We're at the point where we have more access to data than ever before. Leveraging analytics to increase marketing ROI is something that has officially become a focal point across all industries. But the most difficult challenge is figuring out how to bring it all together in a way that allows marketers to understand a prospect’s buyer journey stage and take action with the right tactic at the right time.
Most B2B marketers know that LinkedIn leads the pack when it comes to content and social media marketing. According to LinkedIn, the site is now among the top 100 most-visited websites in the world. An overwhelming 92% of B2B Marketers leverage LinkedIn over all other social platforms, and 79% of B2B marketers see LinkedIn as a good source for generating leads.
Recently, LinkedIn released its 2019 LinkedIn Content Marketing Tactical Plan. Chocked with actionable tips, daily and weekly tactics and key metrics to track, it’s a goldmine for B2B marketers who want to better leverage LinkedIn this year. We especially appreciate how comprehensive it is, with coverage specific to:
Voice-enabled devices and voice-controlled shopping have already taken over the consumer world, with $40 billion expected to be generated in sales by 2020. This means that voice commerce in the B2B space is no longer a far-fetched idea. Just as desktop and mobile ordering first took off for consumers, then bled over to B2B, the same is expected to happen with voice. This new e-commerce experience will help to streamline the often complex and tedious B2B buying process. Scenarios ranging from CPOs at a hospital needing to order surgical instruments to an EA in an office setting needing to order office supplies will benefit from this expansion in purchasing options.
Long gone are the days when social media was thought of as a fad. Most B2B businesses now need to have a strong social presence that's integrated into their lead generation and nurturing programs.
Many businesses still struggle with social media marketing, in large part because they think it's difficult to measure. But, it's not. Here are some ways you can measure the success of your social media marketing campaigns:
- Likes, reactions and shares
- Follower growth
- Social media mentions
- Click rates
- Referral traffic
- Reach
Google My Business can be a pivotal part of setting up a successful location-based business and boosting your search-ability. For B2B companies, being able to distinguish between company locations and similar consumer terms in search is paramount. The categories you choose and how well you stay up-to-date with them will be key to successful use of Google My Business, or any location-based search.
The 2019 State of IT Marketing report, which examines B2B technology company marketing spend, trends and challenges, found that 37 percent of respondents expect their marketing budgets to increase. The report attributes the findings to a “renewed priority on marketing is driving budget increases and enabling organizations to experiment with new marketing trends and technologies.”
In addition, 30 percent of budgets are expected to be allocated toward paid media efforts (search marketing, social media marketing, email marketing and display), 22 percent to trade shows and events, 21 percent on martech (content/experience, social/relationship, advertising/promotions, and data/analytics), and 19 percent on external agencies and contractors.
Are you familiar with AI? If not, now is a good time to introduce yourself. AI is expected to take over in 2019, changing the industry for both agencies and marketers.
Content marketing has historically been difficult to measure. So it's no surprise that in a recent article from the Content Marketing Institute (CMI), they ask whether content marketers are measuring the right things when it comes to gauging effectiveness.
After judging the 2018 Content Marketing Awards, the author notes that she was interested to see how entrants reported their success metrics. She says, “I was beyond disappointed to see many entries relying on the same ubiquitous metrics everyone touts, regardless of the nature of the content or the business goals it’s meant to achieve.”
While marketers have tons of metrics to gauge performance, it really comes down to measuring and reporting the right things that all tie back to business goals and types of content created. Because, according to CMI, the entire purpose of content marketing is “to drive profitable customer action.”
Lead generation campaigns, up-sell and cross-sell programs, sales enablement support – all are competing for time and budget within your 2019 marketing plan. With so many competing needs, how should you prioritize marketing objectives for the next year?
You might want to consider a bit of reverse engineering. Start with your organization’s financial goals and determine how they break out by business unit and product line. This will serve as a basis for a conversation with business unit and sales leaders, and help you identify areas that need more or less marketing support.
Learn how to determine marketing objectives in an article from SiriusDecisions.
You might want to consider a bit of reverse engineering. Start with your organization’s financial goals and determine how they break out by business unit and product line. This will serve as a basis for a conversation with business unit and sales leaders, and help you identify areas that need more or less marketing support.
Learn how to determine marketing objectives in an article from SiriusDecisions.
Personalization takes deep understanding of your ideal customer and customer journey. Take the necessary time to research and lay the foundation upfront to create a successful ABM campaign.
