by teamB2B marketing trends to watch out for in 2023
March 24, 2023Top 6 trends that will dominate B2B digital marketing in 2023
Social media platforms keep evolving, your customers’ habits are ever-changing, and the offline “visibility” of any B2B company is bound hand and foot with its successful online presence. After all, this must be the reason you are reading this right now. But, what does a successful online presence entail? It basically means you will have to stand out in a vast field of competitors who are, in turn, doing their best to stand out to users. That’s where trends come in. They have the most appearances on social media, and they are most likely to catch your audience’s attention.
What does that mean, in turn, for you? Trends are the be-all and end-all base of your digital strategy.
In the digital environment, you have to be constantly on the lookout for trends and we have gathered the top 6 that you certainly do not want to brush aside.
1. Social media marketing trends for B2B companies
Extend your presence on social media other than Facebook and LinkedIn
It can be extremely tempting to limit your presence to 2 platforms. It is the easy way, and as a B2B, Facebook and LinkedIn are the top contestants, but this way you are missing out on the value Instagram, YouTube, or even TikTok can add to your brand.
| According to a Hubspot research Instagram Reels, Tik Tok, and YouTube shorts are gaining ground, Resulting in the highest ROI (Return of investment) of any Social media strategy. |
But, let’s not take it too far; we are in no way suggesting you extend your presence on every platform (especially if you do not have a solid strategy). Find the networks where your audience is present and those that line up with your professional goals and focus on building your social media presence there.
If you truly get the hang of TikTok, Instagram, and any other platform that interests you and you produce content tailored to them, you will end up asking yourself why you hadn’t made that move sooner.
2. Trends in Β2Β Content marketing
2.1 Original content from original B2B brands
Your clients are interested in a brand’s authenticity, now more than ever. To put it in numbers: 88% of consumers have stated that they need to trust the brand before moving forward with any purchase. As a result, you have the obligation and opportunity to use your digital communication strategy, in order to show up your company’s philosophy, values, vision, and mission, as well as your differentiating factor from your competition. A simple company and premises tour will not do the work anymore. Your audience is looking to be educated and to hear about your people, stories, and values. You need an authentic tone of voice, directly addressing your potential clients and inviting them to interact.
Extra tip: Social media are also a great passageway to convey your brand’s mindset towards environmental or sociological issues and the values you advocate.
2.2 Focus on short-videos
If there is one single kind of content expected to prevail in 2023, it’s short videos.
But how short? Ideally, your videos should last anywhere from 30 to 60 seconds and 21 to 30 seconds. Videos lasting 2 to 3 minutes and those lasting less than 10 seconds are the ones you should definitely avoid (with the exception of TikTok).
Meanwhile, Hubspot research showed that 96% of marketers agree that the ideal duration of a marketing video is less than 10 minutes.
What you could present in a video:
- FAQ for your products, services, or field of industry
- Customer reviews
- Your employees and word culture
- A behind-the-scenes look at your company
- Interviews
2.3 Educate your B2B audience through your carousel posts
Carousels are, with great certainty, one of the content forms you will have to include in your strategy for 2023. Why? Simply because they have the highest engagement rate compared to other content.
On most platforms, you are able to work with up to 10 slides, allowing you to talk about your products. Make sure to make it eye-catching, forcing the user to stop scrolling and take a look at your post, and encourage interaction with your content.
Ways you could use a carousel post as a B2B company:
- Promote a number of products at once
- Post a set of reviews and testimonials
- Analyze the characteristics or factions of a product or service
Tip: Don’t forget to include a Call to Action fitting to each slide, inviting the users to visit your website, move forward with a purchase, or any other move on their part.
3. Purpose-driven marketing for Β2Β companies
Clients are becoming more and more cautious when they buy products or services. They are looking to buy from brands devoted to a cause. Thus, purpose-driven marketing has a well-deserved spot in B2B trends for 2023. But what exactly is purpose-driven marketing?
| Purpose-driven marketing A strategy used by an organization to center its external communications efforts around a social cause that aligns with its core values. |
As a B2B company, you will have to find a way to point out not only the goals that guide your actions and the purposes you support but also your contribution to your community. The new generation of consumers has higher standards regarding ethics and expects a company to take a stand regarding environmental and social issues. Just to be more clear: the consumer’s wish to only be related to purpose-driven companies means that brands that increase their focus on social issues are bound to increase their revenue.
But how can you actually work purpose-driven marketing into your content:
- Post behind-the-scenes content
- Share employee testimonials
- Share social responsibility acts (ex. Afforestation)
4. Influencers και brand ambassadors in B2B
A trend coming straight from B2C to take over B2B.
But let’s focus on the rising question: What are the main differences between influencers and brand ambassadors? Simplified, while influencers may rapidly increase your sales and their contacts are short-term, brand ambassadors will build relationships of trust between your brand and your potential clients, that will last. Keep in mind your goals as you make your choice, or build a strategy that will combine both.
Keep in mind that when you hear influencers, you shouldn’t automatically assume that it will be a famous and well-known figure. Micro-influencers (creators with less than 15k followers) have the highest engagement rate on most platforms, Tik Tok and YouTube included.
Also, an influencer or brand ambassador for your company could be someone that you didn’t imagine. It could be a coworker, an old satisfied client, a friend, or an affiliate that is especially active on social media.
5. Use AI and many support channels for B2B
The online service to offer your clients now affects your overall presence and success. Nowadays, 61% of any B2B company’s transactions come from the digital environment. Inevitably, you have to offer a variety of digital support channels.
- Emails
- Live chat & instant messaging εφαρμογές
- Social media
- Apps
- SMS
- FAQ chatbots
- AI ChatGPT
in order to stand out from your competitors, you have to make sure every question addressed to you on social media is answered, your audience interacts with you, and your content is a cause for discussion.
ChatGPT for B2B
As a B2B you are always looking for new ways of reaching your target audience and growing your business. You may already be using some sort of chatbot, but have you considered all the advantages AI-operated chatbots have? They offer the ability to automate any interaction with your clients and go as far as having a personalized discussion with them in real-time.
Not only does it improve the overall experience of your clients, but it also simultaneously leads to an increase in sales. You will have the ability to respond to leads with unprecedented speed without just giving standardized answers. Your messages are directed at specific users and add value to the communication you have with your clients.
Timing is everything in the B2B world, and that’s another point ChatGPT contributes to. Every potential client has a quick and fast communication channel with a representative, simply with the use of a button, decreasing the bounce rate of your website.
6. Paid social media marketing for your B2B business
A paid social media presence is still a must in 2023. In comparison to organic content, paid advertisement, especially when combined with a good strategy, generates results fast while increasing your exposure to a new audience.
It is estimated that 95% of B2B marketers use Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn to raise their visibility and create an organic online audience.
In an effective paid social media strategy, ads are shared in many different channels to maximize their chance of success.
But, when we are looking to secure leads, LinkedIn is the media that should be at the center of your interest. Your B2B audience is mostly present there, at least a big part of it, and the platform itself offers all the tools you may need.
You should still keep in mind that using LinkedIn as a Lead Generation source requires a solid strategy plan, methodology, and a strong comprehension of your field and audience. That’s why it may be a good idea to address a coworker with experience so that the resources you invest will offer the results you hope for.
At BOLDOT, as a digital agency specializing in B2B marketing, we know firsthand how fast trends evolve and change and how important and useful a well-structured marketing strategy can be proven.
If you wish to build your strategy and take the online presence of your B2B company one step further, we would be glad to have you get in touch with us.