We hear it from B2B companies all the time. Why should we invest in paid media advertising? Can you realize an actual return on your investment in online advertising? The answer is a resounding yes.
In fact, at Marketing Refresh, we’re on a mission to prove to B2B companies that you can generate an ROI from your marketing programs, including paid media. The key is using data and research to make decisions.
What does it look like to make data-driven decisions? We’ll unpack the pathway to achieving paid media ROI through research and data. We’ll also show you why an informed approach to online advertising will help transform your company’s sales process.
Why Data Matters in Paid Online Advertising
For many sales leaders, the promise of paid media can feel both exciting and daunting. On the one hand, the ability to use data to target specific decision-makers and drive high-quality leads to your sales team is thrilling. On the other hand, you may still wonder if this is the best use of your marketing budget.
The answer is that when executed correctly, paid media can optimize your sales pipeline by targeting the right audience with precision, which will deliver qualified leads to fuel growth.
Consider three ways data drives paid media decision-making.
1. Target the Right Audience
B2B customers are a complex group, often consisting of multiple decision-makers in various roles. Without proper targeting, your ads might get lost in the noise. This is where data comes in to support campaigns like pay-per-click (PPC) advertising to maximize your budget.
Tools like LinkedIn Ads, Google Analytics, and other paid media resources allow you to define your target audience based on specific criteria (e.g. job title, location, industry, and other factors).
With data-backed targeting, your sales team will no longer waste time or money chasing unqualified leads. Instead, they’ll focus on prospects most likely to convert.
2. Optimize Ad Performance in Real-Time
Paid media campaigns require constant fine-tuning to maximize ROI. Performance metrics such as click-through rates (CTR), cost per click (CPC), conversion rates, etc. provide valuable insights needed to adjust campaigns as they happen.
Data lets you identify which ads, messaging, and channels are performing well or need to be adjusted. Being able to make real-time changes drives better results. Also, you can test different headlines, calls to action, and visuals to further strengthen your campaigns.
3. Accurately Measure Results and Impact
One of the top benefits of using data for paid media is the ability to quantify the impact of your efforts. It’s not a guessing game; you can access real data to measure performance.
Connecting metrics like cost per lead and customer acquisition cost to your company’s revenue metrics gives you a clear view of how each campaign contributes to a healthy bottom line.
For example, you might run a Google Ads campaign targeting a high-value persona group that costs three or four figures. But if it brings in qualified leads that translate into five or six figures worth of closed deals, your ROI is unmistakable.
How Paid Media Directly Supports Sales
Now that we’ve covered the power of data, let’s review transforming sales! When done right, paid media isn’t just a marketing tool – it’s a sales enabler.
By combining the power of precise targeting, carefully crafted messaging, and continuous optimization, your sales team will be ready to work those leads with confidence. See how this looks in action.
1. Deliver High-Quality Leads Directly to Your Team
We understand the quality of leads matters more than quantity in B2B sales and marketing. With data-driven paid media campaigns, the leads generated are pre-qualified and aligned with your ideal customer profile. This means your sales team can focus their time on prospects with a higher likelihood of converting, increasing efficiency and productivity.
2. Shorten the Sales Cycle
Paid ads deliver leads and build brand awareness among key decision-makers long before your sales rep sends an email or makes a call. By the time your team connects with a lead, that prospect is already familiar with your brand and offering, significantly cutting down the time needed to nurture them through the sales funnel.
3. Align Sales and Marketing Goals
Paid media helps bridge the gap between sales and marketing by aligning campaigns with sales and business goals. When both teams are clear on metrics like lead quality, conversion rate targets, and pipeline value, it creates a powerful synergy that drives revenue.
For example, building feedback loops allows sales to share information about incoming leads with marketing, which marketing can use to tweak campaigns. Feeding this information back to the marketing allows campaigns to run smarter and more on-target.
Achieve Paid Media ROI with Marketing Refresh
While the case for paid media is clear, the execution can make or break your ROI. To drive toward success, we recommend partnering with digital marketing pros who understand the nuances of B2B paid media.
At Marketing Refresh, we specialize in creating data-driven paid media strategies tailored specifically for B2B companies. From comprehensive audience research to continuous campaign optimization, we ensure that your advertising spend translates to measurable results for your sales team.
Our approach includes the following key steps:
- Thorough research of your target market and buyer personas.
- Strategic ad copy, graphics, and other content designed to resonate with decision-makers.
- Advanced data tracking and reporting to quantify ROI at every step.
- Seamless integration between marketing and sales efforts to support your business.
The potential of paid media ROI is waiting to be realized. By leveraging data, research, and a team of experts, you can position your sales team to act on high-quality, targeted leads.
Talk to us today about using data and research to support lead generation. Let’s get started on the path to delivering leads directly to your team.
FAQs
- What is paid media, and how can it benefit our B2B business?
Paid media includes digital advertising strategies that involve paying for ad placements to reach specific audiences. For B2B businesses, it helps drive targeted traffic, generate high-quality leads, and enhance brand visibility through precise targeting and placement.
- Why should we commit to paid media advertising?
Paid media excellence begins with the data you have and experts guiding you. By leveraging accurate insights and experienced professionals, you can craft campaigns that resonate with your audience. When you combine these elements with a commitment to constant testing, analysis, and optimization, achieving a strong ROI is inevitable.
- What kinds of paid media campaigns work best for B2B companies?
B2B campaigns that focus on account-based targeting, retargeting, LinkedIn ads, and search engine marketing (SEM) tend to perform well. They allow for precise targeting of key decision-makers and buyers.
- How do we track the performance of our paid media campaigns?
With tracking and reporting tools, you can measure metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, cost per lead, and overall ROI. These metrics provide clear insights into the success of your campaigns.
- How does Marketing Refresh improve paid media ROI?
Marketing Refresh leverages data-driven strategies, expert ad copy, advanced tracking tools, and seamless integration between marketing and sales teams to maximize the return on every advertising dollar spent.
