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Trends change all the time, sometimes in a couple of years or sometimes in a matter of months. When it comes to business-to-business marketing, the same trend changes also apply.
The question is, how do you keep up with these trends? Which ones should you follow to tip the competition scale to your side? Pro tip: step back and look at your b2b marketing strategy. Do you think it’s effective? Could it be improved?
What Makes a Good B2B Marketing Strategy?
It’s absolutely crucial to gauge the efficiency of your marketing plan, especially in the context of B2B marketing operations. B2B marketers sometimes don’t realize the presence of the leaky bucket effect. They keep on attracting more leads and pouring them into the bucket. However, if the bucket has holes in the bottom, they lose customers even as they’re adding more.
They waste time gaining leads, aka spending money, because they keep losing the ones they get. It’s pointless, unsustainable growth. It’s important to patch up this problem before moving forward, or else your marketing efforts will go to waste.
Here are some important trends that will improve B2B marketing techniques, increase brand awareness, build customer relationships, and optimize paid search campaigns on your web pages for better product marketing results.
1/8 trend
1. Content Marketing
Oldies but goodies, this method has been used by B2B marketers for a while. Although other techniques have been more prevalent recently, i.e., inbound marketing, you should still value Content Marketing as much as you value Inbound Marketing. Content relevancy will always be important everywhere, not just in B2B marketing. When potential business clients want to know about you, they do their research – they go through your site, blog posts, and activities. You don’t want them to find an empty site- there should be informative, relevant content on your website.
Another important aspect of content is its length; some people believe that the future of content marketing depends on more concise content. Nowadays, people prefer a lot of visuals to help them understand what they’re looking at. It’s often hard to stay focused reading a very long article, especially if there are no pictures. Hence, it’s essential to incorporate only vital details and maintain a concise, to-the-point approach to sustain your reader’s interest, a strategy that is essential for B2B digital marketing in Chicago.
Practical Tips:
- Audience Research: Before creating content, thoroughly understand your target audience’s needs, preferences, and pain points to tailor your content effectively.
- Consistency: Maintain a regular posting schedule to keep your audience engaged and build trust over time.
2/8 trend
2. Mobile Marketing
Almost everyone nowadays has a smartphone, and the amount of time people spend browsing through their phones has tremendously increased throughout the years. A good amount of businesses actually use mobile phones to browse, so don’t underestimate the importance of using B2B internet marketing strategies to reach this mobile-savvy audience. Businesses on-the-go get their freedom, allowing them to work while doing something else outside of the office, and you can reap the benefits of their scrolling. In today’s digital age, it’s crucial for B2B marketing companies in Chicago to understand this mobile trend and adapt their strategies accordingly in order to take advantage of those benefits.
A game-changer that marketers need to keep in mind is Google’s separate mobile index. Google used to index sites the same way for mobile and desktop users, but not anymore. Mobile apps (in this case, those developed by a digital B2B marketing agency) give customers easier access to products and services, and are therefore growing in popularity.
With Google indexing mobile and desktop separately, enhancing your mobile functionality and content is crucial if you want to appear on Search Engine Results Pages on mobile devices. You can turn to one of the top Mobile App Design Companies or to a B2B advertising agency in Chicago to get the right app to promote your business.
Reach the mobile-savvy B2B audience with the help of Comrade Digital Marketing Agency. Schedule a free consultation.
Practical Tips:
- Mobile-Friendly Design: Ensure your website and emails are mobile-responsive for a seamless user experience on smartphones and tablets.
- SMS Marketing: Implement SMS campaigns for timely promotions and notifications, keeping your audience informed on their mobile devices.
Success Stories
Delivering Business Results: Our Digital Marketing Case Studies
3/8 trend
3. Search Engine Optimization
Despite all of your efforts to reach out to your potential clients, it’s still impossible to connect with each and every one of them. This is where B2B inbound marketing services like search engine optimization come in. This is a two-way street; while you’re looking for business partners, they’re doing the same thing. Businesses utilize search engines to look for goods & services, so optimizing your site for search results is important; those potential clients you couldn’t reach out to can find you and benefit from what you have to offer.
Explore the keyword difficulty, volume, and traffic for ‘B2B marketing agency Chicago’ to optimize your online presence
Practical Tips:
- Keyword Research: Use keyword research tools to identify relevant keywords for your content and optimize it accordingly.
- Quality Backlinks: Focus on building high-quality backlinks from reputable websites to boost your SEO ranking.
4/8 trend
4. Social Media Marketing
Building a strong brand is every business’ goal. Having an established and reputable name in the industry really does help generate business. Alongside the development of mobile smartphones and the Internet, it is a match made in heaven for businesses. It makes businesses very accessible to the public, putting them in the consumers’ pockets & one click away. This is why many B2B companies take advantage of social media; they can share their story and business with the world. To excel in this realm, working with a B2B web marketing agency or a Chicago B2B ad agency is advisable.
Social Media outlets don’t just build a brand image, they help businesses reach out to potential clients. The most used and effective platforms for B2B companies are LinkedIn and Twitter. These platforms can aid companies in getting across to interested audiences. To improve B2B marketing techniques, it’s essential to leverage the capabilities of a Chicago B2B advertising agency or a Chicago B2B marketing agency.
Start a social media campaign by posting your company work, testimonials, and other insights
Practical Tips:
- Engagement: Actively engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages, and creating interactive posts to foster a sense of community.
- Visual Content: Incorporate eye-catching visuals like images and videos in your social media posts to increase engagement and shareability.
5/8 trend
5. Automation and Analytics
Automation is another technological advancement in the world of marketing, and can greatly benefit businesses. This enables marketers to target a specific audience that is actually interested in what they’re selling. Techniques such as remarketing, often employed by a skilled B2B search marketing agency, give marketers the chance to reach out to a specific audience that has already shown interest in their products & services. This provides efficiency and a high-quality relationship between companies, a significant aspect of B2B marketing in Chicago. Many businesses wonder how to improve B2B marketing, and automation is definitely part of the solution.
Practical Tips:
- Data Monitoring: Regularly analyze your marketing data to identify trends and make informed decisions for future campaigns.
- Marketing Automation: Utilize marketing automation tools to streamline repetitive tasks and improve efficiency in your campaigns.
6/8 trend
6. Video Marketing
One video is worth a thousand blogs, and the sphere of B2B marketing is no exception to this. The growth of video format has been happening for a long time. For example, a study by Livestream showed that 80% of people prefer watching videos to watching blogs; and that was in 2015. Now, in 2021, 90% of the US population prefer video content. It would be unwise to think that this doesn’t affect the B2B market and its target audience. When it comes to how to improve B2B marketing, embracing video content is undoubtedly a key consideration for any Chicago B2B ad agency and B2B inbound marketing agency.
Videos are a powerful tool for B2B marketing in Chicago. They enable you to convey intentions and emotions quickly, getting down to business efficiently. When your audience sees your face, you foster trust. Additionally, visual information is more comprehensible for viewers, making it an effective method to enhance your B2B marketing efforts.
Wondering how to improve B2B marketing? Embracing video content is a strategic step in the right direction.
But the advantages don’t end there! Videos tend to have way higher engagement metrics on social media channels. This is especially important if you want to grow your social media presence and reach potential customers. Just look at the stats: 10x more engagement on Twitter, 20x on LinkedIn, and video also generates more engagement than any other type of content on Instagram. It’s a powerful tool for marketing campaigns and can be effectively utilized by your marketing team to target potential customers throughout the buying process.
Publishing video content is a great way to improve your b2b content marketing strategy, and any b2b marketer worth their salt will have a ton of ideas for this format. To effectively reach business customers through video marketing, you should consider leveraging various marketing channels. Understand the buying process within your industry, and tailor your content to address specific pain points in the longer sales cycle and buyer’s journey.
Practical Tips:
- Short, Engaging Videos: Create short, attention-grabbing videos that convey your message quickly, as viewers often have a short attention span.
- Optimize for Mobile: Ensure your video content is mobile-friendly, as a significant portion of video consumption occurs on mobile devices.
7/8 trend
7. Testimonials, Case Studies, and Reviews
Your reputation matters- a lot! Reviews absolutely influence buying decisions, especially in the realm of influencer marketing, referral marketing, and brand marketing. For example, 97% of people consider reviews when dealing with businesses, which is only the tip of the iceberg.
If you think this affects only B2C marketing, you’re sorely mistaken. Yes, in B2B marketing, you are the provider of goods and services for other businesses, but who stands behind those businesses? That’s right – people. And people will look at reviews, testimonials, case studies – everything they can get their hands on to make an opinion about your company before talking to you. They are crucial for building brand loyalty and increasing brand awareness among business buyers.
So, when you start looking to improve your B2B marketing strategy, ask yourself this question first: “Does my website have testimonials and case studies? Do we get good reviews?” Because if your B2B buyers don’t know who they’re getting involved with, they will pass you by. To attract website visitors, consider optimizing your website for Google search through technical SEO and structured data, investing in PPC campaigns to increase visibility, and publishing case studies and testimonials.
Practical Tips:
- Collect Feedback: Encourage customers to provide feedback and testimonials by offering incentives or making the process easy and convenient.
- Highlight Success Stories: Showcase real-world examples of how your product or service solved specific problems through case studies to build credibility.
8/8 trend
8. Email Marketing
Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective B2B marketing strategies for lead generation and building customer relationships. It can have up to 40:1 ROI, and 63% of B2B marketers cite email marketing specifically as offering one of the best ROI. And that’s not even the best part! Email marketing helps you to build relations with your business partners, a crucial aspect of your marketing goals. Even in the age of social media, as a B2B company, you typically communicate with your partners through official correspondence, making email marketing an essential part of your marketing toolbox.
To be successful, you should remember one important tip. Don’t just use emails only to sell your products or services. Try to engage your customers. You can always offer them something of value besides your product. It can be a report, an educational video, a webinar, etc. Yes, the main goal of any marketing funnel strategy is to sell your goods, but if you only spam your buyers with new offers on your website or different buying incentives, you will either train them to only engage with you when there is some sale or annoy them.
This approach can harm your brand identity and decrease brand awareness. Instead, focus on providing valuable educational content that aligns with their buying cycle. This will help build brand equity and a stronger brand stand in the minds of individual consumers. Your sales team can use this approach to generate more qualified leads and convert them into loyal customers.
Practical Tips:
- Personalization: Personalize your email campaigns with recipients’ names and tailored content to increase engagement.
- A/B Testing: Continuously A/B test your email subject lines, content, and visuals to determine what resonates best with your audience and optimize accordingly.
Conclusion
You can improve B2B marketing strategies in a myriad of different ways, such is the nature of digital marketing as a whole. Our b2b marketers at Comrade are always ready to help you improve your b2b strategy so you can reach your target audience and grow. Call us at 312-265-0580 or contact us online to receive a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
In what cities do you work?
Comrade originates in Chicago, but we worked all around the United States. We can help your business grow and increase revenue whenever you are. We have offices across most major cities in the US. For example, we can offer digital marketing services in Cleveland or Washington D.C.. You can even find our internet marketing experts in Minneapolis! If you want to know more about our New Orleans digital marketing agency or find out how exactly we can help you, contact us via the phone or email.
About the Author
Ivan Vislavskiy is Comrade Digital Marketing’s co-founder and fearless leader, spearheading the agency’s production department.
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