How to Build an Account-Based Advertising Strategy: Foundations

Most B2B companies run demand-generation ads to anyone in their target industry. They blast LinkedIn. They show Google ads to everyone searching in their category. Then they wonder why they get low-quality leads.

Account-based advertising is different. Instead of reaching anyone in an industry, you target specific companies. Instead of running the same ad to everyone, you customize the message to different accounts. Instead of counting clicks, you measure pipeline created.

This guide walks through the five steps to build an account-based advertising strategy.

Step 1: Define Your Target Accounts

Before you run any ads, you need to know which accounts you're targeting.

Start with these questions: - What company size are your best customers? (revenue, headcount) - What industries do they operate in? - What geographies are you focused on? - What use cases are you solving for those accounts?

Output: A list of 100-500 specific companies you want to reach. Not "companies in SaaS" but "Acme Corp, XYZ Inc, Platform Inc."

This is your foundation. Every advertising decision flows from this list.

How to build the list: - Start with your best customers. Who would you clone? - Add prospects in active conversations with your sales team. - Add accounts your industry research shows are good fit. - Tier them by value (Tier 1 = most strategic, Tier 3 = exploratory).

Step 2: Choose Your Advertising Channels

Not all advertising channels work equally for account-based advertising. Some are better at reaching specific accounts. Some are better at reaching decision-makers. Some are better at delivering personalized creative.

LinkedIn Ads - Best for: Reaching decision-makers by job title (VP, Director, C-suite) - Best for: Thought leadership, educational content - Best for: Engagement-focused campaigns - Tier 1 use: Personalized content to top accounts - Tier 2 use: Message to multiple stakeholders at each account

Google Ads (Search + Display) - Best for: Intent-based targeting (someone already searching for your solution) - Best for: Awareness among decision-makers researching solutions - Best for: Account-based display ads to companies in your target list - Tier 1 use: Display ads to specific companies researching your category - Tier 2 use: Search ads to reach active buyers

6Sense/Demandbase/Similar Intent Data Platforms - Best for: Finding accounts in active buying stage (if you have budget) - Best for: Reaching buying committees, not just one person - Best for: Identifying net-new target accounts showing signals - Tier 1 use: ID high-intent accounts not yet in pipeline - Tier 2 use: Timing your outreach to match buying signals

Direct Mail / Account-Based Experiences - Best for: Tier 1 accounts (high-value only) - Best for: Stand-out, memorable campaigns - Best for: Reaching decision-makers who ignore digital ads - Tier 1 use: Personalized packages, physical gifts, invitations - Tier 2 use: Not recommended (too expensive)

Retargeting (Pixel-Based) - Best for: People from your target accounts who visited your website - Best for: Following up after initial contact - Best for: Nurturing warm accounts - Tier 1 use: Show follow-up message to warm leads from key accounts - Tier 2 use: Nurture previous website visitors from target accounts

Email (Embedded in ABM) - Best for: One-to-one messaging to specific decision-makers - Best for: Personalized sequencing over time - Best for: High-touch, account-specific campaigns - Tier 1 use: Personalized sequences to key stakeholders - Tier 2 use: Semi-personalized sequences to multiple contacts per account

Recommendation for most teams: Start with 2-3 channels. LinkedIn Ads + Google Display Ads + Email gives you broad reach at reasonable cost. Add intent data if budget allows.

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Step 3: Set Up Audience Targeting

Once you've chosen channels, you need to set up your audiences.

LinkedIn Ads: - Create a matched audience from your target account list (company name) - Layer in job titles (VP Sales, VP Marketing, VP Customer Success, C-suite) - Test geographic filters if relevant - Use audience expansion cautiously for Tier 2/3

Google Ads: - Create customer match audience from your email list - Use company affinity audiences if available - Set up display audience targeting to your target account list (using company targeting) - Search: bid up on keywords your Tier 1 accounts are likely searching

Retargeting: - Create audiences from your website visitors (using pixel data) - Segment by account: visitors from Tier 1 accounts, Tier 2 accounts, Tier 3 accounts - Create separate retargeting audiences for each tier - Different message for each tier based on where they are in the journey

Email: - Segment your email list by tier - Create Tier 1 audiences: key stakeholders at Tier 1 accounts - Create Tier 2 audiences: multiple stakeholders at Tier 2 accounts - Personalize sequences by account and by stakeholder role

Step 4: Create Personalized Messaging

Account-based advertising only works if your message is relevant to the account.

Tier 1 Personalization (High-Touch): - Customize headline to reference their specific use case or industry - Reference their company by name in the ad or email - Address their specific challenge (not generic pain points) - Offer Tier 1-specific value prop - Example: "How Acme Corp improved sales efficiency with account-based marketing"

Tier 2 Personalization (Medium-Touch): - Customize headline to their industry or use case - Reference their role/function but not their company name - Focus on problems relevant to their role - Offer Tier 2-specific value prop or offer - Example: "5 ways marketing teams in financial services improve pipeline"

Tier 3 Personalization (Scaled): - Headline addresses their problem, not their company - Generic industry-relevant messaging - Offer educational value (not directly sales-focused) - Example: "Account-based marketing frameworks for growing B2B companies"

Creative Formats: - LinkedIn: Long-form thought leadership articles, carousel ads, video - Google Display: Account-specific images, company logo variations - Email: Personalized subject lines, relevant social proof

Step 5: Plan Your Campaign Timing and Budget

Budget Allocation by Tier: - Tier 1: 50-60% of budget (small number of accounts, high personalization cost) - Tier 2: 30-40% of budget (larger number, moderate personalization) - Tier 3: 10-20% of budget (largest number, scaled messaging)

Campaign Timing: - Start with Tier 1 campaigns first (most personalized, highest ROI) - Launch Tier 2 campaigns after proving Tier 1 works - Scale Tier 3 to fill remaining budget - Plan 3-month minimum campaign length (ABM takes time)

Testing Plan: - Start with 2-3 ad variations per tier - Run for 2-4 weeks before optimizing - Measure engagement rate and pipeline creation - Pause low-performing variations - Double down on high-performing messaging

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Common Mistakes in Account-Based Advertising

Mistake 1: Blasting the same ad to all accounts Result: Low relevance, low engagement, wasted spend. Fix: Personalize messaging by tier. Tier 1 gets personalized, Tier 3 gets scaled.

Mistake 2: Focusing on clicks instead of pipeline Result: High engagement, low pipeline, low ROI. Fix: Measure pipeline created, not clicks. Optimize for account engagement, not individual engagement.

Mistake 3: Running ads without sales alignment Result: Sales team doesn't know they're being targeted, ignores warm leads from ads. Fix: Brief sales on account list before campaigns launch.

Mistake 4: Too broad audience targeting Result: Ads reach people outside your target accounts, wasting budget. Fix: Use matched audience targeting (exact company names) for Tier 1/2.

Mistake 5: Expecting immediate results Result: Campaigns run for 2-3 weeks, see low ROI, stop. Fix: Plan for 3-month minimum. ABM takes time.

Account-Based Advertising Checklist

• [ ] Identified 100-500 target accounts, tiered by value
• [ ] Chosen 2-3 advertising channels
• [ ] Set up audience targeting on each channel
• [ ] Created tier-specific creative and messaging
• [ ] Assigned budget by tier (50/30/20 split)
• [ ] Brief sales team on accounts being targeted
• [ ] Planned 3-month minimum campaign
• [ ] Set up pipeline tracking for each tier
• [ ] Scheduled weekly performance reviews

Next Steps

1. Define your target account list this week
2. Set up your audience segments in your chosen channels
3. Create Tier 1 creative and launch test campaigns
4. Brief your sales team on which accounts you're targeting
5. Measure pipeline created from advertising

Account-based advertising works when you target the right accounts with the right message at the right time. Start small with Tier 1, prove the model, then scale.

Ready to see Abmatic AI in action? Book a demo today

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See also

• ABM Account-Based Ads Strategy
• Account-Based Advertising Budget Guide