B2B Marketing Trends

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B2B Marketing Trends
Article by Jelena Relić
Last Updated: November 08, 2023

If you are not evolving your business in terms of technology and trends, your customers are more likely to be attracted to your highly ambitious competitors.  

Research shows that one of the reasons why startups fail is because they get out-competed.   

When it comes to B2B companies, it is even harder. Every B2B organization will agree that building trust with prospects and turning them into paying customers is challenging.  

We are here to help. These are the top B2B marketing trends to embrace in 2023.

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1. Artificial Intelligence

One of the most trending ways companies are addressing customer experiences is through the use of artificial intelligence (AI). For instance, chatbots give consumers a convenient way to get the answer to their queries.

Another advantage of using chatbots is that they free up customer service agents’ time. 64% of the agents with AI chatbots can spend most of their time solving complex problems, versus 50% of agents without AI chatbots says a report from SalesForce.

The chatbots have certainly grown in adoption, but they are just one variation of Artificial Intelligence for marketers.

Programmatic advertising marketplaces are more commonly integrating into their media buying techniques, connecting advertisers and publishers more efficiently.

Artificial intelligence is nascent in the world of marketing from the standpoint of actual production. If you are planning to implement AI in your marketing strategy, then you should consider hiring web developers from companies that are experts in artificial intelligence services.

2. Higher Quality Content

By now, many companies have accepted the fact that high-quality web content counts. In research, it was calculated that marketers spent 41% of their budget solely on content in 2019.

The top priority of the agencies should be to determine the type of content that will drive visitors and engage them on their websites. Content for the sake of populating a site ends up generating little value and shows unprofessionalism.

Still, many B2B marketers ignore this fact and end up creating content without any strategy or SEO research. To increase conversions and grow your brand, you should create content or work with content marketing companies with purpose and substance.

You can do this with a little observation. You need to keep track of your website’s search field, what people are looking for there and then offer insights they cannot find elsewhere.

B2B content should have as much value as possible for the least amount of effort. So, make sure you don’t bore your visitors with endless articles on popular topics.

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3. Security And Privacy

CMO council found out that data security, privacy and accountability are the top priorities of the modern, digitally connected B2B marketers. Unfortunately, only 57% of B2B companies are able to meet these demands.

With news of high-profile data breaching all over the digital media, you as a business need to gain the trust of your prospects because if they find you unreliable they won’t share their personal data with you

Contact details such as name, email address and phone number are all potentially at risk when they hit the sign-up button.

To prove that your website is secure and your clients’ data is safe, you should:

  • Invest in a GDPR - ready CRM system.
  • Switch your website to an HTTPS certificate.
  • Assign a Data Protection Officer and make sure you comply with the GDPR regulations.

4. Lead Conversions

As B2B brands’ marketing is maturing, more focus is being placed on macro conversions. And we know that blogs drive traffic which can be funneled towards generating leads.

However, the leads that never make it to the bottom of the sales funnel are not valuable.

And creating content for different stages of the sales funnel will push the prospect to the conversion stage.

Currently, B2Bs are using more eBooks and guides, alongside in-person or digital events like webinars to secure leads. Newsletters, blog posts and case studies are then leveraged to nurture and convert these prospects.

Using such types of content can help inch prospects toward signing on the dotted lines, and most marketers must justify their budgets to their business heads. This includes actual revenue and not just micro conversions.

5. Video Content

When we talk about content, the video has been on the rise in the past few years, with more companies than ever embracing this format.

We must thank traditional social media platforms like YouTube and Facebook because of which users are now accustomed to videos dominating in their feeds.

But why is video good for business?

First of all, with the expertise of a video marketing agency, you can provide in-depth demos of your products and services to your customers. Businesses can create tutorials for their products and even promote upcoming launches more engagingly.

6. Sales And Marketing Alignment

When your sales and marketing teams are working in silos, then it could be hindering your business growth.

It was proved that aligning your sales and marketing teams helps generate higher revenue, retain more customers and achieve higher win rates as you are moving the prospect through a streamlined sales and marketing funnel.

Aligned sales and marketing teams will not only help you convert more prospects but generate more high-quality leads, as well.

Alignment benefits sales too. Sales teams won’t spend time chasing up low-quality leads as they’ll be spending more time connecting with high-quality leads and converting them into customers.

7. Email Marketing Personalization

In addition to LinkedIn, marketing via email (as conducted by top-tier email agencies) has been a rock-solid distribution channel for B2B marketers.

It is one of the most effective channels for generating revenue and one of the best ways to find information.

In fact, for every single dollar businesses spend on this type of marketing, they can expect an ROI of $42.

The huge number of templates and tools on the market that simplify outreach, personalize content and messaging and segment audiences, are just a few of the factors that make email a successful tactic.

Brands are now able to measure better and predict the success of their email campaigns as well.

8. Insights-Driven Marketing

Marketing is all about using analytics and insights to help drive business performance and optimize the results from digital marketing. When you own a business, you realize that a large part of being a professional marketer can qualify and quantify the results of your decisions.

The State of Digital Marketing report shows that improving data-driven marketing has become a high priority for many businesses indicated by the most desired skills amongst digital marketers.

We can conclude that the likelihood of generating above-average profits and marketing earnings is around twice as high for those that apply customer analytics broadly and intensively, making them champions. And as for those who aren’t strong in customer analytics, lag.

9. Consolidating MarTech

In the past few years, the marketing landscape has seen a rapid increase in new technologies that were supposed to make marketers’ lives easier by using automation and analytics.

The number of MarTech solutions has increased to 8,000.

However, working with several different tools to manage a campaign can be a tough task. It might create compatibility problems and make you deal with too many customer service representatives.

MarTech consolidation is seen as the solution to the problem of operating too many disparate platforms.

So, if you find yourself in a pool of software solutions, then maybe 2023 is the year to step back and look for a one-stop solution. The solution encompasses multiple functions within your campaign management process.

This will even save you time from training new people to use various solutions giving a clearer picture of your campaigns when all data will come from a single source.

Now when you are putting in so much effort into your business, then you want to see its outcomes. The outcomes of excellent B2B marketing can be seen through the number of leads, and for that, there are specific points you need to remember and follow.

10. Targeting Generation Z  

Accounting for 20% of the US population and 40% of global consumers by the end of 2022, Gen Z will continue to have a steadily growing spending power.  

In 2023, Gen Z will be a fundamental shaping force of online shopping and social media especially owing to their advanced digital know-how.  

It is vital to figure out the advertising tactics that appeal to this younger generation of customers. They value:  

  • Trustworthiness 
  • Authenticity 
  • Visual creativity 
  • Humor 
  • Brevity  

They appreciate platforms where they feel true to themselves, valued, welcome and safe. For instance, TikTok appears to be one of the social media networks where this trendsetting generation is most comfortable. 60% of users of the short video-sharing platform are Gen Zers.  

They also have dynamic preferences and online purchasing behaviors. Hence, it is essential to catch up with what Gen Z wants from a business to capture and retain its attention and loyalty. 

11. B2B Influencer Marketing 

Influencers help drive conversions and sales. 82% of consumers buy, research, or consider making a purchase based on recommendations by family, friends and influencers who post about a product or service.  

While influencers have been more popular in the B2C industry, they are becoming more significant players in B2B marketing.  

They can help reach new target markets that may have not been tapped previously and build connections that may not have been possible.   

You do not always have to work with macro-influencers with millions of followers. Sometimes, collaborating with micro-influencers or those with 1,000 to 10,000 followers can work more favorably for your brand.  

The key to a successful B2B influencer marketing strategy is choosing influencers with vast knowledge of your niche and genuine interest in your company. They should be able to speak to the needs of your intended audiences.  

It is also ideal to form a long-term relationship with brand ambassadors who have substantial experience in the influencer industry and a proven history of success. 

12. Data Reporting and Visualization  

Marketing specialists can access and gain more vivid and actionable insights because of digital marketing tools, such as Google Analytics.  

Information collected from analytics reporting can help:  

  • Refine your target audiences 
  • Fine-tune your messaging 
  • Drive higher-quality leads  

With an all-in-one dashboard that collates and presents data in a practical format, you can get the most out of your digital B2B advertising projects. 

13. Cross-Selling and Upselling  

Forrester's Priorities Survey in 2022 explains that a company’s expansion through cross-selling and upselling is a high priority for marketing professionals to enhance the client experience. This trend is seen to continue in 2023.  

Consumers want a seamless and personalized experience in every phase of their buyer journey. That is why you should keep nurturing client relations even after a successful deal or purchase. This will encourage them to stick with your brand, garnering you a competitive edge over the rest.  

Converting a lead into a paying customer is the first part of the buyer’s journey. Once they become your client, engage them further by:  

  • Making their personalized experience a valuable one 
  • Creating educational content and ensuring it reaches their inbox 
  • Making available self-service options, like resource hubs with detailed FAQs to level up their knowledge on your offers or resolve issues they may encounter on their own 
  • Offering unique virtual and interactive experiences, such as online classes they can take at their own pace  

14. Gifting  

Creating an excellent client experience is essential in accommodating drastic changes in the digital landscape.  

Gifting is an amazing way to genuinely connect with your customers. It paves the way for you to:  

  • Show appreciation 
  • Build trust and loyalty 
  • Foster long-term business relations 
  • Double your opportunity for client and employee retention  

You can include a creative welcome package in the first purchase items. Pairing gifting with impactful advocacy, like sustainability, is also inviting for buyers. 

15. Virtual Events and Webinars  

Another one of the trends in B2B marketing that is here to stay is rolling out online events and webinars.  

Here are the reasons why you should start investing, if you have not yet, in virtual events:  

  • Accessibility and marketing to global audiences 
  • Low production cost 
  • Networking and product or service promotion 
  • Environmental sustainability and friendliness of the platform 
  • Sales conversion and higher revenues 

B2B Lead Generation: Top Marketing Sources For Attracting Prospects?

Here are a few marketing sources that can help your business attract quality prospects:

1. Include A Referral Bonus In Your Gmail

In this game of brand promotion, there is nothing like giving potential prizes for motivating your users to share your content with their friends and family. But, if you are a startup, then having giveaways might be a bit difficult for you.

This is where referral bonuses come useful.

You can include a simple link in your emails for new subscribers, giving them some referral points that they can use as discount coupons while purchasing your products. It will still motivate them to forward your content, provided it is well-versed and tempting.

2. Set Campaign Goals

For every marketing campaign to be successful, it should start with a specific goal. Use past performances as a benchmark to come up with a particular number of visits, leads conversion rates and all that is required.

If you haven't kept track of these, try figuring out what a lead is worth to your agency. You can even get customized software built by a software development company that will keep track of all these insights.

If you determine the value of your average customer, then it will help you determine how many you need from this campaign to hit your sales goals.

3. Use Interactive Pop-Ups To Engage Users

Interactive content is another way of engaging users, and it has proved to be effective. It is fun and exciting for visitors and gets them actively involved.

There is a variety of interactive content that you can use as it all depends on your observation and figuring out what your audience will be interested in.

4. Determining Your Target Audience

The leads which cannot be converted into clients are useless. To make sure that each of your points is your potential customer, then you should find out who your target audience is.

Look at your current customers and try to interact with them. As you are operating in the B2B sector, learning the background, goals, challenges and hiring process of the company you are going to deal with can help you better in analyzing.

Once you've learned everything about your target audience, you can then mold your marketing campaigns accordingly.

Takeaways On B2B Marketing Trends

We live in a competitive world and if you want to survive you need to follow the path of growth. From smart websites to personalized emails, we have outlined several growth strategies you can use for your business.

What they all have in common are people, processes and technology. To combine these three the right way, get in touch with professionals.

From an original website built out of scratch or a new MarTech platform, a good web development company in India will enable you to grow your business in the best way possible.

Keep trading! 

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