Combining Programmatic Advertising with ABM to Drive B2B Pipeline Growth

In B2B marketing, reaching the right people is far more critical than reaching everyone. For companies selling high-value solutions, the challenge isn’t always awareness—it’s access. How do you get the decision-makers who matter most when they’re ready to engage?

One B2B software company asked that very question. Despite having a crystal-clear vision of who they wanted to work with and solid sales assets, they struggled to gain traction with their dream accounts. They needed to go beyond traditional digital advertising and even standard ABM tactics.

That’s when they partnered with Get Above The Fold to merge the power of programmatic media with the precision of account-based marketing.

The result? A more innovative, data-driven strategy that delivered a 460% increase in qualified leads in just one quarter.

The Challenge: Great Strategy, Limited Reach

The software company had done its homework. It knew exactly which companies it wanted to work with. Its sales team had meticulously crafted a list of high-value target accounts. Its internal marketing teams had also created engaging assets to support the sales funnel.

However, the issue wasn’t strategy—it was scale and efficiency.

How could they ensure their messaging reached the right people at the right time, especially when they were often hard to find in traditional digital channels?

What they needed was a partner who could amplify their ABM strategy using advanced digital targeting methods to enter the world of programmatic advertising.

Laying the Groundwork: Using Data to Define the Audience

The first step in building a precision-focused strategy was identifying the locations of the target accounts. Get Above The Fold collaborated closely with the client’s sales team to extract data on key office locations associated with their account list. This location-specific targeting would become the backbone of the campaign.

Rather than relying on a static list, Get Above The Fold refreshed and refined the target account list quarterly, ensuring ongoing alignment with the client’s sales priorities and keeping the campaign agile.

With this geographic data, the team implemented a powerful targeting technique known as geofencing.

The Strategy: Geofencing Meets ABM

Geofencing is a location-based technology that enables advertisers to create a virtual perimeter around a specific area, such as a target account’s corporate offices. When someone enters that area with a mobile device, they’re eligible to receive targeted ads.

In this case, Get Above The Fold used geofencing to serve ads exclusively to business decision-makers within the physical boundaries of the target companies. That meant every ad dollar went toward reaching the right person in the right place, cutting through the noise and boosting the relevance of each interaction.

However, the team went further by incorporating behavioral data, ensuring that ads were only displayed when individuals interacted with work-related content. This dual-layer targeting created optimal conditions for both awareness and action.

Multi-Channel Execution: Full-Funnel Engagement

The next step was to create a full-funnel strategy that nurtures leads from initial awareness to conversion. To do this, Get Above The Fold deployed a variety of ad formats and media channels to surround decision-makers in their digital environments.

The campaign included:

• Display Ads: Eye-catching visuals served across websites relevant to the business audience.
• Native Ads: Integrated seamlessly into the content users were already reading.
• Audio Ads: Delivered on streaming platforms and podcasts frequented by professionals.
• Podcast Sponsorships: Capturing attention in niche B2B audio spaces.
• Online Video and Smart TV (CTV) Ads: Building brand recognition through high-impact video.
• Google PPC: Driving qualified traffic directly to the client’s website.

Each channel was carefully selected to reinforce brand messaging, drive website traffic, and guide decision-makers through the buyer’s journey.

The Results: 460% Growth in Qualified Leads

In the first quarter alone, the campaign generated 40 qualified leads—a strong initial outcome that validated the new approach. But the momentum didn’t stop there.

With continued refinement and optimization, the second quarter saw a 460% increase in qualified leads. That translated into a dramatically expanded sales pipeline and a more effective marketing spend.

Impressed by the results, the client deepened their partnership with Get Above The Fold, boosting their budget and expanding their campaign goals. The strategic blend of ABM and programmatic advertising had not only solved their initial problem but also opened the door for sustained growth and success.

Additional performance highlights included:

• A 16% increase in the media budget directly results from improved return on investment (ROI) and increased campaign confidence.
• Increased brand awareness, evidenced by a rise in direct site visits and brand searches.
• Stronger retargeting pools allow future campaigns to be even more efficient.

 

Why It Worked: The Power of Programmatic + ABM

So why did this strategy work so well?

By leveraging the efficiency and reach of programmatic advertising alongside the hyper-targeted approach of account-based marketing (ABM), the campaign effectively ensured engagement with the right audience multiple times across various touchpoints.

Unlike broad-based campaigns that waste impressions on irrelevant audiences, this hybrid strategy maximized every dollar by engaging only the most valuable prospects at the exact moments they were likely to take notice.

It’s a perfect example of how modern B2B marketing isn’t about increasing impressions—it’s about making the correct impressions.

Key Takeaways for B2B Marketers

If your ABM strategy is underperforming, the problem might not be your messaging or your account list—it might be your distribution.

Here are three key lessons from this case study:

1. Geofencing unlocks hyper-targeted delivery.

If you know the locations of your target accounts, you can effectively reach their decision-makers with geofencing and programmatic tools.

2. Multi-channel campaigns increase visibility.

Using a mix of display, audio, video, and search, you create a full-funnel experience that nurtures leads from awareness to conversion.

3. Frequent data refresh keeps your campaign sharp.

Consistently updating your target account list keeps you focused on your sales team’s key priorities.

Ready to Elevate Your ABM Strategy?

Get Above The Fold continues to help B2B brands maximize their marketing ROI by combining programmatic media with powerful account-based marketing (ABM) targeting. If you want to transform how your business reaches high-value prospects and fuels pipeline growth, consider a more innovative and strategic approach.

Visit getabovethefold.com to learn more about how you can ignite your ABM strategy through intelligent media.