Choosing between LinkedIn Ads vs Google Ads B2B Malaysia can feel like standing at a crossroads. Both platforms promise quality leads, but which one actually delivers for Malaysian B2B businesses?
The answer varies depending on your industry, budget, and how your buyers make decisions. Let’s break down what each platform brings to the table and help you figure out which one (or both) deserves a spot in your marketing strategy.
Table of Contents
Understanding LinkedIn Ads and Google Ads: The Basics
Before we dive into comparisons, let’s get clear on what makes each platform tick.
LinkedIn Ads: The Professional Networking Powerhouse
LinkedIn lets you target professionals based on their job titles, company size, industry, and seniority level. Think CFOs in logistics, HR managers in manufacturing, or IT directors in fintech. The platform offers several ad formats:
- Sponsored content that appears in feeds
- Sponsored InMail (now called Message ads) for direct inbox outreach
- Lead gen forms that capture information without users leaving LinkedIn
Google Ads: The Search Intent Giant
Google Ads puts your business in front of people actively searching for solutions. When someone types “ERP system for manufacturing Malaysia” into Google, your ad can appear right there. The platform includes:
- Search ads triggered by specific keywords
- Display ads across millions of websites
- Shopping ads for product listings
- YouTube ads for video content across Google’s massive video platform
- Gmail ads that appear in users’ inboxes
- Performance Max campaigns that optimise across channels
The fundamental difference? LinkedIn targets people based on who they are professionally, whilst Google targets people based on what they’re searching for right now.
Where Malaysian B2B Buyers Actually Hang Out
Understanding the Malaysian B2B landscape matters because buyer behaviour here has unique characteristics.
LinkedIn has strong penetration among professionals in Klang Valley, Penang, and Johor, whilst Google commands roughly 90% market share as Malaysia’s dominant search engine. Most B2B buyers start their research on Google, then move to LinkedIn for validation and relationship-building.
Here’s a typical buyer journey: A manufacturing company needs new accounting software. The finance manager searches Google for “accounting software for SMEs Malaysia” (Google’s territory).
They find a few options, then check LinkedIn to see if anyone in their network knows these companies or if the vendors have credible thought leadership content (LinkedIn’s territory).
Where Should You Spend Your Next RM1,000? Google Ads vs. LinkedIn Malaysia
Let’s talk numbers because budget allocation matters immensely for Malaysian businesses.
| Platform | Typical Cost Per Click | Lead Volume | Lead Quality |
| LinkedIn Ads | RM15–RM40 | Lower | Highly targeted |
| Google Ads | RM3–RM12 | Higher | Mixed quality |
LinkedIn Ads generally have higher cost per click rates, but you’re paying for precision. Every ringgit goes towards reaching decision makers who match your exact criteria.
If you’re selling enterprise software with a RM50,000+ deal size, spending RM40 per click to reach qualified CFOs makes perfect sense.
Google Ads offer lower cost per acquisition in many cases, particularly for bottom-funnel searches. When someone searches “buy CRM software Malaysia”, they’re practically waving their hand saying “I’m ready”. The search intent is crystal clear.
A compliance services provider like Mishu sees stronger ROI with Google Ads, since their daily budget captures high-intent searches such as “company secretary Malaysia” or “SSM registration service.”
Meanwhile, a professional training provider like PsyHome, which focuses on workplace mental health and employee development, gains more value from LinkedIn’s premium targeting to reach HR leaders and C-suite executives who control training and wellbeing budgets.
Lead Quality Showdown: Quantity vs Precision
This is where things get interesting. Which platform delivers better B2B leads in Malaysia?
A. LinkedIn’s Precision Targeting Approach
LinkedIn excels as a lead generation platform when you need surgical precision over volume.
You can target “Marketing Directors at companies with 200-500 employees in the financial services sector in Kuala Lumpur”. That’s incredibly specific audience targeting.
Key advantages include:
- Native lead gen forms that capture information without users leaving the platform, reducing friction and increasing conversion rates for mid funnel content like whitepapers or webinar registrations
- Sponsored InMail campaigns that send personalised messages directly to prospects’ LinkedIn inboxes, creating a direct line to decision makers
- ABM strategy capabilities that work brilliantly when you’re targeting a specific list of high-value accounts rather than casting a wide net
- Professional context where your ads appear alongside industry content, lending credibility to your message
The LinkedIn Ads platform delivers fewer leads overall, but each one tends to be highly qualified and closely matched to your ideal customer profile.
B. Google’s Scale and Intent Advantage
Google Ads capture people with active search intent, translating to higher conversion tracking potential for bottom-funnel actions like demo requests or quote submissions.
Key advantages include:
- Search campaigns that generate consistent inbound leads at scale, particularly for companies selling industrial equipment or B2B services
- Google Display Network that extends your reach across millions of websites, whilst responsive search ads automatically test different combinations to improve campaign performance
- Video ads through YouTube Ads that effectively demonstrate products or explain complex services to Malaysian B2B buyers who increasingly consume video content
- Gmail ads that appear directly in professionals’ email inboxes, reaching them where they spend significant time each day and driving traffic to landing pages that capture email subscribers
- Multiple touchpoints across Google Ads properties, building your owned audience for nurture campaigns
The trade-off: you’ll get more leads through search campaigns, but you’ll need better qualification processes to separate serious buyers from tyre-kickers.
Tackling Platform-Specific Challenges in Malaysia
Neither platform is perfect, especially within the Malaysian context.
A. LinkedIn’s Malaysian Hurdles
The user base in Malaysia, whilst growing, remains smaller compared to global markets. Certain industries have limited representation.
If you’re targeting niche sectors like aquaculture or plantation management, you might struggle to build sufficient audience segmentation for effective campaigns.
B. Google’s Growing Pains
Competition on Google Ads has intensified across Malaysia.
Cost per lead has crept upward in popular industries like property, finance, and technology. Click fraud remains a concern, and businesses must navigate PDPA (Personal Data Protection Act) compliance carefully when collecting user information.
Cultural factors play a role too. Malaysian B2B buyers often prefer building trust before committing to purchases.
They might click your Google ad, visit your website, but take weeks or months before converting. This extended buyer journey makes attribution tricky and requires patience with your bidding strategies.
The Smart Money Move: Using Both Platforms Together
Here’s the approach that makes the most sense for many Malaysian businesses: stop thinking “LinkedIn vs Google Ads” and start thinking “LinkedIn and Google Ads working together”.
A. Top of Funnel: LinkedIn Does the Heavy Lifting
Use social media marketing through sponsored content on LinkedIn to build awareness. Share thought leadership articles, industry insights, and company updates. Target your ideal customer profile broadly to get on their radar.
Video ads showcasing your expertise can introduce your brand to cold audiences, particularly when combined with an ABM strategy that focuses on specific accounts or industries.
B. Middle of Funnel: Educational Content on Both
Run lead gen forms on LinkedIn offering valuable resources like industry reports or templates. Simultaneously, use Google Display Ads to retarget website visitors with similar content offers. This dual approach keeps your brand visible across multiple touchpoints.
Sponsored InMail campaigns work brilliantly here, sending personalised invitations to webinars or exclusive roundtables directly to prospects who match your ideal customer profile.
C. Bottom of Funnel: Google Captures Intent
When prospects actively search for solutions, your Google Ads Malaysia search campaigns capture that demand.
Use dynamic search ads to automatically match searches to relevant landing pages, and implement automated bidding to optimise for conversions.
Gmail ads can target prospects who’ve shown interest by visiting your website or downloading content. These ads appear in their personal or professional inboxes, keeping your solution top-of-mind during their evaluation process.
Retargeting: The Secret Sauce
Utilise LinkedIn campaign traffic to build retargeting lists for Google ads, allowing users who engaged with LinkedIn content but did not convert to see related ads on Google.
This cross-platform strategy enhances ROI. Additionally, retarget email subscribers with ads on display or YouTube, creating a unified lead generation platform that nurtures prospects across various online channels.
Here is the updated narrative for Carpet Prima, using the chosen “Direct & Action-Oriented” headers:
Carpet Prima: A Strategic Approach to Google Ads
Carpet Prima, a Malaysian carpet retailer, decided to leverage Google Ads to increase online sales and reach a wider audience. They focused on a multi-pronged Google Ads strategy.
The Challenge: What We Were Up Against
Carpet Prima faced the ongoing challenge of optimising its digital advertising spend to maximise both reach and conversions in a competitive market.
While previous campaigns showed promise, there was a constant need to refine strategies to improve efficiency, reduce cost per conversion, and ultimately drive higher sales volume.
They aimed to maintain a strong Click-Through Rate (CTR) while boosting conversion rates and managing overall ad spend effectively.
The Solution : The Strategic Moves We Made
To address these challenges, Carpet Prima, in collaboration with Newnormz, implemented several key actions:
- Refined Keyword Strategy: We conducted an in-depth analysis of existing keywords, pruning underperforming ones and expanding into new, high-intent long-tail keywords relevant to trending carpet styles and regional search terms within Malaysia.
- Optimised Ad Copy & Creatives: We A/B tested various ad headlines and descriptions, focusing on compelling calls-to-action (CTAs) and highlighting unique selling propositions such as “premium quality,” “wide selection,” and “fast delivery.”
For Google Display Ads, new visual creatives showcasing diverse carpet aesthetics were deployed.
- Enhanced Landing Page Experience: We worked on improving the user experience on Carpet Prima’s landing pages, ensuring they were mobile-responsive, loaded quickly, and provided clear, concise product information with easy navigation for purchase.
- Strategic Bidding Adjustments: We implemented smart bidding strategies focusing on maximising conversions within a set budget, dynamically adjusting bids based on user signals and conversion likelihood.
- Robust Negative Keyword Implementation: Continuously adding negative keywords helped filter out irrelevant searches, ensuring ad spend was focused on highly qualified prospects.
The Result: The Impact of Our Actions
The strategic actions yielded significant positive outcomes for Carpet Prima’s Google Ads performance in September 2025:
| Metric | Result | Key Insight |
| Impressions | 385.2K | Indicated a broad visibility across Google’s network. |
| Click-Through Rate (CTR) | 6.7% | Showed strong engagement and ad relevance. |
| Conversion Rate | 14.6% (a 22.0% increase) | High efficiency in turning clicks into valuable leads or sales. |
| Conversions | 3.8K (a 11.7% increase) | Significant volume directly contributing to sales objectives. |
| Cost per Conversion | RM38.01 | Represented an efficient customer acquisition cost. |
| Total Spend | RM142.84K | Budget was utilised effectively to generate these results. |
These results underscore the success of Carpet Prima’s data-driven Google Ads strategy, showcasing how targeted actions can lead to impressive growth in key performance indicators for a B2C retail business.
Their paid media campaigns through Google generated steady enquiries at RM35 per lead. Paired with solid SEO Services, they built a consistent pipeline of qualified prospects searching for exactly what they offered.
Making Your Platform Decision
So which platform wins for Malaysian B2B lead generation?
The honest answer: it depends on your specific situation.
| Choose LinkedIn Ads If You… | Choose Google Ads If You… |
| Sell complex, high-value solutions with long sales cycles. | Want to capture active search intent and existing demand. |
| Need to reach specific job titles, industries, or company sizes. | Need higher lead volume at a lower cost per acquisition. |
| Aim to build thought leadership and strengthen brand authority. | Sell products or services people already search for. |
| Target a niche or smaller market segment. | Have a broader audience and scalable market reach. |
| Can afford a higher cost per lead for premium quality. | Want faster, bottom-funnel conversions. |
| Plan to use an ABM (Account-Based Marketing) strategy for named accounts. | Can leverage video or display ads to showcase products visually. |
Use both platforms if you:
- Have sufficient budget allocation across your marketing mix
- Want to cover the entire buyer journey from awareness to conversion
- Can manage multiple campaign performance metrics effectively
- Understand the value of professional networking combined with intent-based marketing
Many successful Malaysian B2B companies find that strategic use of smart bidding for B2B campaigns across both platforms delivers the best results. LinkedIn builds your pipeline with quality prospects, whilst Google fills it with active buyers.
Stop Guessing, Start Growing
The LinkedIn Ads vs Google Ads question has kept plenty of Malaysian marketing managers awake at night. You’ve read the comparisons, weighed the costs, and you’re still wondering which platform will actually move the needle for your business.
Here’s the truth: your competitors are already testing, learning, and optimising their approach.
Every day you spend deliberating is another day they’re capturing leads from your target market.
You can join them. Contact Newnormz today and let’s build a lead generation platform that actually fits your business.
We’ll audit your current approach, identify gaps your competitors are exploiting, and design campaigns that turn your budget into measurable revenue.
Your next quarter’s pipeline starts with the decision you make today. Let’s make it count.
