When it comes to B2B marketing, staying on top of trends is the key to long-term success. As 2023 draws to a close, it is essential to evaluate your strategies to ensure they are aligned with the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in 2024.  

In this article, we'll explore in detail six crucial areas that B2B marketers should focus on to proactively enter 2024.

1 – Realism in top-of-funnel expectations

Traditionally focused on brand awareness, the top of the funnel is a crucial part of the B2B marketing process. According to a survey conducted by Bain and Google, up to 90% of buyers already have a list of suppliers in mind before they even begin their search. And 90% of them will choose a supplier from this initial list.

It’s becoming clear that to win customers, it’s imperative to be known to buyers before they even hit the market. However, tracking top-of-funnel and B2B activities can be a challenge. To address this, many media platforms offer studies on brand lifting.  

You can also go further with advanced analytics such as halo impact studies or incrementality tests to better understand the lifting effect.

2 – A central place for marketing content at the top of the funnel

In the early stages of the customer journey, quality content can still make a difference. A strategic approach to content involves creating and distributing material that provides real value to prospects .

The format of the content also plays a vital role. From informative blog posts to engaging videos, educational webinars to interactive experiences, each format should be carefully chosen to match the needs of your target audience .

Apart from the content, the aesthetics of the website and its functionality are also essential. Tools like Microsoft Clarity can help identify opportunities for improvement through heat tracking and user behavior analysis.

3 – Invest in off-market buyers

An intriguing statistic from LinkedIn suggests that 95% of B2B buyers are not in the market at any given time. This highlights the importance of not limiting yourself to “ready to talk to sales” . Investing in this broad category is the key to generating “memorability” . This means your brand will be remembered without the need for an incentive.

To achieve this, it is essential to create experiences that are unique, memorable and tailored to the needs of your target audience.

Studies show that creativity is the most critical factor for marketing success , with 47% importance, followed by media at 38%, encompassing reach, targeting, recency and context, according to Nielsen . A hundred, many B2B content lacks inspiration. Examples like “Turn Clustomers Into Cupendastomers” by Intuit Mailchimp or “No One Knows What You Do” by LinkedIn demonstrate how an inspiring message can resonate with audiences.

4 – Personalization for an optimized customer experience

Improving customer experience should be a top priority for B2B marketers in 2024. Studies show that slow loading times are the biggest frustration factor, affecting 18% of B2B visitor sessions , as revealed by a Contentsquare study .

This highlights the importance of optimized website performance and user-friendly design to improve customer satisfaction. Every customer interaction, whether on a desktop or mobile device, is crucial. A positive and consistent experience must be provided at every touchpoint.

By making mobile interactions enjoyable, you can attract more B2B customers and create memorable experiences on media other than desktop.

READ ALSO: 5 email marketing tips for SaaS companies

5 – Value-based bidding for optimal efficiency

A major development in the advertising landscape is the introduction of value-based bidding (VBB) in Google Ads. This approach allows marketers to tell Google which customers are more valuable to their business, allowing the algorithm to adjust bids accordingly .

Indeed, the use of tags or inline conversions helps inform Google about customers taking specific actions, such as submitting forms, requesting demos or making purchases. 

Although many B2B transactions still take place offline through business development representatives, Google is simplifying the process by offering direct integration with CRMs such as Salesforce or HubSpot.

The results speak for themselves, as demonstrated by a Tinuiti case study:

• +38% increase in conversion rates.
• +48% increase in opportunity qualification rate.
• -23% reduction in cost per qualified opportunity.

6 – Avoid the trap of hyper-specific marketing targeting

Hyper-specific targeting strategies, such as account-based marketing (ABM), are popular in B2B. However, they are not without their drawbacks. A strong argument against hyper-specific targeting is its financial impact: the more precise the targeting, the higher the associated costs .

This precision can put a strain on marketing budgets, and in some cases the ROI may not justify the additional expense. Even if no waste is attributed to hyper-specific targeting, the cost per acquisition is still higher than opting for broader targeting.

Hyper-specific targeting also overlooks important blind spots. Assuming that a narrow definition of an audience ensures accuracy ignores the fact that more than 40% of individuals are expected to change jobs , industries, or titles in the next four years.

This constant evolution introduces unpredictability, making hyper-specific targeting less effective because it does not adapt to these dynamic changes.

Faced with these challenges, there is growing interest in a flexible approach that recognizes the changing nature of career paths and the constraints of third-party data. 

Adopting a broader targeting strategy with some flexibility allows B2B to adapt in a changing landscape. The goal is to find a better balance between precision and adaptability for more sustainable and profitable results .

Conclusion: think, prepare and plan

As we look toward 2024, it's clear that the B2B marketing is ripe for significant transformation. From optimizing the top of the funnel to improving personalization and changing targeting strategies , we can evolve our approaches for greater effectiveness and sustainability.

By taking the time to think about these key trends and their implications for your business, you can make informed decisions to start the new year on an optimized note. 

It’s time to rethink conventions and consider emerging best practices to achieve meaningful results while staying ahead of the market curve.

Remember, thought, preparation and planning are the keys to continued success in the dynamic world of marketing .

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