The verdict in three sentences
A London consultancy targeting decision makers on LinkedIn should plan on at least 2,500 GBP a month in media, plus 15 to 20 % management or a flat retainer, because London CPCs of 6 to 15 GBP burn through small budgets in days. Expect a cost per lead of 60 to 250 GBP, driven mostly by how tight your audience is and how valuable your offer feels. If one client engagement is worth more than 25,000 GBP, a 6,000 GBP monthly budget pays back with a single signed project per quarter.
Why LinkedIn costs more in London
London is one of LinkedIn's most competitive ad markets: financial services, legal, SaaS and consulting firms all bid on the same CFOs, COOs and HR directors. Targetable audiences inside Greater London range from roughly 15,000 to 300,000 senior professionals depending on function, seniority and industry filters (2026 estimate). LinkedIn bills by card in GBP with a minimum of about 10 GBP per day per campaign.
| LinkedIn Ads metric | London, 2026 estimate |
|---|---|
| Targetable audience (finance and ops directors) | 15,000 to 300,000 people |
| Cost per thousand impressions | 35 to 90 GBP |
| Cost per click | 6 to 15 GBP |
| Lead Gen Form completion rate | 8 to 15 % of clicks |
| Cost per lead (native form) | 60 to 150 GBP |
| Cost per lead (external landing page) | 120 to 250 GBP |
| Technical minimum | About 10 GBP per day per campaign |
Under UK GDPR and PECR, you need a lawful basis to follow up: LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms let you add your privacy notice and a consent checkbox for marketing emails, which you should always do.
Three-tier price grid
The grid below reflects typical London market pricing for managed LinkedIn campaigns in 2026. The percentage drops as spend rises.
| Tier | Monthly media | Management | Total monthly cost | Exact deliverables |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 2,500 GBP | 20 %, 500 GBP | 3,000 GBP | 1 campaign, 1 audience, 2 creatives, native form, lead tracking |
| Growth | 6,000 GBP | 17 %, 1,020 GBP | 7,020 GBP | 2 to 3 campaigns, 3 audiences, message A/B tests, website retargeting |
| Scale | 15,000 GBP | 15 %, 2,250 GBP | 17,250 GBP | 4 to 6 campaigns, account-based targeting from a target list, conversation ads, CRM sync |
| Setup (one-off) | All tiers | 750 to 2,500 GBP at London agencies; 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR) at Kolonell | One-off | Account audit, Insight Tag, conversion tracking, audiences |
Kolonell applies the same structure remotely: a one-off setup of 50,000 FCFA and management at media spend plus 15 to 20 %. At an average 110 GBP per lead, Starter produces about 23 leads a month, Growth around 55 and Scale 130 to 140 before optimization.
Recurring costs to add
Management fees rarely cover everything. These line items come back regularly and belong in the budget (London market ranges, 2026 estimate).
| Recurring item | Frequency | Indicative London range |
|---|---|---|
| Extra creative sets | Every 2 months | 400 to 1,500 GBP per set |
| Short video, 30 to 60 seconds | 1 to 2 per quarter | 1,500 to 5,000 GBP |
| Conversion asset (report, benchmark study) | 1 per half year | 3,000 to 10,000 GBP |
| CRM or marketing automation seat | Monthly | 0 to 400 GBP depending on the tool |
| Sales time following up leads | Weekly | 3 to 6 internal hours |
| VAT on fees | Each invoice | 20 % unless reverse charge applies |
The most neglected cost is follow-up. A LinkedIn lead called back within 24 hours books a meeting two to three times more often than one contacted a week later.
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Mini case study
Illustrative example: Oliver, partner at a 25-person operations consultancy in the City of London, targets COOs at mid-market logistics and manufacturing firms. He picks Growth: 6,000 GBP media plus 1,020 GBP management, so 7,020 GBP a month, plus a one-off setup. At 140 GBP per lead he gets 43 leads a month. Thirteen are qualified, six take a discovery call and one signs a 45,000 GBP engagement every month on average. Over a quarter he invests about 21,000 GBP and signs roughly 135,000 GBP in fees, more than 6 times the spend.
FAQ
What is the minimum LinkedIn Ads budget in London?
LinkedIn's technical floor is about 10 GBP per day per campaign, around 300 GBP a month. In practice 2,500 GBP a month is the level where you can test two messages and collect 20 or more leads.
Is LinkedIn more expensive than Meta for B2B?
Per click, yes: 6 to 15 GBP versus often under 2 GBP on Meta. Job title targeting cuts off-target leads, so cost per qualified lead can end up similar or lower for a consultancy.
How does spend plus 15 to 20 % work?
The percentage applies to media actually spent each month: 20 % on 2,500 GBP, 15 % on 15,000 GBP. Setup is paid once, at launch.
How quickly will leads come in?
First leads typically land within 7 to 10 days. Expect 6 to 8 weeks to stabilize a reliable cost per lead and switch off weak audiences.
Do I need a landing page or is the LinkedIn form enough?
The native form is enough to start and costs 60 to 150 GBP per lead. A dedicated page becomes worthwhile when you need deeper qualification or want prospects to also find you on Google when they search for your service.
Get found by the clients who are searching for you. Prospects who see your LinkedIn ads will look you up on Google next: start with a visibility audit at 100,000 FCFA (about 152 EUR, credited against setup if you start within 30 days), then a Traffic Engine plan from 125,000 FCFA (about 191 EUR) a month, with a weekly report on your quote requests. Traffic Engine. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
