The Meteoric Rise of LinkedIn Marketing Agencies
Over the past decade, LinkedIn has rapidly emerged as a go-to platform within the B2B marketing technology stack. Recent statistics paint a compelling picture:
- Members: 810+ million
- Monthly active users: 300+ million
- Pages: over 50+ million
- Percentage of B2B leads generated: 80%
With engagement and lead gen opportunities accelerating, it is no surprise that LinkedIn now drives more traffic to websites than Twitter and Reddit combined.
Correspondingly, we have seen an explosion in LinkedIn-focused marketing agencies promising to help brands unlock the network’s immense potential.
Surging Demand Driving Agency Expansion
In fact, over the past five years the number of firms identifying as LinkedIn marketing specialists has grown by over 5X according to recent reports. Almost three-quarters of these agencies now provide dedicated managed services specifically optimized for LinkedIn campaign performance.
It is clear that brands feel overwhelmed navigating LinkedIn’s array of options independently. Top agencies act as trusted partners taking care of the heavy lifting across areas like:
- Targeted campaign configuration
- Company Page optimization
- Lead capture integration
- Performance tracking and reporting
This frees in-house teams to focus on higher priority objectives. It also allows brands to leverage deep platform expertise.
When examining the LinkedIn marketing landscape, these agencies generally fall into two primary categories:
Full Service Digital Marketing Agencies
These firms offer LinkedIn services as part of integrated digital programs encompassing channels like paid search, web design, SEO, and broader social media advertising.
Specialized LinkedIn Marketing Agencies
As the name suggests, these players focus exclusively on developing and executing LinkedIn-driven lead gen strategies leveraging platforms like Sales Navigator.
Based on client needs and capabilities, either type of agency can prove effective. Although specialized providers do tend to drive faster results given greater platform familiarity.
Notable Areas of Expertise
Most LinkedIn marketing agencies provide some mixture of the following core capabilities:
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| Company Page Optimization | Configuring visually impactful Pages that align to brand standards complete with Showcase Pages, employee spotlights, and customized backgrounds. |
| Lead Generation Campaigns | Running multi-channel campaigns focused on driving target account awareness, interest generation, and lead capture through tactics like sponsored content and customized InMail messaging. |
| Community Building | Publicizing content and engaging followers by tapping into employee networks and LinkedIn Groups to expand reach and influence. |
| Sales Enablement | Providing tools like Sales Navigator to help sales teams identify key accounts, access contact intel, and monitor engagement levels. |
Agencies differentiate themselves across areas like specialization, proprietary technology integration, and service delivery models.
For example, some focus exclusively on SaaS brands while others take an industry-agnostic approach. Some providers integrate campaign management platforms enabling increased automation and optimization. Additionally, customers can select between full-service or self-service options depending on needs and budgets.
LinkedIn Targeting Mastery Unlocks Performance
One area where the best agencies truly excel is deploying LinkedIn’s unparalleled targeting, messaging, and analytics capabilities to achieve precision at scale.
Powerful demographic, interest, engagement, and list uploading filters enable campaign personalization for priorities ranging from job titles to Group memberships and content interactions.
As examples, brands can target:
- Individuals by Seniority, Location, Industry, Job Function
- Companies by Industry, Employee Count, Location
- Interests such as Digital Transformation, Cloud Computing
- Groups & Publications like CIO.com
- Engagement with Sponsored Content, InMails
Layering these parameters together along with lookalike profiling enables accurate delivery to the highest value segments.
And with over 20 content formats across messaging, video, and dynamic options the ability to craft compelling ads is immense. Continual campaign optimization can systematically improve performance as agencies analyze areas like bid price and Audience qualification.
The Power of Influencer Marketing on LinkedIn
Influencer marketing has also emerged as an effective LinkedIn growth lever. Identifying and partnering with relevant industry experts, thought leaders, and practitioners to endorse content or products taps into their extensive follower networks.
According to LinkedIn, Influencer posts generate 2X more engagement than standard posts. Further, 98% of B2B marketers already leverage influencer content in their strategies.
When identifying potential #LinkedIn Influencers to align with, profile factors to analyze include:
- Industry Alignment – Do they specialize in your sectors?
- Content Engagement – What response rates do posts drive?
- Current Following– Higher is generally better.
- Company Associations – Branded thought leadership?
In terms of compensation, common Influencer marketing pricing models include:
- Flat Rate Sponsorship– Paying a packaged fee for an agreed scope of content, sharing, etc.
- Cost Per Click – Each clickback to your site generates a charge. Higher volume = higher cost.
- Cost Per Acquisition– You pay only when contacts convert to leads by filling out forms.
While Influencer sponsorships do require upfront budget, they can generate tremendous reach. Partnering with respected voices also boosts brand visibility and trust.
Key LinkedIn Marketing Agency Services
Now let’s explore popular managed services provided by top agencies:
Lead Generation Campaign Management
The most common area agencies take over is building and running multifaceted lead generation programs armed with the following range of capabilities:
Targeting Expertise
As discussed above, combining filters to hone messaging ensures content surfaces prominently to ideal buyer profiles.
Automated Optimization
AI and analytics refine campaign elements like bidding price dynamically to improve conversion rates.
Creative Services
Producing compelling ads in formats ranging from video to dynamic banners that inspire engagement.
Conversion Tracking
Implementing tags and pixels needed to monitor micro-conversions across funnel stages.
Performance Reporting
Providing goal progress visibility through executive summaries, targeting analysis, and campaign insights.
This expansive skill set enables driving higher quality lead flow compared to internal teams still gaining proficiency with the ever-changing platform.
Company Page Management
Agency Page services involve crucial configuration such as:
Descriptions
Crafting compelling background summaries clearly conveying brand differentiation.
Media Integration
Incorporating visual elements like logos, covers, employee spotlights and Showcase Pages.
Contact Options
Ensuring seamless contact experience via direct messaging and contact info forms.
Content Engines
Publishing relevant news updates, links, and media that engages visitors.
Well-designed Company Pages serve as conversion hubs guiding prospects deeper into the funnel.
Community Building & Management
Expand reach and accelerate lead gen by nurturing engaged followings across interest Groups. Services include:
Listener Configurations
Monitor keywords and brands for real-time conversations to join.
Advocacy Programs
Cultivate networks of vocal employee evangelists.
Discussion Seeding
Proactively trigger conversations within key Groups.
Influencer Alignment
Partner with those driving conversations in priority topics and sectors.
The more influential the community, the wider content and offers spread through viral sharing.
Evaluating LinkedIn Marketing Agency Expertise
When researching potential agency partners, focus on elements reflecting deep LinkedIn specialization:
Case Studies
- Review examples showcasing campaign innovation and performance optimization for clients with similar goals.
Technical Expertise
- What tactics do they actively employ to drive results beyond basic PPC advertising?
Strategic Vision
- How do they plan to chart a multi-quarter roadmap tailored to your acquisition funnels?
Platform Certifications
- Do they participate in exclusive programs like LinkedIn’s Marketing Developers and Partners programs?
Client Reviews
- Online reviews highlighting account management capabilities provide credibility indicators.
Ideally the firm exhibits equal parts strategic vision and tactical execution evidenced by past program performance.
Key Takeaways and Next Steps
Here are main highlights to remember:
LinkedIn has developed into a mandatory channel for B2B lead generation and website traffic driving. A sizable base of marketing agencies now provide specialized services tailored to the platform.
These agencies excel at orchestrating multifaceted initiatives spanning targeted advertising, Company Page optimization, analytics implementations and more. Their expertise can greatly accelerate performance.
When evaluating options, look for proven specialization regarding both strategic vision and hands-on platform expertise. Case studies from past clients also provide confidence indicators.
If your current LinkedIn efforts require refinement, an agency may prove the missing ingredient needed to gain measurable traction. We hope this overview and recommendations provide a useful starting point for identifying suitable partners matching business needs and objectives.
