B2B marketing is definitely entering an age of possibility in 2020. Without question, the future is bright for digital with “Forrester predicting” that digital marketing spending will reach $146 billion by 2023. In B2B, there are important shifts from more B2C inspired tactics to a more focused effort to engage Millennial age buyers: 45% of B2B technology buyers are now Millennials and more than 70% of millennials are included in B2B buying decisions.
Thinking about the future, trends and what’s next is a responsibility of everyone that leads a marketing organization. As we enter 2020, I have continued our tradition of highlighting some of the top marketing trends worth your time and consideration.
To start, let’s look at 2019 digital marketing trends:
- Live, Interactive Video
- Voice Search
- AI/Machine Learning/Chatbots
- Data/Privacy/Transparency
- Influencer Marketing 2.0
- Purpose Driven Brands and Gen Z
Nearly all of these 2019 trends are still in effect and growing in 2020! This is especially true with video, the role of AI in marketing and influencer marketing. I guess we’re on the right track.
- Personalization– While 72% of buyers expect B2B companies to personalize communications and 69% of buyers willing to pay more for a more personalization experience, marketers are “still missing the mark” when it comes to personalization.
- Video Content and Live Video – According to research from HubSpot, 78% of buyers watch online videos weekly and 55% view them daily. Video is the top format for advertisers and it’s also one of the most preferred formats for influencer marketing.
- AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning) – Research from Adobe finds that 41% of leading businesses are using artificial intelligence in 2020.
- Voice and Podcasts – Voice has become as normal and natural a way to interact with devices as text. Maybe even more so. According to research statistics 50% plus of searches in 2020 will be from voice search, so it’s in every B2B marketer’s best interests to understand how voice and even mobile optimization can make their content the best answer when customers start asking questions.
One audio format that has particular promise for B2B marketers is the podcast. Podcasts have really come into their own in the past few years and the B2B world is taking notice.
- Influencer Marketing – Ranked as a top 4 tactic for B2B marketers in 2019, influencer marketing has continued to grow in adoption and sophistication in the business world.
- Content Marketing – Believe it or not, content is still a growth area for marketers with 49% of B2B marketers planning to increase their budget in 2020. 2020 trends for content marketing are essential because content is the core of what B2B marketing uses to attract, engage and convert customers.
- Chatbots and Conversational selling – According to research from Gartner, “By 2022, 70% of white-collar workers will interact with conversational platforms on a daily basis.” B2B marketers are using chatbots to filter content, provide basic support, capture contact information and nurture leads without much, if any, human involvement. When you factor in chatbots and AI integration.
- CX (Customer Experience) – The topic of customer experience was a hot topic in 2019 and that trend continues in 2020 as B2B brands seek to differentiate themselves in an increasingly complex and competitive online environment.
- Visual Content – Images, video and even interactive content are a big part of the shift towards creating more engaging experiences that go beyond informing B2B buyers about solutions, but connecting with them on an emotional level.
- ABM – According to a study by Demand Gen Report, 50% of marketers implementing ABM have had their initiatives in place for more than a year and 25% for six months to a year. 92% of B2B companies feel ABM is a must-have, according to research from Demandbase. The momentum behind Account Based Marketing has been growing rapidly and in 2020 it will be even hotter.
The B2B marketing world moves faster than ever, many of these trends are long term and multi year. Visual, experiential content that is easy to find and satisfies business buyer’s needs to be informed, entertained and inspired will continue to be areas of focus.
