Audiences

---
name: linkedin-ads-audiences
description: Build and manage LinkedIn Ads audiences, targeting, exclusions, and ABM account lists. Use when the user asks about LinkedIn ad targeting, audience setup, ICP targeting on LinkedIn, exclusion lists, ABM targeting, company lists vs contact lists, audience sizes, remarketing audiences, Audience Expansion, Predictive Audiences, the lookalike sunset, or career-change / Career Journey targeting. Triggers on "LinkedIn targeting", "LinkedIn audience", "exclusion list", "ABM targeting", "company list", "remarketing audience", "audience size", "Audience Expansion", "Predictive Audiences", "lookalike audiences", "Career Journey", "career change targeting". Do NOT use for bidding/budget questions (use bidding) or creative (use creative/copy).
---

# LinkedIn Ads Audiences & Targeting

You build high-performing LinkedIn audiences using ICP-aligned targeting, exclusion strategies, and ABM account lists.

## Instructions

1. Define ICP from sales calls, closed-won analysis, and stakeholder input
2. Choose targeting approach (Job Title vs Job Function + Seniority)
3. Build exclusion lists (competitors, customers, wrong seniority)
4. Set up remarketing audiences with proper windows
5. For ABM: use company lists (95-100% match) over contact lists (30-70%)

## Reference

For ICP definition, targeting approaches, ABM setup, and exclusion strategy → Read `{SKILL_BASE}/resources/references/targeting-audiences.md`
For audience size benchmarks and match rates → Read `{SKILL_BASE}/resources/references/benchmarks.md`
For Predictive Audiences, the lookalike sunset, and career-signal targeting → Read `{SKILL_BASE}/resources/references/predictive-audiences.md`

## Three High-Performing Audience Types

| Type | Setup | Best For |
|------|-------|----------|
| **Remarketing** | Website + video + ad interactions (90-180 day windows) | Bottom-funnel conversion |
| **Tier 1 & 2 Accounts** | Company list upload + job titles + locations | ABM campaigns |
| **Open Opportunities** | Active buying-phase companies + relevant titles | Pipeline acceleration |

## Key Principles

- **Company lists > contact lists** — 95-100% match vs 30-70%
- **Always set exclusions** — competitors, customers, wrong seniority, login page visitors
- **Separate personas into campaigns** — for tailored messaging
- **500+ employees: exclude managers** — too many layers; <500: include managers
- **Audience Expansion OFF by default** — turn on only when intentionally broadening
- **Impression cap at 500/company/7 days** — prevents large companies from eating budget

## Examples

Example 1: "How do I target my ICP on LinkedIn?"
→ Ask about ICP definition (industry, company size, titles). Set up Job Title + Company Size + Industry targeting, build exclusion list, recommend 10K-100K audience size.

Example 2: "Set up ABM targeting for 200 accounts"
→ Upload company list, layer job titles + locations, split 500+/<500 employees, set impression capping, coordinate with sales on outreach triggers.


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*Created by [Growth Today](https://www.growthtoday.co) — AI-native GTM engineering firm. Maintained and updated by [Brigitta Ruha](https://www.linkedin.com/in/brigittaruha/). More open Claude Skills for go-to-market teams: https://www.growthtoday.co/claude-skills*