• Build Brand Credibility and Authority with Decision-Makers: Cocoon wanted to build brand recognition and credibility among HR leaders and decision-makers in a way that felt personal and authentic.

• Show ROI on Marketing Spend: As a growing startup, Cocoon needed to justify each marketing dollar spent, especially for exploring new channels like podcast advertising.

• Streamlined Ad Management: With limited team resources, Cocoon required an end-to-end solution to manage ads and effectively target multiple audiences without adding complexity.

1. Precision Targeting of Ideal Customer Profiles Using LinkedIn

To connect Cocoon’s message directly with its target audience, we implemented a multi-layered approach on LinkedIn:

• Strategic Host-Read Ad Placement: We ran a customized host-read ad on the World’s Greatest Boss podcast, featured within the first minute of each episode, aligning Cocoon’s message with an established HR audience. Since this podcast and the other HR podcasts were already a part of the B2B PodPros community, campaign setup was fast and ready to launch within two weeks of the initial call with Cocoon's growth marketing manager.

• Engaging Display Ads: We promoted the episode titled Converting Contractors to Employees the Right Way, featuring Cocoon’s host-read ad, using LinkedIn display ads to reach HR professionals. Listeners could click directly to the podcast episode’s landing page and hear Cocoon’s message within the first 60 seconds. Was the campaign difficult to setup in LinkedIn? No. All B2B PodPros needed was a few job titles Cocoon wanted to target along with the types of industries. Once they had this information, they were able to create the display ads, setup the LinkedIn campaign, and launch it within a week.

• Targeted Campaign Criteria: We focused on HR professionals in mid-to-large U.S. companies (201+ employees) to ensure Cocoon’s message reached high-value decision-makers in the right space.

2. Building Trust Through Industry-Leading HR Podcast Hosts

We partnered with well-regarded HR podcasters in the U.S. to further boost Cocoon’s credibility. Over an 8-week period, Cocoon’s custom host-read ads ran on four top-ranking HR podcasts. These hosts, well-known and trusted by Cocoon’s target audience, provided organic and relatable endorsements to deepen brand trust and authority.

• 3x Increase in Direct Traffic: Cocoon saw a threefold increase in direct website traffic, driven by the LinkedIn-targeted campaign and podcast placements.

• High-Quality Engagements from Target Audience: The LinkedIn campaign generated 400 qualified downloads (IAB-standard 60-second downloads), with 66% of engagements coming from HR professionals.

• Credibility with Key Accounts: Cocoon’s message resonated within major organizations like Wells Fargo, Target, Amazon, Macy’s, KPMG, Citi, and State Farm, bolstering the brand’s visibility with HR leaders in established companies.

• Enhanced Brand Credibility and Thought Leadership: By associating with trusted HR podcasters, Cocoon strengthened its reputation in the HR space, aligning its brand with industry thought leaders and increasing its recognition among decision-makers.