In B2B marketing, precision is everything. A well-thought-out B2B targeting strategy is essential for reaching the right decision-makers, in the right companies, at the right time and can make or break a campaign. 

But with so many terms floating around—IP Targeting, B2B Programmatic Advertising, B2B Display Advertising – how do they actually relate?

At the core of this is precision at the company level. That’s where IP Targeting shines. But to scale your efforts and diversify where and how your ads appear, you need to understand how it fits into broader strategies like Programmatic Advertising and Display Advertising.

IP Targeting: The Sharpest Tool for Company-Level Precision

IP Targeting is the most specific form of B2B digital advertising. It allows you to show ads exclusively to people browsing from the IP addresses of your target companies.

• What It Is: A highly targeted approach focusing on company IP addresses.
• Precision: Extremely high – ideal for account-based marketing (ABM).
• Use Case: When you want to engage known target accounts with laser-focused messaging.
• Limitations: Struggles to reach dynamic/home networks/small companies.
• In AccountInsight: This is a core capability – perfect for campaigns that need to hit a list of named accounts with surgical precision.

B2B Programmatic Advertising: Smart, Scalable, and Still Targeted

B2B Programmatic Advertising uses real-time bidding and algorithmic optimisation to serve ads to your ideal business audience across the open web. It includes IP Targeting, but also expands your targeting toolkit.

• What It Is: Automated buying of ad inventory across the open web, with B2B targeting overlays.
• Precision: High, leveraging firmographic, behavioral, intent (e.g. cookie or audience pools on these attributes), and yes— IP data can be layered on top, such as in AccountInsight.
• Use Case: To promote B2B products at scale to business professionals and decision-makers.
• Limitations: Requires strong data infrastructure and strategy to maintain targeting accuracy.
• In AccountInsight: Programmatic campaigns combine data depth and scale to reach the right people, in the right roles, across many touch points.

B2B Display Advertising: The Broadest Reach – Open Web + Walled Gardens

B2B Display Advertising is the umbrella category, encompassing both Programmatic (open web) and placements on walled gardens like Meta (Facebook, Instagram), LinkedIn, and others.

• What It Is: Visual advertising (banners, videos etc.) delivered across both the open web and closed platforms.
• Precision: Varies based on channel, but can be sharpened with proper targeting strategies.
• Use Case: Ideal for awareness, brand building, and full-funnel engagement – across platforms.
• Limitations: Platform-specific limitations (e.g. targeting constraints on Meta), and sometimes less precise than IP-based methods.

 Quick Comparison: Where They Fit

Final thought on how to choose the right B2B targeting strategy

Think of it like a set of nesting dolls:

• IP Targeting is the smallest and sharpest – perfect for ultra-specific targeting.
• B2B Programmatic wraps around that, bringing automation and scale.
• B2B Display Advertising is the widest layer, covering every digital touchpoint, from websites to social platforms.

With AccountInsight, you don’t have to choose just one. You can align all three to reach your audience where they are—precisely, programmatically, and powerfully.