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As the b2b marketing industry prepares for 2020, some marketers may find themselves eagerly anticipating new trends, while others are feeling apprehensive. After all, 2020 isn’t just a new year; it’s a new decade altogether. At a time where the sales funnel has become obsolete, topic clusters rule SEO, and machine learning is proving its worth to marketers, anything seems possible in the future.
Could this finally be the decade where flying cars become reality!? We’re probably not there just yet—but here are some b2b marketing trends your company can expect to see in 2020.
1. Social media will continue to thrive in b2b marketing
It’s long been stated that social media isn’t just a b2c strategy; it looks like 2020 will prove this once again. The vast majority of your b2b marketing prospects and customers are using social media in their daily lives. Sharing relevant content and insights is key for b2b marketers to engage with their audience, but the challenge comes from using social media strategically. You can’t expect to haphazardly share a new post every day and see your impressions and engagement increase. While it’s helpful to have a calendar for your social posting, you’ll want to capitalize on rising trends as they occur and substitute scheduled posts as needed. Staying up-to-date on industry trends makes a big difference in social media marketing!
Selecting the right platform will also be critical for a social media strategy in 2020. According to Forbes, around 80% of business leads come from LinkedIn, with 94% of marketers making use of the platform for publishing. Other channels, such as FaceBook or Twitter, can still be used as well, but it’s important to analyze how much of your audience is actually engaging on those social networks.
2. Chatbots are becoming a major asset for lead generation
Chatbots played a role in many b2b marketing strategies last year. For 2020, more marketers will want to look into them as a viable lead generation tool. Chatbots are able to respond to visitors on your website in real-time, providing answers to common questions they may have. Questions are set up manually, which can be used to qualify leads and pass them over to your sales team via live chat. If your b2b marketing company is struggling with lead generation, incorporating a personalized chatbot into your strategy will be a helpful tactic for 2020.
3. More visual and video content will be used in 2020
The old saying goes, “content is king.” In that case, video content is a step above that—it’s an emperor. Video is statistically more engaging than readable content, as it’s easier to digest and more approachable than reading blocks of text. For 2020, b2b marketing companies will want to use more visual and video content to provide greater engagement with their audience. Here are a few ways video content will dominate 2020:
- Short videos will be used as snackable pieces to share via social media. These are often seen as auto-playing video snippets that appear on your newsfeed.
- Content that focuses on imagery—such as an infographic or interactive Slideshare—help provide stronger user engagement.
- Instagram will remain an excellent platform for marketing companies looking to share visual content such as web design samples and brand logos.
- Light animation can bring your b2b website to life and encourage more visitors to interact with your website. For example, this can include text that slides onto the screen, images that fade in upon scrolling, or animated dropdown menus in your website’s navigation bar.
4. Account-Based Marketing (ABM) will keep its momentum in 2020
Show of hands, who has started using account-based marketing (ABM) this past year? For some b2b marketers, it ABM feels like addressing an elephant in the room. It’s a concept that’s been around for a few years now—and we all seem to know about how important it can be—but it’s not until recently that it really started to make its way to the forefront of b2b marketing.
The philosophy behind ABM is that your company is targeting specific accounts in a market through the use of personalized campaigns. This means that each account will have a different strategy behind it. If it sounds like a lot more work, it certainly can be! However, it’s undeniably a huge asset for b2b marketing in 2020, and it’s significance in terms of lead generation and nurture cannot be stressed enough.
The new year is almost upon us. Is your b2b marketing company ready for these 2020 trends? If you’re looking for more marketing, branding, and website design insights, check out thinkdm2’s blog! We’re a New Jersey digital marketing and branding agency that specializes in the professional services and technology industries.
