12 programmatic advertising use cases for B2B brands

Today’s digital landscape is fragmented across numerous channels. You need a holistic, orchestrated ad strategy to reach buyers where they are, with a consistent, compelling message. Programmatic advertising enables you to target high-value, motivated audiences with ads that drive conversion in B2B marketing.  

Read on to discover 12 powerful use cases for B2B programmatic advertising and get inspired to launch high-converting campaigns of your own.  

Quick overview: What is programmatic advertising?

Programmatic advertising is the automated, real-time buying of digital ads using algorithms. Instead of slow, manual negotiations, algorithms decide which ads to show, to whom, where, and when based on your campaign specifications. 

Programmatic tactics enable more sophisticated real-time targeting, such as geofencing (location-based targeting) and contextual targeting (ads based on content relevance). 

Programmatic advertising channels

Programmatic advertising is an effective, cost-efficient way to run omnichannel campaigns. You reach audiences with relevant, cohesive messaging across every digital environment, including:

• Display: Programmatic platforms automatically place banner and native ads across websites and apps based on audience data, behavior, and real-time bidding.
• Social: Algorithms use demographic, profile, and behavioral data to dynamically serve paid ads within social feeds.
• Video: Programmatic algorithms handle automated buying and placement of video ads across websites, apps, and streaming platforms.
• Audio: Platforms insert relevant ads into podcasts, radio, and music streaming platforms based on location, interests, or listening behavior.
• Connected TV (CTV): Programmatic buying delivers data-driven ads on smart, internet-connected TVs and devices, using real-time bidding and profile information.

Use case #1: Target key accounts and personas

Instead of using broad demographic categories, target personas with particular traits or people at specific companies you want to engage. You reach the right audience with the right message, getting more value from your ad spend.

Try these use cases:

• Serve ads to only ICP accounts
• Tailor messaging to personas, like decision makers vs. end-users
• Target accounts in your pipeline
• Run vertical or segment-specific campaigns
• Reach potential customers who’ve been researching your competitors

Example: Target CFOs and financial directors at Fortune 1000 companies with ads that focus on your product’s ROI. 

Use case #2: Expand your audience with emerging accounts

As companies grow and become high-value targets, use programmatic ads to engage them right as your offering aligns with their new business needs. Look for recent funding or rapid growth signals, which are harder to identify within the limitations of traditional demographic data.

Try these use cases:

• Target companies that recently won a new funding round
• Get in front of startups that are hiring for key roles
• Engage companies when they announce market expansions
• Connect with organizations that have recently launched products
• Reach newly formed companies that match ICP criteria

Example: For a sales enablement platform built for growing startups, target companies that received Series B funding within the last year and are actively posting open sales roles.

Use case #3: Target specific contacts

Contact-level targeting connects you with the actual humans who make purchasing decisions. Use programmatic advertising to target those known decision-makers with relevant messages, driving stronger engagement and improving conversion rates.

Try these use cases:

• Target contacts who recently changed jobs
• Reach professionals with specialized skills or certifications
• Engage contacts who’ve engaged with certain content on your site 
• Prioritize decision-makers newly promoted into leadership roles
• Target stakeholders aligned to specific use cases for your product

Example: For an Agile project management platform, target development team leaders and project managers who are Scrum certified. 

Use case #4: Accelerate pipeline with stage-based messaging

A key benefit of programmatic advertising is the ability to tailor ad creative to each stage of the sales cycle. Instead of a one-size-fits-all campaign, sequence ads to follow the buyer journey,  strengthening sales interactions and reducing obstacles as deals move forward. 

Try these use cases:

• Warm up accounts before sales outreach
• Reinforce key points after sales meetings
• Target awareness-stage buyers with solution education
• Provide case studies and testimonials to consideration-stage buyers
• Highlight competitive differentiation during active evaluation

Example: Implement a three-stage programmatic ad sequence. Buyers at the awareness stage see ads that highlight the problem and propose solutions. Those in the consideration stage receive case studies and ROI breakdowns. In the evaluation stage, buyers get comparison guides and migration resources. 

Use case #5: Nurture multiple personas on parallel journeys

B2B deals rarely hinge on a single buyer. They can involve as many as six to 20 stakeholders, from technical experts to final decision-makers. Use programmatic to run parallel ad journeys tailored to each persona’s periories, so every party gets the messaging that resonates with their individual concerns.

Try these use cases:

• Provide IT leaders with architecture, security, and integration content
• Give executives ROI-focused content
• Highlight workflow demos, product features, and usability for practitioners
• Provide CFOs with financial impact messaging
• Target decision-makers with conversion-focused messaging and offers

Example: For a SaaS product, build a programmatic campaign with three main ads, each tailored to a different persona. IT leaders see ads emphasizing API and integration features, CFOs see ads highlighting pricing flexibility, and practitioners see ads that focus on user experience. 

Use case #6: Respond to account intent signals

Dynamically activate programmatic campaigns at the moment buyers are most motivated. 

Rather than spreading your budget evenly, trigger campaigns when accounts exhibit strong purchase-intent signals. The result: more precise budget allocation and higher conversion rates.

Try these use cases:

• Alert sales when prospects visit high-value web pages
• Activate comparison ads when leads visit a tech review website
• Move an existing account into a nurture sequence when product usage declines
• Use contextual targeting to serve feature-specific ads when leads search related keywords
• Dynamically retarget to recover sales opportunities that have gone cold

Example: For a B2B software solution, identify which features an account is interested in and serve those leads ads highlighting that feature set.

Use case #7: Personalize ads for specific accounts

Programmatic enables scalable 1:1 personalization. Dynamically customize your ads using various account attributes, ensuring your message feels timely and relevant instead of generic. 

Try these use cases:

• Tailor landing pages based on a company’s industry
• Rotate video and banner ads based on a company’s lifecycle status 
• Trigger direct mail advertising focused on singular business units or divisions
• Show CTV experiences to leads with a specific tech stack
• Update campaign messaging based on the content someone engages with

Example: For a messaging automation platform, identify an account’s tech stack and display ads highlighting the platform’s integration capabilities with the tools they already use. 

Use case #8: Target competitors’ customers

Programmatic ads are a more effective competitive takeover strategy than the old method of buying a list of your competitors’ customers. Leverage technographic and intent data to serve targeted messages to in-market buyers who are currently using your competitors’ products. 

Try these use cases:

• Target accounts using a specific competing product
• Provide migration incentives timed to contract renewals 
• Message directly against a competitor’s known weaknesses
• Circulate case studies to contrast performance based on competitor news coverage
• Serve direct comparison content to competitors’ customers who research alternate solutions

Example: For a SaaS solution, build ads that highlight key differentiators against a competitor and use contextual targeting to display them when competitors’ users visit software comparison websites.  

Use case #9: Tailor messaging for key regions

Different regions often require different messaging. Customize programmatic campaigns to specific areas to increase ad relevance and align marketing with sales outreach in each territory. 

Try these use cases:

• Build awareness when entering a new regional market
• Personalize ads to complement territory-specific sales cadences
• Customize ad content to reflect local idioms and cultural references 
• Use geofencing to retarget leads based on their location
• Test a new market area before fully committing to a sales push

Example: When sales reps launch an outreach campaign in a new city, use geotargeting to show ads to pipeline accounts just in that area, with messaging that primes them for upcoming sales outreach. 

Use case #10: Augment live sales motions

Programmatic advertising efficiently aligns your sales and marketing, providing digital backing that enhances live sales efforts. This strategy keeps leads engaged and boosts the impact of your sales motions.

Try these use cases:

• Support sales reps with ad messaging tailored to active accounts 
• Improve pre-meeting awareness to increase reply rates
• Layer ads on top of outbound email and SDR sequences
• Target contacts with ads that highlight needs they’ve surfaced in sales calls
• Maintain message consistency through the sales funnel
  Example: When a sales rep books a demo with a high-value account, target their decision-makers and influencers with ads customized to address the company’s pain points and guide them to the next desired action. 

Use case #11: Turn events into always-on pipeline

Maximize your influence at events—before, during, and after—using geofenced programmatic ads to reach attendees with high-impact ads. 

Before the event: Build awareness and connection

The conversation can start before your team even hits the show floor. Target attendees in advance, run contextual campaigns, and provide digital air cover to set your events team up for success. 

Try these use cases:

• Target companies who've registered employees to attend
• Run contextual campaigns that align with event themes
• Pre-book meetings or booth visits with known contacts

During the event: Draw attendee engagement

Extend your impact beyond the booth while you’re at the event. Run geofenced ads around the venue, airport, and nearby hotels to keep your brand top of mind, increasing booth traffic and impact.

Try these use cases:

• Serve up mobile ads when people are in and around the venue
• Run programmatic CTV ads on televisions in area hotels 
• Launch competitive conquesting campaigns at large industry events

During events you aren’t attending: Gain a virtual presence

Don’t have a booth? That doesn’t mean you can’t make an impact at the event. Use geofencing to maintain a digital presence alongside competitors, without the cost of sponsoring or sending reps in person. 

Try these use cases:

• Use technographic data to target attendees who use competitors’ products
• Target known accounts and contacts at the event to maintain mindshare
• Combine geofencing and contextual targeting to reach attendees at large conferences

After the event

Maintain momentum post-event by targeting attendees in multiple ad channels. Align your messaging with event themes, keynotes, and in-event communications to stay top-of-mind and accelerate deal cycles.

Try these use cases:

• Retarget contacts based on event badge scans
• Sequence ads based on engagement level
• Reinforce messaging post-demo or booth visit

>>Read our event playbook for an in-depth guide to amplifying your impact at events.

Use case #12: Nurture and cross-sell existing customers

Sustainable growth hinges on retention, not just net-new acquisitions. Targeting existing customers with programmatic ads is a powerful lever for protecting revenue and driving expansion. Employ this strategy to improve retention, upsell, and even win back lost opportunities. 

Try these use cases:

• Serve existing customers ads that promote premium features
• Target accounts with waning usage to prevent churn
• Increase awareness of newly released features
• Enhance your brand narrative with executive thought leadership campaigns 
• Cross-selling existing customers on other offerings 

Example: For a subscription-based service, target existing customers with ads that encourage product usage and feature adoption when they’re 90 days from renewal. 

Amplify your impact with programmatic advertising

Programmatic advertising isn’t just another channel or a new strategy. It’s a force multiplier for your entire buyer journey. 

Whether you’re expanding into new markets, stepping up your event advertising, or supplementing your sales efforts, book a demo to see how you can tap into the power of programmatic ads with Propensity.