LinkedIn buys Drawbridge to improve ad targeting, attribution capabilities

LinkedIn announced on Tuesday it has entered a deal to acquire Drawbridge, an identity resolution platform that uses AI and machine learning technology to provide marketing, customer experience and security solutions.

Why we should care

With the addition of Drawbridge’s technology, LinkedIn is aiming to boost ad engagement and ROI for marketers.

A LinkedIn spokesperson told Marketing Land that, when integrated into the LinkedIn Marketing Solutions portfolio of products, Drawbridge’s technology will benefit advertisers in two specific ways:

• Improved reach via LinkedIn’s Matched Audiences and Audience Network campaigns.
• Better attribution, allowing advertisers to measure the results they’re generating from LinkedIn campaigns across channels and devices.

“Our data shows that mobile accounts for the majority of ad engagement yet most of our conversions happen on desktop. Drawbridge’s technology will help us better connect our mobile and desktop experiences,” said a LinkedIn spokesperson.

LinkedIn has been steadily building out its advertising offerings. Last July, it overhauled its Campaign Manager platform to deliver an objective-based workflow designed for high-volume campaign management. More recently, LinkedIn introduced lookalike targeting and enhanced its interest targeting advertising features .

More on the news

• LinkedIn said 78% of B2B marketers rate its platform as “the most effective” social network for achieving specific goals.
• The company is not releasing any financial details on the deal, and but a LinkedIn spokesperson said the specific integration plans will be more clearly defined once the deal closes.
• LinkedIn reports its Marketing Solutions platform has, “accelerated growth to 46% year-over-year in revenue.”

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About The Author

Amy Gesenhues

Amy Gesenhues was a senior editor for Third Door Media, covering the latest news and updates for MarTech Today, Marketing Land and Search Engine Land. From 2009 to 2012, she was an award-winning syndicated columnist for a number of daily newspapers from New York to Texas. With more than ten years of marketing management experience, she has contributed to a variety of traditional and online publications, including MarketingProfs, SoftwareCEO, and Sales and Marketing Management Magazine. Read more of Amy's articles.