B2B campaign CTR goals exceeded by 70%

How a smart home tech company activates, reaches and engages elusive B2B audience

4.5M
IMPRESSIONS
6.5K
CLICKS
70%
OVER CTR GOAL

In this case study, we will refer to the client as “Client A” to maintain confidentiality. Client A is a leading enterprise-level company in the smart home technology sector, known for the quality of its products. This case study details the results of a B2B campaign strategy developed and executed by Data Axle on behalf of its client, Client A.

The challenge

Client A, a leading smart home technology company, aimed to transform its acquisition strategy to boost conversions, drive engagement, and increase customer lifetime value. Due to strict internal privacy restrictions, the marketing team faced a significant hurdle in scaling its acquisition campaigns. These restrictions prevented the use of customer data to develop personas and other insights, forcing their marketing team to seek alternative privacy-compliant data sources that deliver the insights, audience, and results they aimed to achieve.

To address these challenges, Client A sought a partner to help develop an impactful omnichannel “always-on” campaign, aiming to connect with a particular B2B audience. Successfully solving the data and scalability challenges by reaching and engaging with this specific audience was critical to the success of their broader acquisition strategy. Data Axle took on this challenge and devised strategies effective for Client A’s B2B marketing program.

The solution

Client A partnered with Data Axle as a data provider and strategic partner to launch an always-on B2B omnichannel campaign to find and convert professionals in the HVAC industry (contractors, distributors, wholesalers, etc.) to sign up to their program. The complex nature of Client A’s needs was delivered through Data Axle’s framework of success that includes elements of Data, Intelligence, and Activation leading to the desired Performance.

“Having that one vendor who could aggregate the data, create the targeting segmentation information, and then provide it to their in-house agency team for a campaign…having that turnkey capability is what really drove our decision to work with Data Axle.”

Strategic Partner Manager, Client A

Proprietary audience development

Client A had a very specific audience in mind for their always-on campaign and needed a strategy to reach them and ensure their messaging resonated when it did land. Data Axle utilized its own internal custom audiences and layered on LinkedIn platform data and publisher first-party data to extend audience reach, ensuring the campaigns reached individuals most likely to find the product relevant to their lifestyle and business.

The target personas Client A aimed to reach included:

  • Professionals at companies with HVAC and/or heating and cooling in their names.
  • Professionals at companies with air conditioning contractors & systems
  • LinkedIn: Individuals with relevant HVAC job titles, member groups, and member skills.
  • Publisher first-party data: Leverage publishers’ organic audience via subscriber lists, site visitors, etc.

Intelligence & activation

Engaging contractors and business owners

Starting in August 2022, efforts were made to recruit HVAC and custom installers as members of the company’s program. Data Axle’s B2B efforts aimed to recruit contractors and business owners, focusing on those who install the company’s products in homes. Data Axle curated a list of publishers with pre-existing relationships to the company to facilitate targeted ad placements.

Using the audience strategy above, Data Axle developed an omnichannel campaign plan to engage prospects with relevant messaging.

  • Publisher growth: Expanded the number of publishers by one-third through vetting and supplementing Client A’s current list. Data Axle also negotiated rates to take the burden off Client A and leverage Data Axle’s unique relationships within the industry
  • Leveraging key brand moments: Established a strong industry presence to attract B2B buyers by having a strong presence at trade shows such as CEDIA (the leading global organization for residential tech),AHR (the top expo for HVAC professionals) and other key industry events.
  • Comprehensive media plan: Implemented an omnichannel approach that engaged HVAC professionals through Data Axle managed media and strategic industry partnerships.

Publisher collaboration and strategic recommendations

Engagement with publishers was essential for obtaining quotes and availability, which informed strategic recommendations to Client A. Despite the challenge, this approach was vital for reaching the right audience. Additionally, Data Axle conducted B2B marketing on LinkedIn, leveraging platform data to refine targeting and providing strategic insights to optimize campaign performance.

A close eye on managed media

Data Axle helped Client A reach highly engaged custom audiences by leveraging multiple digital touchpoints across various platforms. These touchpoints allowed Client A to connect with their target audience as they browsed the internet or scrolled through LinkedIn, driving meaningful engagement.

Performance

Client A benefited from near-real-time performance visibility through dashboards created by Data Axle. These dashboards provided visual insights into audience performance, creative effectiveness, and platform metrics, enabling Client A to make informed decisions and share updates across platforms. This data-driven approach underscored Data Axle’s belief that data is knowledge and knowledge is power.

  • Channels: LinkedIn, display, publisher direct
  • Audience: Publisher audiences + Data Axle Custom Audiences
    • Employees at companies with HVAC in their name
    • Air conditioning contractors
    • Professionals who work in technological systems integration
    • Custom installers (home automation systems, home theater systems, audio-visual equipment dealers, fire alarm systems
  • Ad Types: Custom e-blasts, e-newsletter banner ads, website placements, print, video, static, animated
  • Publisher performance 2023: 1.4MM impressions, 23,000 clicks
  • Data Axle served media performance 2023: 4.5MM impressions, 6.5K clicks, 70% over CTR goal

Conclusion

Data Axle’s collaboration with Client A showcases the power of data, AI, and predictive modeling in driving B2B marketing success. Working with the company was a collaborative and innovative experience. Client A’s openness to new ideas and flexibility with recommendations fostered a productive partnership. The two companies Customer Success and Account Management worked closely together to manage publisher partnerships, including: planning and media recommendations, creative handoff process, reporting, and more. Data Axle’s adaptability and nimbleness were critical, especially given the scale and complexity of this campaign.

By utilizing precise audience targeting, innovative data-driven strategies, and rigorous testing, Data Axle effectively addressed the complex needs of this Fortune 500 client, delivering tailored solutions that align with B2B buying dynamics.

Data Axle’s unwavering commitment to results was crucial to the success of this partnership. Through an integrated omnichannel approach and a robust optimization framework, Data Axle continuously adapted to the shifting demands of the campaign, providing exceptional performance and value. This results-driven focus reinforced Data Axle’s role as a trusted, indispensable partner.

Data Axle also worked with Client A for their B2C marketing programs.

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