As B2B marketing evolves, so do B2B buyers. Along with the rise of various technologies and fluctuating economic conditions, the B2B buyer's journey has changed, as has how buyers make decisions.
Marketing that once made an impact is no longer as effective.
To ensure successful marketing activities and campaigns, marketers must address the shifts in buyers' decision-making.
Shift 1: Transitioning to the Self-Guided Journey
Online research is the norm. Prospects are completing around 74% of their research time online, and 57% of prospects are navigating the buying process solo, reaching out only when ready for a sales conversation.
Even then, many B2B prospects can complete the entire buyer's journey without conversing with a salesperson.
As the trends continue to focus on digital and self-guided efforts, it is important to pivot B2B marketing in the same direction.
How Marketers Can Adapt: Enhance SEO Efforts
A prospect's journey will start with the Web, and 90% of queries worldwide start on Google. Though it is not impossible to receive a click on your content from the second or third page of search results, most users drop off after the first page, as the first page of Google search results gets nearly 54% of all clicks.
The bottom line is to focus on search engine optimization (SEO) efforts for better odds of being seen.
As SEO algorithms and trends change, it is important to adapt. For example, a while back Google completed its mobile-first indexing, requiring websites to be easy to use on mobile devices. It is critical to ensure your mobile experience feels the same as it does on a desktop, or rankings and traffic will take a toll.
Shift 2: Changing How, Where, and What Content Is Consumed
As buyer expectations change and trends evolve, the content that audiences value is also shifting.
The attention span of buyers is shorter than ever; as more content mediums emerge, it is critical to understand how to grab the attention of buyers.
How Marketers Can Adapt: Develop High-Quality Content and Diversify
The first part of the process is to ensure your organization produces a solid library of content. Fully 62% of buyers consume around three to seven pieces of content before engaging with the sales team.
Quantity is important, but quality should be the focus. Generating high-quality content provides audiences with useful information and actionable takeaways. High-quality content also boosts search engine rankings, increasing visibility and traffic to your website.
As more content types emerge, it is important to understand what is popular and resonating. Video has emerged as a top content type and continues to set the trend as a top asset to include in marketing content strategies: 70% of buyers watch videos to complete their product research, and they deem video essential.
As video consumption increases, be creative with your video content. For example, take case studies and turn them into customer-results video highlights.
Shift 3: Empowering Younger Generations to Make Buying Decisions
Believe it or not, around 73% of millennials are making buying decisions. Marketing efforts must reach and impact them.
But, first, it is important to understand how to reach them: 21% of millennials analyze rankings and reports as part of their decision-making process; and 50% of Gen Z is on Snapchat, nearly 45% uses TikTok, and only 16% uses Facebook.
How Marketers Can Adapt: Develop and Distribute Content That Resonates Across Platforms
To appeal to the younger generations of decision-makers, it is important to hit hard on data and your product. Since reports and rankings are popular among new decision-makers, ensure your organization is in the conversation.
Consider shifting platforms as well. Rising B2B decision-makers are not using social media platforms, such as Facebook, as they once were. Be where your decision-makers are.
Finally, the expectation of instant information is widespread, and if it is not immediately available they will move on. Optimize your website to ensure your pages load quickly. In addition, focus on high-quality content placed across your website that caters to your various personas to drive more engagement.
Shift 4: Relying Heavily on Trust Signals
Trust is becoming an influential factor in B2B buyers' decisions. The more prospects trust a brand, the more likely they are to convert.
Case studies are one of the most influential and commonly used trust signals: 73% of B2B buyers say that case studies are a large factor in their purchasing decisions.
Social media is also a prime channel for buyers, helping them to understand how others trust a brand and how a brand presents itself to audiences. Nearly 75% of B2B buyers use social media as a source for making purchasing decisions.
How Marketers Can Adapt: Showcase Trust Across Marketing Initiatives
Show audiences that customers trust you through these marketing tactics and implement them for high impact:
- Customer testimonials. Sharing what others say about your product or service rather than making claims yourself goes a long way. Focus on the benefits and value your customers receive.
- Customer logos. Brand recognition is valuable. Highlight customer logos, especially those that are recognizable across a range of audiences.
- Awards. Displaying awards indicates award-winning products and services. Prospects who see an award-winning company are more likely to be impressed, building their sense of trust in your brand.
- Accreditations or certifications. Displaying certification badges or industry accreditations demonstrates proven product or service capabilities, signaling to prospects and audiences that your offerings are trusted.
As the B2B decision-making environment changes, organizations need to adapt their marketing to remain effective.
Paying attention to those decision-making shifts and continuing to evolve marketing so that it remains focused on meeting the needs and behaviors of the new decision-makers are vital to continued business growth and success.
