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Cracking the Code: How to Build LinkedIn Matched Audiences from Small Company Lists

LinkedIn’s Matched Audiences is a game-changer for B2B marketers, offering precise targeting by uploading company lists. But navigating its nuances—like the minimum audience size—can be tricky, especially when working with smaller, highly curated lists.

Here’s everything you need to know to make the most of LinkedIn Matched Audiences, including tips and real-world challenges.


How LinkedIn Matched Audiences Work

When uploading a company list to LinkedIn, the platform has a minimum requirement of 300 matched accounts to create a targetable audience (Driftrock). This isn’t about the total number of employees these companies represent; it’s about how many of your uploaded entries LinkedIn can successfully match to its database.

If your list contains fewer than 300 companies, or if LinkedIn cannot match at least 300 of them, the audience will be considered too small to activate (ThoughtLabs).


Challenges with Small Company Lists

For example, let’s say you’re targeting 200 hospital systems that collectively employ millions of people. You upload your curated list, confident in its value. But LinkedIn returns a message that your audience is too small—even though these companies represent vast employee bases. Why?

The issue lies in matching accuracy. LinkedIn doesn’t see the employee numbers; it matches based on company names and associated details. If fewer than 300 companies in your list align with LinkedIn’s database, the audience won’t meet the activation threshold.


Manual Additions vs. List Uploads

Here’s where things get even more confusing. Imagine manually adding “Microsoft” in LinkedIn’s audience builder. LinkedIn instantly generates an audience of 120,000 employees because it already knows the company and its workforce size.

But if you upload a CSV with just one entry—"Microsoft"—as part of a matched audience, the platform will reject it for not meeting the 300-matched-account requirement. The difference? The system treats bulk uploads differently, requiring a minimum number of unique, matched companies (Getuplead).


Tips for Building Effective Matched Audiences

To overcome these hurdles and make the most of LinkedIn’s Matched Audiences, follow these best practices:

  1. Expand Your List
    Even if you’re targeting a niche audience, aim for at least 1,000 companies in your list. This buffer increases the likelihood of LinkedIn matching at least 300 accounts, accounting for potential mismatches (ThoughtLabs).

  2. Verify Data Accuracy
    Double-check company names for spelling and formatting errors. Using LinkedIn’s company list template can improve matching accuracy (Driftrock).

  3. Be Patient
    After uploading your list, LinkedIn may take up to 48 hours to process and match accounts. If your audience is still "building," give it some time before concluding that it’s too small (Getuplead).


Final Thoughts

LinkedIn Matched Audiences offer unparalleled precision for B2B targeting, but understanding its requirements is critical. By expanding your list, ensuring accuracy, and allowing LinkedIn enough time to process your upload, you can effectively target even the most niche markets.

Have you cracked the LinkedIn Matched Audiences code? Share your tips and experiences with us in the comments!


This post is designed to help marketers like you demystify LinkedIn targeting and elevate your demand generation strategies. If you’re looking to scale your efforts further, Air Traffic Control can help you take personalized LinkedIn campaigns to the next level. Let’s chat!

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