Microsoft will now enable advertisers to target audiences based on LinkedIn profile data within Search and Audience campaigns, providing enhanced focus and improved reach options.
As reported by Search Engine Land, Microsoft’s expansion will enable marketers to target users based on 10 levels of seniority, as listed in their LinkedIn profiles.
That will provide more ways to reach key decision makers, or to refine ad targeting down to the right audience for each promotion.
Microsoft Ads has offered targeting based on LinkedIn data for some time, but this update extends that capacity to more ad objectives. The capacity to use this data-based targeting for a wider range of objectives could be a valuable update, especially for B2B brands looking to reach the right audience.
Though that also depends on the accuracy of LinkedIn’s dataset and the honesty of LinkedIn users.
LinkedIn doesn’t have any qualifiers in place to ensure the accuracy of its profile listings, which means that some of these targeting specifics will reach unqualified audiences. LinkedIn is working to address this by promoting its free profile verification process, which enables users to secure a verified checkmark by confirming their ID via third-party support partners.
That still doesn’t guarantee that its job role listings are accurate, but the accuracy of LinkedIn’s data listings will be improved by ensuring that targeting is reaching real users who’ve registered their information.
It’s an interesting consideration either way, providing more ways to use LinkedIn info to qualify ad audiences.
The new LinkedIn ad targeting categories are available at both the campaign and ad group level, with the updated options now available in selected markets across the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions.
