The shifts that took Rocket SaaS from 8 to 20+ SQLs. Copy it.

Every SaaS business dreams of unlocking a repeatable marketing engine that brings in more leads, more conversations, and ultimately, more revenue. For Rocket SaaS, that dream recently became a reality, not by luck, but through strategic marketing shifts that more than doubled our monthly SQLs and added £1.2 million in ARR to our pipeline… per month!

So what changed?

In this post, we break down exactly what the team at Rocket SaaS did to achieve this impressive growth and how you can apply the same thinking to your own SaaS marketing efforts.

🚀 From 8 to 20+ SQLs per month: Setting the scene

Let’s start with some numbers. On average, Rocket SaaS previously generated around 8 sales-qualified leads (SQLs) per month. But over the last two months, that number shot up to 20+ SQLs per month and not just any SQLs. These are high-value, well-qualified leads, each worth approximately £60,000 in ARR.

This jump in performance didn’t happen by accident. It was the result of key changes in our LinkedIn advertising strategy, content, attribution tracking, and personal brand amplification.

The #1 change: Smarter LinkedIn targeting

Our LinkedIn Ads have performed well for the past couple of years. But these tweaks really amplified it.

🛑 The problem with default LinkedIn filters

For years, Rocket SaaS ran ads using the standard filters many B2B marketers are familiar with:

• Industry: Software
• Company Size: 10–50 employees
• Location: UK
• Job Titles: Founder, Marketing Manager, Director, etc.

While this audience was close to their ideal customer profile (ICP), the issue was wasted spend on non-relevant companies, especially those that misclassified themselves as software businesses when they weren’t.

✅ The solution: Hyper-targeted matched audiences

To eliminate waste, they made a full switch in August to using custom matched audiences built from first-party data:

• Lists of previous website visitors
• CRM data
• Engagement lists from LinkedIn
• High-intent behaviour-based segments

By building audiences based on real buyer behaviour rather than relying solely on job titles and industries, Rocket SaaS dramatically improved:

• Click-through rates
• Engagement levels
• And most importantly, conversion rates

If you’re still relying on native filters for cold targeting, it might be time for a rethink.

Thought leader ads: Your founder is the campaign

One of Rocket SaaS’s biggest levers has been the use of thought leader ads – specifically, boosting personal brand content from their founder (Ryan) via paid ads.

Why it works

People connect with people, not logos. Boosting personal posts instead of corporate ones has helped:

• Build trust faster
• Create more engaging content
• Spark real conversations in the DMs

This hybrid approach – combining organic personal posts with paid amplification – has become one of the agency’s best-performing ad types.

If you’re a founder or senior leader, now’s the time to start posting regularly. Get your face out there and let people associate a real human with your product.

LinkedIn ads that actually convert: What to fix

While the ad format and targeting were big pieces of the puzzle, the content of the ads mattered just as much.

What’s working:

• Short-form video clips (especially clips from podcast episodes)
• Carousel ads breaking down a quick framework or tip
• Ads that don’t look like ads

If you’re running LinkedIn ads that aren’t performing, chances are it’s not just the targeting – it’s the creative.

The power of the pod

Our podcast is a channel that’s consistently cited in self-reported attribution. While not every episode converts directly, it’s become a critical layer in their demand gen engine.

Podcasts offer a powerful mix of:

• Thought leadership
• Content repurposing opportunities
• Trust-building at scale

Episodes don’t need to be perfect – they need to be consistent, valuable, and aligned with your ICP’s pain points.

What you can do next

If you want to recreate similar results, here are a few steps to get started:

1. Audit your LinkedIn targeting
   Are you still using broad filters? Consider switching to matched audiences or CRM retargeting.
2. Create content for a personal brand – and boost it
   Choose a visible founder or subject matter expert and start posting regularly.
3. Test new creative formats
   Use short videos, carousels, and real opinions – not corporate fluff.
4. Track what content is mentioned in sales conversations
   Keep a Notion or Airtable log of what gets referenced, and use that to refine your marketing mix.

Final thought: No silver bullet, just smart systems

Rocket SaaS’s explosive growth wasn’t the result of one trick or trend. It came from aligning channels, messaging, and targeting – then executing with consistency.

You don’t need a massive team or budget to start seeing better results. You just need to double down on what’s working, cut the waste, and always be optimising.

Now the only question is: how close are you to your next £1.2 million pipeline month?

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By Ryan James

Founder of Rocket SaaS