91% of B2B marketers in the UAE agree that grabbing audience attention is the biggest campaign worry
More than half say if they don’t invest in video, they’ll lose out to competitors
97% of B2B marketers in the UAE say video is one of the most effective strategies to gain direct sales
Majority of UAE marketing executives describe their leadership as “risk averse”
LinkedIn expands its video advertising capabilities; introduces First Impression Ads, Reserved Ads, and expanded capabilities for CTV Ads to help B2B marketers cut through the noise and drive results
In today’s high-stakes, highly complex B2B landscape, new research from LinkedIn reveals that 91% of B2B marketers in the UAE say grabbing audience attention is their biggest campaign worry. And, 66% say that investing in video is imperative to not lose out to competitors.
LinkedIn’s ‘2025 B2B Marketer Sentiment Research’ that surveyed over 3,000 B2B marketers across 13 countries – UK, USA, France, Germany, Netherlands Spain, Italy, Sweden, Brazil, UAE, Singapore, India, and Australia – reveals that 76% of B2B marketers in the UAE, and 80% globally feel they need to invest in creative strategies to stand out because it’s more competitive these days.
However, creativity still needs to make its case in the boardroom. Senior-level marketing leaders are clear that creative ideas and video will influence purchase decisions, but they’re being forced to rely on more traditional and stale tactics over experimental ones, with 83% of UAE CMOs and VPs saying their leadership is risk averse.
B2B video and influencer marketing among most effective strategies to drive direct sales
As B2B marketers continue to do more with less and face increasing pressure to demonstrate impact on the bottom line, 97% of B2B marketers in the UAE say video and 98% say influencer marketing are among the most effective strategies to gain direct sales in the current landscape.
Short-form video in B2B helps marketers build trust with audiences (72%) and reach decision makers (72%), and short-form influencer video content is emerging as the top investment priority for marketers.
The research also uncovers that building authentic and credible brands is a top priority for B2B marketers, and influencer and creator partnerships can help achieve this. Sixty-six per cent of B2B marketers say that their marketing strategy is incomplete today without influencer and creator partnerships, and 91% are confident that influencer marketing campaigns will directly lead to sales by the end of the year.
B2B buying is becoming more complex, and according to Forrester’s 2025 B2B Marketing and Sales Predictions, younger B2B buyers are relying on 10 or more external sources – including social media and peer networks – when making purchase decisions.
Jessica Machalani, Head of LinkedIn Marketing Solutions MENA, said: “Today’s B2B buyers, 71% of whom are Gen Z or millennials, are engaging with brands in entirely new ways. Video now plays a central role in how they discover, evaluate, and connect. To earn a spot on their shortlist, brands need to show up where it matters – in the content they watch, the creators they trust, and the stories that resonate. Earning their engagement means being more human and more relatable – connecting through meaningful touchpoints like compelling video, thought leadership, and credible, expert-driven influencer marketing.”
LinkedIn expands video advertising capabilities; introduces First Impression Ads, Reserved Ads, and expands CTV Ads capabilities to help B2B marketers cut through the noise
LinkedIn has announced a number of updates that make it easier for marketers to continue innovating with video, including:
First Impression Ads: 86% of B2B marketers say that day one of a campaign is extremely important in driving the highest impact, and that’s why LinkedIn has introduced First Impression Ads – a new full-screen, vertical video format for single-day campaigns to maximize visibility for important marketing moments. First Impression Ads allow marketers to target professional audiences, like small business owners or tech decision-makers, and exclusively reserve the first ad impression that a member sees on a given day.
Reserved Ads: To sustain campaign impact beyond day one, brands can choose Reserved Ads to place their Sponsored Content as the first ad in the feed. Like choosing front-row at your favorite concert to guarantee the best view, Reserved Ads help marketers plan campaigns with confidence and increase attention, brand visibility, and share of voice.
Expanded capabilities for CTV Ads: Since launching last year, on average CTV Ads through LinkedIn are over 4X more effective in reaching an advertiser’s B2B target audience compared to linear TV (as measured by iSpot). Now, CTV Ads are generally available for customers globally to target buyers in the US and Canada, and LinkedIn has announced additional enhancements to offer more premium reach, easier activation, and sharper insights:
Ease of use with new integrations: With 67% of B2B marketers globally saying that CTV ads make it easier to reach their customers more regularly, with new integrations with Innovid and Sprinklr, LinkedIn is making it easier to reach the right people, and simplify campaign creation and management.
Create high-quality video ads faster with Adobe Express: Creating high-quality video ads can be a hurdle for many B2B marketers – especially SMBs with limited time and resources. That’s why LinkedIn is teaming up with Adobe to make video ad creation easier — marketers can design their ads in Adobe Express and export directly to LinkedIn Ads.