Adriaan Brits, Sitetrail’s swashbuckling CEO is throwing a gauntlet down with a hefty promise of a 120% “cost per lead” saving against LinkedIn’s paid ads. It’s as if he’s found the cheat codes to the marketing game, making budget cuts so sharp they’d make a discount ninja proud.
In a recent newsletter, he claimed that the new LinkedIn Message Ads are “exceptionally overrated and overpriced” and explained that he uses it for less than 2% of rare targets.
Brits, a former LinkedIn contractor who has taught Advanced Google Analytics and Paid Ads for their learning platform, reaching more than 200,000 digital marketing professionals, has a wealth of experience to back up his claims. He has been running tests on LinkedIn Ads for years and suggests their use should be limited to extreme cases where targeting is near impossible and search demand is very low.
How Sitetrail uses AI to slash client costs by 80%
His new package, available for $999, guarantees 100+ targeted leads each month. It also includes search and social aspects which, he argues, the LinkedIn platform fails to deliver.
“We used AI to slash a marketing package that cost $8,000/month to just $999/month,” Brits stated in the newsletter titled “When AI Replaces 70% Of A Marketing Team”. “We passed this saving directly to our clients and included an unlimited access pass so they can save another $5,000 per month by publishing a high volume of AI-generated news content on 3rd party websites to scale up their visibility,” he added.
The package also offers various other services, including organic social media promotion via popular Reddit groups and content sharing on LinkedIn feeds of prominent influencers with more than 10,000 followers. In addition, clients will have access to email lead generation for finding 100 new leads per month, steady follower boosts for social media accounts or improvements to Google Maps to aid reputation management, and a bonus feature of an Unlimited PR Access pass.
While the advancements and cost reductions are a huge benefit to Sitetrail’s clients, Brits acknowledges the resultant redundancy of certain marketing managerial roles. “It’s with a heavy heart we acknowledge the resulting redundancy of certain marketing managerial roles,” he wrote. “On the other hand, it presents an opportunity for forward-thinking CMOs and CEOs to utilize this technological shift to their advantage.” He also referred to new research on the co-existence of humans and AI at work, where he believes researchers are gaining a firm grasp on how to deal with a new reality.
Words of encouragement during changing times
In his newsletter, Brits also included an encouraging message for fellow marketers apprehensive about the role of AI in their careers. “It’s true that AI is changing our industry, and those who fail to embrace it might find themselves in precarious positions,” Brits acknowledged. However, he added, “For those who embrace AI, I believe there’s an unprecedented opportunity to thrive like never before. Just as the tide lifts all boats, the wave of AI can elevate your career to heights you’ve only dreamed of.” Brits’ words are a powerful reminder that the rapid advances in technology are not only a challenge but also an opportunity for those ready to ride the wave.
Calling for greater transparency in the Linkedin Ads ecosystem:
Adding to his earlier remarks, Adriaan Brits has also expressed his concerns about a perceived lack of transparency in LinkedIn’s advertising model, stating, “We should question a system that claims to have sent a sponsored InMail to someone but doesn’t disclose to whom it was sent or share the profile. That is not transparent.”
While Brits stopped short of accusing LinkedIn outright of ad fraud, his statement clearly pointed to potential issues in LinkedIn’s advertising practices and its impact on the trust of advertisers. He emphasized the importance of transparency in the advertising industry and pointed to the current LinkedIn model as an example where he feels this is lacking.
“Transparency is the cornerstone of any credible advertising platform,” Brits said. “Without it, how can advertisers fully trust the results they are being shown?”
This call for greater clarity in LinkedIn’s ad delivery echoes the growing demands of businesses for greater accountability in online advertising. It also underlines the unique approach of Sitetrail, which, under Brits’ leadership, is striving to bring an unprecedented level of transparency and cost efficiency to digital advertising.
Conclusion:
In the face of the rapidly evolving digital marketing landscape, Brits’ bold claims and the guaranteed package from Sitetrail represent a new direction that is sure to stir up industry conversation. Time will tell whether the promised savings and benefits will hold true and cause a significant shift in marketing strategies – if others can figure out the matrix he uses.
Glossary of terms:
LinkedIn Ads Agency: A LinkedIn Ads Agency is a company or service provider that specializes in creating and managing LinkedIn advertising campaigns for clients. They are experts in leveraging LinkedIn’s specific tools and user base to achieve marketing objectives.
LinkedIn Conversation Ads: Conversation Ads are a unique type of LinkedIn advertisement that takes the form of a conversation or interactive experience in LinkedIn’s messaging system. They allow marketers to create a customized flow of communication with potential clients or customers. Brits claims that these are innovative, but lack a credible ROI which renders it overrated.
LinkedIn Text Ads: Text Ads on LinkedIn are simple, plain text format ads that usually appear on the side or top of the screen when users are browsing LinkedIn. They include a headline, brief description, and a small image.
LinkedIn Document Ads: Document Ads on LinkedIn allow businesses to share more in-depth content directly within their ads, including presentations, PDFs, or Word documents. This type of ad can be particularly useful for businesses that want to provide more information about a product or service.
LinkedIn Ads Cost: The cost of LinkedIn Ads can vary depending on a number of factors including the type of ad, the target audience, and the advertiser’s budget. LinkedIn uses a bidding system, so advertisers set a maximum budget and then bid for impressions, clicks, or conversions.
LinkedIn Ads Pricing: Similar to LinkedIn Ads Cost, LinkedIn Ads Pricing refers to the cost structure for advertising on the platform. It’s typically based on a bidding model, where advertisers can set a maximum daily budget and bid for their desired actions (clicks, impressions, or conversions).
Cost of LinkedIn Ads: This term generally refers to the total expenditure incurred by an advertiser for running LinkedIn Ads. This could include the cost of creating the ad, as well as the cost of bids for impressions, clicks, or conversions. Brits says that the ROI on Linkedin Ads is some of the lowest he witnessed in the industry and that Microsoft can do better for SMEs.
LinkedIn Carousel Ads: Carousel Ads are a type of LinkedIn advertisement that allows marketers to display multiple images or cards within a single ad. Each card can have its own image, headline, and link, providing a more interactive experience for viewers.
LinkedIn Ads Certification: LinkedIn Ads Certification is a professional accreditation that LinkedIn offers to individuals who demonstrate proficiency in basic and advanced aspects of LinkedIn advertising. Achieving this certification validates the individual’s ability to effectively create, manage, and optimize LinkedIn Ads.
LinkedIn Recruitment Ads: LinkedIn Recruitment Ads are a type of advertisement specifically geared towards recruiting new employees. They often target specific job titles or skills and are aimed at driving potential candidates to job listings or recruitment pages.
