If there is one thing you should leave in the past, is the belief that a B2C strategy will also work for B2B marketing .
Business-to-business (B2B) marketing is different from business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing, so it’s safe to say that the emerging trends will also be different. Having said that, if you want to find out more about what differentiates these two branches of marketing, check out our article on the key differences between B2B and B2C content marketing.
The B2B marketing industry is constantly changing. However, if you want to keep up with the newest B2B marketing trends, you’ve come to the right place!
Ready to upgrade your company’s marketing strategy? Then, keep reading!
What Is B2B Content Marketing?
As the name suggests, B2B marketing refers to the process of a business marketing its products or services to another business.
Since corporate purchasing requires more decision-making than consumer purchases, this type of digital marketing is rather straightforward and rational, focusing on informing the buyer instead of appealing to emotions. After all, when making decisions, businesses prioritize return on investment (ROI), their goal being to increase profit.
Therefore, from industry jargon to technical expertise, B2B marketing requires more thought leadership content.
Still, both B2C and B2B marketing have one thing in common-the necessity of comprehensive and relevant marketing strategies that are within marketing budgets and generate leads.
However, in order for that to be possible, you need to incorporate the newest B2B marketing trends in your strategy.
While we do not recommend trend-chasing, we certainly think that it is important to adapt to digital marketing changes in order to improve the customer experience of current customers and attract more potential buyers.
Which B2B Marketing Trends to Follow In 2022?
Remember, the golden rule of trends also applies to B2B marketing ones: quality over quantity.
So, while it’s crucial to keep your digital marketing strategy fresh by switching things up and incorporating new trends in it, prioritize those trends that actually fit your brand.
Eager to discover this year’s trends? Let’s start the party!
1. Invest in Video Marketing
Did you know that while users remember 10% of messages when reading something, they retain 95% of the same information when watching video content?
Especially when it comes to B2B marketing, think of the role that video marketing could play in positioning your business as a thought leader in the industry.
In fact, 94% of marketers stated that videos provided visitors with a better understanding of the products and videos.
Not only could you create informative video content, but it would also be original and engaging. So, what better way to gain an edge over the competition than through video marketing?
Want to find out more about video marketing? Then, check out our article on the future of video content!
2. Focus on Brand Personalization
Brand personalization is a cornerstone of digital marketing and marketing campaigns. After all, through brand personalization, your business can stand out and attract the right audience.
Think about it, by personalizing your brand voice and adjusting it according to your target audience’s preferences, the chances of your brand attracting potential customers increase. This is why, if you want to optimize marketing campaigns, it is crucial to think about what your target persona values in a business partner, which channels they use, and what kind of tone they prefer.
Additionally, to achieve customer retention, it’s also important to keep a consistent brand voice on each sales pipeline and marketing channel, as this is the only way to gain your target buyer’s trust, not just his or her attention.
3. Marketing Automation
Thanks to marketing automation, your efficiency will be enhanced. By automating, streamlining, and measuring some of your tasks, you are optimizing your marketing efforts by simplifying routine tasks and gaining more time to actually enhance your marketing practices.
From email marketing to posts on social media platforms and even customer interactions, marketing automation can take your marketing strategy to the next level.
For example, through email marketing you can send the right message to the right people, at the right time, hence improving customer relationships. Since it’s possible to target contacts based on demographics or past behavior, and engagement, automation also facilitates personalization.
So, through marketing automation, you are able to tailor the messages that prospects receive according to where they are in the buying journey. In fact, 82% of marketers stated that email personalization has increased email open rates.
4. Implement Influencer Marketing
Did you know that 71% of B2B marketers are planning to prioritize influencer marketing in 2022?
After all, amid the pandemic, a change towards online and social media shopping emerged, hence B2B marketing teams are starting to prioritize their presence on social media platforms and invest in influencer partnerships.
However, this is a double-edged sword. While influencer marketing guarantees online visibility, you need to prioritize quality over quantity. For example, a partnership with a micro-influencer that represents your brand’s values and has a committed following can be more valuable than large exposure.
So, when choosing who to partner with, you shouldn’t base your decision only on follower count but also on the influencers’ relationship with their followers, the message they perpetuate, and the values they stand for.
5. Do Audience Targeting on LinkedIn
With a focus on business and professional networking, LinkedIn is suitable for B2B businesses that want to attract their target audience. It’s no wonder that 96% of B2B marketers use this social platform for organic social marketing.
Not only is audience targeting cost-effective, but when you are targeting the right audience, the chances of getting qualified leads increase.
Having said that, selecting a platform for audience targeting can be difficult considering the explosion of social platforms. However, with its business-oriented focus, LinkedIn is predicted to remain a safe option for B2B businesses.
6. Integrate AI in Your Marketing Tools
From chatbots to predictive analytics campaigns, artificial intelligence is already revolutionizing B2B marketing, so it is one of the B2B marketing trends that can’t be ignored.
By implementing AI tools in your B2B marketing strategies, customer segmentation will be taken to the next level as customers will be segmented automatically based on the data that you have chosen. In fact, 60% of marketers already use artificial intelligence to enhance customer segmentation.
Similarly, through AI, you can rank leads based on their likelihood to become customers. This way, you can save time and decide on which leads to focus your marketing effort on.
You can also boost your ranking in search engines through AI. Maybe AI can’t write insightful and engaging content , but it can help with the content creation process by simplifying SEO tasks such as keyword research or identifying trending topics.
Upgrade Your Marketing Strategy by Implementing These B2B Marketing Trends!
In this ever-changing digital world, assuming that you can ignore B2B marketing trends as a marketing team would not only be naive but also highly unprofitable.
After all, how are your marketing campaigns supposed to thrive if they are outdated?
So, following marketing trends and deciding which ones fit into your marketing budget and strategies, isn’t an option anymore. It has become a necessity.
Are you eager to surpass customer expectations and differentiate yourself from the competition? Then, implementing these marketing trends may just be the solution you have been searching for.
Having the right digital marketing team will make upgrading your marketing strategies enjoyable and successful. So, what are you waiting for? Contact the CadenceSEO team today!
