Welcome to the latest episode of At the Forefront: Fintech Conversations!
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In this episode, Forefront VP and Head of Digital Amanda Perrucci sits down with SAE Lindsey Patterson to discuss how B2B fintech marketers can best leverage LinkedIn ads. The conversation opens with Lindsey and Amanda discussing the benefits of advertising on LinkedIn. Widely regarded as the best social media platform for reaching a professional audience, LinkedIn can be a great way to bring your message to the C-suite and other decision-makers. By directly targeting those who have the final say on product adoption, partnerships, company initiatives and the like, an effective ad strategy can go beyond building brand awareness and actually bring new business through the door.
With many firms already active in terms of organic social media, some may question whether paid ads are worth the time and cost it takes to set them up. Lindsey explains the difference to our listeners: while organic social reaches your current followers (likely individuals who already know about and respect your firm), paid social gets you in front of a relevant audience of people who don’t see your content regularly. For firms looking to acquire new followers, juice their new business pipeline or identify meaningful partnership opportunities, investing in LinkedIn ads could be worthwhile.
Next, Lindsey and Amanda discuss the three distinct phases of a strong LinkedIn ad campaign:
- Brand Awareness: Think of this as your firm’s cold open. With your first set of ads, you should aim to reach as many eyeballs as possible and introduce them to your brand and product. Marketing teams should track post impressions and engagement rate to retarget individuals who express interest.
- Website Visits: These ads prompt people to take action to express further interest in your products or services. By linking out to a blog or product webpage, these posts can bring traffic to your website and encourage your audience to explore further.
- Lead generation: These ads are high-friction but high-impact, offering valuable content like a webinar link, case study or whitepaper in exchange for individuals’ contact information. These are most effective when your target audience has already gotten to know your company from the previous phases.
Next, Lindsey talks through two distinct audience-building strategies Forefront has executed with its clients. In one example, we recommended a client start with targeting a larger audience to generate brand awareness, resulting in a lower CTR (click-through rate) but a higher number of post impressions. In the other, a different client wanted to pursue a more targeted campaign for a specific audience, which yielded a lower number of impressions with a higher CTR. These are just a couple of examples of the natural tradeoff between reaching as many individuals as possible and reaching the exact audience for your specific offering. Ultimately, no matter what form it takes, knowing your company’s main objectives is key to running a successful campaign.
Lastly, Lindsey provides a tip for B2B fintech CMOs looking to diversify their approach to LinkedIn ads in 2024. She recommends steering away from static-image, copy-heavy ads and instead using more video ads to capture your audience’s attention and keep them engaged. Videos should be brief, compelling and informative, with closed captions for increased accessibility and convenience for viewers.
See below for a breakdown of what was discussed. Happy listening!
See below for a breakdown of what was discussed. Happy listening!
Timestamps:
0:50 – Why B2B fintechs should invest in LinkedIn ads
1:35 – The difference between organic and paid posts
2:58 – LinkedIn ad strategy vs. LinkedIn organic strategy
6:02 – Building and customizing your audience
8:05 – Examples of client LinkedIn ad campaigns
10:08 – The ad format B2B fintech CMOS should be thinking more about in 2024
