Leveraging LinkedIn for Account-Based Marketing: A Game-Changer for B2B Success
In the dynamic world of B2B marketing, the quest for strategies that give the bigger bang for your buck is never-ending. There are many different strategies and the goal is to find one that works best for you. So here is another one you can add to your arsenal. It’s better to have a hamer and not need it, than need a hamer and not have it. Time to add this hamer.
Enter Account-Based Marketing (ABM), a focused approach that targets key accounts rather than casting a wide net. If you’re not familiar with ABM, we encourage you to read our first post about Account Based Marketing before you take this route. That will help you get a good understanding of the concept and its goal.
The reason we decided to focus deeper on LinkedIn in this post is because when it comes to ABM, LinkedIn stands out as a powerhouse platform. In this article, we’ll dive into why LinkedIn should be your go-to for ABM, the strategies that can lead you to success, the benefits of taking this route, and a entire funnel you can copy and paste for your own strategy. Let’s get to it.
1. Why use LinkedIn Account Based Marketing
Every social media platform attracts a different kind of audience. People on one social media can dislike using Linkedin, just like people on LinkedIn can dislike using other platforms. The reason different social media companies exist, is because people like different things.
That’s why you should not think of LinkedIn as just another social network. LinkedIn is a thriving hub of business professionals and people pretending to be business professionals. With over 1 billion users, it's where a certain demografic of decision-makers and influencers gather. This makes it a fertile ground for ABM strategies. LinkedIn offers a professional context, which means your ABM campaigns are likely to be taken more seriously here than on any other social platform.
1.1 The Power of Precision Targeting
LinkedIn's robust targeting capabilities stand as one of its most formidable strengths, especially when it comes to Account-Based Marketing (ABM). This platform is the perfect social network and a sophisticated tool for B2B marketers seeking to connect with their ideal audience with unmatched precision. Let's explore how this precision targeting can revolutionize your ABM strategy.
LinkedIn allows you to zero in on companies and even specific roles within those companies. This is made possible by a wide array of targeting criteria, including industry, company size, location, and job function. But it goes even deeper. You can target based on seniority level, years of experience, or even specific skills. This granularity means your ABM campaigns can be hyper-focused, ensuring that your message reaches the most relevant audience.
With such detailed targeting options, you can tailor your messaging to resonate with each specific audience segment. For instance, the challenges and interests of a mid-level manager in a tech company are different from those of a C-level executive in the same industry. LinkedIn's targeting allows you to create and deliver content that addresses these unique perspectives, increasing the relevance and effectiveness of your communication.
2. Strategies for ABM Success on LinkedIn
2.1 Tailored Content is King
Create content that resonates with your target accounts. This could be industry-specific insights, case studies, or thought leadership articles. The goal is to establish your brand as a valuable resource. Remember, LinkedIn is a content-rich platform, so quality matters.
In another post we also described a step-by-step guide of where to start when it comes to collecting leads. Making sure you have a way to collect information about your target audience is crucial. It’s a waste to lose people that are interested in your knowledge.
2.2 Engage Through Thought Leadership
Most people that want to do business with you will want to know if you know what you’re talking about. Position yourself or your company leaders as thought leaders. Regularly post articles, share insights, and engage in conversations relevant to your target accounts. This builds credibility and keeps you top of mind. Sharing free information is a great way to establish thought leadership.
Don’t forget to find and follow likeminded groups or people and comment on their posts. Building a brand and trust takes time.
2.3 Utilize LinkedIn's Tools
Leverage LinkedIn's Sales Navigator and advertising tools. LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a premium sales tool offered by LinkedIn that provides advanced features to help sales professionals, marketers, and businesses find, connect with, and build relationships with potential customers and clients. It's designed to enhance the capabilities of LinkedIn for sales and business development purposes. Sales Navigator allows you to track companies, get insights, and find the right people to connect with.
LinkedIn ads, on the other hand, can be used to deliver personalized messages directly to your target accounts. LinkedIn Ads is the paid advertising platform of LinkedIn, designed to help businesses and marketers reach a professional audience through various types of ads. It offers targeted advertising solutions based on the extensive professional data available on LinkedIn.
Combining these two tools is a major step in starting a LinkedIn Account Based Marketing campaign. Don’t forget that you do need to learn how to work with these tools. For now, we don’t have content about that but there a lot of free content on Youtube. Let us know if you’re interested in our favorite influencers down in the comments.
2.4 Personalization at Scale
Use LinkedIn's messaging features to reach out personally but don't forget to automate where possible. Tools like InMail campaigns can be personalized and sent at scale, striking the right balance between personal touch and efficiency.
2.5 More tools, more personalization
Personalization and automation doesn’t stop with these two tools. There are many more tools out there with specific powers. There’s tools like Phantombuster that automate various actions on LinkedIn, such as profile visits, connection requests, and message sending. But also give you the ability to extract data from LinkedIn Sales Navigator which you can then upload in a LinkedIn Paid Advertisement campaign to really make the personalization as personal as possible.
Another tool is La Growth Machine which is a tool that helps you manage and automate all your LinkedIn conversations. You can set up a sequence of messages for each lead. Starting with a connection request, followed by a series of follow-up messages. Don’t forget to make sure each message adds value and is tailored to the recipient.
These tools are a great addition to your arsenal. You have to acitvely use them to get the most benefit out of them. Don’t just buy and never use a tool. Buy and test it a couple of times. Refine your strategy each time to make sure you get the most use out of it. Tools only work if you know how to work with them.
If you use a hamer to clean windows, you soon don’t have to clean windows again.
Want an easy to follow strategy mapped out for you in steps? Click here to access The Ultimate Funnel for free and get inspired by all the possibilities!
3. The Benefits of ABM on LinkedIn
3.1 Higher ROI
ABM is known for its high ROI, and LinkedIn amplifies this. By targeting specific accounts with personalized content, you're more likely to convert leads into customers. This targeted approach ensures that resources are spent on engaging with accounts that are most likely to convert, leading to a more efficient use of the marketing budget.
3.2 Stronger Relationships
ABM is all about building relationships, and LinkedIn's networking nature makes it easier to connect and engage with key stakeholders in your target accounts. ABM on LinkedIn prioritizes quality interactions with a smaller, more defined group of high-value targets. There is an inherent focus on building deeper relationships with potential clients.
3.3 Better Alignment Between Sales and Marketing
LinkedIn provides tools that help both sales and marketing teams to align their efforts. This synergy is crucial for the success of any ABM strategy. Better alignment leads to more effective campaigns and, consequently, a higher ROI.
3.4 Data-Driven Insights
LinkedIn offers a wealth of data and insights that can help refine your ABM strategy over time. You can track engagement, see what's working, and adjust your approach accordingly. The different tools will give you different data:
LinkedIn Page Analytics: Provides insights into the performance of your company's LinkedIn Page. It includes metrics like page views, follower growth, and engagement rates. This tool helps understand the audience demographics and how they interact with the content posted on the page.
Campaign Manager: This is LinkedIn's advertising platform that offers detailed analytics for paid campaigns. It provides metrics such as impressions, clicks, engagement, conversion rates, and ROI. Advertisers can track the performance of different ad formats like Sponsored Content, Sponsored InMail, and Text Ads.
LinkedIn Sales Navigator Analytics: For those using Sales Navigator, it offers detailed reports on sales performance and social selling. It includes tracking the effectiveness of InMail messages, connection requests, and how leads are progressing through the sales funnel.
4. Conclusion
In the realm of B2B marketing, ABM on LinkedIn is not just a trend; it's a strategic approach that yields results. By leveraging LinkedIn's unique environment and tools, businesses can create more focused, personalized, and successful marketing campaigns.
Whether you're a small startup or a large corporation, the principles of ABM on LinkedIn remain the same: target wisely, engage thoughtfully, and build lasting relationships. So, gear up and make LinkedIn your ABM battlefield; the rewards are well worth the effort!
Remember, the key to ABM success on LinkedIn lies in understanding your target accounts deeply and engaging with them in a meaningful way. With the right strategy, LinkedIn can be your powerhouse for B2B marketing success. Happy networking!
