LinkedIn Ads for Consultants

Last Updated on: 23rd November 2024, 01:56 pm

If you’re a consultant wondering if LinkedIn Ads are the right fit for your business, you and I have a lot to talk about!

As a PPC consultant who’s worked with several fellow consultants over my career, I can confidently say LinkedIn Ads can be a top pick for you when done right. 

Why? Because LinkedIn is the most professional social network out there. It’s used by decision-makers, industry leaders, and executives who scroll through the feed, particularly during work hours. 

Those are the people who can say “yes” to hiring you.

LinkedIn gives you something other platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads often can’t match – laser-focused targeting of your ideal clients. You’re able to reach CEOs, CMOs, or other decision-makers based on their job titles, company size, or even their skills. 

But how can you ensure you’re getting the most out of LinkedIn Ads? Let me show you!

Why LinkedIn Ads Are a Smart Move for Consultants

You already know LinkedIn is where your audience often spends their professional time. It couldn’t be any other way, as it’s the top pick for B2B engagement.

Unlike Facebook or Instagram, where people catch up with friends or watch short videos, LinkedIn is where business happens. And, importantly, where your potential clients are already in the right mindset to consider your services versus just scrolling past engagement and puppy photos. 

Does that mean you shouldn’t advertise elsewhere? Not at all! But just for a clearer picture, here’s why LinkedIn is superior when it comes to B2B: 

Google Ads vs. LinkedIn Ads

You know I absolutely love Google Ads. How could I not? It’s fantastic for intercepting people when they’re actively searching for specific solutions.

That said, it can often be expensive and highly competitive as a broad option. 

Think of Google Ads as an auction in a crowded marketplace. Every time someone types a search query, businesses are competing – sometimes fiercely – for those top spots. You’re bidding against countless others who want the same high-intent audience, which can increase costs, especially for popular keywords.

Not to mention, you might end up paying a premium for clicks from people who are still in the early stages of their decision-making process. That’s because early-stage users, who are still researching and exploring options, tend to have lower conversion rates compared to those who are closer to making a purchase decision. And since conversion rates are lower, you may end up paying more per click for this less-targeted traffic.

On LinkedIn, you’re playing a different game. You’re reaching a more defined, professional audience who already have some level of business intent.

Facebook Ads vs. LinkedIn Ads

And then, there’s Facebook. It’s often cheap and cheerful, at least on the surface. 

Facebook Ads can indeed be more cost-effective compared to LinkedIn Ads. It has a large, more varied audience pool, which often results in lower costs per click (CPC) or per impression.

But while you might spend less, you could also be getting less in terms of targeting precision and, ultimately, lead quality. A broader audience might see your ads, but that also means your message is more likely to reach people who aren’t necessarily ready to talk business.

(Think about what you usually do on Facebook. You’re more likely to be scrolling Facebook to unwind or catch up with friends. Not to make strategic business decisions. Typically!)

Meanwhile, LinkedIn offers a professional context that’s crucial for consultants. It’s where business happens, where professionals are actively thinking about growth, networking, and solving real business problems. And that’s why LinkedIn Ads give you an unmatched opportunity and fine-tuned AI features – even if it’s on the pricier side. 

Consultants, Here’s How to Get the Most of LinkedIn Ads

Install the LinkedIn Insight Tag to Track Conversions the Right Way

Before you run a single ad, there’s one crucial step you absolutely cannot skip: installing the LinkedIn Insight Tag on your website. 

It helps you quietly gather crucial data about who’s visiting your site and what actions they’re taking. By adding this snippet of code, you’ll be able to track conversions, retarget website visitors, and even create lookalike audiences based on your best-performing clients.

Target the Right Prospects (And Avoid the Lurkers) with Your LinkedIn Consultant Ads

One of the biggest mistakes consultants make with their LinkedIn Ads is either being too broad or too narrow with their targeting. 

Going too broad means targeting a large group of people who might not all be interested in your services. 

For example, if you’re a B2B consultant specialising in healthcare tech, targeting all healthcare professionals might sound like a good idea. However, you could end up wasting your budget on clicks from people who aren’t decision-makers or not interested in what you offer – like nurses or administrative staff – rather than your ideal client, say, a CIO at a mid-sized healthcare tech company.

Going too narrow, on the other hand, means you’re being hyper-specific with your targeting criteria. Let’s say you only target “Healthcare IT Managers at hospitals with 500-1000 employees in New York who are active on LinkedIn in the past 30 days.” Enough said, right? This might seem smart, but it can severely limit your reach.

So, how do you find a balance? 

Start with your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). 

For consultants, this might be companies in a certain industry, of a certain size, or at a specific growth stage. For example: a marketing consultant might target small-to-medium-sized tech firms that need help scaling their customer acquisition efforts. 

Ideally, you should layer on job titles, such as “Head of Marketing” or “VP of Sales,” and narrow it down further by company size or even geographical location. 

But don’t stop there!

Ideally, you also need well-defined buyer personas, which focus on the specific decision-makers within those companies, like the CEO, Head of Operations, or HR Director. These personas help you understand who exactly you’re speaking to, including their challenges, pain points, and decision-making authority. You can even launch account-based advertising campaigns on LinkedIn.

And don’t forget to exclude time-wasters! 

Yes, you can set exclusions in LinkedIn Ads to ensure your precious ad budget isn’t being spent on folks who will never convert. Exclude job titles like “Intern” or “Assistant” to keep your targeting laser-focused, based on the example above. 

How to Budget for LinkedIn Ads for Consultants

LinkedIn Ads can seem pricier than other platforms, with an average CPC starting at $3 per click. This cost can go higher depending on factors like industry, the competitiveness of your audience, and even the format of your LinkedIn ad.

On LinkedIn, you can choose between daily or total budgets for your ads.

With a daily budget, you set a spend limit for each day your campaign runs. If you also set a lifetime budget (the maximum amount you’ll spend through the duration of your campaign), LinkedIn will make sure your total spend doesn’t go over that limit.

(If you’d like a full guide on LinkedIn ads costs? Click the link!)

The key is to start with a realistic budget and let data guide you. For example, with LinkedIn Ads, you want to start by setting a budget that allows for enough impressions and clicks to gather meaningful results.

For your first campaign, I recommend starting with a budget of $500 to $1,000 for a month. This budget gives you enough room to run A/B tests – trying out different headlines, images, and calls to action – and see which ads resonate best with your audience.

Still in doubt? LinkedIn’s forecasting tool can help you measure potential results based on your bids, audience size, and other factors. 

You can find this while setting your bids and budgets for any campaign, right where you choose your objectives and target audience. Use these tools to fine-tune your strategy and optimise every penny spent.

An Example of LinkedIn Ads for Consultants to Kickstart Inspiration

Take a look at the following Single Image Ad:

This ad targets those who are neck-deep in compliance – usually compliance officers, corporate lawyers, or even marketing managers who are losing sleep over potentially risky language in their public communications. 

In short: it’s for those who are already considering professional help to make their compliance headaches disappear.

What makes this ad effective?

• The phrase “pain-free compliance reviews” gets right to the heart of their target audience’s problem. They’re speaking the language of someone already feeling the frustration and looking to relieve it.
• Look at that team! Smiling, approachable, and hopefully, it’s the actual Saifr team. This creates a connection and trust with viewers – showing the friendly faces they’d be working with makes it feel more personal.
• “Request Demo” is a direct invitation. For someone already on the hunt for a solution, this is clear, actionable, and perfect for moving forward.

If you’ve got the right audience, this ad is a winner!

Why Not Hire a LinkedIn Ads Manager?

Managing LinkedIn Ads campaigns can be time-consuming and complex, especially if you’re doing it all yourself. 

No wonder it’s my full-time job!

As a consultant, you’re focused on high-value tasks and bringing in new business. You don’t have time to oversee every tweak or pivot needed to optimise your ads.

If the thought of handling all this gives you a headache, it might be useful to bring in a LinkedIn Ads manager. This way, you can focus on offering stellar consulting services while a professional keeps your ads always optimised, up, and running.

Even if you have someone in-house, collaborating with a LinkedIn Ads Manager means no wasted effort, just pure collective focus on getting phenomenal results. For example, my team and I specialise in working closely with consultants like you to define the ideal ICP and then continuously iterate until you see 200-400x ROI!

Scale and Keep Growing with LinkedIn Ads 

LinkedIn Ads are a powerful tool for consultants, but they require strategy, testing, and a commitment to scaling up. No news there, right? 

The good news is, it doesn’t have to be complicated. 

Just remember that my team and I are here to help! We can bring a fresh perspective and specialised LinkedIn Ads knowledge to rev up your campaigns. Get in touch with us, and let’s get to work!