The Science Behind LinkedIn Sponsored UpdatesTesting & Iterating for Optimal Results

of B2B marketersuse LinkedIn todistribute content.

94%

“B2B Content Marketing: 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends—North America,” CMI & MarketingProfs

The most compelling marketing content is brainstormed, created,and iteratively developed like a science experiment.

Got your science cap on?Let’s start experimenting!

LinkedIn Sponsored Updates is a native, in-feed content toolthat reaches a targeted professional audience beyond

your LinkedIn Company Page followers.

The product data sheet gives more insights into the power of Sponsored Updates.

3 attributes that set this native ad format apart:

3 UNIQUELY POTENT INGREDIENTS

2 31Accurate targeting Professional mindset Premium audience

Finding the Perfect Algorithm for Sponsored Updates

Examine your idea fromyour audience’s mindset,

not your own.

2

OBSERVETHROUGH A

DIFFERENT LENS Balance out yourcampaign with the

right structure.

3

SET A SOLIDFOUNDATION

The #1 rule tobeing a scientist:

Don’t be afraid to fail!

4

LEARN FROMYOUR MISTAKESBrainstorm an idea

that you feelcompelled to share.

DREAM BIG1

SCIENTIFIC PROCEDURE

Having a compelling idea is only the beginning to

formulating effective content for the

Sponsored Update, but it is vital, setting the

foundation for the rest of the experiment.

DREAM BIG

DREAM BIGTo formulate a compelling idea, act like a scientist.

INVESTIGATEWhat keywords is

my target audiencesearching for?

THINKWhat conversation

in my industrydo I want to own?

of surveyed B2B buyers chose a company that was first to help them in the purchase process by providing useful content and information.

“Technologies of Social Selling: Just Do It!” 2014, SAVO74%

Once you have selected a topic,ensure that the end viewer feels

as excited about it as you!

OBSERVE THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS

“Business buyers don’t ‘buy’ your product or service; they

‘buy into’ your perspective and approach to solving

their problems.” Jeff Ernst, former principal analyst,

Forrester Research

3 tips for ensuring your experiment createsa chemical reaction in the your audience’s mind:

OBSERVE THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS

Start broad. After analyzing who engages most with your content, target a more specific demographic.

2

Continue to analyze audience fit. Toextend your reach to even more qualified prospects, try Audience Expansion.

3

Don’t hyper-target. Use 2–3 targeting criteria, and make sure your minimum audience size is 500,000 members.

1

Like how combining ammonia with bleach creates toxic chloramine vapors,you must mix the right content with the right structure to power the Sponsored Updates campaign.

“When we posted with a more consistent content cadence, the blog subscriptions generated from our own Sponsored Updates campaigns grew 30%. These subscribers are more loyal, meaning they are more likely to renew their services with our company.”Alicianne Rand, VP of Marketing, NewsCred

SET A SOLID FOUNDATION

Apply These Rules for Foundational Success:

Power each campaignwith at least 4 posts.

1

Track successful postsin each campaign.

Continue to run thesein multiple iterations.

2

Let campaigns run for atleast 3 weeks (includingnights and weekends)

to gain the most traction.

3

Schedule experimentsintelligently to maximize

time and money. (After all, scientists need time to sleep

and food to eat, too!)

4

LEARN FROM MISTAKES

All scientists fail when testing with multiple variables, so marketers are also encouraged

to take intelligent risks!

Follow these steps to optimize for success in the next iteration.

*Direct Sponsored Content is a type of Sponsored Update that enables you to share content directly in the feed, giving you the

ability to personalize and test content without having to originate posts on your LinkedIn Company Page. Learn more on our blog.

Determine whichvariables are working

and which are not.

This process can beeasily performed through

Direct Sponsored Content.*

Change yourindependent variable

once or twice perweek, accordingly.

Chart results!

1 2 3

All effective marketing scientists follow 3 steps:

CHECKLIST FOR OPTIMAL RESULTS

Dissect every messageto ensure it is reaching

the right audience.

Change up yourhypothesis, and experiment

with new variationsof content.

Ensure that yourcontent doesn’t explode

right in front of you.After all, YOU are

the author of whatgets published on your

LinkedIn Company Page!

PERSONALIZATION

1

TESTING

2

CONTROL

3

One more insider tip:Have fun with your work.

Be creative, yet analytical.

LinkedIn Sponsored Updatestypically earn 3–5x the engagementof standard display ads on LinkedIn.

HAPPY EXPERIMENTING!

For more information on effectivelyexperimenting with LinkedIn Sponsored Updates, downloadThe Sophisticated Marketer’s Guideto LinkedIn Sponsored Updates.

Download Now

Product Showcase Series

SPONSOREDLinkedIn

UPDATESA best practice handbook about content marketing for a professional audience, featuring expert advice from LinkedIn’s Certified Marketing Partners.

Today, LinkedIn members number more than 400+ million professionals. That's more than half of the 600 million professionals on the planet—representing the largest group anywhere of influential, affluent and educated people.

For more information, visitmarketing.linkedin.com