Marketers can no longer simply cast the marketing net and hope to catch leads. Today, precision is key, and Account-Based Marketing (ABM) has become the game-changer when combined with programmatic advertising. If you’re merging your approach of ABM with programmatic tactics, you’re pairing a formidable duo together that can scale and efficiently identify high-value accounts to deliver ROI.
Why Programmatic Advertising Alone Isn’t Enough
Programmatic advertising has upended the way that digital ads are bought and sold. It lets you advertise to a very specific audience in a more automated way, but you can also read some theories about how the ad-buying process works. Key benefits: The benefits of this approach include the following: Real-time bidding, Dynamic targeting, and Data-driven action decision-making.
Programmatic, for all its effectiveness, screams the idea that we identify a human being based on what they did or looked like. This tactic may be lacking in the strategic nuance to reflect the wider objectives of businesses that are engaged in high-value B2B sales cycles. The solution? Merge programmatic advertising with ABM.
What is Account-Based Marketing (ABM)?
At its core, ABM flips the traditional marketing funnel. Instead of trying to appeal to a large audience, ABM focuses on identifying high-value accounts first and tailoring messages and campaigns specifically for them. It’s a hyper-focused strategy that combines sales and marketing efforts to nurture and convert specific accounts, rather than just individuals.
Key Features of ABM:
- Personalization: Tailored content and messaging for decision-makers in target accounts.
- Alignment: Unified efforts between sales and marketing teams create more targeted outreach.
- Efficiency: Focused efforts save time and avoid marketing resources being wasted on unqualified leads.
ABM sets the stage for a more strategic marketing campaign, and when combined with programmatic advertising, it becomes truly game-changing.
The Synergy Between ABM and Programmatic Advertising
When ABM and programmatic advertising are merged, you’re no longer targeting just any audience; you’re serving highly personalized ads to specific company accounts that you’ve already identified as high value. This pairing solves many challenges that marketers face and creates a seamless, effective path to conversion.
Why the Combination Works:
- Precision Targeting
With ABM, you already know your ideal accounts and decision-makers. Programmatic advertising allows you to reach those accounts and individuals with hyper-targeted display ads, social media promotions, and video campaigns.
- Scalability
ABM can require significant effort when done manually. Programmatic advertising automates this process, ensuring scalability without sacrificing personalization.
- Optimized Ad Spend
Since you’re only targeting high-value accounts, you’re directing your ad spend toward the areas where it’s most likely to generate ROI.
- Granular Data Insights
Programmatic platforms deliver robust analytics, allowing you to measure the impact of your ABM campaigns in real-time and make adjustments as needed.
- Cross-Channel Reach
By using programmatic tactics, you can engage your targeted accounts across multiple channels, from LinkedIn to premium display networks, ensuring your outreach is cohesive and omnipresent.
How to Leverage ABM for Programmatic Advertising Success
Implementing ABM in conjunction with programmatic advertising requires careful planning and execution. Below are steps you can follow to ensure success:
1. Identify and Prioritize Target Accounts
Use data-driven methods to segment your ideal accounts. Look for accounts that align with your business objectives using firmographic data, intent signals, and account scoring.
Tools to Consider:
- Salesforce for CRM-based account tracking
- Bombora for intent-driven marketing insights
2. Develop Personalized Campaigns
ABM relies on personalization. Craft ad creatives and messages that address the pain points and aspirations of your target accounts. Ensure your ads have a tone and language that resonates with key decision-makers.
Tip:
Include dynamic content in your programmatic campaigns to personalize ads further, such as inserting the target account name.
3. Use Account Targeting in Programmatic Campaigns
Leverage account-based targeting features within your programmatic platform. Platforms like LinkedIn Ads, Demandbase, and RollWorks allow you to zero in on specific accounts and even target individuals by job title or department.
4. Measure and Optimize Often
Set KPIs at the start of the campaign, whether that’s engagement, view-through rates, or leads generated. Programmatic platforms provide real-time performance analytics, allowing you to tweak campaigns on the fly.
Key Metrics to Monitor:
- Account penetration (how many individuals within the account interacted with your campaign)
- ROI from accounts targeted
- Engagement metrics like views and clicks
Real-World Example
Case Study: Company X’s ABM and Programmatic Campaign
Company X, a SaaS provider targeting enterprise clients, implemented an ABM strategy supported by programmatic advertising. By using LinkedIn ads to target high-value accounts and retargeting techniques for individuals within those accounts, they achieved impressive results.
Results:
- A 35% increase in account engagement.
- A 50% decrease in wasted ad spend compared to previous campaigns.
- Closed $1 million in new business within six months.
The blend of programmatic advertising and ABM helped Company X not only reach its audience but also deeply engage decision-makers at targeted accounts, leading to measurable growth.
Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Combining ABM with programmatic advertising isn’t without its hurdles. Here’s how to address potential challenges:
Challenge 1: Complex Setup
Merging ABM and programmatic advertising requires systems and expertise that can be overwhelming for some teams.
Solution:
Invest in easy-to-use platforms like Terminus or RollWorks and provide training for relevant teams.
Challenge 2: Data Silos
Sales and marketing teams often operate in silos, hindering campaign success.
Solution:
Unify efforts by using shared KPIs and frequent cross-departmental collaboration sessions.
Challenge 3: Attribution Tracking
Attributing results in ABM is more complex compared to traditional campaigns.
Solution:
Use multi-touch attribution models to understand the customer’s full engagement path.
Transform Your Advertising with ABM
When you put ABM’s accuracy targeting together with programmatic advertising’s scale and automation, you can drive leading edge in your business. The end result is that your marketing spend is being spent on accounts that count and campaigns are so highly personalized to the decision maker.
Begin with just a few accounts and branch out as you perfect your approach. Put in place the right tools and thinking, and ABM and programmatic work together to drive your marketing to the next level.
And if you want to take your advertising strategy to the next level, learn about Demandbase and RollWorks that helps you easily run ABM-powered programmatic campaigns.
