What is objective-based advertising and how does it improve marketing efforts?

1. Select advertising objectives aligned to outcomes

Advertising objectives typically fall into three categories:

Awareness

Campaigns in this category aim to build familiarity with a brand, product, or service.

Common activities include increasing website traffic, presenting a company’s mission, or introducing its core values to new audiences.

Consideration

At this stage, customers are actively comparing options to fulfill a specific need.

Advertising efforts focus on demonstrating value and solutions, often through product comparisons, testimonials, or educational content.

Conversion

The final stage is designed to drive specific actions, such as completing a purchase, filling out a lead form, or signing up for a trial.

Campaigns at this stage typically feature clear calls-to-action and direct messaging.

Defining objectives at the start of a campaign ensures alignment with business priorities while meeting audience expectations.

2. Tailoring campaigns to funnel stages

Campaign strategies differ significantly across the customer journey.

Each stage of the funnel—awareness, consideration, and conversion—requires content and ad formats that address unique needs.

For example:

By optimizing campaigns for each stage, businesses can ensure their advertising delivers value while efficiently moving potential customers closer to the desired action.

3. Leverage diverse ad formats

Next, it’s important to understand some of the many ways to create ads, their formats, and how to customize campaign reporting and streamline operations.

Ad formats tailored to objectives

Objective-based advertising benefits from the ability to use multiple ad formats to match the campaign’s purpose. LinkedIn’s ad formats include:

Each format serves specific objectives. For example, carousel ads are useful for storytelling or showcasing multiple products, while lead generation forms are designed to capture customer information quickly. Selecting the right format ensures content is engaging and relevant to the audience.

4. Precise audience targeting

One of the most significant advantages of Objective-based advertising is its ability to precisely target audiences. LinkedIn’s advanced targeting capabilities, including filters for job title, industry, location, and company size, ensure ads are delivered to the right people at the right stage of the customer journey.

Targeting for awareness campaigns might focus on broad demographics to build familiarity with a new audience. In contrast, conversion-focused campaigns often use more refined targeting, reaching individuals who have previously interacted with the brand or expressed specific interests. By tailoring targeting to campaign objectives, resources can be allocated efficiently while maximizing impact.

5. Measurable performance through KPIs

Tracking performance is essential to ensuring OBA campaigns achieve their intended results. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are selected based on the campaign’s objectives:

Focusing on the right KPIs provides actionable insights, enabling teams to refine strategies in real time and achieve better results.