Ultimate Guide to Account-Based Ads

What are account-based ads?

Account-based advertising (ABA) is essentially paid advertising used within a broader marketing strategy called Account-Based Marketing (ABM).

By using platforms like LinkedIn that allow for targeting specific companies and personas, ABM can deliver display ads that are much more likely to resonate with the decision-makers at the target accounts. This can be more effective than traditional advertising, which scatters your message to a broad audience that may not be interested in what you have to offer.

Account-based ads (ABA) are crucial for ABM success for a few key reasons:

  • Precision Targeting: Unlike traditional advertising, ABA lets you reach the exact people you want within your target accounts. You can target specific companies, titles, or even individuals by leveraging platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook. This ensures your message reaches the decision-makers most likely to influence a purchase.
  • Increased Relevancy: By targeting specific accounts, you can tailor your ad content to their unique needs and challenges. This personalization makes your message much more relevant and engaging, grabbing attention from busy executives who are constantly bombarded with generic ads.
  • Proactive Approach: Traditional advertising is reactive, waiting for potential customers to find you. ABA flips the script. You can proactively reach out to your target accounts and influence their buying journey from the very beginning. This proactive approach can significantly shorten the sales cycle.
  • Account Visibility: ABA keeps your company at the forefront of your target accounts’ minds. Repeated exposure through well-placed ads can build brand awareness and familiarity within the target organization. This can be crucial when multiple decision-makers are involved in the buying process.
  • Measurable Results: With ABA, you can track exactly who saw your ads and how they interacted with them. This data allows you to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns and make adjustments as needed. This data-driven approach helps you optimize your ABM strategy for better results.

The ABM strategy that ABA supports can be approached in three main ways, depending on the size and resources of your company and the target accounts you’re after:

  1. Strategic ABM (One-to-One): This is the most intensive and targeted approach. It involves creating highly personalized campaigns for just a handful of very high-value accounts. Ads might be tailored to specific decision-makers within the account, and could leverage a variety of channels like display ads, social media ads, and even retargeting campaigns.
  2. ABM Lite (One-to-Few): This targets a larger group of mid-sized accounts. The level of personalization won’t be as deep as strategic ABM, but ads can still be customized to resonate with the specific industries or challenges of the target accounts.
  3. Programmatic ABM (One-to-Many): This leverages automation and data to target a larger pool of accounts. While individual personalization might be limited, programmatic ABM can still be effective for building brand awareness and driving initial engagement with target accounts.

No matter which approach you take, effective ABA will leverage the strengths of paid advertising platforms to target specific accounts and decision-makers. This targeting could involve:

  • Company Targeting: Restricting ad views to employees of specific companies on your target list.
  • Title Targeting: Reaching individuals with specific titles within the target companies (e.g., CEOs, CFOs, Marketing Directors).
  • Interest Targeting: Targeting users who have shown interest in relevant topics or industries.

By combining these targeting options with creative and relevant ad content, ABA can be a powerful tool for driving success in your ABM strategy.

What are examples of account-based ads?

Here are a couple of examples showcasing how B2B companies have leveraged account-based advertising (ABA) effectively:

Example 1: Targeting Decision-Makers with Personalized Ads

  • Company: Outreach (Sales Engagement Platform)
  • Target Accounts: High-growth tech companies with large sales teams
  • Platforms: LinkedIn Ads

The Strategy: Outreach identified a list of fast-growing tech companies with sizable sales teams. They then created targeted LinkedIn ad campaigns featuring content specifically addressing the challenges faced by sales leaders at these companies, such as improving lead engagement or streamlining the sales process.

Effectiveness: Outreach’s personalized approach resonated with decision-makers at the target accounts. The relevant ad content piqued their interest and drove them to learn more about Outreach’s solutions. This resulted in a significant increase in qualified leads from the targeted companies.

Example 2: Building Brand Awareness with Strategic Retargeting

  • Company: Terminus (Account-Based Marketing Platform)
  • Target Accounts: Marketing teams at Fortune 500 companies
  • Platforms: Display Advertising & Social Media Retargeting

The Strategy: Terminus wanted to build brand awareness among marketing leaders at large enterprises. They used a combination of display advertising and social media retargeting. First, they targeted relevant websites and publications frequented by marketing professionals. Then, they retargeted users who had previously interacted with Terminus’s website or social media content.

Effectiveness: By combining initial brand exposure with strategic retargeting, Terminus remained top-of-mind for decision-makers within their target accounts. This helped them later when sales reps reached out to discuss account-specific solutions.

These are just two examples, but they illustrate the power of ABA in B2B marketing. By using targeted advertising to reach the right people with the right message at the right time, companies can significantly improve the effectiveness of their ABM campaigns.

What is an account-based ads strategy?

An account-based advertising (ABA) strategy is a roadmap for using paid advertising to support your Account-Based Marketing (ABM) efforts. ABM focuses on targeting high-value companies with personalized marketing campaigns. ABA takes that concept and applies it to the advertising side of things.

Here’s a breakdown of what an effective ABA strategy should include:

1. Target Account Selection:

  • Identify a list of high-value companies you want to reach.
  • Consider factors like industry, size, and growth potential.
  • Research the decision-making structure within each target account.

2. Targeting & Segmentation:

  • Choose advertising platforms that allow for account-level targeting (e.g., LinkedIn Ads, Facebook Ads).
  • Utilize functionalities like company targeting, title targeting, or interest-based targeting to reach the relevant people within your accounts.
  • You can also segment your target accounts based on size or industry and tailor ad content accordingly.

3. Creative Development:

  • Craft compelling ad copy that resonates with the specific needs and challenges of your target accounts.
  • Personalize the message whenever possible – highlight how your solution addresses their pain points.
  • Use visuals that are relevant to your target audience (e.g., industry reports, infographics).

4. Campaign Optimization & Measurement:

  • Set clear goals for your ABA campaigns (e.g., website traffic, lead generation, brand awareness).
  • Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as impressions, clicks, and conversions.
  • Analyze the data and make adjustments to your campaigns as needed to improve performance.

5. Integration with Broader ABM Strategy:

  • ABA should not function in isolation. Align your ad content with the overall messaging used in your ABM efforts.
  • Consider using retargeting to keep your company top-of-mind with decision-makers who have already interacted with your brand through other ABM channels (e.g., website visits, social media engagement).

By following these steps, you can develop a strategic ABA approach that effectively reaches the right people within your target accounts and drives success in your overall ABM initiatives. Remember, the most effective strategy will depend on your specific goals, target audience, and resources.

What are the tools for account-based ads?

Account-based advertising (ABA) itself doesn’t have a single platform because it leverages paid advertising functionalities across various channels. However, to execute a successful ABA strategy, you’ll need a combination of platforms and tools that work together:

Platforms for Targeting and Campaign Management:

  • LinkedIn Ads: A powerful platform for B2B marketing, LinkedIn Ads allows for precise targeting based on company, job title, industry, and even interests. This makes it ideal for reaching key decision-makers within your target accounts.
  • Facebook Ads: While more B2C focused, Facebook Ads can still be useful for B2B ABA. It offers targeting options based on company size, location, and even job titles within specific companies. This can help you reach a broader audience within your accounts.
  • Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Platforms: Several software platforms like Terminus, Demandbase, and RollWorks are specifically designed to support ABM strategies. These platforms often integrate with advertising networks and can help manage targeted campaigns across various channels. They might also offer features like:
    • Audience building based on firmographic and technographic data.
    • Campaign automation and reporting.
    • Content personalization for different audience segments.

Additional Channels for Increased Reach:

  • Display Advertising Networks: Platforms like Google Display Network (GDN) let you target specific websites and publications frequented by your target audience. This can be a good way to build brand awareness and retarget users who have already interacted with your brand.
  • Retargeting Platforms: Services like AdRoll or The Trade Desk specialize in retargeting website visitors with display ads across the web. This can be a powerful tool for keeping your company at the forefront of decision-makers’ minds within your target accounts.

Beyond Advertising Platforms:

  • Marketing Automation Tools: Platforms like HubSpot or Marketo can be helpful for nurturing leads generated through ABA campaigns. You can use them to personalize email communication and track user engagement after they click on your ads.

Choosing the Right Mix:

The ideal combination of platforms and tools depends on your specific goals and resources:

  • For B2B companies with highly targeted campaigns: Prioritize LinkedIn Ads and ABM platforms with account-level targeting features.
  • For broader brand awareness within target accounts: Consider Facebook Ads and display advertising networks in addition to LinkedIn Ads.

Remember, ABA is about reaching the right people with the right message. By strategically selecting a combination of platforms and tools that offer the necessary targeting, creative, and measurement functionalities, you can craft an effective ABA strategy for your ABM efforts.