# Full-Funnel LinkedIn Ads: 6X ROI for Cloud Security | OVERTOP [Home](/)›[Success stories](/success-stories/)›[LinkedIn Ads](/success-stories/linkedin-ads/)›Lacework LinkedIn Ads success story · Cloud security company # How a cloud security company earned a 6X return on ad spend by nurturing buyers before asking for a demo. Lacework’s content downloads produced plenty of leads that were not ready to talk to sales. It added video and documents to warm buyers up, used Conversation Ads at the bottom of the funnel, and even kept advertising to accounts after their demo. Leads got better and closed faster. BusinessLacework MarketMountain View, California GoalLeads that turn into pipeline, faster ## The results. Compared with its earlier content-download campaigns; the close-rate figure comes from an A/B test of accounts that had already had a demo. - **6X**return on ad spend - **40%**more qualified leads - **30%**lower cost per lead - **25%**higher close rate on accounts shown brand ads after a demo Pipeline and sales figures from Lacework’s reporting; sales velocity also rose by roughly 50%. Self-reported by the advertiser and published by LinkedIn; results for other businesses will differ. ## The challenge. Lacework is a cloud security platform that helps companies find vulnerabilities and misconfigurations. The marketing team knew exactly which companies and job titles it wanted, and LinkedIn could reach them. The brief was simple: build pipeline with ads that drive content downloads. Downloads came in, but many of those leads were not ready for a demo and converted slowly. Reading a report is not the same as wanting to buy. ## What they did. Video Ads · Document Ads · Thought Leader Ads · Conversation Ads · Lead Gen Forms Warmed the audience firstA brand awareness campaign with short educational [Video Ads](https://business.linkedin.com/advertise/ads/sponsored-content/video-ads) ran ahead of the content offer, then viewers were retargeted to fill out a lead form.Matched formats to stages[Document Ads](https://business.linkedin.com/advertise/ads/sponsored-content/document-ads), single image ads and Thought Leader Ads covered the middle of the funnel, each tested and refined with LinkedIn’s team.Conversation Ads to closeFor people already nurtured, Conversation Ads consistently delivered the most pipeline and sped up sales.Kept advertising after the demoIn an A/B test, high-value accounts that stalled after a discovery call were shown brand ads. Those accounts closed at a 25% higher rate. ## Why it worked. Our read on the decisions behind the numbers, and what any business can take from them. A download is not intentTreating every content download as a sales lead floods the team with people who are still learning. Nurturing first meant sales spoke to buyers who were ready.Every stage had a jobVideo created interest, documents built understanding and conversations started the sales process. No single ad had to do everything.Marketing does not stop at the demoDeals stall. Staying in front of the buying committee after a meeting kept the company top of mind while the decision was being made.Judged on pipeline revenueMeasuring marketing spend against pipeline won, rather than cost per stage, made budget conversations easier and better. ## How we would run this play for your business. You do not need a national budget to use the same ideas. This is how Overtop Media Digital Marketing puts them to work in our [linkedin ads management](/linkedin-ads/). Map content to buying stagesWe decide what someone needs to see before they are ready for a call, and build ads for each step.Retarget by engagementPeople who watched, read or replied move to the next stage automatically, so budget follows interest.Support open dealsWe run quiet brand campaigns to accounts already talking to your sales team, so the deal does not go cold.Share one view of the funnelMarketing and sales see the same numbers, from first view to closed revenue, in one shared report. ## Who this play fits. You do not have to be a cloud security company to use the same approach. It is a strong fit for: - Software and cybersecurity companies - IT services and managed service providers - Industrial and engineering firms - Businesses with a demo or consultation step - Teams with lots of leads but slow sales - Any company selling to a buying committee ## Want results like these? Tell us about your business and your goals. We will show you where LinkedIn ads can bring you customers, and what it would take. [Start growing with LinkedIn ads](#audit) [Or call (704) 237-0707 ›](tel:7042370707) [See how we run LinkedIn ads for our clients ›](/linkedin-ads/) ## More LinkedIn ads success stories. - [ Software and technology **778%** return on ad spend (roughly) ### Superhuman Read the story › ](/success-stories/microsoft-ads/superhuman/) - [ Software and technology **186%** increase in return on ad spend ### Smokeball Australia Read the story › ](/success-stories/linkedin-ads/smokeball-australia/) - [ Software and technology **6X** more qualified sales meetings from marketing ### Firebolt Read the story › ](/success-stories/linkedin-ads/firebolt/) [See all LinkedIn ads success stories ›](/success-stories/linkedin-ads/) Results as published by LinkedIn in its Lacework customer story. Self-reported; results for other businesses will differ. Analysis by Victor Bubuioc, MBA, Digital Performance and Growth Expert, published October 10, 2026.