If you’re running B2B campaigns and tired of hearing the same old advice (“Just be where your buyers are!”), this one’s for you. Multi channel campaigns sound great on paper, but making them actually work—especially inside a tool like Techtarget—is a different story. This guide cuts through the fluff and gets to what matters: how to actually set up a multi channel campaign in Techtarget, what to avoid, and how to get real results without getting lost in dashboards.
Why Multi Channel Matters (But Only If You Do It Right)
Here’s the deal: B2B buyers don’t stick to one channel. They read industry news, check LinkedIn, ignore emails, then suddenly download a whitepaper at 10pm. Running campaigns on just one channel means you miss out. But just blasting the same message everywhere? That’s not “multi channel”—that’s noise.
Techtarget can help you reach these buyers across web ads, content syndication, email, and more. But the platform won’t magically fix a bad plan or a weak offer. Multi channel only works if you’re strategic about it.
Ready? Here’s how to set up a campaign that actually makes sense.
Step 1: Get Clear on Your Audience and Offer
Before you touch Techtarget, figure out:
- Who are you trying to reach?
Not just “IT decision makers.” Be specific—industry, company size, even tech stack if you know it. - What are you offering?
If it’s just a generic datasheet, expect generic results. Is it a webinar? Free tool? Analyst report? Make it something buyers might actually care about. - What’s the real goal?
Is it leads you can actually follow up with? Brand awareness? Meetings booked? Be honest—vanity metrics don’t close deals.
Pro tip: If you can’t answer these, don’t even log in yet. You’ll just waste budget.
Step 2: Map Out Your Channels (and Ignore the Rest)
Techtarget offers a bunch of options—email blasts, content syndication, display ads, retargeting, and sometimes even social. Here’s what actually matters:
- Content syndication:
Good for top- or mid-funnel. Your asset gets promoted on Techtarget’s properties, and you get contact info for people who download it. Quality varies, so don’t expect magic. - Email programs:
Techtarget can send on your behalf to their audience. Works well for events, gated content, or offers with a clear call to action. - Display/retargeting ads:
Decent for staying visible, but don’t expect direct conversions. Think of these as reminders, not deal-closers. - Account-based targeting:
If you have a named account list, push for this. It lets you focus spend where it counts.
What to skip (or treat with caution): - “Awareness” campaigns with zero targeting. You’ll just get junk. - Anything where you can’t see who engaged or follow up directly.
Step 3: Build Your Assets and Messaging
Don’t just recycle the same asset for every channel. Here’s how to keep it tight:
- Content should match channel and buyer stage.
- For content syndication: Analyst reports, practical guides, or technical docs work best.
- For email: Something with a clear, valuable offer. Don’t ask for a 30-minute call out of the blue.
- For display: Short, punchy, brand-heavy. Nobody reads a paragraph in a banner.
- Be consistent but not copy-paste.
- Same core message, adapted for each channel.
- Watch your gating.
- Over-gating kills conversions. Ask for what you actually need, not every field under the sun.
Pro tip: Techtarget audiences are pretty savvy. If your content feels generic or obviously salesy, expect low engagement.
Step 4: Set Up Targeting in Techtarget
This is where most campaigns go sideways. Here’s what to focus on:
- Firmographic targeting:
Set filters for industry, company size, geography, and any other hard requirements. The more focused, the better. - Intent data:
Techtarget loves to talk about their intent signals. Don’t treat them as gospel, but they’re a decent way to prioritize accounts showing real activity. - Account lists:
If you have a list of target accounts, upload it. Don’t rely on their “lookalike” models unless you’re desperate for volume over quality.
What to ignore: - “Spray and pray” targeting. It’s a waste of money. - Vague audience definitions. If you can’t describe who you want, Techtarget’s algorithm won’t help.
Step 5: Launch Your Campaign (But Don’t Walk Away)
Actually launching in Techtarget is pretty straightforward—upload assets, set targeting, choose channels, set budget, and go. But here’s what most marketers miss:
- Check your creative and links.
Broken links or blurry banners still happen. Double-check everything before approving. - Stagger your launches.
Don’t dump everything live at once. Start with one or two channels, see what sticks, then add more. - Watch delivery pacing.
Techtarget sometimes burns through budget fast. Make sure your campaign doesn’t max out in week one.
Pro tip: Don’t trust the default reporting. Pull raw data and check for weird spikes or drops—sometimes their dashboards are… optimistic.
Step 6: Follow Up—Fast and Smart
The real work starts when leads come in. Here’s how to avoid the usual traps:
- Respond quickly.
Hot leads go cold fast, especially with content syndication. Have a plan for fast, relevant follow-up. - Don’t treat all leads the same.
Techtarget leads can be a mixed bag. Score or qualify them before handing to sales. Not everyone who downloaded your PDF wants a demo. - Track actual pipeline, not just lead volume.
If your sales team hates the leads, fix your targeting or offer—don’t just send more.
Step 7: Optimize and Iterate
No campaign is perfect out of the gate. Here’s how to get better over time:
- Look for real patterns.
Don’t chase every blip in the dashboard. Focus on what’s actually driving meetings or pipeline. - Test different assets and offers.
Swap out what’s not working. Sometimes a new headline or landing page makes all the difference. - Meet with your Techtarget rep—but don’t take everything at face value.
They have quotas too. Take their suggestions, but always ask for proof or examples.
What not to worry about: - Chasing every shiny new feature. Stick with what you can measure. - Over-engineering attribution. Get directional insight, not perfection.
Honest Take: What Works, What Doesn’t
Works: - Tight targeting and a strong offer. - Fast, relevant follow-up. - Treating each channel as a unique opportunity, not a checkbox.
Doesn’t: - “One size fits all” messaging. - Relying on Techtarget to magically deliver sales-ready leads. - Letting campaigns run on autopilot.
Ignore: - Vanity metrics. If you can’t tie it to pipeline, it’s just noise.
Keep It Simple (and Don’t Overthink It)
Multi channel campaigns in Techtarget can absolutely boost your B2B reach, but only if you’re clear on your audience, message, and goals. Don’t get lost in the weeds—start small, measure what matters, and improve as you go.
You’ll get further by doing the basics well than by chasing every trend. Set up your first campaign, watch the results, and tweak from there. That’s how you actually win—without the B.S.