B2B Marketing Trends for 2018

Marketing has changed in more ways than one in 2017. The new year will be no different. Here are some trends to keep an eye out for in 2018.

Content Marketing

Content is key for B2B Marketing! You have probably heard this a million times already but we’ll keep saying it as long as it is true. A storytelling approach that resonates with your audience is vital for success these days. The desire for personalization leaves little room for generic, impersonal messages. People don’t want you to tell them you should buy their product/service. They want to be wooed. You want to keep your content relevant to what’s happening now, but we have also seen some popularity with evergreen material, which can be used year round.

Video Marketing

Video marketing has been on the rise and this trend will continue this upward growth in 2018. You can do so much through video, but whatever you do, always keep in mind to not only focus on the product or service you’re trying to sell, but also on the value that it will have to your customer. Keep your video content consistent with your brand and be sure to transcribe and translate. In doing so, your content will be comprehended by those from different cultures and who speak other languages as well as those who are hearing impaired, and can also benefit SEO.

Social Media Shift

There has been a gradual shift in the use of social media that will be evident in the new year. The original purpose of social media for businesses was to drive traffic to their website. B2B Marketers have slowly been shifting this role into one that’s a total in-channel experience. These marketers are trying to get people to stay on these social media apps rather than having them leave. LinkedIn has been revamped this year and will be another outlet for B2Bers to utilize.

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is a marketing practice that utilizes the popularity of industry leaders to bring awareness of your brand to their following. This takes ‘word of mouth’ communication to the next level. Essentially, you want to build relationships with influencers and in turn, they will build new relationships for your brand. Influencer marketing is now a billion dollar industry and that number will continue to grow in 2018 and will be adopted by more and more B2B Marketers. So if you haven’t already jumped on that bandwagon, now is the time.

No matter what industry you’re in, building a true relationship with influencers is key. Influencers are your ambassadors and are essentially a representation of the type of customer you have. So when deciding whom you want to work with, ensure that there is an actual connection between your product and the influencer. Their followers will know if it’s real or not. Also keep in mind that micro-influencers have become increasingly valuable. They generally have smaller audiences, but these audiences are passionate, loyal, and impressionable.

While there are many more trends that will be happening in the new year, these are the ones you can implement into your strategy today.