 7 slides | Ungate so the social proof spreads freely |
| Checklist or short guide | 4 to 6 slides | Gate at slide 3 when the payoff is the download |
Creative best practices
Meeting the file spec is the baseline. What separates a document ad that gets read from one that gets scrolled past is the sequence: a hook that earns the first swipe, one idea per slide, and a close that converts.
Win the first slide
- Slide one decides whether anyone swipes. State exactly what they will learn and why it matters.
- Lead with the payoff, a bold stat, or a sharp question. Not your logo or a title page.
One message per slide
- Each page carries a single idea. Crowded slides kill the swipe-through rate.
- Limit body copy to three to five short lines so it reads at a glance in the feed.
Design at 1080 square, mobile first
- Most of LinkedIn is read on a phone, so build for the small screen and high contrast.
- 1080 x 1080 is the safest slide size across every placement and device.
Use large, legible type
- Roughly 24pt minimum for body text and 36pt and up for headlines.
- If a slide is hard to read at thumbnail size, it is too dense.
End with a clear CTA slide
- The final page is where intent converts. Make the ask explicit: demo, download, or visit.
- Pair it with proof, a named result or a customer count, so the ask feels earned.
Gate deliberately
- Gating with a Lead Gen Form trades reach for leads. Ungated builds awareness and trust.
- A/B test the two. Sometimes an ungated document with a strong end-slide CTA wins.
Keep a visual through-line
- Repeat a color, layout, or numbering system so the pages read as one story.
- Consistency is what keeps people moving instead of dropping off at slide three.
Refresh before fatigue
- Document ads fatigue faster than other formats because people remember the specific content.
- Plan to refresh creative every three to four weeks on narrow audiences.
Performance benchmarks
Document ads are measured differently from image formats. The number that matters most is engagement, where the format genuinely stands out, along with completion. On cost per lead the picture is mixed: gated documents can be efficient, but single image ads often match or beat them, so test rather than assume. These figures come from third-party 2026 sources, so treat them as directional and measure against your own account. They are typical ranges, not expected results: creative quality and audience fit move performance more than any platform average.
| Metric | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Engagement | Reported around 3x the engagement of standard single-image Sponsored Content |
| Cost per lead (gated) | Can be efficient, but single image ads with a Lead Gen Form often match or beat it. Test both |
| Completion | Drops off noticeably after 10 slides, so front-load value in the first 5 |
| Frequency | Cap around 3 to 4 impressions per person per day to protect relevance score |
| Creative fatigue | Sets in faster than other formats. Refresh every 3 to 4 weeks |
How to set one up
Seven steps from a fresh campaign to a clean, gated (or ungated) document ad.
- 1
Pick the objective first
Document ads support brand awareness, engagement, and lead generation. If you plan to gate with a Lead Gen Form, choose lead generation, which supports PDF files only.
- 2
Design the document at 1080 square
Build each page at 1080 x 1080 in Canva, PowerPoint, or your design tool of choice. One message per page, large text, consistent branding, and a CTA on the final slide.
- 3
Export a clean PDF
Flatten any layers, fit every page to the same size, and keep the file under 100 MB. Aim for 5 to 10 pages: completion drops off past 10.
- 4
Upload in Campaign Manager
Create the ad, choose the Document ad format, and upload your file. You can attach up to 5 documents to one ad if you want to test variants.
- 5
Write the intro text and headline
Intro text caps at 3,000 characters but truncates around 150 on mobile, so lead with the hook. The headline pre-fills with the file name, so rename it to something clear.
- 6
Attach a Lead Gen Form (optional)
To collect leads, add a Lead Gen Form and decide where to gate. Gating early captures more leads but shows less content. Ungate to maximize reach and trust.
- 7
Launch and read document analytics
Document ads report how much of the file was viewed and how many downloads it drove. Watch where readers drop off, then tighten the sequence and refresh creative before fatigue sets in.
LinkedIn document ads FAQ
- PDF, DOC, DOCX, PPT, and PPTX. If your campaign uses the lead generation objective with a Lead Gen Form, only PDF files are supported. The file can be up to 100 MB and 300 pages.
Sources
All specs verified against LinkedIn's official documentation.
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