If you’re running B2B ads, you know the pain: wasted spend, wrong people seeing your message, and “audiences” that look good on a spreadsheet but flop in real life. Influ2 promises person-based ad targeting—a chance to finally get your ads in front of the right people. This guide is for anyone who’s using Influ2 and wants to build smarter audiences, segment them properly, and avoid rookie mistakes that drain budgets.
Let’s get into what actually works, what to skip, and how to set up audience segmentation that gives you real results—without overcomplicating things.
1. Know What Influ2 Does (and Doesn’t) Do
Influ2 is all about person-based advertising for B2B. Unlike old-school platforms that just target companies or job titles, it lets you upload lists of actual people—so your ads can show up in front of the sales director at Acme Corp, not just “decision makers in tech.”
But: Influ2 isn’t a magic button. Garbage in, garbage out. If your audience lists are messy, outdated, or based on wishful thinking, your results will be too.
What to ignore: Don’t chase every shiny new feature or micro-segment. Focus on basics: clean lists, real contacts, and clear goals.
2. Start with High-Quality Data
You can’t build a great audience with bad data. Before you upload anything, do a sanity check:
- Use real, verified contacts. Pull from your CRM, not random web scrapes.
- Keep it fresh. Delete people who left their jobs or bounced in your last campaign.
- Double-check emails and job titles. Typos and outdated info waste ad dollars.
- Map fields carefully. Make sure your CSV columns match what Influ2 expects.
Pro Tip:
If you’re not sure your data is clean, run a quick enrichment (with tools like ZoomInfo or Clearbit) or just spot-check a handful of records. It’s boring, but it saves you pain down the line.
3. Build Your First Audience—the Right Way
Don’t try to be clever out of the gate. Start simple:
- Define your target: What’s your campaign goal? (Brand awareness, demo requests, event signups, etc.)
- Pick 1-2 key attributes: Usually job function and seniority are enough. Don’t over-segment yet.
- Upload a focused list: 500-5,000 people is a healthy starting range for most B2B campaigns.
- Name your audience clearly: “Q2 SaaS CTOs - US” beats “Test List 1.”
What works: - Small, focused audiences (quality > quantity). - Honest job titles (not just “VP” but “VP, Product”). - Company size filters if you’re targeting enterprise vs. SMB.
What doesn’t: - Uploading your entire CRM and hoping for the best. - Relying on ambiguous fields like “Influencer” or “Champion” without clear definitions.
4. Segment Like a Human, Not an Algorithm
Segmentation isn’t about slicing data into oblivion. It’s about grouping people who’ll respond to the same message.
A good segment:
- Shares a real-world trait (same industry, buying stage, product interest).
- Will see relevant creative and offers.
How to segment in Influ2:
- By buying stage: Prospects, active opps, closed/won clients.
- By persona: Finance leaders, technical buyers, end users.
- By company type: Industry, size, region.
Don’t bother with:
- Segments smaller than a few hundred people (not enough data for meaningful results).
- Overlapping segments—keep it clean so you know what’s working.
Example segmentation structure:
- TOFU (Top-of-funnel): IT Directors at US Healthcare companies
- MOFU (Mid-funnel): Current pipeline opps, Decision Makers in EMEA
- BOFU (Bottom-of-funnel): Existing customers for upsell/cross-sell
Pro Tip: Name your segments so anyone on your team can understand them at a glance. “EMEA Pipeline >50k ARR” is clear. “List17_Mix2” isn’t.
5. Customize Creative for Each Segment
Here’s where the magic happens—or falls flat. If you use the same bland ad for every segment, you’re wasting Influ2’s biggest advantage.
- Write to your segment. The CFO cares about cost, the IT manager wants reliability.
- Use their language. Mirror the terms your segment uses (e.g., “compliance” for finance, “uptime” for IT).
- Test different CTAs. Don’t assume everyone wants a demo—try “Download Guide” for earlier-stage segments.
What doesn’t work: - One-size-fits-all creative. - Generic “See our solution” ads.
6. Set Frequency Caps and Watch for Ad Fatigue
Just because you can show your ad to someone 30 times a week doesn’t mean you should.
- Set reasonable frequency caps (2-5 impressions per person, per week is usually plenty).
- Rotate creatives every few weeks, especially for longer sales cycles.
- Check engagement metrics in Influ2—if your click-through or engagement drops, your audience is probably tuning out.
Honest take: High frequency doesn’t mean high impact. If someone hasn’t clicked after a few views, they’re not interested right now. Move on.
7. Use Exclusions and Suppressions
This is where most people get lazy—and end up targeting the wrong folks.
- Exclude current customers unless you’ve got a specific upsell/cross-sell campaign.
- Suppress employees (don’t pay to show ads to your own team).
- Remove competitors if possible.
- Suppress bounced emails or hard opt-outs from previous campaigns.
Pro Tip:
Set up regular reviews (monthly at least) to prune your audience lists. People change jobs, companies go under, and your best list today could be junk in six months.
8. Measure, Learn, and Iterate
The best audience is a moving target. Don’t set it and forget it.
- Watch engagement by segment. Are certain titles or industries clicking more? Shift budget there.
- Look for patterns. If “Directors” outperform “VPs,” dig into why.
- Don’t obsess over vanity metrics. Focus on meetings booked, pipeline, or whatever actually moves the needle for your team.
- Update your segments quarterly. New product? New ICP? Adjust your audiences.
What to skip: - Making changes every week based on tiny data swings. - Chasing every trend (“AI,” “intent data”) unless you see real proof it works for your campaigns.
9. Common Pitfalls—and How to Dodge Them
- Over-segmentation: More segments = more complexity, not more results. Start broad, narrow as you learn.
- Letting lists rot: Stale data means wasted spend. Set calendar reminders to refresh your lists.
- Ignoring feedback: Sales saying “these leads are junk?” You probably need to revisit your audience definitions.
- Analysis paralysis: Don’t get stuck endlessly tweaking segments. Launch, learn, iterate.
Wrap-Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Overthink It
Building and segmenting audiences in Influ2 isn’t rocket science, but it does take some discipline. Clean data, meaningful segmentation, tailored creative, and regular clean-up—those are the basics. Skip the hype, ignore the “advanced ninja tricks” until you’ve nailed the fundamentals. Start simple, watch what works, and keep adjusting. That’s how you get results worth caring about.