Gone are the days when global marketing and media conglomerates would scoop up small, specialized agencies that operate somewhat independently of each other. This model made for a maze of relationships and connections for clients to navigate. Today, B2B companies want a single agency with a cross-functional team skilled in all areas of inbound and outbound marketing.
What Are the Latest Advancements in Inbound Marketing?
Some inbound marketing trends are easy to dismiss as not applying to B2B companies. The truth, however, is that strategies such as Facebook ads and Messenger bots work just as well for B2B companies as B2C. Consider yourself as an example. After work, you might cruise social media sites other than LinkedIn. B2B companies need to change their thinking about Facebook and realize their target audience spends time there, too. And people on Facebook want to improve their professional lives just as much as those on LinkedIn. The key is to reach out where and when your ideal buyers are online.
Off-site publishing sites like Medium.com are popular with your target audience. B2B marketers need to rethink their content strategies to include those that target mobile phone users and the apps they use to consume content, like Medium’s app. With off-site publishing, you may reach an entirely new audience who has never heard of you. So, you’ll want content marketing and SEO strategies that set you up as a thought leader in these new arenas.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and account-based marketing (ABM) are skyrocketing in use, and search engine optimization (SEO) continuously evolves. Agencies are using more tools than ever to deliver inbound marketing services. It will be imperative moving forward to offer high-quality, relevant content that grabs readers’ attention and keeps them coming back for more. Content will range from long-form articles and blog posts to video, podcasts, and more.
How Are Agencies Adapting to Changing Markets and New Technologies?
First, inbound marketing agencies that focus on exploding mobile use will have a head start this year. More people are using their smartphones and other mobile devices to access the internet. B2B companies need to position themselves on mobile devices and apps that take advantage of a smaller screen. You need to make sure your website is mobile-friendly before implementing any inbound marketing strategies.
Digital marketing encompasses both your online and offline presence. For example, B2B companies can now interact with their target audience online days and even weeks before an offline event like a trade show. They can continue a digital presence during the trade show that is congruent to their offline presence on the exhibition floor. Afterward, they can use their digital connection to keep their brand front and center in prospects’ minds.
To stay ahead of your competitors, you must use the wealth of data available to help you segment and target your ideal buyers and personalize all messages. An inbound marketing agency will excel at finding and using data analytics to create the most successful inbound campaigns that generate significant ROI. Besides data, savvy B2B Marketers are latching onto tech-enabled media buying to help them make the most of their marketing budgets and their precious time.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning will help transform media buying in the next few years. They will create a level of transparency that eliminates the current level of click fraud perpetrated in social media today. This will help companies maximize their ROI and manage their marketing spend better.
What This Means for B2B Companies
B2B marketers should focus on a best-in-class inbound marketing agency capable of creating high-quality, integrated customer experiences that delight and amaze. As marketing platforms and channels continue to shift and change, agencies with a cross-functional team of specialized talent who can work omni-channel campaigns will be most in demand.
Siloed agencies will fall by the wayside as full-service, award-winning agencies will offer a “cost-plus” pricing model that provides a solid ROI. The new inbound marketing agencies are nimble and experimental. They invest in leveraging innovative technologies and strategies like augmented or virtual reality and can scale any campaign to achieve significant results.
Finding the Right Partner
Are you looking to partner with an inbound marketing agency to drive more leads to your business? Make sure to look for an agency with solid experience in branding and creative services, digital marketing (both inbound and outbound), media buying, market research, and public relations. A single agency can provide a data-driven strategy that enhances your customers’ experience, generates leads, and converts those leads.
Inbound marketing is increasingly integral to a B2B company’s holistic marketing programs. A proven inbound marketing agency, such as KEO Marketing, can provide the user experience and user interface marketers are clamoring for with a one-brand, one-agency experience. You will not get this with a global conglomerate with fractured, siloed agencies.
Are you up to speed on the latest inbound marketing strategies? This post describes top advancements and what to look for in an inbound marketing agency.
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