In this episode, the insightful conversation with LinkedIn ads expert AJ Wilcox ventured deep into the realm of LinkedIn advertising, unraveling myths, discussing hurdles, and sharing actionable tactics that every B2B marketer needs to know.
LinkedIn Ads: Myths and Realities
Wilcox, a seasoned LinkedIn ads professional, demystifies several misconceptions surrounding LinkedIn advertising. He emphasizes that unlike search campaigns, LinkedIn ads should not be direct sales pitches. Instead, they should focus on capturing attention and nurturing relationships, guiding cold audiences through the know-like-trust process.
Essential Resources for Success
Wilcox shares valuable resources for both beginners and advanced users of LinkedIn advertising. For starters, a free checklist at B2Linked.com offers a step-by-step guide for setting up campaigns. For more advanced users, an in-depth guide dives into sophisticated strategies. In addition, Wilcox's "LinkedIn Ads Show" podcast is a treasure trove of tips and best practices.
Strategizing for B2B Marketers
The core of the episode is centered on tactics tailored for B2B marketers. Wilcox suggests a focus on creating a demand generation machine, which involves reaching cold audiences and converting them into informed, interested prospects. He also advises on the importance of content that aligns with various stages of the sales funnel.
The Pitfalls to Avoid
One of the most enlightening parts of the discussion is about the common pitfalls in LinkedIn advertising. Wilcox warns against treating LinkedIn ads like search ads, as doing so often leads to underperformance and over-expenditure. Instead, he recommends a nuanced approach, respecting the unique nature of the platform and its users.
The Path to LinkedIn Ads Success
According to Wilcox, achieving success in LinkedIn advertising means building a reliable demand generation engine that attracts the right audience, engages them meaningfully, and eventually turns them into customers. He advocates for a holistic approach wherein LinkedIn ads are part of a broader media mix.
Check out the video for more details, and the full podcast (link below the video) for the entire insightful conversation.
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Episode Details, Guest Information, and Referenced Links
Episode No. 67
- Live date: February 9, 2024
- Episode link: youtube.com/watch?v=ymlvOyMWfgk
- Original podcast episode: LinkedIn Ads Myths, Hurdles, and Strategies B2B Marketers Need to Know: AJ Wilcox on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]
Guest's social media profiles:
MarketingProfs resources referenced in the show:
- LinkedIn B2B Marketing: Three Underused Ways to Engage Prospects and Customers
- LinkedIn Advertising Benchmarks: Maximizing Your Campaign's Potential
"In B2B News" article referenced in the show:
"From the #mpb2b Community" links referenced in the show:
Transcript: LinkedIn Ads Myths, Hurdles, and Strategies B2B Marketers Need to Know, With AJ Wilcox
Hello to all my Marketing Smarts Live viewers today. I'm excited to bring you yet another episode of the Marketing Smarts Live show.
This week's topic is LinkedIn Ads Myths, Hurdles, and Strategies B2B Marketers Need to Know.
So, if you're ready to get your learning on, buckle up, and let's get ready to rock and roll.
Hey, I'm your boy George B. Thomas, speaker, trainer, catalyst, and host of this show, the Marketing Smarts Live show, and the Marketing Smarts podcast found on your favorite podcast app.
Today's guest clips are brought to you by AJ Wilcox.
AJ Wilcox is a LinkedIn Ads pro who founded B2Linked, a LinkedIn Ads agency, in 2014. He's managed over $150M in spend on the LinkedIn platform.
AJ is the host of the LinkedIn Ads Show podcast and has managed five of the world's Top 10 LinkedIn Ads accounts.
Now, remember the clips of AJ Wilcox today are pulled from the full Marketing Smarts podcast episode, and if you want to listen to the full interview with AJ Wilcox and myself, make sure to tune into the Marketing Smarts podcast, link to the entire show will be in the description below after the live show ends.
Now, in this episode, again, I'm talking with AJ Wilcox about LinkedIn Ads Myths, Hurdles, and Strategies B2B Marketers Need to Know.
I asked AJ Wilcox what resources are out there that B2B marketers can leverage for LinkedIn ad success. Here's what he had to share with you.
AJ: I have three resources I want to share here.
The first is if you're just barely getting started in LinkedIn Ads, every new channel I start out trying, I always get really tripped up by you need access to some page, what level of access do I need, and where do I need to get it from. We actually put together a free checklist. It's free-free, it's not put-in-your-information gated free. If you go to B2Linked.com/checklist, you can download the checklist of everything that you need in order to get started, plus a whole guide and walkthrough of how to do it. That's resource number one.
Resource number two, let's say you're already advertising on LinkedIn. You don't necessarily need a checklist to get started, but you want the meat, you want the advanced stuff. We actually just very recently put together an advanced guide, The Ultimate Guide to Advanced LinkedIn Advertising. You can get that at B2Linked.com/advanced-guide.
The last resource, as we talk about tips, tricks, strategies, I'm the host of The LinkedIn Ads Show Podcast, and I put everything into that show, every tip, trick, or strategy I learn. We just released episode 100 as of the time we're recording. If you're into podcasts, if you like to listen to them, go subscribe and you'll get all this stuff pounded into your eardrums weekly.
We'll get back to AJ Wilcox and his thoughts on LinkedIn Ads Myths, Hurdles, and Strategies B2B Marketers Need to Know. But first, I have to ask...
Are you part of the MarketingProfs community? If not, become part of the MarketingProfs community by heading over to mprofs.com/mptoday - That's mprofs.com/mptoday.
Now, it's time for one of my favorite sections …
In the B2B News: Where we talk about breaking B2B news or really important tips we find on the Google news tab related to you and your B2B business. This week, the title is...
Harnessing LinkedIn Ad Campaigns For B2B Marketing Success By: Ashlee Piga
LinkedIn stands tall as the champion of business-to-business advertising.
Boasting a staggering 950 million-plus users worldwide, this platform is about more than professional networking: It's a space for businesses looking to connect with industry leaders, decision-makers, and potential clients.
In this article, you can delve into harnessing LinkedIn ad campaigns where you can explore why they're crucial, share winning strategies, and understand how to create spot-on content across different stages of the sales funnel to captivate the right audience at the perfect moment.
To read this article, check out the link below when the live show ends.
So, let's get back to AJ Wilcox and his Marketing Smarts podcast episode. I wanted to ask AJ what hurdles he has seen B2B marketers like you and me fall prey to.
AJ: I love this question. One thing, I don't see it a whole lot now, but I saw it for lots of years before. When someone would test out LinkedIn, they would treat it like search campaigns, like they treated their SEO and their paid search. That was when someone is actively looking for what it is you do, you can send them right to a sales page, send them right to a demo, they're already showing that intent. But with social media, they haven't expressed interest yet, we're trying to pique their attention, catch them, and start to educate them, rather than let's boot up a LinkedIn Ads campaign and drive all of this cold traffic to our demo request, you're going to get crickets and you're going to pay too much for those crickets, it's not a good look.
A lot of times, people would even do this with Facebook, but back in the day, it was a fraction of a cent per click, you could afford to throw away leads and traffic just to test out the platform. On LinkedIn, when we're paying a premium, I don't think that quite makes sense.
We will get back to AJ Wilcox in a few minutes but first it's time for some...
Dope B2B Learnings From The Vault of MarketingProfs Articles
That's right, it's time to dig into the treasure trove of valuable information and pull out two pieces of gold to help you be a better B2B marketer.
Article one this week is: LinkedIn B2B Marketing: Three Underused Ways to Engage Prospects and Customers by Melissa Koski Carney
B2B buyers seek digital experiences at the very beginning of the purchase process—when researching products.
As they move through that process, from research to evaluation to purchase, they prefer self-service channels—or as much remote buying as possible.
One way companies can connect with business customers online during the purchase process—without a substantial investment in their website—is through LinkedIn B2B marketing campaigns.
Article two this week is: LinkedIn Advertising Benchmarks: Maximizing Your Campaign's Potential by Christa Tuttle
LinkedIn is a dynamic hub for B2B marketing leaders, enabling them to unlock access to a highly targeted, professional audience.
However, advertising on the platform requires a strategic approach that goes beyond ad placement. To truly excel, advertisers need to understand the platform's best-practices.
This article will delve into LinkedIn advertising benchmarks that hold the potential to steer your campaigns toward resounding success.
Want to keep learning more? If so, check the links in the description below after the live show to get access to both fantastic MarketingProfs articles.
OK, back to AJ Wilcox … Let's dive back into this conversation of LinkedIn Ads Myths, Hurdles, and Strategies B2B Marketers Need to Know
In this next click I asked AJ what equals LinkedIn ad success, AKA LinkedIn ads Nirvana.
AJ: I love LinkedIn Ads nirvana, and here's what it looks like. It is a platform that does take time to get working, but you have now created a demand creation and a demand generation machine. This is something that you can reliably reach cold audiences who have never heard of you before, you walk them through the know, like, and trust process, they will respond when you show ads or ask them to hop on calls, get demos, talk to sales, and then they turn into closed customers. That is LinkedIn Ads nirvana right there.
We're going to get some words of wisdom from AJ Wilcox here in a few minutes but right now, it's time to turn the spotlight on you, the MarketingProfs community. Yep, time for...
From The #MPB2B Community
We searched far and wide in the #MPB2B universe to find amazing information and conversation to bring to the masses.
So, first, make sure you are using the hashtag, and second, make sure you have fun and add value to the community.
Then, we'll spotlight you or your crew on the show. This week, it's...
Kathleen Gaines on LinkedIn and it goes a little something like this…
Customer behaviors are changing—fast.
Today's customers are not happy being "just a number" on a balance sheet. And your marketing department is on the front line of these changes!
But marketing isn't enough.
To make real connections with buyers, your business has to show empathy at every level of your organization.
Easier said than done!
Here are four steps to get you started:
https://lnkd.in/evx6bKGs
#mpb2b #marketing #b2b #b2bmarketing
But you need to check out the description and click that link to check out the post and read or learn more!
Marketing Smarts viewer, I have to ask... are you going to be next to get the spotlight?
Remember, community, use the hashtag #mpb2b on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter and get the light shined on your awesomeness in the next episode or a future episode of the Marketing Smarts Live show!
Pro-tip, it won't hurt if you tag me in your post as well; I'm @georgebthomas on LinkedIn and Twitter.
OK, let's kick it back to AJ Wilcox and some words of wisdom around this topic of LinkedIn Ads Myths, Hurdles, and Strategies B2B Marketers Need to Know.
Here is what AJ Wilcox wanted to leave us with...
AJ: I'll do a little grab bag here, I'll do both. First off, with life, I have to quote the venerable Bill & Ted with, "Be excellent to each other." That's a great piece of advice no matter what you do and where you do it.
I think parting advice here around LinkedIn Ads, LinkedIn Ads should not operate in a silo. In fact, no platform should. I was an SEO guy back when all of the major Penguin and other Google updates happened. I watched businesses who were 100% reliant on organic search traffic go out of business in less than a week because all of their leads, all of their business dried up and they couldn't sustain. Every business needs diversity, and sometimes that means putting money into other platforms that you may not know or understand yet, but you have to put out your feelers and test.
We can create a demand generation machine with LinkedIn and just like hey, we're waiting for people to come to LinkedIn, which they don't do as often as other networks, and we nurture them over time and turn them into customers. But how much better is it if your LinkedIn can bring in exactly the right people you know are the most qualified, and then your Meta, Google, Twitter, Quora, everything is retargeting that traffic wherever they go on the web? Now they're getting this big digital hug, they're being reminded constantly about your brand, you're staying top of mind, and then when they are ready to make a purchase, you're right there.
Even being a LinkedIn Ads fan, I still can't tell you to build your entire platform around LinkedIn Ads. We didn't even talk about the organic side of LinkedIn. Outside of ads, there is so much you can do organically. There's so much you can do on every other platform.
Don't bite off more than you can chew, but definitely you have to be diversified.
So, so, so, so good.
Have you enjoyed today's journey? Let us know, use that hashtag #mpb2b on whatever platform you are joining us on.
