1.
The Science Behind LinkedIn Sponsored Updates
Testing & Iterating for Optimal Results

2.
of B2B marketers
use LinkedIn to
distribute content.
94%
“B2B Content Marketing: 2016 Benchmarks, Budgets,
and Trends—North America,” CMI & MarketingProfs
The most compelling marketing
content is brainstormed, created,
and iteratively developed like a
science experiment.
Got your science cap on?
Let’s start experimenting!

3.
LinkedIn Sponsored Updates is a native, in-feed content tool
that reaches a targeted professional audience beyond
your LinkedIn Company Page followers.
The product data sheet gives more insights into the power of Sponsored Updates.
3 attributes that set this native ad format apart:
3 UNIQUELY POTENT INGREDIENTS
2 31
Accurate targeting Professional mindset Premium audience

4.
Finding the Perfect Algorithm for Sponsored Updates
Examine your idea from
your audience’s mindset,
not your own.
2
OBSERVE
THROUGH A
DIFFERENT LENS Balance out your
campaign with the
right structure.
3
SET A SOLID
FOUNDATION
The #1 rule to
being a scientist:
Don’t be afraid to fail!
4
LEARN FROM
YOUR MISTAKESBrainstorm an idea
that you feel
compelled to share.
DREAM BIG
1
SCIENTIFIC PROCEDURE

5.
Having a compelling idea
is only the beginning to
formulating effective
content for the
Sponsored Update, but
it is vital, setting the
foundation for the rest
of the experiment.
DREAM BIG

6.
DREAM BIG
To formulate a compelling idea, act like a scientist.
INVESTIGATE
What keywords is
my target audience
searching for?
THINK
What conversation
in my industry
do I want to own?
of surveyed B2B buyers chose a company that was first to help them
in the purchase process by providing useful content and information.
“Technologies of Social Selling: Just Do It!” 2014, SAVO
74%

7.
Once you have selected a topic,
ensure that the end viewer feels
as excited about it as you!
OBSERVE THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS
“Business buyers don’t ‘buy’
your product or service; they
‘buy into’ your perspective
and approach to solving
their problems.”
Jeff Ernst, former principal analyst,
Forrester Research

8.
3 tips for ensuring your experiment creates
a chemical reaction in the your audience’s mind:
OBSERVE THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS
Start broad. After analyzing who
engages most with your content,
target a more specific demographic.
2
Continue to analyze audience fit. To
extend your reach to even more qualified
prospects, try Audience Expansion.
3
Don’t hyper-target. Use 2–3 targeting
criteria, and make sure your minimum
audience size is 500,000 members.
1

9.
Like how combining ammonia with
bleach creates toxic chloramine vapors,
you must mix the right content with
the right structure to power the
Sponsored Updates campaign.
“When we posted with a more consistent content
cadence, the blog subscriptions generated from our
own Sponsored Updates campaigns grew 30%. These
subscribers are more loyal, meaning they are more
likely to renew their services with our company.”
Alicianne Rand, VP of Marketing, NewsCred
SET A SOLID FOUNDATION

10.
Apply These Rules for Foundational Success:
Power each campaign
with at least 4 posts.
1
Track successful posts
in each campaign.
Continue to run these
in multiple iterations.
2
Let campaigns run for at
least 3 weeks (including
nights and weekends)
to gain the most traction.
3
Schedule experiments
intelligently to maximize
time and money. (After all,
scientists need time to sleep
and food to eat, too!)
4

11.
LEARN FROM MISTAKES
All scientists fail
when testing with
multiple variables,
so marketers are
also encouraged
to take intelligent
risks!

12.
Follow these steps to optimize for success in the next iteration.
*Direct Sponsored Content is a type of Sponsored Update that
enables you to share content directly in the feed, giving you the
ability to personalize and test content without having to originate
posts on your LinkedIn Company Page. Learn more on our blog.
Determine which
variables are working
and which are not.
This process can be
easily performed through
Direct Sponsored Content.*
Change your
independent variable
once or twice per
week, accordingly.
Chart results!
1 2 3

13.
All effective marketing scientists follow 3 steps:
CHECKLIST FOR OPTIMAL RESULTS
Dissect every message
to ensure it is reaching
the right audience.
Change up your
hypothesis, and experiment
with new variations
of content.
Ensure that your
content doesn’t explode
right in front of you.
After all, YOU are
the author of what
gets published on your
LinkedIn Company Page!
PERSONALIZATION
1
TESTING
2
CONTROL
3

14.
One more insider tip:
Have fun with your work.
Be creative, yet analytical.
LinkedIn Sponsored Updates
typically earn 3–5x the engagement
of standard display ads on LinkedIn.
HAPPY EXPERIMENTING!

15.
For more information on effectively
experimenting with LinkedIn
Sponsored Updates, download
The Sophisticated Marketer’s Guide
to LinkedIn Sponsored Updates.
Download Now
Product Showcase Series
SPONSORED
LinkedIn
UPDATESA best practice handbook
about content marketing for
a professional audience, featuring
expert advice from LinkedIn’s
Certified Marketing Partners.

16.
Today, LinkedIn members number
more than 400+ million professionals.
That's more than half of the 600 million
professionals on the planet—representing
the largest group anywhere of influential,
affluent and educated people.
For more information, visit
marketing.linkedin.com