The Top 4 B2B Digital Marketing Trends for 2016

As B2B marketers welcome the New Year, it’s important to keep up with the evolving changes in the online marketing space. Predictions and trends play a large role in determining how an organization plans budgets for the year. As social medial continues to permeate all aspects of our lives, it is important for B2B marketing professionals to stay ahead of the competition. According to Jed Singer’s “8 B2B Digital Marketing Predictions for 2016,” spending on content marketing is expected to see a 51 percent increase.

Below are four noteworthy B2B marketing trends to pay attention to in 2016:

Companies will increase investments in content marketing.
Over the past several years, there has been a steady increase in spending on content marketing and 2016 is expected to be no different. For most B2B organizations, content marketing is an effective way to help pull prospects through the Buyer Journey faster as a result of providing relevant, timely content. Content marketing is also highly valuable because it serves to educate and engage with prospects in the buyer process.

Employees will become digital brand advocates.
Engaging staff in an organization’s online marketing efforts is crucial because when prospects are moving through the buyer journey, they’re now examining and gathering information from review platforms like Glassdoor or LinkedIn so it’s key to present a unified presence online. Are employees “liking” or “sharing” the latest news and updates? When prospects/buyers see a unified front, they are more willing to do business with a B2B organization. This consistency is important not just on standard social media channels, but on sites like Glassdoor, Yelp, LinkedIn and other professional networks. Employee social advocacy programs have grown by 191 percent since 2013 and are expected to continue growing over the next few years.

Social selling is the new norm.
Now that so much “selling” takes place in the digital world, it makes sense to meet buyers where they spend the most amount of time: online. Social selling is now relationship-based instead of transaction-based, focusing on the idea of nurturing online relationships and listening to buyers in order to discover their interests. While social media was initially used as an effective method of pushing out sales messages, it’s now evolved into a listening tool for sales teams. As a LinkedIn Sales Solutions Blog post notes, “If you dominate the conversation, you lose the chance to learn what your prospects actually want. The more you listen, the better equipped you are to offer a personalized value proposition.”

Video content will dominate.
Engaging video content gets noticed by companies of all sizes. Video apps like Meerkat and Vine are growing in number and the constant use of smartphones has made developing new content faster and easier, whether it’s well-scripted content or sharing of momentary experiences. Videos capture the attention and invite longer engagement. In a 2014 Einsight blog post, we noted that eighty-three percent of human learning is visual and because we’re now on our mobile devices 24/7, video is the perfect medium to deliver brand messaging. Videos are quick, concise and the delivery method for audiences today. While videos can quickly grab someone’s attention, they also have the power to enrich the buyer journey for B2B prospects.

How are these B2B online marketing trends going to impact healthcare, technology and insurance organizations in 2016? Are there any trends you’d like to highlight that we didn’t mention in this blog? Leave us a comment!

If you’re in healthcare, insurance, technology or other professional services industries, and need help with a PR, marketing or social media campaign, contact Scott Public Relations.