Leaders in marketing today work in a challenging environment. I can assure you of it. Budget cuts are required, they must adjust to the pandemic’s effects, which have changed customer and workforce dynamics, as well as take into consideration new channels and privacy requirements. Headwinds from a global macroeconomic slump brought on by tumultuous geopolitics, overstretched supply chains, rising commodity prices, high inflation, and many other factors further exacerbate this situation. Marketers will need to change course and adopt new tactics in order to carry on with operations as usual. For years to come, the tech sector will be dominated by efficient growth, so marketers need to make sure their marketing mix is ideal now.

The most significant trends and predictions for B2B marketers to be aware of, from video marketing to artificial intelligence, are included here. All of which support marketing executives’ efforts to keep their companies successful, lucrative, and competitive. In the end, pay attention to what generates pipeline and results in conversion. Remember that B2B is not the same as B2C and don’t squander too much money on branding initiatives. To increase brand awareness through demand!

Do you know the top 7 B2B marketing trends?

Here are the top seven B2B marketing trends:

Artificial intelligence will mature and become a critical component of marketing strategies

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to construct products across industries has demonstrated its ability to tackle a wide range of issues. AI is now integrated into a wide range of marketing technology and should be a part of how organizations balance engagement, scalability, automation, and human interaction. In the past, AI was perceived as an incredibly complicated technology for enhancing technology projects, such as huge digital transformation initiatives or technology implementations.

AI may assist with everything from content development to target audience research and lead generation as the technology becomes more widely used and affordable. But don’t think of AI as a substitute for originality; computer-generated material won’t always engage your audience.

Video marketing is a channel with a lot more to give

Since a few years ago, video marketing has been increasingly popular, with YouTube and Vimeo emerging as two of the most important search engines for businesses to use. Despite the demand for more visually appealing video content, video marketing is a still largely unexplored and unutilized avenue.

Although the video is perhaps the most effective B2B marketing medium for marketers, its use will only grow in demand in the coming years. Using video to interact with your target audience and establish credibility and trust with both existing and new customers is highly successful.

Given that viewers’ attention spans are getting shorter, video marketing is advantageous. It’s a fantastic platform for engaging users and sharing impactful brand narratives. This year, 82% of all internet traffic will be made up of video, according to Cisco’s Annual Internet Report. Additionally, according to the study, 84% of consumers are more inclined to purchase a good or service after seeing a video. Take note, video marketers: B2B video marketing is very different from B2C video marketing. Product placement continues to be crucial in comparison to “emotive” B2B engagement.

Personalization will drive engagement

Audiences will demand more from marketers in the coming years than just a basic understanding of who they are and what they like. Organizations must operate in an omnichannel mode going ahead to guarantee that all touch points and communications, including those made through chatbots, social media, and email, are recorded.

Customers will only want to view relevant and individualized content and will want marketers to leverage accessible information for customized marketing messages. B2B marketers will succeed in the next years to a large extent if they can personalize their content and message based on customer data.

“Attract, acquire and retain”: why content marketing remains crucial

In the realm of B2B marketing, content is king, especially if content teams want to draw in and keep customers. B2B content marketers will need to produce engaging material of the highest calibre and distribute it through digital channels that are most suited for it.

This entails producing content for your target audiences that is valuable, such as blog posts, podcasts, infographics, eBooks, and more. Don’t assume that “content” means merely written because interactive and audio content has increasingly been a catalyst for greater engagement. However, the customer’s voice and advocacy outperform all other types of self-generated content. Let your customers tell your narrative for you whenever feasible.

Get account-based marketing right

The method known as account-based marketing (ABM) has gained popularity in recent years. Targeting specific accounts rather than single leads is the main objective of the marketing strategy. The majority of firms struggle to effectively implement ABM tactics. ABM is efficient when used properly and aids marketers in generating sales engagement with important accounts.

The breadth and quality of such initiatives are frequently deficient. ABM is a time-consuming activity that may involve lead intelligence, personalization, social listening, sales alignment, and other aspects. Most marketing teams perform one or more of the aforementioned tasks, but very few complete all of them.

Focus on third-party validation and social media marketing to build greater buyer trust

Third-party validation and social media marketing are necessary components for building brand awareness and trust, and can get marketers in front of the target audience. Here are two key channels to take note of:

• LinkedIn: LinkedIn’s B2B targeting capabilities set it apart from other social media channels. With advanced filters around job titles, company size, industry, geography and more, it’s easy to see why it is seen as the perfect B2B marketing channel.
• Third-party reviews websites: Reviews play a vital role in the success of any B2B marketing strategy. Gartner insights state software buyers use online reviews to research a business before making a purchase decision. Companies are also investing heavily in review sites such as G2 and Capterra.

Data-driven marketing is key

Data is a tool that marketers need more and more since it can be used to understand target audiences, track marketing metrics, and allocate budgets. B2B marketers will be successful if they use data properly and efficiently.

To acquire a better, data-centric understanding of what works and what doesn’t, traditional methodologies for assessing softer metrics must be abandoned and replaced with modern techniques. Examples include customer retention, marketing attribution models, and third-party cookies.

B2B marketers don’t have to be forensic accountants, but they still need to know what is and isn’t working in their industry.

Teams need to focus more on the techniques that lead to conversion and pipeline once marketing realizes this.

Understand how to be a more effective B2B marketer

There are numerous B2B marketing trends to be on the lookout for in the upcoming years. Teams who want to succeed in B2B marketing must include trends in their plans in order to stay one step ahead of the competition and draw in and keep more clients.