Solved: Reaching Local Decision-Makers with Madrid LinkedIn Ads

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out! It's an interesting challenge you've got there. Expanding into a specific local market like Madrid using a global platform like LinkedIn can be a bit tricky if you don't adjust your settings and strategy correctly. It's not just about translating the ads and hoping for the best. I'm happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance on how to navigate this.

I've managed quite a few B2B campaigns targeting specific European hubs, and Madrid definitely has its own flavour. You have to balance the technical targeting capabilities of LinkedIn with the cultural nuances of the Spanish capital. If you get it right, it's a goldmine. If you get it wrong, you'll burn through budget faster than you'd expect.

Below I've put together a pretty comprehensive look at how I'd tackle this if I were stepping into your shoes tomorrow.

The Madrid Context: It's Not Just Translated English

First off, let's talk about the creative and the message. A common mistake I see marketing managers make when expanding to a new geo is simply taking their winning UK or US ads, running them through a translator (or even a decent agency translation), and pasting them into the new campaign.

In Madrid, while many professionals speak English, running ads in English can sometimes signal that you are an "outsider" or that you won't offer local support. Unless you are targeting specifically international expats living in Madrid, I'd strongly suggest running your primary campaigns in Spanish. But more than that, it needs to feel local.

The tone in Spanish business dealings can be formal, but LinkedIn is shifting. You want to sound professional but accessible. If your ad copy sounds like a textbook, people scroll past. It needs to sound like a conversation.

Structuring Your Targeting for a City-Specific Campaign

Since you are limiting your geo to Madrid, your audience pool is naturally going to be smaller than a national campaign. This means you have to be careful not to over-segment. If you layer too many criteria (e.g., Madrid + Finance Industry + CFO + 10 years experience + Skills in Excel), your audience size might drop below 1,000 people, and LinkedIn ads will struggle to deliver.

Here is how I usually structure the targeting for a city-specific campaign:

1. Location: Madrid (and surrounding metropolitan area). Be careful not to just select "Madrid, Spain" if you actually want the wider community, or vice versa.

2. Job Titles vs. Job Functions: This is a big debate. In a smaller geo like Madrid, I prefer Job Titles. Why? Because "Manager" as a function is too broad. But "Director Comercial" or "Jefe de Marketing" is specific. You will need to research the specific Spanish job titles. Don't just type "Marketing Manager" and hope LinkedIn catches the Spanish equivalents. Manually add: "Director de marketing", "Gerente de marketing", "Responsable de marketing", etc.

3. Company Size: This is crucial. Are you selling to the massive multinationals based in the business district, or the SMEs? Madrid has a mix. Filter by company size to ensure you aren't pitching an enterprise solution to a 5-person agency.

Understanding Costs in Spain

One of the good things about targetting Spain compared to the UK or the US is that the CPM (Cost per 1,000 impressions) is usually lower. However, "lower" is relative. LinkedIn is still the most expensive social platform. You aren't going to get 10 cent clicks like you might on a broad Facebook campaign.

You need to budget realistically. If you are selling a high-value B2B service, a lead might cost you €30 to €100 depending on how qualified they are. Don't be scared of the cost if the LTV (Lifetime Value) of the client supports it.

I've built a little calculator below to help you estimate what your budget might look like for Madrid based on standard conversion rates I see for these types of campaigns.

The "Nightmare" Strategy

I mentioned earlier that you shouldn't just translate ads. But what should you write? Forget the sterile "We are a leading provider of X" copy. Nobody cares. Especially busy decision-makers in a capital city.

You need to identify the specific nightmare your Madrid-based prospect is facing. Is it compliance with specific Spanish regulations? Is it the slow summer months (August in Madrid is dead for business, literally ghost town vibes)? Is it the difficulty of hiring tech talent in the city because all the startups are grabbing them?

Your ad needs to speak to that pain. "Struggling to find developers in Madrid who don't want a remote contract?" is infinitely better than "We offer recruitment services."

Ad Formats: What Works?

In my experience, you have a few strong contenders for this market:

1. Single Image Ads: These are the bread and butter. They appear in the feed. They are great for driving traffic to a blog post or a landing page. Use bright, clean images. Avoid generic stock photos of people shaking hands.

2. Video Ads: If you have a video, use it. But it needs captions (in Spanish!) because most people watch with sound off. It works well for building trust.

3. Document Ads (Carousel): These are huge right now. You can upload a PDF directly to the ad. Think "The State of [Industry] in Madrid 2024." People can scroll through the slides without leaving LinkedIn. It's high engagement.

The Funnel: Don't Ask for Marriage on the First Date

A big mistake is asking for a "Demo" or a "Sales Call" immediately to a cold audience. If they don't know who you are, they won't click. Or if they do, it'll cost you a fortune.

I recommend a split strategy:

Cold Layer (Awareness/Interest): Target your broad Madrid list. Show them value. A guide, a whitepaper, a checklist. Something that helps them do their job better. No hard sell.

Retargeting Layer (Conversion): Target the people who interacted with the Cold Layer. Now you can ask them for a meeting or a demo. They know you, they trust you a bit more.

Website & Landing Page

One thing I can't stress enough: check your landing page. If you are spending money to send people to a page, it better be good. And for this campaign, is the landing page localized? If the ad is in Spanish and the landing page is in English, you will see a massive drop-off (bounce rate). It feels like a bait and switch.

Also, does the page load fast? Is the form easy to fill out on a mobile phone? Many decision-makers check LinkedIn on their commute. If your site is a mess on mobile, you are wasting money.

Measuring Success

Finally, how do you know if it's working? Don't just look at "Likes." You can't pay the bills with likes.

Look at Cost Per Lead (CPL) and Lead Quality. If you are getting leads for €10 but they are all students or irrelevant, that's a failure. I'd rather pay €80 for a lead that is a Director at a major firm who is actually looking to buy. I remember one client, a B2B SaaS, we were getting leads at $22. They were happy because the quality was spot on.

You need to install the LinkedIn Insight Tag on your website to track conversions properly. Without it, you are flying blind.

I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:

Expanding into a new market is always a bit of an experiment, but with the right structure, you can definitely mitigate the risks. It's about being respectful of the local context while being smart with your technical setup.

If you find yourself getting stuck with the setup or just want a second pair of eyes on the strategy before you hit "launch," it might be worth getting some expert help. We offer a free initial consultation where we can look at your specific audience build and budget allocation. It's often helpful to walk through it with someone who's done it before.

Regards,

Team @ Lukas Holschuh