B2B Monday Myth: I Don’t Need LinkedIn Ads For My Business
by MGB2B
The Myth: I Don’t Need LinkedIn Ads for My Business
The Truth: LinkedIn Is a Top Platform for B2B Lead Generation
Professionals and businesses alike know that a presence on LinkedIn is important. But what you might not know is that you don’t have to stop at just creating a profile. LinkedIn can actually become a lead generator when used correctly. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of LinkedIn ads for B2B marketing and the best way to use the medium.
Why LinkedIn?
According to LinkedIn back in 2015, 80% of leads from social media come from LinkedIn. The professionals who are on LinkedIn are already in a business mindset, which makes them more receptive to strategic B2B advertising. You have the unique opportunity to reach the people in executive positions and all along the decision-making chain with significant purchasing power. You can even target by job function to make sure you’re reaching the right people.
Sponsored Content
LinkedIn has several different capabilities for advertising. First, you can create Sponsored Content that reaches audiences on desktop, mobile, and tablets. These ads can spark conversation and reach a specifically targeted group of professionals. And, best of all, you can set your own budget by choosing from cost-per-click or cost-per-impression options.
Sponsored InMail
Another option is Sponsored InMail. This feature lets you send personalized messages to prospects on LinkedIn messenger. It’s a great way to send event invitations or insightful content to those who will be receptive to it. They will only be sent while the recipient is active online, and there is a limit to how frequently they are sent, which optimizes viewing.
Text Ads and Target Audiences
Next, the more traditional Text Ad lets you create your own advertisement and choose the audience you want to reach. Using LinkedIn Matched Audiences, you can very precisely customize your targeting. You will be able to target by company, experience, education, industry, and even job function, which can greatly increase the effectiveness of your B2B ads. Real, member-generated demographic data is used to ensure you’re reaching a higher quality target audience.
Data and Analytics
You also have the opportunity to track conversions with LinkedIn. The platform lets you record website conversions from your Sponsored Content or Text Ad campaigns, so you can track things like downloads, sign-ups, and purchases. You’ll do this by adding the LinkedIn Insights Tag to your website — a piece of JavaScript code that lets you track conversions from your campaign. What’s particularly helpful is that you determine what a conversion is; you specify which actions qualify.
Campaign Manager
As your campaign runs, LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager will let you monitor your results. You’ll be able to calculate your LinkedIn advertising ROI with their built-in analytics tool within the Campaign Manager. You’ll also be able to see the value you’re getting from both desktop and mobile, including return on ad spend, cost per conversion, and conversion rate. And most important – you can fine-tune your campaign to make it more effective over time.
While LinkedIn is likely not the right approach for most consumer brands, the platform is ideal for B2B brands. With detailed targeting capabilities and a variety of ad content options, LinkedIn is an avenue you should at least take into consideration.
Tags: advertising on LinkedIn, B2B on social media, LinkedIn ads for B2B marketing, should I use LinkedIn ads