LinkedIn Matched Audiences (and 1:1) - how to pair with outbound
TL;DR
Use your lead scoring buckets (from Apollo exports + Vector/Reverse-IP intent) to build Tiered Matched Audiences on LinkedIn. Run parallel ABM ads alongside your outbound so prospects see the same message everywhere. Put more budget on Tier A (high intent/high fit), less on Tier B/C, and keep always-on retargeting for site visitors. Result: hyper-relevant touchpoints, lower wasted spend, and more meetings from the same list.
What "Matched Audiences" you should use
Contact List Upload
Email-level from Apollo/ZoomInfo/CRM exports. Great for 1:1 and small ABM sets.
Company List Upload
Domain/company-level. Perfect for account-based ads when you do not have clean emails.
Website Retargeting
From your pixel + Vector/intent. Hit recent visitors and pricing/demo viewers.
Engagement Audiences
People who watched your video, opened a Lead Gen Form, clicked an ad, etc.
Lookalikes
Use sparingly. Only after Tier A/B are humming; otherwise you will dilute relevance.
Practical Note
Keep each audience at least 300 members so delivery is not throttled. Refresh lists weekly.
Turn your lead scoring into ad buckets
From your scoring workflow, create simple tiers and sync to LinkedIn:
Tier A: High Fit + Intent
ICP match + pricing/demo view, return visitor, multiple personas.
Goal: Book meetings.
Tactics: 1:1/company-specific ads, Document Ads with tailored one-pager, Thought Leader Ads from your rep, short CTA: "We built a page for you → microsite."
Budget: Highest CPC bids and most spend here.
Tier B: High Fit, Light Intent
ICP match + site visit/engagement.
Goal: Nurture to intent.
Tactics: Problem/solution clips, case studies by vertical, carousel proof. CTA: "90-sec overview → microsite."
Tier C: Fit, No Intent Yet
Goal: Warm and qualify.
Tactics: Short value posts, credibility assets, light offers (checklist, teardown). Frequency capped.
Always-On Retargeting (All visitors, last 30-90 days)
Goal: Bring them back to convert.
Tactics: Direct CTA to microsite or book.
1:1 and small-set ABM campaigns
For your whales or active deals:
Direct Sponsored Content
Tailored to a single company list (logo, use-case, relevant metric).
Document Ads
One-pager that mirrors their microsite. Capture interest without a gate.
Thought Leader Ads
From your AE/Founder account to humanize outreach.
Message/Conversation Ads
To a handful of champions with two clear CTAs: View your page / Book 15 min.
Run ads with outbound, not after it
Day 0
Outbound email/DM lands → same day LinkedIn impression to the same person/account.
Day 1-3
Retarget any site visitors. Send follow-up email referencing the exact page they viewed.
Sequencing
Awareness → Problem/Solution → Proof → CTA (microsite/booking).
Creative Mirroring
Use the same hook and offer across email, ad, and microsite. Consistency wins.
Spend smarter (and cut waste)
Prioritize up the list: Tier A gets the top bid and most impressions; Tier C gets light, capped exposure.
Exclude: Employees, existing customers, closed-lost, competitors, people who already booked.
Rotate: Refresh lists weekly. Pause accounts with no intent after a cycle and re-try next month.
Budget Heuristics
60% Tier A, 30% retargeting, 10% Tier B/C (adjust as results emerge).
Keep one clear goal per campaign
One Outcome Per Campaign
You will get better delivery and cleaner data if each campaign has one outcome: "Book a call," "View microsite," or "Engage with case study."
Use UTMs by tier so you can see which audience produced the meeting.
What to watch
Impressions & Reach
By tier - are Tier A accounts seeing you?
CTR & Cost per Visit
Is the message resonating?
Microsite Engagement
Views, scroll depth, clicks - is your asset converting attention?
Meetings by Audience
Tier A should punch above its weight.
Assisted Conversions
Many meetings will be ad-assisted + outbound-driven.
Guardrails
Keep It Tight
Keep list hygiene tight (fresh emails/domains).
Respect minimum size; combine small cohorts if needed.
Refresh weekly from Apollo/CRM + Vector intent.
Match ad language to email to microsite; mixed messaging kills performance.
Bottom Line
Use lead scoring + intent to decide who sees what and how much. Your LinkedIn matched audiences run in parallel with outbound, making every touch feel familiar and timely - so you earn more meetings while spending less.