If you’re a B2B marketer, you’ve probably heard from executives that LinkedIn is pointless, expensive, and doesn’t deliver quality leads. Our guest, however, feels different. For them, LinkedIn conversation ads have been a game changer.

Corrina Owens, Senior ABM Manager at Gong, discusses why this network is worth the spend and shares some examples with the audience.

Why LinkedIn conversation ads are different

It’s common to hear an executive talk negatively about LinkedIn’s value when it comes to delivering quality leads. And while they may be true of the stereotypical channels that businesses have used in the past through LinkedIn, Corrina emphasizes one area that she’s had consistent success with: LinkedIn conversation ads.

”LinkedIn conversation has been a game changer for me in my career to prove that there is value and putting spend into this network.” — Corrina Owens

These kinds of ads differ in many ways from the exhausted LinkedIn channels that executives get hung up on. But the main reason they get confused is because they still appear in the LinkedIn inbox — a place that most people still associate with LinkedIn in-mail: Something that, even Corrina agrees, didn’t provide value.

A more individualized approach

These conversation ads are different because they’re coming from an individual, not a company. Imagine two emails come through to your inbox: One is from a corporation and the other is from a sales rep. Immediately, there’s an understanding that the sales rep email is a more intimate, individualized approach — one that you’ll give way more attention to than a corporate email that feels generalized.

And these ads can be sent by anyone. Corrina highlights the multiple places a conversation ad can come from within her organization:

  • Sales representatives
  • BDRs
  • VPs for high-value offers

The best part: The ads are super easy to get up-up-running. Compared to the often difficult to implement marketing technology, this stands apart.

A focus on specificity

Another way that LinkedIn conversation stands out is its focus on highly conversational messages. Forcing you to keep your messages within 500 characters, your marketing department won’t have the space to ramble:

”It really forces your marketing department to be concise and very clear about why they’re targeting you and what you’re going to get out of this.” — Corrina Owens

A campaign with legs

As with any campaign, you want to make sure you have a high ROI. LinkedIn conversation ads deliver on this by never going away within the inbox. Even when you stop spending, that ad will continue to live forever.

“So I have had leads come to me from Q4 of 2020. And I’m not spending a dime more on it,” Corrina explains.

Leads will continue to come in because individuals will scroll through their messages and look at the offering. And as far as pricing, it can cost as low as $1 per spend. So, it’s well worth it to try this strategy for yourself.

Conversation ads statistics

In order to pique the interests of executives that are still on the edge about these ads, Corrina shares some data to elevate the conversation:

  • In 2020, a LinkedIn study found that 89% of consumers would like to use messaging in particular for B2B communication.
  • 40% of millennials say they interact with chatbots on a daily basis.

”Chatbots are becoming just a tool in everyone’s day to day life that they use and are comfortable with and are almost starting to expect.” — Corrina Owens

  • 73% of buyers are expecting a more personalized experience.
  • Businesses utilizing new technologies to increase personalization report 21%, stronger lead acceptance rates and a 36% higher conversion rate than businesses who do not do it.

So, because LinkedIn is already targeting individuals, your outreach is already much more directed. In addition, because it’s LinkedIn rather than something like Zoom Info, you know that their name and information is accurate — along with the company they’re currently working at, if they keep their information up to date.

A key takeaway

Individuals are expecting a more individualized approach when it comes to receiving ads. If you’re looking to convert more, meet people on a platform where they expect to be interacted with like LinkedIn.

With such a low cost to try conversation ads out, there’s no reason not to. It may fit perfectly with your strategy. Despite some of the common stereotypes about LinkedIn leads, this hidden option isn’t one to miss.

”I truly believe it’s because we are targeting them where they’re living and breathing content the most and not relying on them to be on our web to be able to make that conversion.” — Corrina Owens.