Conquer the Chaos: B2B Google Ads Targeting

Google Ads doesn’t have a magic “B2B button.” Unlike other platforms, targeting decision-makers and professional buyers requires tweaking every setting to filter out consumer clicks—a process that can quickly feel like chaos!

Without the right strategy, budgets are wasted on unqualified leads. With the right framework, Google Ads becomes a powerful engine for B2B growth.

In this guide, we’ll explore the targeting data and two core strategies in detail. Stick around for a special cheat sheet at the end. It’s packed with advanced B2B tips for your campaigns!

Understanding Google Ads Targeting Data

One misconception about Google Ads’ B2B capabilities is how its targeting data compares to platforms like LinkedIn. Understanding these differences is key to cutting through the chaos and building B2B campaigns.

Google Ads does not use any LinkedIn data for targeting B2B professionals. In reality:

Independent Systems: Google Ads and LinkedIn operate independently, relying on their unique data sources.

Microsoft Ads: You may be thinking of Microsoft Ads which does have access to Linkedin targeting, but that’s a whole other post.

Google Ads B2B: Mixing, matching, and modifying some common techniques can help us reach B2B audiences effectively without LinkedIn data integration.

Keyword Targeting for B2B

To reach business buyers and minimize consumer impressions, we need a keyword strategy that pre-qualifies business searchers. Here's how to refine our targeting:

Keyword Targeting:

For connecting with the right business audience, focus on long-tail keywords and specific modifiers that reflect B2B needs.

? Specific over General: Shift from broad terms to highly specific phrases. For example:

• Replace "CRM," with "cloud-based CRM for small businesses." This clarifies the type of CRM and the target audience.
• Replace "office supplies," with "bulk office supplies for corporate offices." This indicates a B2B purchase (bulk) and the intended user (corporate offices).

? B2B-Oriented Modifiers: Incorporate keywords that signal business intent, such as:

• "wholesale"
• "enterprise"
• "commercial"

? Negative Keywords: Actively exclude consumer-focused terms to optimize budget allocation and avoid irrelevant clicks. Examples include:

• "free"
• "for beginners"
• "near me"

Audience-Focused B2B Targeting

Most audience options aren’t designed specifically for business buyers, but there are a few that cater to a B2B-focused approach. Here are some examples worth exploring:

? In-Market Audiences: Reach users actively researching products or services in your category. Examples:

/Business Services/Business Technology/Enterprise Software/CRM Solutions

/Software/Accounting Software

/Business Services/Office Supplies/Office Furniture

? Detailed Demographics: Surprisingly, we have a few targeting lists to explore around the industry and company size (people employed in) that can come in handy for B2B targeting. Examples:

/Employment/Industry/Financial Industry

/Employment/Industry/Healthcare Industry

/Employment/Company Size/Very Large Employer (10k+ Employees)

? Remarketing: Reconnect with potential leads who have visited the site but didn’t convert. This approach nurtures interest and encourages action. Specific remarketing strategies for B2B can include targeting users who viewed pricing pages, downloaded white papers, or interacted with specific product demos.

? Customer Match: B2B companies often have valuable customer data (email addresses), and uploading this to Google Ads for targeted advertising can be highly effective.

? Create an Audience to Exclude: Similar concept to negative keywords. We can create audiences based on interests, in-market segments, website visitors (remarketing), or customer lists. Once created, we can specifically exclude these audiences from campaigns. For example, exclude consumers going to customer support pages or anyone searching/visiting “login”. ?

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By leveraging these B2B-focused targeting techniques we can build campaigns that connect with decision-makers while minimizing wasted spend on unqualified clicks.

Conquer the Chaos: Take Your B2B Targeting Further with My Cheat Sheet ??

Explore even more B2B targeting options. I’ve created a cheat sheet featuring:

• B2B targeting segments hidden in the audience lists.
• B2B keyword modifiers.
• Expert tips to refine your campaigns further.

?? Drop a comment to get the cheat sheet!