How to Use LinkedIn Matched Audiences for Better ROI?

When it comes to B2B marketing, LinkedIn offers some of the most effective tools for reaching decision-makers and professionals. Among these tools, Matched Audiences stands out as a powerful feature that allows advertisers to reach high-intent users with precision. Whether you’re targeting website visitors, email contacts, or specific company accounts, LinkedIn Matched Audiences can help you create highly relevant campaigns that lead to better ROI.

For businesses looking to scale their campaigns and improve targeting, linkedin advertising services often include Matched Audiences as a core component. When used strategically, this feature ensures that your message reaches the right people at the right time—without wasting your budget.

Let’s walk through how to use LinkedIn Matched Audiences effectively to maximize the performance of your ad campaigns.

What Are LinkedIn Matched Audiences?

LinkedIn Matched Audiences is a targeting option within LinkedIn Campaign Manager. It allows you to reach people who have already interacted with your business or who match specific account or contact criteria.

There are four main types of Matched Audiences:

• Website Retargeting: Targets users who have visited specific pages on your website

• Contact Targeting: Uses email lists to target specific individuals

• Account Targeting: Targets decision-makers from companies on your ideal client list

• Engagement Retargeting: Reaches people who interacted with your LinkedIn content, videos, or lead gen forms

By using one or more of these audience types, you can deliver personalized messages that align with each stage of the buyer’s journey.

Step 1: Install the LinkedIn Insight Tag

Before you can use Matched Audiences effectively, you’ll need to install the LinkedIn Insight Tag on your website. This is a small piece of code that tracks visitor behavior and enables website retargeting.

To install the Insight Tag:

• Go to LinkedIn Campaign Manager

• Navigate to “Account Assets” and select “Insight Tag”

• Copy the provided JavaScript code

• Paste it into the global footer of your website

• Verify the tag is active through Campaign Manager

The Insight Tag will start tracking page views and user behavior, enabling you to build retargeting audiences based on specific web pages or actions.

Step 2: Create a Website Retargeting Audience

Once the Insight Tag is installed, you can create retargeting segments for users who visit key areas of your website. This is especially useful for re-engaging high-intent visitors.

Here’s how to create a website retargeting audience:

• Go to “Plan” and click on “Audiences”

• Select “Create Audience” and choose “Website”

• Enter the URL or keyword rule (e.g., URLs containing “pricing” or “demo”)

• Name your audience and save it

Website audiences are automatically updated as users visit your site. You can use this data to run retargeting campaigns tailored to users who’ve shown specific interest.

Step 3: Upload Email Contact Lists

Contact Targeting lets you upload a list of email addresses to target specific individuals. This is ideal for running personalized campaigns to leads from your CRM or newsletter subscribers.

To use contact targeting:

• Prepare a CSV file with email addresses

• Navigate to the “Audiences” section in Campaign Manager

• Click “Create Audience” and choose “List Upload”

• Upload your file and name the audience

• Wait for LinkedIn to match the emails to user profiles

Once matched, you can target this list with custom messages, content offers, or lead generation forms.

Step 4: Use Account Targeting to Reach Key Companies

Account Targeting allows you to target employees from specific companies. This is particularly valuable in ABM (Account-Based Marketing) strategies.

How to use account targeting:

• Create a CSV file with company names or domains

• Upload it under “Create Audience” > “List Upload” > “Company List”

• Wait for LinkedIn to match companies to profiles

• Build campaigns that speak directly to the needs of those businesses

This method allows for deep personalization, as you can tailor your creative and messaging to specific industries, company sizes, or even organizational pain points.

Step 5: Retarget Based on LinkedIn Engagement

LinkedIn also allows you to retarget people who have interacted with your ads or content on the platform. This includes users who watched your videos, opened your lead gen forms, or clicked on ads.

Steps to set up engagement retargeting:

• Go to “Audiences” in Campaign Manager

• Select “Create Audience” and choose “Lead Gen Form” or “Video”

• Choose the specific asset you want to retarget based on engagement

• Define the criteria (e.g., watched 75 percent of a video)

• Save the audience and use it in a future campaign

Engagement retargeting helps you continue the conversation with interested users and push them toward conversion.

Step 6: Build and Launch Your Campaign

With your Matched Audiences ready, you can now build high-converting campaigns.

Steps to create the campaign:

• In Campaign Manager, click “Create Campaign”

• Select your objective (Lead Generation, Website Conversions, etc.)

• Choose the Matched Audience under “Audience Targeting”

• Set budget, bid, and schedule

• Choose your ad format (Single Image, Video, Carousel, etc.)

• Write compelling copy tailored to the audience’s previous interaction

Matched Audiences work best when the creative is relevant to the user’s stage in the funnel. Use benefit-driven headlines, clear CTAs, and targeted offers.

Best Practices for Success

To get better ROI from Matched Audiences, keep these best practices in mind:

• Segment audiences by intent (e.g., demo visitors vs blog readers)

• Use exclusion lists to avoid targeting existing customers

• Refresh your ad creatives regularly to prevent fatigue

• Test different messaging and offers for each audience type

• Monitor performance and optimize weekly

For more advanced strategies, businesses often turn to linkedin advertising services that provide deeper analytics, creative support, and audience management.

Conclusion

LinkedIn Matched Audiences offers marketers the ability to go beyond broad targeting and speak directly to the people who matter most. Whether you’re retargeting website visitors, reaching out to specific companies, or engaging warm leads, this tool helps drive more meaningful connections and conversions.

By following a strategic setup and pairing it with compelling creative, your business can generate stronger results and better ROI from every ad dollar spent. If you're ready to scale your B2B reach, mastering Matched Audiences should be a top priority in your LinkedIn strategy.