10 Practices for LinkedIn Retargeting: Level Up your Ad Targeting Game for B2B Market

Have you ever wished for a second chance to capture the attention of your audience? In B2B marketing, that second chance is called retargeting, and LinkedIn is the ideal platform for it.

LinkedIn’s retargeting capabilities allow you to strategically reconnect with individuals who have already expressed interest in your brand. This focused approach significantly increases the likelihood of converting prospects into loyal customers. Thanks to LinkedIn’s intuitive Campaign Manager dashboard, you can actively target a wide range of professionals, from industry thought leaders and decision-makers to ambitious startup founders. You maximize your chances of engagement and success by tailoring your messaging to these specific audiences.

Remember, retargeting is not just about getting another look; it’s about nurturing relationships and fostering conversions.

What Is LinkedIn Retargeting?

LinkedIn retargeting is a powerful digital marketing tool that allows you to strategically re-engage individuals who have previously interacted with your brand on LinkedIn or your website. By displaying customized ads to this warm audience, you keep your brand top-of-mind and nurture those who have already shown interest in your products or services.

At its core, LinkedIn Retargeting uses tracking technologies, like the LinkedIn Insight Tag, to monitor user activity. Whether someone visits your website, engages with your LinkedIn content, or interacts with your company page, they are seamlessly added to a retargeting list. This list then allows you to deliver highly relevant ads to encourage further engagement, such as purchasing, registering for a webinar, or downloading valuable resources.

By focusing your advertising efforts on this pre-qualified audience, LinkedIn retargeting significantly boosts conversion rates and maximizes the impact of your marketing campaigns.

Why Use LinkedIn Retargeting?

LinkedIn Retargeting offers several compelling benefits that make it a valuable tool in any digital marketing strategy:

1. Enhanced Engagement: Re-engage interested users, boosting the likelihood of further interaction.

2. Higher Conversions: Target individuals further along the buyer’s journey, improving conversion rates.

3. Improved Brand Recall: Increase brand awareness through repeated exposure.

4. Cost-Effective: Focus on a qualified audience, reducing CPC and cost-per-conversion.

5. Personalized Ads: Create customized messaging based on user behavior for improved engagement and conversions.

LinkedIn retargeting allows you to precisely target individuals who have already shown interest in your company by displaying tailored ads to those who have:

• Visited your LinkedIn company page

• Engaged with your LinkedIn posts or ads

• Filled out a lead gen form on LinkedIn

• Visited specific pages on your website

Strategic retargeting fosters relationships by reminding warm leads of your brand, nurturing them further along the buyer's journey, and increasing conversions.

How to Set Up LinkedIn Retargeting?

Setting up LinkedIn Retargeting is a straightforward process that involves a few steps:

Step 1: Install the LinkedIn Insight Tag

• Installing the LinkedIn Insight Tag on your website is the first step in setting up LinkedIn Retargeting. This is a piece of JavaScript code that tracks visitor behavior and interactions.  You can find this tag in the “Account Assets” section of LinkedIn Campaign Manager. 

• Once installed, the tag will start collecting data on users who visit your website, enabling you to build retargeting audiences.

Step 2: Define Your Retargeting Audience

• After the Insight Tag is installed and data is collected, you can create your retargeting audience. 

• LinkedIn allows you to segment your audience based on various criteria, such as users who visited specific pages on your website, watched a certain percentage of your video ads, or interacted with your LinkedIn content. 

• By defining your audience carefully, you can ensure that your retargeting ads are highly relevant to those who see them.

Step 3: Create a Retargeting Campaign

• In LinkedIn Campaign Manager, create a new campaign and select the “Retargeting” objective. 

• Choose the audience you’ve defined for retargeting and set your campaign parameters, including ad format, budget, and bidding strategy. 

• Be sure to choose ad creatives that resonate with the retargeting audience’s stage in the buyer’s journey, whether brand awareness, consideration, or conversion.

Step 4: Design and Launch Your Ads

• Develop ad creatives specifically designed for your retargeting audience. Since these users are already familiar with your brand, your ads should focus on pushing them to take a specific action, such as completing a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.

• Use compelling calls-to-action (CTAs) and make sure your messaging is aligned with their previous interactions with your brand.

Step 5: Monitor and Optimize Your Campaign

• Once your retargeting campaign is live, it is important to monitor its performance regularly. LinkedIn’s analytics tools provide insights into metrics such as impressions, clicks, and conversions. 

• Use this data to optimize your campaign by adjusting targeting, ad creatives, and budget allocations to improve performance over time.

10 Great Practices for LinkedIn Retargeting

LinkedIn retargeting can be a game-changer for B2B marketers, but it’s essential to implement it strategically for the best results. 

Here are 10 actionable tips to help you maximize your LinkedIn Retargeting campaigns:

1. Utilize Audiences from Everywhere

Don’t limit yourself! LinkedIn offers various audience creation options:

• Website Visitors: Target those who have visited your site using the LinkedIn Insight Tag.

• Company Page Engagers: Reach people who interacted with your LinkedIn Company Page.

• Video Viewers: Target users who watched your LinkedIn video ads.

• Lead Gen Form Submitters: Retarget leads captured through LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms.

• Matched Audiences: Upload your email lists for precise targeting.

• Event Attendees: Target those who registered or attended your LinkedIn Events.

2. Always Be Mindful of Audience Size

The size of your retargeting audience directly impacts your advertising costs. Smaller audiences often lead to higher costs per click or impression because you are targeting a more specific group. Conversely, larger audiences might reduce costs but could dilute the relevance of your ads. Finding a balance is crucial—targeting a sufficiently large audience to keep costs manageable while ensuring the audience remains relevant and likely to convert. Adjust your audience size based on your budget and campaign goals to optimize performance and cost efficiency.

3. Keep Exclusion Audiences Updated

Regularly refine your exclusion lists to avoid showing ads to people who have already converted or are irrelevant to your current campaign goals. This includes excluding those who have submitted Lead Gen Forms.

4. Use Multiple Ad Formats

Experiment with a variety of ad formats to see what resonates best with your audience:

• Sponsored Content: Native ads that blend seamlessly into the LinkedIn feed.

• Text Ads: Simple, yet effective ads displayed in the sidebar.

• Dynamic Ads: Personalized ads featuring the user’s profile image or company logo.

• Message Ads (Sponsored InMail): Deliver targeted messages directly to users’ inboxes.

5. Use a Variety of CTAs

Don’t stick to the same old “Learn More” button. Test different calls-to-action (CTAs) to see what drives the most clicks and conversions:

• Download Now

• Register Today

• Get a Quote

• Book a Demo

• Contact Us

Moreover, if you want to learn the art of crafting catching CTAs- you may check out: “Mastering Calls to Action: Creating CTAs that Convert Browsers into Buyers”

6. Always Include Five Ads for Full Coverage

LinkedIn recommends having at least five ads in each campaign for optimal performance. This allows for A/B testing and ensures your audience doesn’t experience ad fatigue.

7. Monitor Each Analytics

Closely track your campaign metrics to identify what’s working and what’s not:

• Click-Through Rate (CTR): Measures how often people click on your ads.

• Conversion Rate: Tracks how many people take your desired action.

• Cost-Per-Click (CPC): Monitors how much you pay for each click.

• Cost-Per-Conversion: Calculates the cost of each conversion.

8. Use Manual Bidding from Time to Time

While automated bidding can be convenient, consider using manual bidding to gain more control over your ad spend and potentially achieve better results.

9. Personalize Your Ad Creative

Customize your ads based on your target audience segment and their previous interactions with your brand. Dynamic Ads can be particularly effective for personalization.

10. Refresh Ad Creative Regularly

Even the best ads can become stale over time. Regularly refresh your ad creative to maintain engagement and prevent ad fatigue.

By implementing these best practices, you can elevate your LinkedIn Retargeting strategy and achieve greater success in reaching and converting your target audience. 

Next Steps

LinkedIn isn't just a platform for connections—it’s a place of endless opportunities and possibilities. While LinkedIn's Retargeting Campaign and Campaign Manager provide valuable data insights, it takes strategic expertise to truly harness their potential.

At INSIDEA, we’re passionate about helping you transform your LinkedIn presence into a thriving business hub. Our customized LinkedIn marketing solutions utilize the power of data to amplify your reach, build your brand authority, and establish you as an industry leader. Whether your goals are to connect with ideal clients, generate high-quality leads, or foster meaningful conversations, our expert guidance will illuminate your path.

Ready to take your LinkedIn strategy to the next level? Visit INSIDEA to explore our services & tap into your fullest potential.