So, I was chatting with Eva the other day, a marketing whiz, about squeezing every last drop of potential out of LinkedIn for generating new business. We got deep into the weeds, particularly around targeted LinkedIn ads with A/B testing and retargeting. I thought I’d share our conversation – it might spark some ideas for you.
“Right, so first things first,” Eva said, swirling her coffee, “you’ve got to nail your targeting. LinkedIn’s targeting capabilities are insane, but only if you use them properly. Forget broad strokes; think laser precision.”
And she’s right. We were discussing a client of mine who was struggling to get any ROI out of their LinkedIn advertising. The problem? Their targeting was far too broad, and they were essentially wasting money showing ads to people who were never going to be interested.
Step 1: Audience Segmentation – Knowing Your Ideal Client
So, how do you achieve ‘laser precision’? It starts with detailed audience segmentation. Forget job titles alone. Think about everything: industry, company size, seniority level, skills, interests, groups they belong to, even their previous experience. The more granular you are, the better.
Eva suggested creating multiple ideal customer profiles (ICPs). “Don’t just have one ‘ideal client’,” she said. “You likely have several distinct types of people who’d benefit from your product or service. Each ICP deserves its own tailored campaign.”
For example, if you’re selling project management software, you might have ICPs for project managers in the construction industry, marketing managers in tech startups, and even consultants who specialise in process optimisation. Each of these audiences would respond to different messaging and visuals.
Step 2: The Power of A/B Testing – Message Matching
Next up is A/B testing. This is where you test different versions of your ads against each other to see which performs best.
“Don’t just guess what your audience will respond to,” Eva warned. “Test everything! Headlines, ad copy, images, even your call to action. Small changes can make a huge difference.”
Create 2-3 variations of each ad element. For example, test two different headlines, two different body copies, and two different images. Run these ads simultaneously to your target audience and measure which combination yields the highest click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate. LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager makes this relatively straightforward. Analyse the results carefully and use the winning elements in your future campaigns. Aim to test one variable at a time to ensure you know what is driving the change.
Step 3: Retargeting – Don’t Let Leads Go Cold
This is where the magic really happens. Retargeting allows you to show ads to people who have already interacted with your brand, either on your website or on LinkedIn itself.
“Think about it,” Eva said. “Someone visits your website, shows interest in your product, but doesn’t convert. They’re already warm! Retargeting reminds them about you and nudges them closer to a purchase.”
There are several ways to set up retargeting on LinkedIn. You can retarget:
- Website Visitors: Install the LinkedIn Insight Tag on your website to track visitors and retarget them with relevant ads.
- Engaged Users: Retarget people who have interacted with your LinkedIn content, such as liking, commenting, sharing, or clicking on your ads.
- Lead Gen Form Fillers: Show specific ads to people who have filled out a lead gen form on LinkedIn but haven’t yet become customers.
Retargeting ads should be highly targeted and relevant to the user’s previous interaction. For example, if someone visited a specific product page on your website, show them an ad featuring that product.
Step 4: Metrics That Matter – Looking at the numbers
Eva stressed the importance of tracking the right metrics. “Viewership is important, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. You need to track engagement (likes, comments, shares), click-through rates, and, most importantly, conversions (leads generated, sales made).”
LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager provides detailed analytics on your ad performance. Use these insights to optimise your campaigns and improve your ROI. A/B testing should ideally show improvement in these metrics.
She also mentioned that retargeting campaigns often have a significantly higher conversion rate than initial campaigns, simply because you’re targeting people who are already interested.
Putting it All Together
In essence, what Eva and I agreed on is this: generating new business on LinkedIn through targeted advertising hinges on a few key elements. Firstly, deeply understand your audience and segment accordingly to create tailored ad campaigns. Secondly, consistently A/B test different ad elements to optimise for higher engagement and conversions. And finally, use retargeting strategically to re-engage warm leads and drive them towards a purchase or desired action. By following this framework, you can transform your LinkedIn ad campaigns from a cost centre into a powerful engine for business growth. Just remember to monitor your metrics closely and adapt your strategy as needed.
