10 B2B Marketing Trends You Need To Follow

The pace of change in the marketing landscape is more and more unanticipated and accelerated year by year. As 2019 is nearing its end, there are many predictions for the B2B marketing trends that will shape the whole picture of the B2B business marketing.

Based on our perspective of the market and view across the business landscape, we draw up a list of B2B marketing trends that b2B marketers should not ignore. Let’s explore!

1. Content marketing

Business customers also search for information before making any decisions like customers usually do, or even more. Content Marketing Institute’s 2019 trends report shows that 78% of B2B respondents said that they currently use content marketing. The content needs to be as useful and relevant as possible. Giving valuable insights instead of just focusing on selling to your prospects will attract B2B customers and hold in trust for them. According to a report from Forces, the trend is shifting from content to increase the visibility to content presenting the thought-provoking point of view. This change will accelerate content to be audience-focused while expanding the brand’s initiatives.

2. Personalization

According to the Salesforce State of Connected Customer Report 2018, 72% of business buyers expect vendors to personalize engagement to their needs. Most B2B marketers believe that the more personalized your message, the better the results. There are many ways to apply personalization to your business to create more customized personal experiences for your customers.

3. Data AI & machine learning

AI (Artificial Intelligence) and machine learning are currently changing the landscape of marketing. These tools break down complex tasks into more straightforward tasks, which makes it proficient in handling tasks and reducing the overall time spent by marketers. A report states that 61% of marketers say that AI is the most critical aspect of their data strategy. These tools not only make your work life more comfortable but also save money on staff and more efficiently meet your customers’ needs.

4. Data-driven marketing

Data-driven marketing has been widespread over the industry. Data will become increasingly important in the B2B world. Analyzing data is more and more indispensable to help businesses understand customers or any elements in the market. It helps to create a particular point of view on how customers think as well as significantly contribute to the personalization.

5. Marketing automation

Marketing automation will continue being a significant trend in the B2B world. Today’s new technologies and advanced tools make marketing activities more efficient as automated tools accelerate the marketing process. Many businesses adopt marketing automation, already employing automated responses to customers’ requires and questions. Automation also helps companies to reach more customers on a large scale.

6. SEM/SEO

SEM (Search Engine Marketing) and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) will always play a critical role in B2B marketing. Marketers have been using SEM for a long time, but when it comes to how to get a higher rank, they are so fast to keep up with new tactics and trends. Notably, because search algorithms will change, B2B marketers need to stay up-to-date with the changes to promptly adopt and adjust their marketing strategies. Continually updating and using new methods to optimize SEO ranking properly are important tasks every B2B marketer should concentrate on.

7. Podcast

Podcasts are exponentially more and more popular. When podcasts audiences are growing, more B2B organizations start implementing with podcasts. There are many advantages of podcasts that B2B marketers should not ignore to make use of this tool. Notably, a podcast is more affordable and accessible to produce than a video. It is also an ideal tool to approach professionals and key audiences from different fields.

8. Social media & video marketing

Social media has a huge impact on how we do business. Using social media in marketing is unavoidable. In 2018, an estimated number of 2.65 billion people using social media worldwide, and the number of users can increase to almost 3.1 billion in 2021. Social media has been effectively driving traffic for B2B businesses. Besides LinkedIn, Instagram is also a favorite place for companies to seek out information about others.

Video is still dominant in the industry and expected to be more exciting this year. As supported by new high technology, videos have become more and more popular and accessible. The cost to create a video is also much cheaper, while the traffic it brings for brands is significant.

9. Email marketing

You may think it is out-of-date to use email marketing, but it’s still one of the best ways to connect with existing customers or everyone in between. Some Marketers might be afraid of the uselessness of this long-lasting marketing tactic due to its monotonous repetition. However, email marketing, combined with the killer content can effectively drive audience engagement.

In 2019, to keep pace with demanding customers, B2B businesses need to employ email marketing strategies and campaigns that are personalized, interactive, and customer-focused.

10. Mobile optimization

As mobile devices have been developing for a long time and having no sign of slowing down this 2019, mobile optimization keeps its position on the top B2B marketing trends. According to Cisco, cellular network connection speeds will increase more than three-fold by 2022, and global mobile data traffic will increase even seven-fold between 2017 and 2022. These statistics tell the dramatic impact of mobile devices on how we do marketing. It is a sure way to survive in a mobile-changing world that B2B marketers should adopt mobile changes and implement mobile optimization.

Final Words

In a forever changing global marketing landscape and customers’ demands, the B2B marketing environment also continues to evolve. Following and adopting new marketing trends will keep B2B businesses on the right track with the whole industry. One thing to keep in mind is that many mentioned strategies can work best when used along with each other. To meet your B2B marketing goals in 2019, combine these essential marketing strategies.

Jade is a Mageplaza passionate content creator. She has a passion for exploring content marketing and E-commerce landscape. She hopes to deliver the most useful content and especially give the most practical solutions for B2B businesses.