9 B2B Digital Marketing Trends for the New Year

Jill Dow

CEO

Digital marketing trends might not be what you asked Santa for this year, but hey, who couldn’t use some fantastic tips for the year ahead?

A big theme for the coming year is creating a personalized experience for your audience. By giving your customers what they are looking for, they’ll be sure to come back for more.

One of the new ways that marketers can communicate is through AI (artificial intelligence). By optimizing responses with AI and digital tools, you’ll be able to target customer needs more accurately.

1. Interactive Content Experience

Everybody is busy—especially B2B buyers. Making your content interactive saves them time – giving them what they want before they even know they want it. A quick way to do this is with chatbots and customizable content on your site based on the user journey.

2. Better B2B Video Marketing

Most companies lack visual punch on their website. Lots of words, not much wow!

Buyers want bitesize information – and they love video.

If you are stuck for content ideas, here are a couple of simple ones:

• Introductions for your team – show the world your thought leaders and their personalities.
• Product and service demonstrations
• Tutorials and post-purchase support
• Informative industry news and content

3. Make the Most of Digital Events

Digital events were huge this year. And 2022 shows no signs of that ending.

We predict that in-person will make a comeback, but the scope and range of digital events and conferences promises a broader audience and exposure.

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4. Artificial Intelligence

We started out talking about AI and want to circle back to it. AI has surged in B2B marketing this year. According to Forbes, today, 84% of marketers use AI in their strategies compared to just 29% in 2018. From voice to chat to digital assistants and mobile tech & apps AI related functions will play a huge role in digital marketing.

While AI is huge, using it wisely is another story. In 2022, we’ll see marketers investing more in AI and its awesome capabilities.

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5. Predictive Analytics

While popular in the consumer sector, Predictive Analytics is still new for B2B because B2B brands often struggle to get their data integrity straight.

When used correctly predictive analytics can use data to read customer signals and respond with relevant offers and information in real-time – bridging the gap between back end data and front-end consumer facing interfaces.

6. Humanized Marketing Strategies

Ironically, AI can humanize your marketing strategy – treating people as people instead of sales figures can lead to increased conversion and sales.

When your customers get the information that matches their stage of the decision funnel, they feel appreciated and listened to.

7. Augmented and Virtual Reality

B2B companies are starting to see the benefits of augmented reality, realizing it’s more than just a “cool thing” to have. They are innovating their sales presentations, product demos, and brand contact points through augmented reality.

If you’re curious, check out these use cases.

8. Open the Gate

For this one, we ask you to take off your marketing hat and put on your consumer hat.

How many of us skip gated content or input a fake email? We thought so!

Instead of invasive forms with five or more fields, we’ll see microforms that only ask for a business email address and country location.

9. B2B Influencers

Influencers are a big thing. Just check out the bling around the Kardashians.

But while B2C influencers can be problematic, influencers in the B2B space can be a huge benefit in thought leadership, brand perception, efficacy of use and in launching new products.

Influencers in the B2B space can be used in webinars, webchats, on-line tutorials or customized case studies. Although this type of influencer marketing is more of a slow build than B2C influencers, it is often more trusted and beneficial to both parties.

So that’s our quick rundown of some of the B2B marketing trends we’re watching out for in the coming year. We hope they sparked some new and fun ways to market your brand.

And do let us know if we can help you bring these innovations to your brand this coming year.