Digital media is evolving and so are the trends of b2b marketing and lead generation. Until 2017, social media marketing has all the hype and all businesses were looking into platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc, to market their brands. Some of the other platforms that were used also included Pinterest and LinkedIn as well.
However, trends in 2018 have evolved from being restricted to just social media and incorporate more ways for businesses to create B2B marketing content. Here are some of the top trends of 2018 for producing B2B marketing content.
- Brand Recognition
People are no longer interested in just opening up employee monitoring software comparison businesses and running them successfully. 2018 is all about branding and having your brand recognized as the main player. The idea of creating a brand is not new, but how people are doing it now is different. Now, brands are being built on compelling stories that go viral.
The idea is to get people to relate to the story in order for them to relate to the brand. Branding is done through various platforms and includes but is not limited to social media, print media and live broadcasting.
- Videos Are Taking Over
Videos have been popular for some time now, but 2018 has seen the biggest trend shift towards video marketing. Companies are constantly creating video content to increase their audience base. Experts say that in the coming years, videos will be the most consumable form of content all over the world.
Videos are not just limited to creating product demos anymore but look into a variety of ways to make the product appeal more to its audience. This video content includes tutorials, tips on using products, stories about the brand and explaining the reason why the brand exists in the first place.
- Customized Content
People are drifting away from putting impressive words on their website to make it sound more serious and reliable and moving towards simple content. This content is driven based on industry needs and is tested regularly for improvement.
Landing pages are created with specific target audiences in mind and offer content accordingly. They are continuously tested for conversions and improved for quality and preciseness.
- Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is one of the best ways for B2B marketers to operate these days and it has taken over the world by a storm, certainly for business to consumer brands. These days you can find an influencer for any business type whether its cosmetics, hairdressers, tech products or everyday use products. Influencers have done a complete take over in such a short space of time. Before it was called ‘getting people to advertise your brand’. But certain platforms and the nature of the way we all consume news and entertainment switched the process.
The GymShark story is a fascinating one and gives the perspective of how everything changed. They were the first. And the effects have been unbelievable.
Influencer marketing is a far more informal relationship than advertising. It is a cross-blend of Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations. Because ideally you want the ‘influencer’ to translate a legitimate and not forced opinion of your product or service in order for it to hold as much authority and legitimacy as possible. This is where the true influence and impact takes place. Although people are aware there is something going on between person and brand, the way it is presented psychologically views it as more natural than a pre-set Television commercial or similar.
The best way to do B2B marketing in 2018 is to reach out to influencers and get your brand recognized in a matter of days. Another thing that is important to mention when talking about influencer marketing is celebrity endorsements. These also help you get a fan following and are a good place to invest for B2B marketing.
These are some of the basic trends that have caught on in 2018 and seem like they’re here to stay till at least mid-2019.
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