Solved: Validating LinkedIn Paid Ads for Student System MVP

Hi there,

Really happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance on your situation. Launching an MVP for a Student Information System (SIS) targeted at smaller private schools, and wanting to validate paid ads on LinkedIn – sounds like an interesting challenge!

I'll give you some initial thoughts. I've worked with B2B software campaigns for a while now, so have some ideas on what you could be thinking about.

We'll need to look at your ICP...

Firstly, LinkedIn can be great for reaching decision-makers in specific industries. I remember one campaign we ran in the software space for B2B decision makers, and LinkedIn ads worked really well to reach leaders and executives. However, it can also be a costly platform if not approached strategically.

You're right to be cautious about budget – it’s always better to validate before committing to a large spend.

I'd say you validate your ICP...

Before diving into paid ads, have you considered thoroughly defining your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)? This goes beyond just "smaller private schools." Dig deep into:

-> What specific job titles within those schools are the actual decision-makers for SIS purchases? (Head of IT, Principal, etc.)
-> What are their biggest pain points with current systems? (Data security, integration issues, cost, ease of use, etc.)
-> What are the key benefits they are looking for in a new SIS? (Improved efficiency, better data analysis, enhanced communication, etc.)

We had a similar situation where we were targeting the wrong job titles entirely. So really having a look at this can save you a lot of wasted ad spend.

You probably should create content...

Next, before spending money, test the waters organically. It's true that posting organically on LinkedIn will save a bunch of money if no one's interested. There's no point wasting your money on advertising if nobody is going to be interested. Here's how:

-> Create valuable content that addresses the pain points and highlights the benefits you identified in your ICP research. Think blog posts, articles, short videos, infographics, etc. -> Share this content on LinkedIn, targeting relevant groups and using relevant hashtags. -> Monitor the engagement (likes, comments, shares, click-throughs). This will give you a good indication of whether your messaging resonates with your target audience.

If your organic content gets little to no traction, it's a sign that either your messaging is off, your targeting is wrong, or there isn't enough interest in your solution on LinkedIn. This is valuable information before you invest in paid ads.

You'll need a narrow campaign...

If your organic efforts show promise, then you can start thinking about paid ads. But start small and targeted. Don't try to boil the ocean with a large, broad campaign.

-> Use LinkedIn's precise targeting options to reach specific job titles, industries, company sizes, and even specific schools. -> Create ad copy that directly addresses the pain points and benefits you identified in your ICP research. Make it clear, concise, and compelling. -> Consider using LinkedIn's Lead Gen Forms to capture leads directly within the platform. This simplifies the signup process and can improve conversion rates.

We've seen some good results for clients using these lead gen forms. I remember one B2B software campaign where we targeted decision makers and achieved a cost per lead of $22 using LinkedIn Ads. Something like this might work for your target audience as well.

I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:

Area	Recommendation
Targeting Validation	Thoroughly define your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) – specific job titles, pain points, and desired benefits.
Organic Content Testing	Create valuable content (blog posts, articles, videos) addressing pain points and highlighting benefits. Share on LinkedIn and monitor engagement.
Paid Ad Campaign (if organic shows promise)	Start with a small, tightly targeted campaign using LinkedIn's precise targeting options. Use clear, concise, and compelling ad copy.
Lead Capture	Consider using LinkedIn's Lead Gen Forms to simplify the signup process.

Running campaigns for software companies is definitely something we have experience with. For example, we achieved a cost per user of £0.96 for one software client using Google Ads, and a cost per software trial of $7 per trial for another using Meta Ads.

Starting out with a small MVP launch campaign on LinkedIn sounds good to me. Hope these suggestions were helpful! If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

Of course, scaling campaigns to drive app sign ups and get them profitable can be tricky - and this is where having someone with expertise can really help you dial in the right target audience, add creatives, ad copy, and landing pages to drive the best possible results.

We offer a free initial consultation where we review potential strategies and account setup - feel free to book in a call if that sounds interesting. We're happy to help!

Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh