LinkedIn Ad Targeting for SaaS: Job Titles vs. Skills vs. Groups (What Actually Works)
Confused about LinkedIn ad targeting options? Learn which targeting method works best for SaaS companies: job titles, skills, or groups.
LinkedIn gives you three main ways to target people: by their job title, by their skills, or by the groups they're in.
Most SaaS companies pick one and hope for the best. But each targeting method has strengths and weaknesses. Here's what actually works.
Job Title Targeting: The Default Choice
This is what most people use. You want to reach "Marketing Managers" so you target people with "Marketing Manager" in their job title.
When it works well:
You're targeting clear, common roles (VP Sales, CFO, Software Engineer)
You need decision-makers with specific titles
Your ICP is well-defined by role
You're doing ABM and need precision
The problems:
People use inconsistent titles (Growth Lead vs. Growth Manager vs. Head of Growth)
Titles don't always reflect actual responsibilities
You might miss people who do the job but have different titles
Requires constant updating as title trends change
How to do it right:
Don't just select one title. Choose 10-15 variations that mean the same thing.
Instead of targeting just "Product Manager," also target:
Product Lead
Senior Product Manager
Head of Product
VP of Product
Product Owner
Product Strategist
Yes, this is tedious. But it dramatically increases your reach without sacrificing quality.
Pro tip: Use LinkedIn's title suggestions. When you type a job title, LinkedIn shows related titles. Add all the relevant ones.
Skills Targeting: The Overlooked Option
Instead of targeting people by what their title says, you target them by skills they've listed on their profile.
When it works well:
You're targeting practitioners, not managers
The skill is specific to your use case (Salesforce, SQL, React)
You want people who actually do the work, regardless of title
Your product requires specific technical knowledge
The problems:
Not everyone lists skills on their profile
Skills can be aspirational (people list skills they want to learn)
Less precise for reaching decision-makers
Smaller audience sizes
How to do it right:
Combine skill targeting with seniority filters. This helps you reach experienced practitioners rather than people who just listed the skill once.
For example, target:
Skill: "Google Ads"
Seniority: Manager, Senior, Director, VP
Result: You reach experienced paid search professionals who make decisions
Best use cases:
Developer tools: Target skills like "React," "Python," "AWS" Marketing tools: Target skills like "Google Analytics," "HubSpot," "SEO" Sales tools: Target skills like "Salesforce," "Sales Enablement," "B2B Sales"
Groups Targeting: The Risky One
Target people based on the LinkedIn Groups they've joined.
When it could work:
You're targeting a very niche community
The group is actively moderated and relevant
You have a small budget and need lower CPCs
You're willing to accept lower quality leads
The problems:
Most LinkedIn Groups are dead (people joined years ago, never check them)
Group membership doesn't indicate current job or buying power
Much harder to qualify leads
Lower conversion rates in most cases
Our recommendation:
Skip group targeting for most SaaS campaigns. Use your budget on job title or skills targeting instead.
The only exception: If there's a highly specific, active group directly related to your product (e.g., a Salesforce Admin group if you're selling a Salesforce integration).
The Hybrid Approach (What We Recommend)
Don't pick just one targeting method. Layer them strategically.
Strategy 1: Title + Skills
Target people with relevant job titles AND relevant skills.
Example for a marketing analytics tool:
Job Title: Marketing Manager, Marketing Director, VP Marketing
AND Skills: Google Analytics, Data Analysis, Marketing Analytics
This narrows your audience to people who have both the title and the proven expertise.
Strategy 2: Title + Company Attributes
Target specific job titles at specific types of companies.
Example for a sales tool:
Job Title: Sales Director, VP Sales
Company Size: 50-500 employees
Industry: Computer Software
This ensures you're reaching the right level of seniority at companies that fit your ICP.
Strategy 3: Skills + Seniority + Company Size
When titles are too inconsistent, go by skills and company attributes.
Example for a developer tool:
Skills: React, JavaScript, Front-End Development
Seniority: Senior, Director, VP
Company Size: 10-200 employees
This reaches senior developers at growing companies, regardless of their exact title.
How to Test What Works for Your Product
Create separate campaigns testing different targeting approaches:
Campaign A: Job titles only (10-15 title variations) Campaign B: Skills only (5-7 relevant skills + seniority filters) Campaign C: Hybrid (titles + skills + company attributes)
Run each for 3-4 weeks with the same budget and creative. Then compare:
Cost per click
Conversion rate
Cost per lead
Lead quality (sales team feedback)
The winner becomes your primary targeting strategy.
Targeting Red Flags to Avoid
Too broad: Targeting "Business Development" across all industries and company sizes Too narrow: Targeting one specific job title at companies with 100-150 employees (audience too small) Lazy targeting: Using LinkedIn's suggested targeting without refining it Ignoring exclusions: Not excluding job seekers, students, or wrong seniorities
Budget Implications
Different targeting methods have different costs:
Cheapest: Group targeting (but lowest quality) Middle: Broad job title targeting Most expensive: Highly specific layered targeting (job title + skills + company filters)
The more specific you get, the higher your CPCs. But you'll get better quality leads, so your cost per qualified lead might actually be lower.
The Bottom Line
For most B2B SaaS companies:
Start with job title targeting (include 10-15 title variations)
Layer in company attributes (size, industry, growth rate)
Add seniority filters to reach decision-makers
Test skills targeting for technical products
Skip groups targeting unless you have a very specific reason
Then let the data tell you what works.
Want to skip the guessing game? Stirling includes targeting recommendations based on your ICP, so you can launch campaigns with proven targeting strategies. Try it at TryStirling.com
