Tom Nightingale, VP-communications and CMO, Con-way Inc.

“Con-way has been currently running recruitment marketing ads on Facebook and has tested both commercial and recruitment campaigns on LinkedIn. For example, one of our Facebook campaigns targets over-the-road drivers for Con-way Truckload. The campaign, which has been running since 2010, targets Facebook users based on the demographics and psychographics of their profiles. While it is only one part of our marketing mix to acquire drivers, we have seen a 131% higher application rate than some other forms of digital media targeted at the same audience.”

Matt Johnston, CMO, uTest

"uTest uses social advertising extensively to drive demand for our crowdsourced app testing services. The results have been very strong—a CPL [cost-per-lead] that's half that of paid search, display or email marketing, as well as lead flow that's consistent, predictable and scalable. Two things marketers should know about social marketing: 1) It's a nascent space, so be prepared to invest in the learning curve—not only your learning but the evolution of the social advertising tools and platforms. 2) While search marketing provides great insights into what a user is researching, there's little context about who they are. Social advertising is just the opposite—the advertiser can target their audience, but not about what state of mind they're in.”

Mark Rentschler, marketing manager, Makino

“Makino is advertising now on LinkedIn. We are currently running a 90-day trial program, and we tried to create some very well-defined segments to pursue. We were able to collaborate with the LinkedIn representatives to define five different subgroups, including a target account group, and deliver two different types of creative in two different formats. We are two- thirds of the way through our trial, so the results are still under evaluation. I am encouraged by some of them, which should lead us to future refinements in any programs we undertake with LinkedIn.”

Lee Ann Daly, exec VP-CMO, Thomson Reuters

“We really view social networks as much more than simply additional opportunities to advertise what we offer as a company. Social networks have enabled brands to reach customers on a deeply personal level. So when we do take out advertising spots in these more intimate venues, we want them to lead to experiences that leverage their social capabilities, not just more marketing boiler plate. Ultimately, we look less for success in the ads themselves but rather in the experience to which those ads lead our customers.”