Digital Marketing Guide for B2B
Marketing is essential to the success of any business.
But what does it really take to succeed in the world of B2B marketing? This comprehensive guide will teach you everything you need to know to develop and execute a successful B2B marketing strategy.
We’ll discuss the difference between B2B marketing vs B2C marketing, along with various digital marketing strategies for B2B companies and some examples that go beyond increasing brand awareness.
Keep reading to get started…
Defining B2B Marketing
B2B marketing is the process of targeting and selling to businesses rather than to consumers. This type of marketing requires a different approach, as businesses are more likely to be interested in products and services that can help them save money, increase efficiency, or grow their business. Business to business marketing can involve a variety of tactics, such as paid advertising, PR, lead generation, and sales.
Why Marketing for B2B is Necessary
Just like any company, marketing is necessary for businesses selling to other businesses for the sole reason that they want their products and services to be seen and bought. Additionally, it’s worth noting that marketing for B2B is quite different and complex compared to the marketing done for business to consumers companies.
A Comparison of B2B and B2C Marketing
There are a few key ways in which B2B marketing differs from business to consumer marketing and we’ve compiled some of the differences in this portion of the article.
The Sales Cycle Is Usually Longer
In B2B, it can take longer for a deal to come to fruition. This means that the marketing process needs to be geared towards building relationships and trust over time, rather than trying to make a quick sale.
There are usually more decision-makers involved – In B2B, it’s not just one person who makes the decision to buy a product or service. Furthermore, there are usually multiple people involved in the decision-making process, from the person who initiates the search for a solution to the ultimate decision-maker. This means that your marketing needs to be targeted at all of the decision-makers, not just one.
There Is Usually More Complexity Involved
B2B products and services are often more complex than B2C products and services. This means that your marketing needs to be able to explain the features and benefits of your product or service in a way that is easy to understand.
The Stakes Are Usually Higher
In B2B, the products and services being sold are often mission-critical to the buyer’s business. This means that there is a lot riding on the decision to buy, and your marketing needs to reflect this.
Targeting businesses rather than consumers requires a different approach to marketing. In B2C, the target audience is consumers who are looking to buy products or services for their own use. In contrast, the target market for B2B is other businesses that are looking for products and services that can help them save money, increase efficiency, or grow their business. So it isn’t just a sale that happens overnight.
B2B Marketing Strategies
If you are a business-to-business marketer, you know that creating and implementing an effective marketing strategy is essential to your success.
But what are the best ways to reach other businesses?
And once you’ve reached them, how do you convince them to buy from you?
Below we’ve listed several B2B marketing strategies that are worth considering to implement in your business-to-business marketing plan.
Pay-per-Click Advertising
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a great way to generate leads and reach potential customers who are already interested in your products or services.
With PPC, you can create ads that will appear when people search for related keywords on Google, Bing, and other search engines. When someone clicks on your ad, they will be taken to your website, where you can convince them to buy from you.
One of the great things about PPC advertising is that you can target your ads specifically at businesses. This means that you can reach the people who are most likely to buy from you, without wasting your time and money on people who aren’t interested in what you have to offer.
Another advantage of PPC advertising is that it’s a very effective way of increasing brand awareness as well as measuring how well your marketing is working. You can see how many people clicked on your ad, how many of them visited your website, and how many of them made a purchase. This information can help you fine-tune your marketing strategy so that it’s more effective in reaching and converting potential customers.
If you’re looking for an effective way to reach other businesses, PPC advertising is a great option. By targeting your ads at businesses and measuring their performance, you can ensure that your marketing budget is being used effectively.
Content Marketing
Content marketing allows your business to connect with potential customers and nurture leads throughout the buying process. There are a number of different tactics you can use to execute a successful content marketing strategy for B2B companies and we’ll be going through some of these key tactics in this section.
Creating Content Your Audience wants
One of the most important things to do when creating content is to know your audience. Figure out what topics they are interested in, and create content that speaks to their needs. You can also survey your current customers to get an idea of what topics they would be interested in reading about.
Insightly offers many resources on its website including Ebooks which are helpful for many of its audiences.
Publishing fresh, original content on a regular basis
Another important aspect to consider when it comes to content marketing is creating fresh, original content on a regular basis. This may seem like a daunting task, but there are a number of ways to make it easier. For example, you can break down educational content into bite-sized pieces, or use infographics and videos to help illustrate your points.
Creating Relevant Content
In addition to creating original content, it’s also important to share other relevant content from around the web. This helps you build relationships with other businesses that are looking for the products or services your company provides.
You may reference other bloggers and industry leaders and provide your own insights on a variety of topics surrounding the niche of your B2B company. This helps you show that your company is an expert in the field that it is in.
Finally, don’t forget about social media! Platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook are great places to share your content, as well as interact with potential and current customers.
Social Media Marketing
From maximising organic social media posts to leveraging social media ads, B2B marketing will always involve a couple of social media channels in their digital marketing plan. We’ll be going through some of the most common online marketing channels that B2B companies use which are also used by business to consumer companies. Except, we’ll be discussing these social media platforms from a B2B marketing perspective.
When it comes to social media marketing for B2B companies, LinkedIn is the obvious choice. With more than 800 million users, it’s the world’s largest professional network making it the ideal platform to build relationships with potential customers and partners, as well as build brand awareness, share your company’s content, find leads and discover industry insights.
Twitter can also be a useful platform for B2B companies. In fact, many business to business companies is using Twitter to share news and insights about their respective industry and briefly share some information about new updates on their products or services.
As seen in the image below, SEMRush shared its expertise on the best SEO practices.
Facebook can also be effective for B2B companies, especially if you use Facebook ads to create custom audiences of potential customers. However, we understand that not all businesses are able to capitalise on Facebook ads just yet, so posting informative videos or infographics is still helpful in letting your audience know about your business. This video post from Pearl Seafood Exports is simple yet professional and provides an explanation of what they can supply.
Surprisingly Pinterest is not only a platform for B2C companies to use in order to reach their audience but it also serves as a valuable tool for B2B companies looking to reach buyers early in the buying process.
This social media platform is perfect for sharing images of your products and services, as well as infographics and other types of content that explain what you do. Just take a look at HubSpot’s Pinterest board which is filled with marketing infographics.
With this, many B2B companies will utilise multiple channels and develop social media marketing strategies for each of these social media channels as long as their audiences are on those platforms.
Email Marketing
Another powerful strategy for B2B companies is email marketing. It allows you to reach a large number of potential customers with a single message, and it’s a great way to keep your brand top-of-mind with existing customers.
When using email marketing for your B2B company, be sure to target your audience carefully. Segment your list by industry, job title, or other factors that are relevant to your products or services, to ensure that your messages are relevant to your recipients and that they’re more likely to take action.
You also need to create compelling content that will capture the attention of your recipients, include a strong call-to-action, and make it easy for them to learn more about your company or product.
If you’re looking for more tips on using email marketing for your B2B company, be sure to download our FREE Email Marketing Guide via this link.
SEMrush’s emails offer informative resources for digital marketing such as blogs, Webinars, Youtube videos and more.
Website Optimisation
There are a number of ways in which B2B companies can optimise their website in order to improve their online presence and performance and we’ve listed the most commonly used ways to do such.
Optimising website design and layout for a positive user experience
When it comes to website design and layout, optimising for a positive user experience is key. By taking into account the various factors that affect how users browse and interact with your website, you can create an enjoyable experience that will keep them coming back.
Some of the most important things to consider when designing a website include the following:
Make sure your site’s layout is easy to navigate, with clear and concise headings and links in the right places. Also make sure that all the information required is easily accessible (including mobile devices) without having to scroll down or click through too many links.
The colours and fonts used
Use colours and fonts that are easy on the eyes and won’t cause eye fatigue. Also try to stick to a limited number of fonts, to avoid confusion.
The size of images
Make sure all images are appropriately sized, so they don’t slow down the loading time of the page.
The use of multimedia
Be careful not to overload pages with multimedia content, as this can slow down loading times and be frustrating for users. Try to use multimedia sparingly, only where it really enhances the user experience.
By keeping these things in mind, you can create a website that is both visually appealing and easy to use, making for a positive user experience. Alexander Bright’s website is one great example of what a website should be.
Speed Up Web Page Loading Time
Speeding up web page loading time is critical for both B2B and B2C companies.
There are a number of ways in which companies can speed up their web pages, including:
Minimising HTTP requests
This can be done by reducing the number of files that are called on each page and using cache headers to reduce the number of requests that are made.
Optimising images
To do this, you’ll need to compress images and use the correct file format.
We have a full article on how to increase your site speed which you can view via this link.
Implement Search Engine Optimization Tactics
If you do business online, your SEO efforts should include various search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques that B2B companies use to improve their visibility online and we’ve included some of the most effective techniques below.
Add Relevant Keywords
Adding relevant keywords to your website allows you to optimise for search engines so that potential customers can easily find it. However, you’ll need to use the correct keywords and phrases and organise your content in a way that makes it easy for search engines to index.
Developing high-quality content
Another key element of SEO is developing high-quality content that is relevant to your target audience. The content you share should be interesting and useful, and it should provide value to your customers. By creating valuable content, you can attract more visitors to your website and help to improve your SEO ranking.
One of the best ways to promote your content is by sharing it on social media. This allows you to reach a larger audience, and it helps you to build relationships with potential customers. Additionally, social media can help you to improve your SEO ranking by increasing the number of links to your website.
Building backlinks
Another important factor in SEO is building backlinks from other websites. Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your website, and they are a sign of authority and trust. By building backlinks, you can improve your SEO ranking and increase traffic to your website.
Customer Support
Running a successful B2B company wouldn’t be complete without providing excellent customer support. As with any business, you need to make sure that customers can easily contact you with any questions or concerns, and respond to them quickly and effectively.
It’s also important to establish an efficient and streamlined customer support process through the use of tools like Help Scout or Zendesk and wherein your team will need to be properly trained in using the tool.
You also need to be proactive in addressing any customer complaints or issues. Address them publicly on social media if necessary, or reach out to the customer privately to resolve the issue.
By prioritising customer support, you can ensure that your customers are happy and satisfied with your products or services. This can help boost your reputation and increase sales in the long run.
If you take a look at Monday’s platform, you’ll notice that they offer a chat feature so that if a user is having any difficulty on the platform, they can easily chat with a representative on Monday.
Podcast
Podcasting allows you to reach potential customers and partners who may not be reached through other digital marketing channels. It’s also a great way to build relationships with industry leaders and influencers.
In order to make the most of podcasts for your B2B company, be sure to produce high-quality shows that are relevant to your target audience. But of course, this isn’t the only way to get your company into the world of podcasts. For instance, if you run a SaaS business, you can ask other podcast hosts to review your product on their show as another means of building brand awareness.
Video Marketing
Videos help demonstrate your product or service in a way that could be easier to understand.
By creating engaging and interesting videos, you can attract more viewers and convince them to check out what you have to offer. Additionally, video marketing can help you build a relationship with your audience, which can lead to more sales in the long run.
Ahrefs provide many useful videos about their product and the topic of SEO. Not only are they educating their viewers on their product, but also sharing educational content about search engine optimisation.
Tips for Getting Started
Understand Your Customers and the Buyer’s Journey
When marketing your B2B company, it’s important to understand your target customers and the buyer’s journey. This will help you create content and marketing initiatives that are relevant to your audience, and that will help you connect with potential customers.
The buyer’s journey is the process that buyers go through when making a purchasing decision and it can be divided into three stages: Awareness, Consideration, and Decision.
In the Awareness stage, potential customers become aware of a problem or need that they have. They may start to research possible solutions, or reach out to friends or family for advice.
In the Consideration stage, buyers begin to evaluate different solutions in order to find the best one for their needs. They may compare products or services, read reviews, or speak with experts.
In the Decision stage, buyers finally make a decision about which product or service to purchase. They may contact suppliers, make a purchase online, or visit a store.
It’s important to understand which stage of the buyer’s journey your potential buyers are in so that you can create content that is relevant to them. You can also use this information to determine which marketing channels are most likely to reach them.
Re-Evaluate Your Marketing Goals
Whether your marketing goal is to increase brand awareness, leverage influencer marketing throughout your content marketing strategy, or harness the power of digital advertising on various social media networks, it’s good practice to evaluate if your marketing goals are in line with your overall business goals.
Adjust Your Strategies and Tactics When Necessary
If you want your B2B company to be successful, you need to be prepared to adjust your strategies and tactics when necessary. This means being willing to experiment and try new things, and being flexible enough to make changes when it becomes clear that something isn’t working.
It’s also important to remember that no two businesses are the same. What works for one company may not work for another, so you need to be prepared to adapt as needed.
The key is to always focus on your customers and the buyer’s journey. Understand what they’re looking for, and then create content and offer solutions that meet their needs. If you can do that, you’ll be in a good position to succeed.
Do Thorough Research on Your Competitors
Competing businesses are a great source of information when it comes to understanding your industry and the needs of your target market. By studying your competitors, you can learn what products and services they offer, as well as what marketing strategies they’re using to attract customers. This information can be valuable in helping you to develop your own marketing plans and strategies.
In addition, studying your competitors can help you to identify potential areas of opportunity. If you can find a way to differentiate yourself from the competition, you may be able to attract more customers and grow your business.
The bottom line is that if you want your B2B company to be successful, you need to do your homework and research your competitors. It’s the best way to gain an understanding of the industry landscape and the needs of your target market.
Marketing Campaigns Should Be Relevant
When creating marketing campaigns, it’s important to ensure that they are relevant to your target audience. This means targeting your campaigns carefully and making sure that the content is interesting and relevant to your customers.
It’s also important to be flexible and adjust your campaigns when necessary. If you find that a particular campaign isn’t performing well or that your target audience has changed, be prepared to make changes.
Finally, remember that marketing is a dynamic field, and you should always be prepared to adapt to new changes and trends. Keep up with the latest news and insights in your industry, and be prepared to make changes when necessary. This may be difficult but it’s the secret to arriving at successful campaigns.
Leverage Marketing Automation software
For the vast majority of B2B companies leveraging marketing automation software is what helps everyone stay on the same page and drive performance. This software can help you to streamline your marketing efforts, saving you time and money.
In addition, marketing automation software can help you to target your customers more effectively. By using the customer data that is collected by the software, you can create more relevant and targeted content that is more likely to appeal to your customers.
Lastly, marketing automation software can help you to track the results of your campaigns. This will allow you to make adjustments and improvements to your campaigns, helping you to achieve better results in the future.
Tools to help with B2B Marketing
Google Analytics
Google Analytics helps businesses to track the results of their marketing campaigns. By using Google Analytics, businesses to business companies can see how many people have visited their website, as well as where those visitors came from and what they did while on the site.
This information can be valuable in helping businesses to understand the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns. It can also help businesses to identify areas of improvement, so they can create campaigns that are more likely to be successful.
In addition, Google Analytics can help businesses to track the conversion rate of their website. This means that businesses can see how many of their visitors actually take action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs allows B2B companies to find keywords that are being searched for by their target audience and provides information on the competition for each keyword. This can help you to develop strategies for targeting specific keywords, and determining which ones are worth focusing on.
In addition, Ahrefs also offers a variety of other features that can be useful for B2B companies. These include a backlink checker, rank tracking, and SEO audit. By using these features, you can get a better understanding of your website’s strengths and weaknesses, and identify opportunities for improvement.
Overall, Ahrefs is an excellent tool for B2B companies, especially local businesses, looking to do effective keyword research. It provides a wealth of information on both the competition and the search behaviour of your target audience.
Mailchimp
MailChimp is another tool that B2B companies should consider when it comes to email marketing. Its user-friendly interface makes it easy to create and send emails, and you can track the results to see how well your campaigns are performing.
Furthermore, MailChimp offers a wide range of templates and options that you can use to create professional-looking emails. You can also target your campaigns to specific customers or groups, which can help you to reach the right people with your message.
If you’re looking for a tool to help you with your email campaigns, MailChimp is a good option. It’s easy to use and offers a lot of features that can help you to improve your results.
Unbounce
With Unbounce’s user-friendly interface, this tool makes it easy to create and customise landing pages and allows you to track the results to see how well your campaigns are performing.
Sprout Social
If you’re looking for a comprehensive toolkit to help you with your social media marketing efforts, Sprout Social is a good option. It offers a wide range of features, including social media publishing, listening, and analytics. It also has a variety of other features that can be useful for businesses of all sizes.
For example, Sprout Social’s collaboration tools allow you to team up with coworkers to create, manage, and analyse your social media posts.
In addition, Sprout Social also offers reporting and engagement tracking tools. These can help you to track the performance of your social media campaigns and see how well they are resonating with your audience. This information can be used to make adjustments and improvements to your campaigns in the future.
Canva
Canva is the leader in helping many business in creating graphics for B2B companies. With its ease of use along with an array of templates and options to maximise, you can easily create professional-looking graphics with minimal effort. Say hello to efficient and effective content marketing!
HubSpot CRM
HubSpot CRM provides a comprehensive platform to help you manage sales processes and sales reps. It enables your marketing team or sales team to keep track of each step of the sales process, as well as monitor each sales rep’s progress on a particular lead. This allows you to identify any potential bottlenecks in the process and make corrections. Additionally, HubSpot CRM provides valuable analytics on sales performance which can help you improve your sales strategies.
HubSpot CRM may seem daunting at first but not to worry, our blog on How to use HubSpot will walk you through in getting to know the platform and its hubs.
Conclusion
B2B marketing is vital for any business to business company that wants to succeed in the sea of online competition, and now that you know what it is and how it works, you’re well on your way to formulating a plan that will take your company to the next level.
If you need help getting started or want some expert input on which tools will work best for your business, we’d love to help out! We can assess your individual needs and tailor a plan specifically for you.
Schedule a FREE consultation today!
