How LinkedIn Ads Generated High-Quality Leads for Deliko in a Niche B2B Market
Background
Deliko by Semnox is an F&B ERP and POS solution that enables a digital, cashless ecosystem for food service operations. Its solutions help streamline operations, reduce order fulfilment time, improve transaction speed, and enhance the customer experience.
Deliko caters to four segments: QSR chains, food courts, corporate cafeterias, and student cafeterias, with digital marketing efforts across Search, YouTube, Meta, LinkedIn, and display advertising.
With student cafeterias as one of its target segments, Deliko aimed to reach educational institutions that could benefit from more efficient cafeteria operations. The campaign focused on institutions with a minimum campus strength of 2,000 students across the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia.
Challenge
Deliko was marketing a specialised solution in a market where awareness and demand were limited. Reaching relevant decision-makers was only part of the challenge; the campaign also needed to communicate why cafeteria operations were worth improving and how a dedicated ERP and POS solution could help.
The buying process made this more complex. With sales cycles extending up to two years, interest generated through advertising would not necessarily translate into immediate sales. The campaign needed to engage the right audience early in their decision-making journey and create opportunities for continued follow-up, while maintaining a steady flow of leads over time.
Approach
The campaign used LinkedIn Ads to reach senior management, institutional decision-makers, and cafeteria managers at educational institutions with a minimum campus strength of 2,000 students across the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia.
Rather than lead with a direct sales pitch, the strategy centred on offering high-value content relevant to the audience. Prospects could access a document on student cafeteria management in exchange for their contact details through LinkedIn’s lead generation forms. This gave the campaign a way to capture interest while introducing potential customers to the challenges and solutions associated with cafeteria operations.
The strategy extended beyond the initial LinkedIn interaction. Meta advertising and email remarketing were used to support follow-up with prospects, helping maintain engagement beyond the first touchpoint.
Results & Impact
Over eight months, the LinkedIn campaign generated 73 leads at an average cost of ₹3,239 per lead, with a total ad spend of ₹2,36,458.84. The campaign reached its intended higher-education audience, which accounted for approximately 88% of impressions and 87% of clicks. Engagement included senior institutional professionals such as directors, principals, deans, heads of department, and administrators. Beyond reaching the right audience, the leads were also reported to be high-quality and aligned with Deliko’s ideal customer profile.
The strongest improvement came during the December 2023–January 2024 cycle. Leads quadrupled from 6 to 24, while CPL fell by approximately 72%, from ₹4,630 to ₹1,289. The year-end period may have played a role, with potentially lower competition in the B2B advertising auction contributing to a 52% drop in CPM and a 40% drop in CPC. At the same time, the click-to-lead conversion rate more than doubled, rising from 7.3% to 15.9%.