• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Social Media Examiner

Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

  • 🔥 Free Newsletter
  • ⭐ FREE Web3 Course
  • 🗓️ Our Events
    • Social Media Marketing World (Mar 13-15)
    • Other Industry Events
  • 💡 Society
  • ⚙️ Tools
  • 🎙️ Podcasts
    • Social Media Marketing Podcast
    • Social Media Marketing Talk Show
    • Web3 Business Podcast
    • Our YouTube Channel
  • 🎯 Partner With Us
    • Podcast Sponsorship
    • Email Sponsorship
      • Email Newsletter
      • Dedicated Email Blast
    • Event Sponsorship
      • Social Media Marketing World
    • Tools Sponsorship
  • 👋 About Us
    • Our Story
    • Articles
      • Web3
      • Instagram Marketing
      • Facebook Marketing
      • YouTube Marketing
      • LinkedIn Marketing
      • TikTok Marketing
      • Expert Interviews
  • Search
  • Social Media Marketing World10th annual. Biggest industry event. Get the recordings!IMPROVE YOUR MARKETING

    LinkedIn Matched Audiences: A Remarketing Guide for LinkedIn

    by Alexandra Rynne / May 9, 2017

    social media how toWondering how to retarget your website visitors on LinkedIn?

    Want to use LinkedIn ads to reach your non-responsive email contacts?

    LinkedIn Matched Audiences lets you deliver marketing messages based on website retargeting, account targeting, and email contact targeting.

    In this article, you'll discover how to target your prospects and customers using Matched Audiences on LinkedIn.

    LinkedIn Matched Audiences: A Remarketing Guide for LinkedIn by Alexandra Rynne on Social Media Examiner.
    LinkedIn Matched Audiences: A Remarketing Guide for LinkedIn by Alexandra Rynne on Social Media Examiner.

    What LinkedIn Matched Audiences Can Do for You

    LinkedIn already provides a unique and convenient way to target members by company, industry, skills, titles, and more. But what if you want to reach the people you already know?

    With Matched Audiences, you can retarget website visitors, market to contacts from your customer databases and marketing automation platforms, and reach decision-makers at target companies for your account-based marketing programs. It's available for all LinkedIn advertising products, including Sponsored Content, Sponsored InMail, and other ad formats.

    Here's a closer look at the three new targeting capabilities for engaging key accounts, prospects, and audiences.

    Website Retargeting

    Website retargeting lets you market to LinkedIn members who have visited your website. You can easily define target audiences and deliver relevant ad content based on the pages people visited on your site.

    Matched audiences is an ideal advanced targeting strategy for always-on campaigns.
    Matched Audiences is an ideal advanced targeting strategy for always-on campaigns.

    Account Targeting

    Account targeting helps you reach decision-makers within your target accounts. Run account-based marketing campaigns (powered by LinkedIn data) and then upload a list of target companies to match against the 8+ million company pages on the platform.

    Contact Targeting

    Contact targeting allows you to upload or integrate your contact lists. Build a customized audience by uploading your email address lists or connecting your contact management platform.

    3 Days of World-Class Training—Zero Travel!

    Social Media Marketing World

    Travel to Social Media Marketing World off the table? Get all of the great content at a fraction of the price with an On-Demand ticket.

    That’s full access to recordings of every keynote, workshop, and session—the ones people travel thousands of miles to see. Don't wait. Get your On-Demand ticket and enjoy actionable content that you can watch anytime, anywhere.

    GET YOUR ON-DEMAND TICKET NOW

    Now let's look at how to use these targeting capabilities with your LinkedIn ads.

    #1: Retarget LinkedIn Members Who Visited Your Website

    LinkedIn lets you define specific web pages to use as the basis for your retargeting (for example, your homepage or Contact Us page).

    In Campaign Manager, you'll find the Matched Audiences option on the targeting screen. Click Select to the right of Use a Matched Audience.

    Click Select to use website traffic to create an audience.
    Click Select to use website traffic to create an audience.

    Next, click Create an Audience to Retarget.

    Click Create an Audience to Retarget.
    Click the Create an Audience to Retarget button.

    Give your website retargeting segment a name.

    Enter a name for your website retargeting segment.
    Enter a name for your website retargeting segment.

    Then enter the URL for the web page you want to retarget. To the left of the URL, choose a retargeting option from the drop-down list:

    • Select Exact if you want to retarget any LinkedIn member who visited the exact URL you provided. Use this option only if you have a specific static URL and never add anything to the end of that URL.
    • Use Starts With if you want to retarget any users who visited anywhere on the site that begins with the specified URL.
    • Choose Contains if you want to retarget visitors to URLs that contain the specific string of characters.
    Enter the URL you want to retarget and select an option from the drop-down menu.
    For website retargeting with Matched Audiences, enter a URL and select an option from the drop-down menu.

    For example, if you enter “thank-you” and select Contains, you'll retarget members who visited any page in the domain with “thank-you” anywhere in the URL.

    You can add multiple URLs to retarget with LinkedIn Matched Audiences.
    You can add multiple URLs with LinkedIn Matched Audiences.

    If you want to retarget visitors from another web page, click Add Another URL and type in your second URL. Entering multiple URLs will let you retarget people who visited your blog or a specific product page on your site.

    After you click Save, you'll be prompted to set up your insight tag. The insight tag is a lightweight piece of JavaScript code that you need to place on your website to enable website retargeting and conversion tracking.

    Tip: Leaving the site will exit any progress you've made so always remember to save your campaign.

    If you've already placed a LinkedIn insight tag on your website, you can skip this step; however, remember that your website can have only one insight tag at a time. Copy the tag or send it to yourself so you can forward it to the appropriate website contact to implement the code.

    Install the LinkedIn insight tag on your website.
    Install the LinkedIn insight tag on your website.

    Placing the tag on your website is a critical step; otherwise, website retargeting won't work. You can view the tag at any time by choosing Insight Tag under Tools.

    To check the status of your website segments, click Tools and choose Matched Audiences.

    Select Matched Audiences from the Tools drop-down menu.
    Select Matched Audiences from the Tools drop-down menu.

    Here you'll see all of your website audiences. Note that until you add the insight tag to your page, you'll see “Unverified” under Tag Status.

    It can take around 48 hours to get your domain verified.
    It can take around 48 hours to get your domain verified.

    Campaign Manager won't be able to build any of the retargeting audiences until your domain has been verified, which can take about 48 hours. When you see “Verified,” that means your audience has gathered a minimum of 300 members; however, it will continue to grow.

    To add website audiences to your campaign, use the tab navigation to access your account and then open the campaign to which you want to add retargeting segments.

    Click the Audiences tab, and then under See Full List, you'll find the website segments you've already created. Choose to include or exclude website segments.

    Select the website visitor segments you want to target on LinkedIn.
    Select the website visitor segments you want to target on LinkedIn.

    Once your campaign goes live, it will begin to deliver as soon as your website segment reaches 300 people and is verified.

    Website retargeting helps keep your brand top of mind for your website visitors. You can set up your campaign to run indefinitely so that anytime visitors come to LinkedIn, they'll see your content.

    Tools Resource Guide

    Looking for something to make your life easier?

    Discover the tools we recommend to drive engagement, save you time, and boost sales across your entire marketing funnel or business.

    Whether you need help planning content, organizing social posts, or developing your strategy, you’ll find something for every situation.

    FIND YOUR NEXT FAVORITE TOOL

    #2: Reach Employees of Your Target Accounts

    The second type of Matched Audiences targeting is called account targeting. Account targeting is ideal if you're running account-based marketing programs focused on reaching target accounts, as opposed to specific people in those accounts.

    Navigate to the targeting page within Campaign Manager. Note that choosing a location is always required. For example, if you want to run a global campaign, simply select all of the continents, as shown below:

    Select the locations you want to target.
    Select the locations you want to target.

    If you want to refine your targeting and target employees or a specific company, you can use the company name targeting and enter up to 100 companies. To add more than 100 companies, close out of this targeting method and scroll to the top.

    With account targeting, you can upload a list of companies. Under Target a List of Accounts or Contacts, click Create an Audience.

    Click the Create an Audience button.
    Click the Create an Audience button.

    Give your audience a name that's easily distinguishable. You can then upload a CSV file of up to 30,000 companies and match that list against companies on LinkedIn. After you upload your file, click Next.

    Add a name for your audience and then upload your CSV file of companies.
    Add a name for your audience and then upload your CSV file of companies.

    Note that larger lists will take longer to process, but the maximum wait time is about 48 hours. After you've uploaded your list, don't forget to scroll to the bottom of the page and save your progress.

    It takes around 48 hours to match your list to LinkedIn accounts.
    It takes around 48 hours to match your list to LinkedIn accounts.

    To see the status of your match list, click Tools in the top-right corner and select Matched Audiences. You'll see a match on the dashboard below when your list is available.

    When you're ready to add your list to a campaign, navigate to your account from the top navigation and open your campaign. Click the Audience tab, and under See Full List of the target list accounts, select the list that you want to add to your campaign.

    Select the account lists you want to target with your LinkedIn campaign.
    Select the account lists you want to target with your LinkedIn campaign.

    If you scroll down further, you can add other targeting options to your campaign, but be mindful of the scale of your campaign. When you're finished, don't forget to click Save.

    You can add further targeting options to your LinkedIn campaign.
    You can add further targeting options to your LinkedIn campaign.

    #3: Target Your Email Contacts

    The third Matched Audiences targeting option is contact targeting. You can build a custom audience by uploading your email address lists or using your own data from platforms like Marketo, Oracle Eloqua, and LiveRamp.

    Upload a Contact List

    To upload a list, select Matched Audiences from the Tools menu in the top-right corner.

    On the Uploaded List Audiences tab, you'll see a dashboard overview of all of your Matched Audiences targeting segments. It will include account lists, email lists uploaded as CSV files, and email targeting segments from your marketing automation platform once you've set it up. Now you can click Upload a List.

    To upload an email list, click Upload a List.
    To upload an email list, click Upload a List.

    Next, choose Match Based on a List of Contacts and upload a CSV file. Here are some tips for preparing your CSV file:

    • Place email addresses under one column.
    • Label the header row “email”.
    • Check spelling to ensure the matching process is as fast as possible.
    • Remove all formatting for optional match rates.

    LinkedIn recommends at least 300 contacts (maximum 300,000). Keep in mind that larger lists will likely have better match rates.

    Upload your email list to LinkedIn.
    Upload your email list to LinkedIn.

    After you launch your campaign and LinkedIn matches at least 300 members, your campaign can begin delivering. Note that it may take up to 48 hours to match enough email contacts.

    To see the contact lists you've created, go to the Uploaded List Audiences tab. Here, you can view or add additional account and contact lists.

    You can view the account lists you've uploaded on the Uploaded List Audiences tab.
    You can view the account lists you've uploaded on the Uploaded List Audiences tab.

    Use Data Integrations

    Now, let's walk through contact targeting using data integrations. On the Uploaded List Audiences tab, click the option to connect to a marketing automation platform.

    Click the option to connect to a marketing automation.
    Click the option to connect to a marketing automation platform.

    Read the LinkedIn program terms and click Next to agree to them.

    You'll then see a public key and a secret key. You'll need to add these keys to your marketing automation provider's platform. Click Learn More to access the help center where you'll find out which marketing automation platforms are supported, along with detailed setup instructions for each one.

    Click Learn More to find detailed setup instructions for various marketing automation platforms.
    Click Learn More to find detailed setup instructions for various marketing automation platforms.

    Note that this is the only account with access to your email segments. Your list can't be duplicated across different accounts.

    Once you've successfully set up the API keys within your marketing platform, it typically takes about 48 hours before your campaign segments appear. Remember that any updates to email lists must be done through your marketing automation platform.

    Link the API keys to your contact management platform (Marketo, Oracle Eloqua, or LiveRamp).
    Link the API keys to your contact management platform (Marketo, Oracle Eloqua, or LiveRamp).

    Marketing automation integration lets you reach prospects you already know on LinkedIn to share relevant content and grow your business.
    Want more like this? Explore our LinkedIn for Business guide!
    .
    Conclusion

    LinkedIn's Matched Audiences helps you close the gap to deliver true full-funnel marketing. It allows you to reach your target audiences throughout the customer life cycle, from awareness to lead generation to customer retention and win-back.

    What do you think? Have you tried these Matched Audiences targeting capabilities? What tips or success stories do you have to share? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

    LinkedIn Matched Audiences: A Remarketing Guide for LinkedIn by Alexandra Rynne on Social Media Examiner.
    LinkedIn Matched Audiences: A Remarketing Guide for LinkedIn by Alexandra Rynne on Social Media Examiner.

    Get Your FREE Course: Web3 for Beginners

    Web 3 for Beginners

    Curious about Web3, but don't know where to start or who to trust?

    Introducing Web3 for Beginners, a course taught by Michael Stelzner, the founder of Social Media Examiner.

    Learn the basics of Web3 and apply it to your business with this FREE comprehensive course.


    CLICK HERE TO GET FREE ACCESS

    Tags: LinkedIn, LinkedIn Ads

    About the authorAlexandra Rynne

    Alex manages social strategy for LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, bringing the brand voice to life across social and the LinkedIn Marketing Solutions blog through content designed to inspire marketers to succeed.
    Other posts by Alexandra Rynne Âť

    Get Social Media Examiner’s Future Articles in Your Inbox!

    Get our latest articles delivered to your email inbox and get the FREE Social Media Marketing Industry Report (39 pages, 50+ charts)!

    Industry Report Cover

    Worth Exploring:

    Facebook

    Marketing Help Explore More →

    Instagram

    Marketing Help Explore More →

    YouTube

    Marketing Help Explore More →

    Linkedin

    Marketing Help Explore More →

    Web3

    Marketing Help Explore More →

    Social Media Marketing Industry Report

    Get Free Report →

    Social Marketing Trends

    The data you've been missing!

    Need a new plan? Discover how marketers plan to change their social activities in the 14th annual Social Media Marketing Industry Report. It reveals what marketers have planned for their social activities, content marketing, and more! Get this free report now and never miss another great article from us. Join more than 400,000 marketers!

    Enter your email to get
    our free report:


    Footer

    Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle
    Copyright © 2023 Social Media ExaminerÂŽ
    All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy.

    Helpful Links

    • About us
    • Our content via email
    • Our podcasts
    • Our YouTube channel
    • Our live show
    • Our industry report
    • Sponsorship opportunities
    • RSS
    • Accessibility