Ever since Microsoft purchased LinkedIn in 2016, digital advertisers have been hopeful that LinkedIn's marketing capabilities would be combined with Bing's targeting options. That wait is finally over, with Microsoft's recent announcement of LinkedIn Profile targeting.
LinkedIn Profile targeting integrates LinkedIn's unique targeting capabilities, including specific industries, job functions, and even individual companies, with the PPC targeting capabilities of Bing. The ability to combine targeting from two distinct platforms represents a huge advancement in the world of Search Engine advertising. But just why are digital advertisers so excited about this shift?
Targeting Benefits
Because Search campaigns are entirely based on the keywords that users search, you know that your ads are appearing in front of people actively searching for your products or services. While your ads are appearing to a high intent audience, they still might not be the right prospect for you. This is especially true for B2B companies, who have no way of isolating the search habits of a consumer from the search habits of a prospective business client. And beyond that, if a business only serves specific industries, finding the path to high-intent industry audiences can feel impossible. With LinkedIn Profile targeting, that won't be the case anymore.
Because advertisers can now limit their ads to specific audiences, businesses can be sure they aren't wasting budget on non-prospect audiences. They can also make sure their campaigns are more accurately targeted to the industries, companies, and job functions that are most likely to purchase.
Sales Funnel Insight
The second biggest benefit is that, by combining the tactics of the two platforms, you have greater insight into your audiences and where they are in each phase of their purchase funnel. LinkedIn on its own is primarily a top-of-funnel marketing channel: you can target your identified audiences, but they might not be aware of your company or services. However, by combining LinkedIn and Bing targeting, you'll gain a greater understanding of which of your audiences are closer to purchasing and which need more nurturing.
Bing is a fantastic tool for growing your business, but without a cohesive strategy and optimization schedule in place before launching a campaign, you may not see the best results. We understand that managing your company's advertising is a full time job, which is where our team of Digital Marketers comes in! We would love to help identify your target audiences, create the best tactics to reach them, and then execute on that strategy. Contact our team today to get started.
