Following the rise of Generative AI, B2B marketing is going through some serious changes. Have you wondered what these changes may look like? We have a few good guesses.
Spoiler Alert: The main themes remain technology adoption, automation, cohesiveness, and, above all, highly personalized and targeted content.
Here are 7 trends in B2B marketing that are here to stay:
From Experimental to Essential: Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The previous year saw marketing teams experimenting with generative AI, discovering ways to amplify their efforts with this burgeoning technology. Today, we already see Generative AI transitioning from a novel tool to an indispensable asset in the marketer’s toolkit. Every day, new case studies for Generative AI in marketing keep popping up, and I believe this is just the beginning. B2B marketers will keep uncovering new ways to leverage AI tools, and the ones who won’t, well, you know what happened to the dinosaurs…
Recent research by Gartner indicates that 63% of marketing leaders plan to invest in generative AI within the next 24 months, underscoring the technology’s perceived value. LinkedIn’s trending data further highlights the growing interest in AI among marketing professionals, with a notable surge in enrolments for AI-related courses.
Automation in B2B Marketing
Even though B2B marketing automation has been around for a good number of years, only 70% of companies use some kind of automation, while less than 10% of them claim to take full advantage of it. I personally know of several very large and influential companies whose marketing departments barely use any automation.
With this said, if until now, marketers were able to get away without leveraging automation, with the rise of Generative AI and the new levels of automation possibilities it creates, it becomes impossible.
If you’re lagging behind on automation, I suggest starting with the basics, such as welcome emails, scheduling social media posts, and content personalization.
Account-Based Marketing (ABM): Because it’s Effective
Account-based marketing (ABM) is a targeted strategy that focuses marketing and sales efforts on a clearly defined set of target accounts within a market, treating each account as a market of one. The easiest way to explain the difference between ABM and traditional marketing is by using the analogy of ‘a sniper rifle vs. a shotgun.’
Although ABM requires quite a bit more in terms of planning, segmentation, content personalization, sales and marketing alignment, etc., the outcome yields substantial rewards.
Contact us for a free ABM consultation.
Marketing Personalization
One of the B2B digital marketing trends that continues to persist through the years is personalization. Decision-makers have more options and are bombarded with more information than ever. In order to catch someone’s attention, the content has to be highly relevant, thus extremely personalized.
Personalizing marketing has many layers and numerous aspects, including:
- Landing pages
- Website greetings
- Ad copy and types
- Email subject lines
- Website search results
- Product recommendations
And many others.
Going Agile
Originally created for software development, the Agile Framework advocates for early and continuous value delivery, embracing change, fostering teamwork and communication, prioritizing working software, and encouraging continuous improvement through simplicity and self-organization.
Here is an outline of how B2B marketing can benefit from adopting the Agile Framework:
- Streamlining the Approval Processes: Agile methodologies cut through unnecessarily complex hierarchies and make the approval processes more efficient, allowing much quicker decision-making and response times, which can be crucial in today’s dynamic and fast-paced markets.
- Adopting Sprints for Targeted Marketing Efforts: B2B marketing teams utilize short, intensive work cycles to tackle specific tasks, ensuring steady progress on projects critical to business clients.
- Effective Task Prioritization for B2B Projects: Agile practices in B2B marketing ensure crucial tasks are identified and addressed promptly, reducing the chance of important work being overlooked or delayed.
- Leveraging Automation for Insight-Driven B2B Marketing: By merging agile with automation technologies, B2B marketers can access and analyze real-time data, guiding strategic decisions with insights into business clients’ behaviors and preferences.
- Quick Adaptation to B2B Client Needs and Market Shifts: Agile B2B marketing strategies boost the team’s capability to swiftly respond to the evolving demands of business clients and fluctuations in the market, keeping marketing efforts aligned and effective.
The shift towards agility in B2B marketing reflects a broader recognition of the need for flexibility, speed, and a data-informed approach in meeting customer needs and navigating the fast-paced market.
Adapting B2B SEO: CTR & Generative AI Chatbot Optimization
Google’s focus on content quality and Click-Through Rate (CTR) is transforming SEO strategies. The rise of Generative AI Chatbots in search engines, favoring conversational content, is steering B2B marketing away from traditional keyword stuffing towards creating content that aligns with the context and intent of queries. This shift demands that content be more informative, engaging, and optimized for AI’s ability to personalize search results, more so than ever before. B2B marketers must now craft content that resonates individually with each persona of their professional audience to ensure relevance.
Short-Form Video: Numbers Talk
Video content continues to dominate with its versatility and ability to convey a lot of information quickly to users. Here are some stats that show the power of videos:
- Users spend 88% more time on pages with videos.
- 75% of people watch short-form video content on their mobile devices.
- Short-form videos receive 2.5 times more engagement than long-form videos.
- 60% of short-form videos are watched for 41% to 80% of their length.
- 73% of consumers prefer videos related to products or services to be short-form.
When it comes to products or services, short-form videos continue to be the most effective tool for engagement.
Bonus: LinkedIn, If You’re Not There, You Don’t Exist.
Last but not least, LinkedIn stands out as the definitive platform for B2B marketing. It’s utilized by 97% of B2B marketers and is responsible for 80% of B2B-generated leads. It’s unparalleled in promoting thought leadership, driving brand visibility, and securing high-quality leads.
Beyond its widespread adoption, LinkedIn fosters an invaluable sense of social proximity, connecting marketers directly with potential buyers and key influencers within their industry. This networking effect is vital for building trust and credibility, as buyers often rely on professional connections and thorough evaluations of vendor profiles before making purchasing decisions.
Furthermore, the platform’s environment is designed to encourage professional networking, facilitating the development of strategic relationships. This makes it an ideal venue for amplifying thought leadership and brand awareness, which in turn attracts website traffic and leads.
Adding to its arsenal, LinkedIn’s precision targeting capabilities and account-based marketing (ABM) tools enable marketers to craft highly specific audiences, making it an essential instrument for any B2B ABM marketing strategy.
From Generative AI and agile methodologies to personalized content and LinkedIn strategies, the key to staying ahead is evolving with the market. Ready to transform your B2B marketing and lead your industry? Contact us for a Free consultation.
