5 Digital Marketing Trends That Should Matter Most to B2B Companies
Staying ahead of the B2B digital marketing game is about more than just understanding and applying basic industry principles. Sometimes, in a competitive marketplace, your approach to marketing will mean the difference between the success and failure of your B2B company.
The truth is, B2B companies that can successfully adopt a comprehensive digital marketing strategy will always have an advantage over their competitors. In addition, knowing the B2B digital marketing trends to follow could make all the difference in helping your company get and stay ahead of the curve.
Luckily for you, that’s where we come in. I give you the top 5 B2B digital marketing trends that should matter most to B2B companies.
#1 B2B Digital Marketing Trend: Consistent, Top-Quality Content Marketing
It rolls right off the tongue, and it does have a certain ring to it. Unfortunately, it’s not the most descriptive or helpful advice. So, what exactly is “quality content”?
Part of the reason it’s such an empty buzz-phrase is that there’s not really a one-size-fits-all definition for quality content. The standards for great content vary between businesses and industries, and what works for one company may be detrimental for another.
But, don’t worry. I’m going to try and make this easier for you. If you want to know if your content quality is what you want it to be, ask yourself these questions.
First, is there a point to this content?
Are you creating a fluff piece because you want to inch your way up the SERPs? Or are you creating something that solves a problem, answers a question, stimulates thought, or otherwise provides tangible value to visitors?
While the former may work at times, the industry is reaching a point where the latter type of content is what’s really going to give your website a boost in the rankings (thanks to Google’s ever-improving algorithm).
Spending the time to create something of value allows you to get more invested in and passionate about the content. That way, instead of mentally willing the word counter to hit 1000, you’ll have a genuine, detailed post before you know it.
Second, does this content flow, with proper grammar and spelling?
Many people assume these qualities are a given, but you’d be surprised.
Take an extra five minutes to re-edit your piece, or ask a few other people to do it for you. It’s a sure-fire way of polishing up your content and avoiding mediocrity. It doesn’t matter how earth-shatteringly important your piece is – no one will stick around to read it if it’s incomprehensible.
Beyond grammar and spelling, is your content factually correct? Spend another five minutes to make sure any stats you’ve quoted or assumptions you’ve made are correct and legitimate. You’ll build trust with your viewers while avoiding any sticky situations resulting from incorrect facts.
#2 B2B Digital Marketing Trend: With Great Power Comes Great Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Customers, partners, and employees increasingly want to engage with companies that put a premium on people and the environment, not just issues that impact profit margins. As a result, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is essential, even in B2B.
But what about CSR in small and mid-sized business-to-business (B2B) companies? Is it something that B2B marketers should consider in their marketing? The short answer is, yes.
If you’re a B2B marketer in a small or mid-sized company, you probably have a limited budget and feel that you don’t have extra money to spend on CSR. But there are direct and tangible reasons that CSR will elevate your results. Just because you own a small business or you work in a medium-sized company, it does not mean that you cannot have an impact in your community.
These are the four types of CSR:
1. Environmental Sustainability Initiatives
2. Direct Philanthropic Giving
3. Ethical Business Practices
4. Focus on Economic Responsibility
For small businesses and startups, it may seem like it is hard or near impossible to do them because of time, money, and other expenses. However, doing CSR work does not really mean you need to shell out a huge amount of money.
Give it a try. You will see the benefits soon enough.
#3 B2B Digital Marketing Trend: Give Your Audience Something Valuable (For Free)
You should be giving more value away for free than you do when customers pay.
Why? Here’s how giving away free content reaps big rewards:
- Free content gives your audience a taste of what to expect when they work with you. Most people prefer to sample something new, and giving away free content is the best way to “try before you buy”. Some examples of free content are free downloadable ebooks and other info-products, free videos, free training material, and so on.
- Free content positions you as an expert and authority on the topic. As people see you creating free YouTube videos packed with helpful information, or ebooks overflowing with awesome advice or podcasts filled with valuable interviews, they start to see you as the expert on the subject. That can’t be bad, right?
- Free content = free marketing. Every time you create content and make it free to consume, you create another opportunity to market your business. Free content creates opportunities to direct web traffic, convert leads, start conversations, answer questions, get interview opportunities, and so much more. Sounds like a win-win to me.
Read More: 5 Ways to Develop Your Personal Brand By Giving Value
#4 B2B Digital Marketing Trend: Center Social Media Tactics on Transparency and Trust
Building trust with your consumers plays a key role in sustaining a successful business. In order to build this trust, digital marketers should present themselves as credible, transparent, and authentic.
Transparency can be implemented by doing the following:
- Become more personal in your approach by letting your customers in. Showing them the ‘human’ side of your business can boost authenticity. This will aid your company in making sales as people want to know who they’re doing business with.
- Give clients insight into your process. By engaging the customer in your operation, you leave no room for miscommunication, and this allows you to gain that all-important trust.
- Utilize tracking data and analytics and share them with your clients. This will allow you to prove the effectiveness of your digital strategies.
Read More: Essential Marketing Channels For Small Businesses
#5 B2B Digital Marketing Trend: Video Content on Steroids
Whether B2B or B2C, you are still marketing to people, most of whom are connected online at home and at work.
Video content is the critical door into the content marketing world of your customers, influencers, and social media tribe – since it’s where the consumption trends and short-term differentiation sit. Brands who understand the potential impact of video can build solutions for the big content equations – finding a way to connect with their customers and differentiate from their competitors.
While many B2B marketers are still not fully capitalizing on the power of video expect that to change soon. According to research, viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to just 10% when reading text. B2B buyers crave video content, and they are looking for video content at every stage of the buyer’s journey.
Creating a mix of corporate overviews, product or service demonstrations, employee spotlights, culture videos, Tiktok videos, video podcasts or Vlogs, explainers, and tutorials as well as client success stories are just some of the bite-sized videos that B2B marketers should invest in.
Key Takeaway for B2B Digital Marketing Trends in 2022
Experimentation is an important part of the marketing and sales process, so don’t be afraid to embrace new trends in 2022 and remember to learn and innovate from whatever you choose to focus on.
But please, don’t make the mistake of blindly following general advice around digital marketing. Pinpoint what you offer, what you want to achieve, and tailor your approach accordingly.
And remember, the only constant in marketing is change.
