Looking for a LinkedIn Ads Expert in Pittsburgh? Here are the Top Agencies

Pittsburgh is considered one of the most liveable cities in the country, with lower than average housing costs, high quality of life, and good work/life balances for many people--not to mention it’s a friendly and welcoming place for businesses.

Regardless if you're an established business or a new one, you’re probably looking to increase your marketing reach and ROI, and chances are you’ve probably considered investing in LinkedIn Ads. The only problem is you might be a little confused on where to start. Not to worry, we’ve put together this article to help you find the perfect LinkedIn Ads expert in Pittsburgh--one that you can develop a long term relationship with and continue to grow your business in the City of Champions and beyond.

Why Look for a LinkedIn Ads Expert in Pittsburgh?

The Benefits of Local Vendors

Pittsburgh is a unique town--it can feel large and small at the same time. If you work hard enough at it, you find that everyone is only separated by a few degrees or so. This can be a good thing as it tends to create a more familial and welcoming business atmosphere. It’s also one reason we recommend you get a local consultant or agency to help you grow your presence on LinkedIn. Reputation is extremely important in this hard-working town, which makes it less likely you’ll get burnt or sold snake oil by an agency where you’ll feel more like a number than an actual client.

Pittsburgh Just Isn’t a Big Marketing Town

Unfortunately, Pittsburgh does not seem to have many experienced performance marketing agencies. Although this city is known for its tech start ups and for being a welcoming place to start a business, it just doesn’t have the support agencies these businesses require to grow. Many agencies tend to focus on traditional advertising, and don’t have the ability to offer businesses the digital marketing, design, and ux support businesses need to thrive and get ahead in their industry. In other words, your options are limited.

Top Companies in Pittsburgh for LinkedIn Ads

Try to find an independent consultant

Although LinkedIn Ads might have their limit, there is still a lot you can do with them when you have the right person to help you out. We always recommend going with an independent consultant when it comes to this kind of performance based, heavily analytical marketing tactics. They’re guaranteed to know the ins and outs of LinkedIn Ads, as well as how they can make it work for you. We prefer independents to agencies because number one, they will most certainly cost you less. Agencies have overhead, thus charge more.

Go with an Independent Consultant

Aiken House works with a lot of “indy” growth hackers and marketers, and we are more than happy to link you up with one - just contact us here.

Unfortunately, it can be difficult to secure one of these independent or freelance consultants because they are in extremely high demand. Every business wants to get more bang for their buck, which is why if you can network your way into finding one, hold on to them! Many times they are already overloaded with clients, and have a hard time taking on new ones, no matter how small the account might be. This is why many businesses end up having agencies handle their digital marketing. One of the biggest complaints from companies who decide to go with an agency is that they end up feeling a little taken advantage of. What typically happens is that the founder/CEO of the agency who is extremely knowledgeable will pitch their acumen to a business making it sound like an easy decision to sign. Only after you sign, you’re passed off to a junior level person with not nearly as much experience. It frustrates a lot of our clients.

Common problems with marketing agencies

Performance marketing--which is when you ask an agency to get you leads, sales, etc.-- is a lot different than traditional marketing. With performance marketing you need to be data driven, analytical, and creative. The agencies and consultants who thrive in areas like LinkedIn Ads are those that understand they are there to get you the best ROI they can, or else, you’ll go looking for someone else. That’s why we thought it might be useful to be aware of some of the most common problems that arise when dealing with marketing agencies not only in Pittsburgh, but around the country.

• Reliability and turnover. As mentioned above, after signing with an agency you’ll most likely be turned over to a junior partner who just isn’t going to be reliable enough for the long run. The turnover in agencies is very high, and there’s no telling how long your partner will stick around for.
• Not on the front lines of innovation. In order to get significant ROI, you truly have to be data driven and understand how to properly analyze the data. How else would you expect to get the growth you want? Agencies don’t evolve fast enough to acquire and utilize the latest tech you need in order to stay competitive.
• Always the upsell. No one wants to be constantly pitched, and that might be exactly what you’re signing up for with an agency. You want a partner that can help you navigate the complex world of performance marketing, not someone who is looking to nickel and dime you for every extra bit of cash they can.

Top companies in Pittsburgh in no particular order

Here are the top companies where you’ll be sure to get the expert advice you need when it comes to LinkedIn Ads and other forms of performance marketing:

Go with an Independent Consultant

Aiken House works with a lot of “indy” growth hackers and marketers, and we are more than happy to link you up with one - just contact us here.

If you’re looking for an agency, here are the top ones in Pittsburgh that we’ve worked with:

Responsival

About: Utilizes marketing, design, and web development to create a hardworking digital presence.

# of Employees: 14

Services Offered: Marketing, Design, Web Development

Key Clients: Bespoke Beauty Bar, Accelerent Solutions, Gecko Robotics

responsival.com | @responsival | linkedin.com/company/responsival‍

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Level Agency

About: 21st Century digital and direct marketing with a relentless approach to customer generation.

# of Employees: 50-200

Services Offered: Digital advertising, website development, content marketing, affiliate marketing, lead nurturing

Key Clients: Babst Callan, Carnegie Museum of Art, GNC

level.agency | @LevelAgencyMarketing | linkedin.com/company/levelagency

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Agency 1903

About: Uses best-in-class creative technology to maximize marketing reach and inspire lasting connections.

# of Employees: 11-50

Services Offered: Marketing, data design, website development

Key Clients: Abercrombie & Fitch, Land’s End, Breckenridge Ski Resort

agency1903.com| @agency1903 | linkedin.com/company/agency-1903‍

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RevLocal

About: Helps businesses maximize their online presence with a personalized approach to marketing.

Services Offered: Advertising, digital marketing, social media marketing, web design, web development

Key Clients: HB Wellness, Altius Restaurant, Ablak Holdings

revlocal.com | @revlocal | linkedin.com/company/revlocal

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Cosmitto

About: Digital marketing agency that specializes in content strategy, marketing, and advertising.

# of Employees: 6-20

Services Offered: Content marketing, digital marketing, reputation management, social media marketing, marketing consulting/strategy

Key Clients: GNC Pets, Rinovum Women’s Health

cosmitto.digital| @cosmittodigital | linkedin.com/company/cosmitto

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321Blink

About: Full service advertising agency that specializes in digital marketing, media strategy, and content management.

# of Employees: 50

Services Offered: Digital marketing, social media marketing/management, public relations, branding, web design & development

Key Clients: UPMC, Giant Eagle, Berger & Green

321blink.com| @321blink | linkedin.com/company/321blink

When you’re looking for a creative consultant or agency to manage your LinkedIn Ads campaign in Pittsburgh, it pays to stay local. Contact one of these agencies and start to see the growth you’ve been looking for.

What Makes LinkedIn Ads So Awesome?

Many companies in Pittsburgh are choosing to invest in LinkedIn Ads, but what makes them so popular?

• Tech savvy base. When you advertise on LinkedIn, you have access to all kinds of local Pittsburgh professionals who are there to make connections and grow their networks. People on this site as opposed to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram very much want to keep their details up to date, which makes groups of customers that you want to target much easier.
• Access to targeted demographic details. They say that the data reveals everything, including the market of people you want to target! LinkedIn Ads can sort by demographic details, so you’re only getting your ads in front of those customers most likely to engage.
• Can accommodate skills-based leads. In addition to demographic details, LinkedIn Ads will target only those potential customers that you want to reach, and those alone. You won’t need to waste time paying for ads that aren’t reaching your target. LinkedIn Ads tend to see a higher conversion rate because of this.

What are the Cons of LinkedIn Ads?

Like everything, of course there are some drawbacks to LinkedIn Ads, and some experts consider them lacking in ways that other social media platform ads are not.

• No goal based pricing. Goal based pricing is a popular option for many marketers as it means that you’re not charged unless you meet the goal of your campaign.
• Higher cost per click. LinkedIn ads have a higher CPC than Facebook ads.
• Reports are lacking. LinkedIn does not offer particularly deep reporting on data.
• Caters to larger budgets. Campaigns that have higher daily spends do better.

Not sure if LinkedIn Ads are the way to go? Drop us a line and we'll help you figure out the best way to meet your business goals. Friendly advice is one of our specialties 😎