The Campainless Blog

The Essential Guide to LinkedIn Retargeting: Strategies, Tools, and Best Practices
ByAdrian Cordiner
The Essential Guide to LinkedIn Retargeting: Strategies, Tools, and Best Practices

Then like a ghost, they vanish. No call, no email, not even a “Thanks, I’ll think about it.” They’re gone. But here’s the thing—there’s something you can do about it. Enter LinkedIn retargeting, your secret weapon to summon those wayward wanderers back into your orbit.

With LinkedIn retargeting, you can serve ads to people who already know your brand, whispering, “Hey, remember us?” into the digital void.

Using tools like the LinkedIn Insight Tag and Campaign Manager, you can create hyper-targeted campaigns that transform casual browsers into loyal customers.

What Makes LinkedIn Retargeting So Special?

Think of LinkedIn as the internet’s most exclusive professional mixer. It’s not just any social network—it’s the social network for ambitious professionals, decision-makers, and B2B dynamos.

With over 900 million users worldwide, LinkedIn is like the digital watering hole for your dream clients.

Now, layer retargeting on top of this and you’ve got marketing magic.

Why? Because retargeting is about reconnecting with those who’ve already raised their hand and said, “Hmm, interesting.”


Mastering Retargeting Audiences: A Step-by-Step Guide to LinkedIn Retargeting Success

One powerful tool at your disposal is the matched audience, which allows you to target users based on their previous interactions with your content.

Ready to get started? Grab your baton, because we’re diving into the world of retargeting audiences.

Setting the Stage: Installing the LinkedIn Insight Tag

Before you can wow your audience, you need a backstage pass to their behavior. That’s where the LinkedIn Insight Tag comes in—a humble piece of JavaScript code with superhero capabilities. Think of it as your brand’s spy, quietly observing visitor activity on your website and feeding that data back to LinkedIn.

How to Install the Insight Tag (No Spy Training Required!)

  1. Head over to your Account Assets tab in LinkedIn Campaign Manager.
  2. Select the elusive “Insight Tag” option.
  3. Copy the Insight Tag code—it’s like a secret handshake for your website.
  4. Paste it into the header section of your website or deploy it through a tag manager like Google Tag Manager.

Pro Tip: Don’t be stingy! Install the Insight Tag on all key pages—pricing, demo requests, blogs—so you can cast the widest net possible. The more data you collect, the sharper your retargeting can be.


Crafting Your Audience: Where the Magic Happens

With your Insight Tag in place, it’s time to unleash your creative genius and craft retargeting audiences that sing in harmony with your campaign goals. Think of this as assembling your dream team, one behavior at a time.

Steps to Create a Retargeting Audience

  1. In Campaign Manager, navigate to the Audiences page (found under the Account Assets tab dropdown—you’re welcome).
  2. Click “Create Audience” and prepare to be dazzled by the options:
  • Website Audiences: Want to retarget people who visited specific pages? Now’s your chance. Name your audience, select key URLs, and let LinkedIn do its magic.
  • Video Audience Sets: Captivated viewers who watched your video ad deserve a second act. Target those who stuck around for 25%, 50%, or more of your content.
  • Event Audience Sets: Remember all those event attendees? Time to keep the conversation going.
  • Lead Gen Form Audience: The ones who clicked but didn’t complete your lead gen form? They’re practically begging for a follow-up.

Fine-Tuning Your Retargeting Audience

Every great artist refines their masterpiece, and so should you. Here’s how to ensure your retargeting audiences are as effective as they are dazzling:

Tips for Building a Show-Stopping Retargeting Audience

  1. Group URLs for Simplicity: Instead of targeting individual product pages, group them into broader categories. This ensures you reach visitors with shared interests while keeping your audience size robust.
  2. Focus on High-Value Pages: That blog post with a 10-second bounce rate? Skip it. Instead, target pages like pricing, demo requests, or product details—the pages that scream “I’m interested!”
  3. Don’t Ignore Key Pages: Whether it’s a stellar case study or a compelling free trial offer, include pages that subtly nudge visitors toward conversion.

Pro Tip: The smaller your audience, the more expensive your campaign might get. If audience size is an issue, broaden your targeting by grouping similar behaviors or URLs.


Why Retargeting Audiences Are Worth the Effort

Creating retargeting audiences isn’t just a step in the process—it’s the cornerstone of a successful campaign. When done right, they’ll help you:

  • Reconnect with visitors who are already familiar with your brand.
  • Tailor your message to match specific user behavior.
  • Maximize ROI by focusing on high-intent prospects.

With LinkedIn’s robust targeting capabilities and a well-planned audience, you’re not just running ads—you’re crafting experiences that resonate, engage, and convert.

Launching Your Retargeting Campaign: Turning Audiences Into Action

Your retargeting audience is built, your strategy is polished, and your LinkedIn Insight Tag is quietly collecting valuable data in the background.

Now it’s time for the main event: launching your LinkedIn ad retargeting campaign. Utilize LinkedIn ads to maximize your retargeting efforts and drive conversions. This is where all your preparation comes to life, transforming data into actionable results that drive conversions and boost ROI.

Launching a campaign is more than just hitting “Go.” It’s about aligning objectives, choosing the right ad formats, and crafting content that speaks directly to your audience. Ready to dive in? Let’s make some marketing magic.

Step 1: Set a Clear Objective

Before you start crafting ads, you need to decide on your campaign’s ultimate goal. Think of this as your campaign’s north star—the guiding light that determines your strategy and success metrics.

  • Website Conversions: Perfect if you want to drive sign-ups, purchases, or demo requests.
  • Lead Generation: Ideal for capturing contact details from interested prospects.
  • Engagement: Great for building relationships with warm audiences who already know your brand.

Choosing the right objective ensures LinkedIn’s algorithm works in your favor, optimizing your campaign for the actions you care about most.


Step 2: Pick the Right Ad Formats

Not all ad formats are created equal, and the right one depends on your campaign’s goals and audience preferences. Each format brings its own flavor to your strategy, so let’s explore your options:

Single Image Ads: The Classic Touchpoint

Sometimes, less is more. A single image ad is simple yet powerful, serving as a touchpoint to engage your audience. These ads are excellent for building brand awareness and creating audience segments for future remarketing.

Example Use: Showcase a bold product image with a headline like, “Did you forget about us? Let’s pick up where we left off.”


Video Campaigns: Stories in Motion

Video ads are like mini-movies for your brand. Use them to highlight product demos, customer testimonials, or inspiring company stories. They’re engaging, memorable, and perfect for creating deeper connections with your audience.

Pro Tip: Target a video audience set to re-engage viewers who watched a significant portion of your video ad.


Carousel Ads: The Showstopper

Got more to say? Carousel ads let you tell a story, showcase multiple products, or highlight key features in one interactive format. Each swipe keeps your audience engaged and curious about what comes next.

Example Use: “5 Reasons to Choose [Your Product]”—each slide reveals a new reason, driving users toward a conversion.


Step 3: Craft Ad Content That Speaks to Your Audience

Ad formats grab attention, but your ad content seals the deal. Craft messages tailored to your audience’s behavior, interests, and stage in the buyer’s journey.

Tips for Compelling Ad Content:

  • Be Personal: Reference their previous interaction, like visiting your website or watching your video.
  • Highlight Value: Why should they care? Make it clear what’s in it for them.
  • Include a Strong CTA: Whether it’s “Download Now,” “Request a Demo,” or “Watch the Video,” tell them exactly what to do next.

Example Ad Copy:

  • For Website Visitors: “Still thinking about [Product]? See how it can transform your [specific need].”
  • For Video Viewers: “Loved our demo? Here’s how to take the next step.”
  • For Lead Gen Forms: “You’re just one click away from unlocking [key benefit]. Complete your journey today!”

Step 4: Optimize and Launch

Launching your retargeting campaign is just the beginning. With careful optimization and ongoing adjustments, you’ll turn your LinkedIn retargeting efforts into a conversion-driving machine that keeps your brand top-of-mind and your audience coming back for more.


Advanced Strategies for LinkedIn Retargeting: Elevate Your Campaigns

Once you’ve mastered the basics of LinkedIn retargeting, it’s time to take things up a notch. The real magic happens when you layer advanced strategies onto your campaigns, transforming them from functional to phenomenal.

By segmenting audiences, diversifying ad formats, leveraging matched audiences, and fine-tuning performance through conversion tracking, you can create campaigns that truly resonate and deliver.

Let’s dive into these advanced strategies to ensure you’re getting the most out of your LinkedIn retargeting campaigns.


1. Segment Your Audience for Hyper-Personalization

One-size-fits-all? Not here. Your audience interacts with your brand in diverse ways, and your retargeting ads should reflect that. By segmenting your audience, you can deliver ads tailored to their specific behaviors, interests, and needs.

How to Segment Like a Pro:

  • Website Audiences: Retarget visitors based on the pages they’ve viewed. Did they linger on your pricing page? Serve them an ad with a limited-time discount. Explored your blog? Offer them a free downloadable guide.
  • Video Audiences: Re-engage users who watched a portion of your video ad. Tailor follow-up ads based on their engagement level—those who watched 75% of your demo video may be ready for a product trial.
  • Company Page Audiences: Target followers of your company page or those who’ve interacted with your posts. These are warm leads, already familiar with your brand, making them prime candidates for personalized messaging.

Pro Tip: Create smaller sub-segments within these groups to refine your targeting even further. For instance, segment website visitors by region or job title to align your messaging with their unique context.


2. Retarget Across Multiple Ad Formats

Variety isn’t just the spice of life—it’s the key to keeping your audience engaged. Experimenting with multiple ad formats ensures you’re reaching your audience in ways that resonate with them.

Winning Ad Format Combinations:

  • Single Image Ads + Video Campaigns: Start with a bold image ad to grab attention, then follow up with a video ad to tell a deeper story or highlight customer success.
  • Carousel Ads: Take your audience on a journey. Use carousels to showcase a lineup of products, tell a story, or break down a complex offering into digestible steps.

Example:
Imagine you’re marketing a SaaS product. Start with a single image ad announcing a free trial, followed by a carousel ad that walks prospects through your product’s top three features. Cap it off with a video campaign featuring a customer testimonial.


3. Leverage the Power of Matched Audiences

If personalization is the art of marketing, matched audiences are your canvas. This feature allows you to upload contact lists, integrate CRM data, or retarget users who’ve already interacted with your brand.

How to Use Matched Audiences Effectively:

  • Upload your CRM list to target high-priority leads with ads tailored to their needs.
  • Retarget users who’ve filled out forms but haven’t converted—serve them a follow-up ad with a special offer.
  • Combine matched audiences with video audience sets to create layered campaigns targeting different stages of the buyer’s journey.

Pro Tip: Segment your matched audiences by industry, job title, or company size for even greater impact.


4. Use Conversion Tracking to Fine-Tune Campaigns

Data doesn’t lie, and conversion tracking is your ultimate truth-teller. Enabling conversion tracking lets you measure the effectiveness of your campaigns, identify what’s working, and uncover areas for improvement.

Key Metrics to Track:

  • Click-Through Rate (CTR): Gauge how compelling your ad content is.
  • Cost Per Conversion (CPC): Understand your campaign’s efficiency in driving valuable actions.
  • Conversion Rate: See how well your audience responds to your CTAs.

How to Use This Data:

  • Identify top-performing ad formats and double down on what works.
  • Adjust your targeting to focus on high-converting audience segments.
  • Refine your messaging based on the ads that generate the most engagement.

Bringing It All Together

Advanced LinkedIn retargeting strategies are all about precision, variety, and data-driven optimization. By segmenting your audience for personalization, experimenting with multiple ad formats, leveraging matched audiences, and using conversion tracking to refine your efforts, you can elevate your campaigns from good to extraordinary.

Don’t settle for average—use these strategies to create retargeting campaigns that not only re-engage but also inspire your audience to take action. After all, the next big conversion is just one perfectly targeted ad away!


Budgeting and Cost Considerations

Setting a Budget for Your Campaigns

When setting a budget for your LinkedIn ad campaigns, it’s essential to consider strategies for tracking, retargeting, and optimizing your advertising efforts.

LinkedIn offers cost-per-click (CPC) and cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM) pricing models, allowing you to control your costs effectively.

It’s recommended to start with a small budget and gradually increase it as you optimize your campaigns. This approach helps you test different strategies and identify what works best for your target audience without overspending.

To set a realistic budget, consider the size of your retargeting audience and the average cost per click or impression in your industry.

LinkedIn Campaign Manager provides insights into estimated costs, helping you make informed decisions. Additionally, monitor your campaign performance regularly and adjust your budget based on the results to ensure you’re getting the best possible return on investment.

Cost-Effective Strategies

To make the most of your LinkedIn retargeting budget, consider the following cost-effective strategies:

  • Use Matched Audiences: Target users who have previously engaged with your brand by uploading contact lists or integrating CRM data. This ensures your ads reach a highly relevant audience, improving ad performance and reducing costs.
  • Utilize Website Retargeting: Reach users who have visited your website but haven’t converted yet. By serving personalized ads to these visitors, you can nudge them towards completing a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a lead gen form.
  • Leverage Video Ads: Engage users and increase brand awareness with compelling video ads. Videos are highly engaging and can effectively communicate your brand message, making them a cost-effective way to capture your audience’s attention.
  • Optimize Ad Creatives and Bidding Strategy: Continuously test and refine your ad creatives and bidding strategy to improve ad performance. Use A/B testing to identify the most effective ad formats, headlines, and visuals, and adjust your bids to maximize ROI.

By implementing these cost-effective strategies, you can stretch your retargeting budget further and achieve better results from your LinkedIn retargeting campaigns.


Common Mistakes to Avoid

Pitfalls in Audience Targeting

When targeting your audience on LinkedIn, it’s essential to avoid common pitfalls that can lead to wasted budget and poor ad performance. Some common mistakes to avoid include:

  • Targeting Too Broad of an Audience: A broad audience can lead to low engagement and high costs. Instead, focus on creating specific retargeting audiences based on user behavior, such as website visits or video views, to ensure your ads are relevant and engaging.
  • Not Excluding Users Who Have Already Converted: Failing to exclude users who have already converted can result in wasted budget. Regularly update your retargeting audiences to exclude these users and focus on those who are still in the consideration phase.
  • Not Using Matched Audiences: Matched audiences allow you to target users who have previously engaged with your brand, leading to higher ad performance. Neglecting this feature can result in lower engagement and conversions.
  • Not Optimizing Ad Creatives and Bidding Strategy: Poorly optimized ad creatives and bidding strategies can lead to subpar ad performance. Continuously test different ad formats, headlines, and visuals, and adjust your bids to ensure you’re getting the best possible results.

By avoiding these common mistakes and using the strategies outlined above, you can create effective LinkedIn retargeting campaigns that drive conversions and maximize your ROI.


Examples of LinkedIn Retargeting Success

Case Study 1: SaaS Company Boosts Lead Generation

A SaaS company used website retargeting to re-engage visitors who viewed their pricing page. By creating a retargeting audience and serving personalized ads, they increased demo requests by 40%.

Case Study 2: B2B Firm Enhances Video Engagement

A B2B firm targeted a video audience of LinkedIn members who watched more than 50% of their product demo video. Using a follow-up video campaign, they achieved a 25% increase in conversions.


Conclusion: Take Your LinkedIn Retargeting to the Next Level

LinkedIn retargeting is a powerful way to re-engage your audience, drive conversions, and maximize your ad spend. But managing retargeting campaigns can be time-consuming and complex. That’s where Campainless comes in.

Campainless simplifies LinkedIn advertising with AI-driven optimization and benchmarking tools that take the guesswork out of retargeting.

Ready to make LinkedIn retargeting effortless? Register for early access today and discover how Campainless can help you achieve better results, faster. Don’t miss out—join the future of LinkedIn advertising!

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