How to test if you're targeting the correct audience with LinkedIn Ads

In B2B marketing, precision is everything. Without it, even the best ad copy, creative, and campaigns fall flat. This is especially true on LinkedIn, where targeting inaccuracies can completely derail your results.

The Challenge with LinkedIn’s Targeting Features

While LinkedIn is a powerful platform, some of its targeting features can be misleading, such as:

• Inaccurate Industry/Company Size Data: Relying on outdated or imprecise classifications can lead to wasted spend.
• Predictive Audiences: While appealing, these can introduce irrelevance into your campaigns and overly simplify an important process of understanding and selecting the correct audience.
• Audience Expansion: This feature often casts the net too wide, reaching people outside your ideal buyer profile.
• Supertitles & Dual Roles: Ambiguities in job titles and overlapping responsibilities can muddy the waters when identifying decision-makers.

The thing is, these features are fine to try but if your LinkedIn Ads audience is off, everything else will be off.

Why Audience Testing Comes First

If you haven’t nailed your audience, testing other elements—like ad copy, creative, or objectives—becomes pointless. The results will be skewed by impressions and clicks from people outside your target group.

Before you test anything else, focus on testing your audience. Here’s how:

• Monitor Demographics: Regularly check the audience breakdown by role, industry, and company size.
• Track Engagement: Pay attention to who’s interacting with your ads - are they the right fit?
• Watch Web Visitors: Analyze the LinkedIn audience that’s landing on your site.
• Analyze Conversions: Are the right personas converting, or is irrelevant traffic inflating your metrics?

ABM: A Solution for Targeting Precision

This is why I advocate for incorporating Account-Based Marketing (ABM) into LinkedIn Ads strategies. Targeting key accounts by name can significantly reduce waste and help you focus on high-value opportunities.

However, ABM shouldn't be your only tactic. Combining niche ABM targeting with broader audience segments can balance precision and scale.

Key Takeaways

1. Always validate your LinkedIn audience first—everything else hinges on getting this right.
2. Use data-driven insights to refine your targeting and avoid platform pitfalls.
3. ABM should be part of your strategy, but don’t rely on it exclusively.

When you start with a precise audience, you lay the foundation for successful campaigns that drive meaningful pipeline results.

Conclusion

While LinkedIn’s targeting features have their challenges, they also offer immense opportunities when used strategically. By building a solid foundation with precise audience targeting, you set the stage for impactful campaigns that drive real pipeline revenue and help your business stay ahead in a competitive market.

Ready to take your LinkedIn Ads strategy to the next level? Book a call, and let’s chat about how we can make LinkedIn Ads work for your business.