Advanced Targeting on LinkedIn Ads with AJ Wilcox

TL;DR

AJ Wilcox explains advanced audience targeting strategies on LinkedIn Ads.

Transcript

hi I'm AJ Wilcox I'm a LinkedIn ads expert and founder of B2 link.com we're an ad agency that only handles LinkedIn ads I get asked a lot about how do I use audience targeting on LinkedIn ads to get better performance as well as lower costs so I want to show you that today now anytime someone asks me about how to Target an audience I immediately th... Read More

Key Insights

• Understanding both the individual and company is crucial for effective LinkedIn ad targeting, ensuring the right audience is reached.
• LinkedIn offers targeting by company size and industry, which are standard across most audience types, aiding in efficient ad distribution.
• Job title targeting on LinkedIn is less effective due to high competition and incomplete profiles, often reaching only 40% of the audience.
• Job function and seniority targeting provide broader reach and lower costs, ideal for large budgets seeking high-volume audiences.
• Skills targeting on LinkedIn allows for high-volume audiences but requires careful selection to avoid overly broad targeting.
• Groups targeting on LinkedIn creates precise audiences with high engagement, though often smaller in size, leading to better lead quality.
• Running multiple targeting strategies concurrently can provide insights into cost efficiency and lead quality, guiding budget allocation.
• LinkedIn's audience expansion feature is generally not recommended as it can dilute targeting precision, increasing costs.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does AJ Wilcox suggest breaking down an audience for LinkedIn ads?

AJ Wilcox suggests breaking down an audience into two parts: understanding who the individual is and what type of organization they are at. This approach helps in targeting the right audience by considering both personal and organizational attributes, ensuring the advertisement reaches individuals who are more likely to be interested and capable of purchasing the product or service.

Q: What are the standard targeting facets available on LinkedIn?

The standard targeting facets available on LinkedIn include company name, company size, and company industry. These facets are crucial for account-based marketing and help advertisers reach audiences that align with their product or service offerings. By targeting specific company attributes, advertisers can focus their efforts on organizations that are more likely to have the budget and need for their offerings.

Q: Why is job title targeting considered less effective on LinkedIn?

Job title targeting is considered less effective on LinkedIn because it is a free-form field, leading to high competition and incomplete profiles. Many marketers begin with job title targeting, driving up costs, and LinkedIn's platform struggles to accurately categorize the wide variety of job titles, often reaching only about 40% of the intended audience. This results in higher costs and smaller audience sizes.

Q: What are the benefits of using job function and seniority targeting?

Job function and seniority targeting offer broader reach and lower costs, making them ideal for advertisers with large budgets seeking high-volume audiences. Job function targets the department of an individual, while seniority targets their level within the organization. This combination allows advertisers to effectively reach a wide range of potential leads while maintaining cost efficiency.

Q: How can skills targeting be effectively utilized on LinkedIn?

Skills targeting can be effectively utilized on LinkedIn by carefully selecting specific skills that align with the product or service being advertised. While skills targeting allows for high-volume audiences, advertisers should avoid overly broad skills like 'marketing' and instead focus on more specific skills such as 'digital marketing' or 'social media marketing' to ensure the audience is relevant and interested.

Q: What makes groups targeting on LinkedIn unique?

Groups targeting on LinkedIn is unique because it creates precise audiences that are highly engaged. By targeting individuals who have actively joined specific groups related to their interests or professions, advertisers can reach users who are more likely to be interested in their offerings. Although these audiences are often smaller, they tend to have better lead quality and engagement rates.

Q: Why is it beneficial to run multiple targeting strategies concurrently?

Running multiple targeting strategies concurrently is beneficial because it allows advertisers to gather data on the cost efficiency and lead quality of each strategy. By comparing the performance of different targeting methods, advertisers can identify which strategies are most effective and adjust their budgets accordingly, optimizing their campaigns for better results and lower costs.

Q: What is AJ Wilcox's opinion on LinkedIn's audience expansion feature?

AJ Wilcox advises against using LinkedIn's audience expansion feature, describing it as 'absolute trash.' The feature can dilute targeting precision by expanding the audience beyond the specified criteria, potentially increasing costs without necessarily improving lead quality. Advertisers are encouraged to focus on precise targeting methods to maintain control over their audience and budget.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• AJ Wilcox, a LinkedIn ads expert, shares insights on audience targeting strategies to enhance performance and reduce costs. He emphasizes the importance of understanding both the individual and the organization for effective targeting.

• LinkedIn offers several targeting methods, including job title, job function, skills, and groups, each with its pros and cons. Job titles are less effective due to competition and incomplete profiles, while job function and seniority offer broader reach.

• Skills targeting can attract large audiences but requires careful selection to avoid broad targeting. Groups targeting creates precise, high-quality leads. Running multiple strategies helps identify the most cost-efficient and effective targeting methods.