# How to Build LinkedIn Demand Generation Campaigns
In the Australian B2B landscape, waiting for a customer to search for your service is often too late. Demand generation on LinkedIn is about creating interest and awareness among your ideal clients before they even know they need you. This guide will show you how to move away from aggressive 'lead gen' forms and instead build a sustainable engine that educates your market and builds trust in your brand.
Why Demand Gen Matters
Most B2B buyers (around 95%) aren't in the market to buy right this second. If you only run 'Book a Demo' ads, you are ignoring the vast majority of your potential revenue. Demand generation allows you to stay top-of-mind so when that Australian business owner is finally ready to upgrade their systems or hire a consultant, your name is the first one they think of.---
Prerequisites
Before you start, ensure you have:- A LinkedIn Company Page (fully optimised with your logo and 'About' section).
- An Active LinkedIn Campaign Manager account.
- The LinkedIn Insight Tag installed on your website (crucial for tracking).
- High-quality educational content (e.g., a whitepaper, a case study, or a helpful video).
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Step 1: Define Your 'High-Intent' Audience
Demand generation is expensive if you spray and pray. You need to be laser-focused. In Australia, we often deal with smaller total addressable markets, so precision is key. What you should see: In Campaign Manager, click 'Create' > 'Campaign Group'. Give it a name like "Demand Gen - Awareness - [Quarter]". Under the 'Audience' section, select your location (e.g., Australia) and then narrow down by Job Title, Member Interests, or Company Industry.Pro Tip: Don't just target 'Owners'. Target the specific decision-makers who feel the pain your product solves, such as 'Operations Managers' or 'Head of IT'.
Step 2: Choose the Right Objective
For demand generation, we aren't looking for 'Lead Generation' (which uses those native forms). Instead, choose 'Brand Awareness' or 'Website Visits'.- Brand Awareness: Best for video content where you want maximum eyeballs.
- Website Visits: Best if you want them to read a long-form blog post or case study on your site.
Step 3: Set Your Budget (The Australian Context)
LinkedIn is one of the more expensive platforms. For a meaningful demand gen campaign in the Australian market, you should aim for a minimum of $30–$50 per day per campaign. What you should see: The 'Budget & Schedule' section. Select 'Daily Budget'. Avoid 'Lifetime Budget' for demand gen as it doesn't allow for the consistent 'always-on' presence required to build brand equity.Step 4: Select Your Ad Format
For B2B demand gen, Single Image Ads and Video Ads perform best.- Single Image: Great for sharing a provocative stat or a 'How-to' tip.
- Video: Perfect for 'Founder-led' content where you explain a complex industry problem.
Step 5: Craft Your 'Value-First' Creative
This is where most businesses fail. Do not sell your product here. Instead, solve a problem.- Headline: Keep it under 70 characters so it doesn't get cut off on mobile.
- Intro Text: Write like a human. Use the 'Problem-Agitation-Solution' framework. Mention specific Australian industry challenges (e.g., "Navigating the new ATO compliance rules...").
Step 6: Set Up Conversion Tracking
Even though our goal isn't an immediate sale, we need to know if people are engaging. What you should see: In the 'Conversion Tracking' step, select the conversions you’ve previously set up (like 'Viewed Key Page' or 'Time on Site'). This helps LinkedIn's algorithm find more people likely to actually consume your content rather than just accidental clickers.Step 7: The 'Ungated' Content Strategy
In demand generation, we want the least amount of friction possible. Instead of forcing someone to give their email to see a PDF, give the value away for free in the ad or on a landing page with no form. This builds incredible goodwill.Step 8: Launch and Monitor the 'Frequency'
Once you hit 'Launch', don't touch it for at least 2 weeks. What you should see: Monitor the 'Frequency' metric in your reporting dashboard. For demand gen, you want a frequency of around 3–4 over a 30-day period. This ensures your audience sees your brand enough times to remember it, but not so much that they get 'ad fatigue'.---
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- The 'Hard Sell' too early: If your ad says "Buy Now" to someone who has never heard of you, your click-through rate (CTR) will plummet and your costs will skyrocket.
- Broad Targeting: Targeting "All of Australia" is a waste of money for B2B. Use the 'Company Size' filter to ensure you aren't paying for clicks from students or competitors.
- Ignoring Mobile: Over 80% of LinkedIn users are on mobile. Ensure your landing pages load fast and your ad images aren't cluttered with tiny text.
Troubleshooting
- Low Impressions: Your bid might be too low or your audience is too small (under 50,000 members is often too tight for awareness campaigns).
- High Clicks but No Engagement: Your landing page might not match the promise of the ad. Ensure the 'scent' of the ad carries through to the website.
- High Frequency (Over 6): Your audience is too small for your budget. Either expand your targeting or reduce your daily spend.
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Next Steps
Building demand is a long game. Once you have successfully run your awareness ads for 30 days, your next step is to create a Retargeting Campaign. This is where you show a slightly more direct ad (like a case study or a webinar invite) only to the people who engaged with your initial demand gen ads.Need help building a bespoke B2B strategy for your Brisbane business? Our team at Local Marketing Group specialises in Australian B2B growth. Contact us today to book a strategy session.
Related Guides:- How to Install the LinkedIn Insight Tag
- B2B Content Marketing: Creating Assets that Convert
- Understanding LinkedIn Ad Analytics