Bloom’s B2B Prosperous Marketing Predictions for 2022
The last two years have taught us all that even the most detailed prediction can become obsolete in a swift instance. And, for B2B marketers, unpredictability has become our new normal. With brands increasingly demanding strong performance, requiring marketers to anticipate the unexpected, and to plan for agility, the best marketers know the only way to prosper is to arm ourselves with knowledge.
Here are 5 top trends likely to define B2B marketing in 2022:
Generate Leads with Hybrid Events
Impacted by COVID-19, marketers had to adapt quickly to the reality that in-person events were no longer always available to generate leads and so during the peak of the pandemic many events became virtual.
Then as the vaccine became readily available, hybrid events emerged to engage with clients on a face-to-face level, as well as engage virtually with the ones who are not comfortable attending large events yet.
In 2022, 74% of marketers are planning hybrid events.
Generating quality leads will always remain a main goal of B2B marketers but for your hybrid event to be successful, it should be more than an in-person event that is streamed online. You need to create opportunities for your virtual attendees to engage with hosts and each other as much as you do for your live attendees.
For example, in addition to helping Altice with their shift to a virtual Small Talks series to help Small Businesses, we also created a digital tool kit to provide small business owners and operators easy access to resources to promote and grow business.
Engage with High-Quality Content
According to 2020 Demand Gen Report, B2B buyers increasingly look to a business’s original content when making purchasing decisions.
In 2022, various content strategies need to deliver high-quality information relevant to B2B buyers’ interests to encourage buyers to investigate the brand further or get in touch with the business’s sales team. As a result, customer psychology will be in high importance to content teams. As they determine behavior and interests a better understanding of what type of content will be more valuable than others. A business’s niche, original research, whitepapers and other forms of highly valuable and in-depth content may provide the most value to readers — building trust and generating interest.
An important component of a Crownpeak campaign we helped with was the e-book we created to showcase the research specialists Vanson Bourne full survey results and explain the implications for organizations to inform IT decision makers on their organizations’ experience with traditional content management systems (CMS), their time-to-market and the total cost of ownership of their digital experience platforms.
Attract with Video
93% of respondents say that video is helpful when they’re purchasing a product. So, it is no surprise that video content in digital marketing campaigns will remain steady as one of the top content types beyond 2022.
Video content is visually appealing and offers a convenient way for customers to get educated about a product or service.
You can include informational videos, product demonstrations, customer reviews, and behind-the-scenes videos of your business processes in future digital marketing strategies.
Watch how we effectively demonstrate the features of Abrigo’s BAM software AML to better showcase the benefits of this powerful Fraud Detection Solution.
Abrigo BAM Video from Bloom Media on Vimeo.
Personalize Communication
Cookies are on their way out, and personalization is becoming harder to achieve. For proof of this, look no further than Apple’s recent Mail Privacy Protection roll-out, which prevents marketers from seeing if and when an email is opened or attach internet activity and location to a customer’s IP address through their email marketing.
But, 72% of buyers still expect companies to personalize their communications, so it’s up to you to find alternatives to the old ways of tracking and collecting data.
You can use surveys to segment audiences, a/b testing to improve engagement and even account-based marketing to create a highly personalized campaign for your strongest accounts.
When you are targeting a location like our landlord campaigns for Lightpath, you want your content to be as relevant as possible and your personalization data to be current and accurate.
Prioritize a Mobile-First Strategy
In 2022, mobile and digital advertising will continue to become central to B2B marketing efforts. At the same time, marketers are also adjusting to a work-from-home reality. Around 70% of B2B buyers and decision-makers prefer remote or digital interactions with vendors.
Gartner predicts this number will tick up by an additional 10 percentage points by 2025. These buyers will likely respond better to more digital marketing strategies, as well.
Many marketers will likely shift to a digital-first marketing approach that prioritizes mobile advertising and content over offline and more traditional strategies. This will probably come with growing ad spend — though growth is on track to be slower next year than it has been in the past, partly due to the lingering effects of COVID-19.
As the amount of millennials in decision-making roles has grown, so has the number of buyers who want a seller-free experience. Less personal and direct approaches to marketing may become more popular among B2B marketers as a result.
For products like the new Hytail Performance cocktail, mobile marketing is as essential as an easy e-comm shopping experience to generate awareness and drive conversions.
2022 is going to be a big year for B2B marketing trends, so it’s crucial that you’re ready and prepared before the new year comes along. Many businesses don’t have the resources for an internal team, so they look at outsourced companies to help them maximize their lead generation efforts and convert leads into long-term customers. Our team at Bloom Media is here to help you meet any of these marketing needs. We are certain we have a solution that fits your long-term goals. Contact us today and let us know how we can help.
