IBM | Case Study
An intelligent ABM targeting option for IBM
As a new tool from IBM, Watson Analytics visualizes data for its users, automatically creating charts and tables, and facilitating quick analyses on what it finds as strong data-proven information.
IBM’s former Director of Performance Media was looking to generate more leads at lower costs compared to business-as-usual tactics. Bombora and LinkedIn teamed up to help IBM’s Watson Analytics more intelligently target businesses interested in its product. The result — 41% lower cost-per-registration.
Challenge
IBM had relied on fairly sophisticated data-driven targeting to drive registrations for a free trial download of Watson Analytics. IBM used LinkedIn’s native targeting capabilities focusing on marketing, information technology, and analytics professionals. He further honed his targeting using job title, seniority, and professional group.
While this approach performed well, IBM and its agency Neo@Ogilvy, saw an opportunity to use an Account Based Marketing (ABM) approach to boost registrations and at the same time, reduce cost-per-registration by combining LinkedIn with Bombora’s Company Surge® Intent data.
Solution
Company Surge® Intent data gave IBM visibility into which of its target businesses were actively researching topics related to Watson Analytics.
By combining Company Surge® Intent data with LinkedIn’s Sponsored Content and Account Targeting tools, Neo@Ogilvy served in-feed advertising to the right people at organizations interested in tools like Watson Analytics.
IBM layered on functional targeting to reach marketing and technology professionals most likely to engage around Watson messaging.
Results
Bombora identified 12,000 businesses interested in over four topics related to Watson Analytics including big data analytics, data visualization and social analytics. Further, Bombora identified another 40,000 businesses interested in at least one of Watson Analytics’ selected topics.
Armed with this information, Neo@Ogilvy drove a 41% lower cost-per-registration on LinkedIn compared to business-as-usual targeting tactics used in the previous quarter. Additionally, the Bombora-Linkedin Account Based Marketing approach delivered a 19% lower cost-per-registration than another Q4 tactic that targeted social media professionals.
“Bombora and LinkedIn helped drive a 41% lower cost-per-registration than the business as usual tactics used in the previous quarter.”
