With 2019 well and truly in the distance, and the new year now in full swing, it’s that time of year we look to the future, and what will be the B2B marketing trends to watch for the rest of 2020.
Personalisation
One of the key B2B marketing trends for 2020 is end to end personalisation. Businesses may be doing business with other companies, but they are still dealing with people, and as we know ‘people buy people’, so personalised recommendations, preference-based targeted communications and tactical triggered emails can all help bring personalisation to this year’s marketing campaigns.
Content, content, content
It’s a well-known fact that content is king, something we often blog about, and going in to 2020 this still very much stands, arguably more than ever, as the highest quality content rises to the top of search engines and social platforms. In business, we know content converts, so B2B content should offer as much value as possible for the least amount of effort. Use your industry expertise to deliver valuable insights that busy professionals seek. Whilst it’s important to understand how to write, what keywords and hashtags to use, when to share etc, you should always aim to create authentic, value adding, transparent and engaging content.
The rise of video and audio marketing
Speaking of content, the popularity of video content has risen over the years, and 2020 is set to be the year that more and more businesses embrace video, podcasts and live streaming to tell their stories and reach new audiences. This is something we at bd2 have been passionate about the value of for several years now, even bringing video production in-house. The benefits of video and audio marketing are vast, from engagement to helping with social media marketing efforts. We have previously blogged about the value of using video content in marketing campaigns, read more here.
LinkedIn is now the biggest business social media platform in the world and fast becoming one of the biggest content providers. Through LinkedIn we are now seeing more companies and their employees, building brands, delivering value and telling stories through articles, posts and video. As a networking platform, it is the go-to place for businesses to build trust, generate business and develop connections. Despite all of this, it’s still not a place for hard sell, businesses should be authentic, add value and aim to develop long-term relationships. At bd2 we continue to work with clients to develop engaging social content for them to share with their target audiences, from research through to delivery, copywriting and producing imagery and video in-house.
Voice search
With so much automation and listening technology available, it’s inevitable that voice is one to watch in 2020. Unfortunately for businesses and brands, the likes of Google and Alexa can only suggest one result, so how do you make sure your company or brand is in the search results? Companies will need to ensure website are optimised for voice, which essentially uses the same algorithm Google uses to rank sites, which means ensuring the site loads quickly, is written in the way you speak, includes featured snippets and so on.
The relationship between PPC and SEO
PPC and SEO have a crucial relationship that drives the results of a marketing campaign. In 2020, this relationship will be better used to maximise success. Many still approach PPC and SEO as separate strategies with separate results, however 2020 is the year for marketers to broaden their horizons and rebuild their online strategies. The world of SEO and PPC is constantly changing and we work with clients to build and monitor campaigns that deliver real business results. The relationship between PPC and SEO will be an important area to address moving forward. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, yet they can be used together to maximise your results.
Email marketing
Despite our inboxes being even more crowded than ever, email marketing is still delivering results in B2B marketing. Email marketing remains a powerful tool and performance is also linked to increased revenue, businesses should look to create personalised content that resonates with their target audience. As with everything, it needs to be done well, be based on quality data, consider timings and be personalised.
Standout authentic websites
As a development agency this is music to our ears, we understand that businesses can put together a WordPress site, or other templates sites quickly and relatively cheaply, but so can everyone else. As a result, the standard themes are becoming the norm and as audiences, we are quickly starting to recognise these ‘default’ sites and in turn, regardless of the offering we switch off. Today we have more tools and skills available to build unique and engaging websites, so in 2020 there is no excuse to have a clunky unappealing website. A well-designed, original and authentic website will show clients and customers that you care about their experience with your brand.
Progressive Web Apps (PWA's)
Progressive Web Apps are websites that work like apps and the technology and tools involved in building them, make them just as good as native apps. They work on multiple devices and platforms without having to publish via iOS store or Android. Unlike regular mobile applications, PWA's do not require a complex installation process, which significantly improves user experience. PWA’s mean that small and medium size businesses can take advantage of the same technologies to create an app-like experience for their customers and increase their audiences.
Technology continues to revolutionise the way we work, and B2B marketing continues to change due to the abundance of tools available. We’d be more than happy to discuss any of the above to help you plan for the year ahead.