B2B marketing is dramatically changing, especially now there are so many tools, techniques and technologies to choose from; picking the perfect strategy to stand out and above your competition is a difficult challenge. So where should B2B marketers focus their attention and resources in 2020?
Content is king and vital for B2B lead generation
People are now consuming an enormous amount of content in numerous formats 24/7. Audio and visual content will be key to marketing success, so investing in videos and webinars should play a pivotal role in your 2020 marketing plan.
Written, insightful, digital content should not be forgotten either. Long-form content will be the most effective for B2B marketers in 2020, as audiences are showing more interest in collateral that provides valuable insight into a topic.
Personalisation is key to engagement
The expectation for more personalised experiences is higher now than ever before. In 2020, the modern data-led approach will lead the way, and technology will play a fundamental role in how companies are better able to personalise their communications.
True personalisation requires data and tailored content, and following the launch of 5G, the opportunities to make this happen are increasing. The ability to use location-based targeting as well as the promise of faster processing for data analysis will make it quicker and easier to collect, clean and analyse large amounts of data. As a result, you will be able to then to gain deep, behavioural insights as well as contextual understanding.
Enhanced email marketing
As technology is developing, so too is email marketing. Many email marketing providers now offer a truly automated solution. However, as we move into 2020, ‘Trigger’ emails will become more popular. This type of email refers to those that are sent based on the user completing a desired action.
This advancement has completely revolutionised the way email marketing is executed and has made it far more effective than ever before. Email will still continue to dominate B2B marketing strategies for 2020, whilst AI and machine learning systems will help users generate more insightful and powerful email content based on a higher level of intelligence.
Leverage the power of social media
Social media is the perfect place to connect with customers and leads on a more personal level, enabling B2B marketers to reach extensive, targeted audiences at minimal cost.
LinkedIn continues to be the preferred channel for B2B marketers, with an estimated 80% of B2B leads generated across social media taking place through LinkedIn alone. However, B2B marketers should also leverage the power of other social channels such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook in order to stay relevant and front of mind in today’s crowded marketplace.
Focus on meaningful data insights
Data driven insights allow marketing teams to continuously monitor and hone-in on what activities represent true buying intent and which accounts are exhibiting them most strongly. Data can aid in defining target audiences in order to attract higher quality and more relevant leads, as well as supporting in personalised marketing communications, data can also help marketers better understand the customer journey and specific channels that are leading to conversions.
Modern tools such as Google Data Studio are now being used to extract even more customer data, and if companies don’t use this tool to their advantage in 2020, they will fall far behind their competitors.
B2B marketing is changing at a rapid pace and marketers must change with it in order to stay ahead of the curve and the competition, and with the technology sector expanding 2.6 times faster than the rest of the UK economy, it will be exciting to see what advancements 2020 brings and how this will affect the world of marketing as we know it.
At onebite, we have vast experience working with technology companies, from start-ups to SMBs to large scale enterprises, we are proud to work with some of the most innovative B2B technology brands in the world. If you are looking to develop a marketing strategy or create powerful, valuable content that will resonate with your target audience, we can help. Please get in touch at hello@onebite.co.uk.
