The conventional wisdom is that there’s still a huge gap between the world of B2B marketing and B2C marketing. While that might have been true even 12 months ago, the gap seems to be narrowing. All of a sudden, B2B marketers are experimenting with video for lead generation, trying out new social media platforms like Instagram, and constantly searching for new emerging technologies – like big data and artificial intelligence (AI) – that can deliver marketing success.
Here are just three of the ways that B2B marketers can borrow a page from the B2C marketing playbook:
#1: Embrace new social media platforms
Ok, your company has a LinkedIn presence, a Facebook presence, and sends out the occasional tweet. That’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to social media marketing. The one platform that everyone is checking out these days is Instagram, with its 600 million monthly active users and advertiser-friendly options. And it’s not just Instagram – new social media platform Snapchat is also getting a closer look, especially when it comes to attracting decision-makers in the Millennial generation. Both Instagram and Snapchat now offer “Stories” – the ability to weave a narrative over a 24-hour period. For a new product launch, that would be perfect.
#2: Experiment with live video
Posting videos to YouTube has long been a key component of many B2B marketing strategies. What has changed now is that platforms like Facebook Live and Periscope are making it possible to stream live content, whether it’s a keynote speech from a corporate event, a behind-the-scenes interview with a member of the founding team, or the launch of a new product. Some companies, in fact, have even live broadcasted investor presentations via Facebook Live.
Unlike YouTube videos, which are often edited before they are posted online, live video has a much more raw and authentic feel to it. After all, with live video, you never really know what’s going to come next. A good starting point would be to try out live broadcasts of events that you can control — like going backstage at an industry event and interviewing members of the management team who are giving presentations at the end. That way, you can showcase these team members as thought leaders and influencers, and that’s going to go a long way toward generating new awareness of what products and services you can offer.
#3: Use predictive analytics
If there’s one distinguishing feature of B2C marketing, it’s the relentless search for the new, and what’s next. That same type of mentality is now crossing over to B2B marketing, where there is much more of an emphasis on understanding how hot areas like big data, artificial intelligence and new methods of predictive analytics might impact the B2B marketing space.
In many ways, all of these tactics are further evidence of how B2B companies are trying to humanize their brands and put a fun, creative spin on their products and offerings. It’s also a realization that it’s tough to stand out on the internet, and what attracts people’s attention is something that’s new, fresh, and authentic. With the right data and the right tools, companies can create the right types of experiences to attract them.
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Dane
Dane Cobain is a published author, freelance writer, book blogger, poet and (occasional) musician from High Wycombe, UK. Before going freelance, he worked as a social media marker, now specialising in writing about publishing, technology and marketing.