For Australian B2B companies, LinkedIn is the gold standard for reaching decision-makers. Unlike other social platforms, LinkedIn allows you to target users based on their professional identity, including job title, industry, and company size, ensuring your marketing budget is spent on high-value prospects rather than casual scrollers.
Why LinkedIn Ads Matter for Australian B2B
With over 14 million users in Australia, LinkedIn isn't just a resume site; it’s where professionals go to learn and network. Setting up your ads correctly means you can get your whitepaper, service offering, or event in front of the exact CEO or Procurement Manager you've been trying to reach.---
Prerequisites: What You’ll Need Before Starting
Before you dive into the Campaign Manager, ensure you have the following ready:- A LinkedIn Company Page: You cannot run ads from a personal profile.
- A Valid Credit Card: LinkedIn bills in AUD for Australian accounts.
- Your ABN: Essential for tax purposes and account verification.
- Creative Assets: Images (1200 x 627px) or videos, and concise ad copy.
- The Insight Tag: LinkedIn’s tracking code installed on your website (highly recommended).
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Step 1: Create Your Campaign Manager Account
Log in to your personal LinkedIn account and click the 'Work' icon in the top right corner, then select 'Advertise'. You will be prompted to create an account. What you’ll see: A screen asking for an account name, currency (select AUD), and the LinkedIn Page you want to associate with the account. Ensure you link your official business page here so the ads appear as being posted by your brand.Step 2: Set Up Your Campaign Group
LinkedIn organises ads into three levels: Campaign Groups, Campaigns, and Ads. Think of a Campaign Group as a folder for a specific objective, like "Q4 Lead Generation" or "Brand Awareness 2024".- Click Create > Campaign Group.
- Set a status (Active or Hidden) and a budget if you want to cap spending across multiple campaigns.
Step 3: Choose Your Objective
LinkedIn uses objective-based advertising. This tells the algorithm what action you want users to take so it can optimise who sees your ad.- Awareness: Maximise impressions.
- Consideration: Drive website visits or engagement.
- Conversions: The most popular for B2B. Choose 'Lead Generation' if you want to use LinkedIn's built-in lead forms, or 'Website Conversions' if you want them to sign up on your site.
Pro Tip: For most Australian small businesses, Lead Generation forms perform better because the user never has to leave LinkedIn to give you their details.
Step 4: Define Your Target Audience
This is where LinkedIn shines. You can target by:- Location: Start with 'Australia' or narrow it down to specific states like 'Queensland' or cities like 'Brisbane'.
- Job Experience: Target by Job Title, Seniority, or Years of Experience.
- Company: Target by Company Industry, Size, or even specific Company Names (Account-Based Marketing).
Step 5: Select Your Ad Format
Choose how your ad will appear in the feed.- Single Image Ad: Great for quick updates or blog posts.
- Carousel Ad: Excellent for showcasing a range of services or a multi-step process.
- Video Ad: Perfect for brand storytelling or testimonials.
- Document Ad: A B2B favourite. You can share a PDF (like an eBook) that users can read directly in the feed or download after submitting a lead form.
Step 6: Set Your Budget and Schedule
You can choose a 'Daily Budget' or a 'Lifetime Budget'.- Daily Budget: We recommend starting with at least $20–$50 AUD per day to gather enough data.
- Bidding: Start with 'Maximum Delivery' (Automated). This allows LinkedIn’s AI to bid competitively for you while you are still learning the platform.
Step 7: Set Up Conversion Tracking
If you chose 'Website Conversions', you must tell LinkedIn what a 'win' looks like.- Click 'Create new conversion'.
- Define the URL a user hits after converting (e.g., your
domain.com.au/thank-youpage). - Ensure your Insight Tag is verified. You can check this under 'Account Assets' > 'Insight Tag'. It should show as 'Active' in green.
Step 8: Create the Ad Creative
Now, you build what the user actually sees.- Introductory Text: Keep it under 150 characters so it doesn't get cut off on mobile.
- Headline: Make it benefit-driven (e.g., "Download Our 2024 Brisbane Market Report").
- Destination URL: Ensure this includes UTM parameters so you can track the traffic in Google Analytics.
Step 9: Review and Launch
Review your settings. Check that your ABN is entered in the Billing Center to avoid issues with GST. Once satisfied, click Launch Campaign.---
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Broad Targeting: Don't just target "All of Australia" if your B2B service is only relevant to Brisbane manufacturing firms. Be specific.
- The 'Set and Forget' Mentality: LinkedIn ads require weekly optimisation. If an ad has a Click-Through Rate (CTR) below 0.40%, it’s time to refresh the creative.
- Ignoring the Lead Form: If using Lead Gen forms, don't ask 20 questions. Stick to Name, Email, and Job Title to increase completion rates.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Ads Not Delivering: Check if your audience is too small (under 300 people). If it is, LinkedIn won't run the ads for privacy reasons.
- High Cost Per Click (CPC): This usually happens when your ad relevance is low. Try changing your image or headline to better match your target audience's pain points.
- Insight Tag Not Firing: Check if you have a caching plugin on your WordPress site that is stripping the code, or use the 'LinkedIn Helper' Chrome extension to debug.
Next Steps
Once your ads are running, wait at least 7 days before making major changes. Data is your best friend in B2B marketing.Need help fine-tuning your B2B strategy or setting up complex tracking? Our team at Local Marketing Group specialises in helping Brisbane businesses scale via LinkedIn. Contact us today for a strategy session.