Account-based marketing is one of the most effective ways to win high-value deals—but it’s also one of the easiest places to waste money. When ads are shown to the right accounts at the wrong time, costs climb quickly and performance stalls. The real problem isn’t account selection; it’s knowing which accounts are actually in the market right now.
This use case focuses on tightening targeting around active evaluation, so ads reinforce buying decisions already underway instead of trying to manufacture interest.
The Challenge
Account-based advertising works—but CPMs and CPAs rise fast when targeting includes accounts that aren’t actively evaluating solutions. Most impressions end up educating accounts that won’t buy this quarter, this year, or at all.
How Teams Use the Data
Smart Pixel identifies which companies and individuals are engaging deeply with high-intent pages on your website, such as pricing, comparisons, and integrations. This reveals real, first-party signals of evaluation.
Smart Audience expands that signal by identifying additional individuals at those same accounts—and similar accounts—who are actively researching the category across the web, even if they haven’t visited your site yet.
Together, this creates a focused list of accounts and people who are already in buying mode.
Creative Activation Examples
LinkedIn ads written specifically for evaluation-stage buyers (e.g., “What to look for when shortlisting vendors”)
Programmatic display ads reinforcing a single differentiator, proof point, or competitive advantage
Short document ads or PDFs designed to be shared internally within buying committees
The creative stays simple because the targeting does the heavy lifting.
Theoretical Upside
- 20–40% reduction in wasted impressions by excluding non-shopping accounts
- 15–30% improvement in click-through rates due to relevance and timing
- Noticeable CPA reduction simply by narrowing exposure to in-market accounts
Even modest improvements here compound quickly when account values are high.
Closing Value Statement
This is one of the most sensible places to improve efficiency. You’re not changing platforms, budgets, or strategy—you’re just ensuring your ads show up when accounts are actually paying attention. When account values are large, eliminating even a small amount of waste can translate into meaningful gains in pipeline, deal velocity, and profitability.
If you’re already investing in, or considering account-based media, this approach isn’t risky—it’s responsible.
"SmartMarketer completely changed the way we approach customer acquisition. Before, our ad spend felt like a guessing game, with little to show for it. After using their audiences and the pixel, we dropped our CPA by 45% and saw a 70% increase in sales all within about 90 days. It’s like they handed us a roadmap to find our ideal customers—it’s been a very good experience and I find it fascinating that something like this is even possible. What a time to be alive huh? :)"
