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Ok, this method might break some rule, but it can be an effective solution for specific goals, like a very focused lead generation campaign. Let’s imagine that your goal is to reach outside LinkedIn, some workers of a few competitors based in country x or y, or anyone that studied at university z.

Just follow these steps:

1. (alternative/1: choose this at your risk) Create a fake user profile on LinkedIn, possibly a high profile consultant;
2. (alternative/2) use your real profile;
3. If you go for alternative 1, you need to get new friends: define your target audience and add LinkedIn users through the most appropriate search fields (industry, company, country, etc.);
   

4. Dig into LinkedIn Groups

   (extra/1) you can extend your contact list by joining the most relevant and popular LinkedIn groups that are related to your audience(s) industry and adding people that actively engage in conversation over there;

5. Chase people suggested

   (extra/2) you might further extend the list by adding people suggested by LinkedIn, if having profiles matching your target audience;

6. Export your contact list from LinkedIn

   Once you reach a certain amount of contacts (let’s say at least 300), export the contact list from #LinkedIn to a CSV format file, format it through a spreadsheet software using the function “text-to-column”, choosing comma as delimiter and save a new CSV file with just a column of emails;

   

7. Split the contact list to create different targets

   (extra/3) Let’s suppose that you want to target all HR people of company X but you want to advertise in French and German, depending on where are they based. In this case, you can split the list into many by selecting specific job titles, country and/or company, the only fields relevant for such purpose, to create multiple remarketing lists (see next steps) but only if the sub-lists contains enough contacts;

8. Create a remarketing list on Adwords

   
   On Google Adwords go to Shared Library, then Audiences, then select Customer Email and upload the CSV (one or many). Choose the duration up to 6 months, the time that your LinkedIn contacts will be able to be targeted with your textual and visual ads through the Google Display Network (that includes sites like Gmail and Youtube).
   

9. Create a Customer List on Facebook Ads

   On Facebook Ads, select Audiences, then Custom Audience and import the CSV file(s) – you will be able to target LinkedIn users also through Instagram (if they have an account).
   
   
   

Important Notes

• if the list is too small you cannot do any remarketing: the list should contain at least 100 contacts;
• this operation implies serious privacy issues (therefore, take at your risk) in fact, target contacts should be previously and adequately informed about this (either if you choose option 1=fake profile or 2=real profile).

Opportunities

• you can extend the list by using Lookalike audience on Facebook (with a similarity percentage from 0% to 10%) and Similar users on Adwords: this is an excellent opportunity in particular if your target audience is the right one;
• if you want to target LinkedIn users on Gmail, just add mail.google.com as Placement and the domain of companies that might send them an email as Display Keyword.