A lot has unfolded in the marketing world over the last year: changes to privacy laws, advancements in AI, social algorithm updates, etc. But what do these developments and other hot topics mean for B2B marketing strategies now? Here are a few key areas we are keeping our eyes on.
First-party data
Privacy laws like the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) and its Universal Opt-Out Mechanism (UOOM) gained traction, enabling more users to opt out of third-party cookies. Google has been implementing stricter measures, creating challenges for marketers who rely on third-party data for audience targeting. Although Google’s third-party data phaseout plans are on hold, privacy will remain an important topic.
Marketers must collect first-party data to create personalized, strategic campaigns. Consider developing strategies to collect customer data, including marketing automation conversations, website activity, and campaign forms. As long as you offer high-quality, relevant content and solutions, the data should flow when your customers are ready.
Using AI as a tool
AI is being used more widely, but your AI pilot must know how to use it effectively–your output will only be as good as your input, and the skills and expertise take time to master. It can drive website chatbots for customer support and immediate engagement, lead to predictive audiences in channels like LinkedIn, test mobile apps, and quickly analyze market trends. The key is knowing when to use it and ensuring you get the most from it. We’re excited to develop our proprietary AI methods further to assist in parts of our process.
Video is still hot
According to a study done by the Content Marketing Institute, 72% of B2B marketers will utilize video as a lead generation tool this year. There are so many video types, including webinars, tutorials, explainers, and case studies; finding what works best to communicate your message to resonate with your audience is critical. We’ve included videos in our campaign plans for years and continually find new ways to repurpose them. Creating a video is not a small investment, so using snippets, creating shorts, and finding new platforms and channels to test will make the investment more worthwhile and give you measurable data to help determine your next move.
Social media matters
It’s no secret that LinkedIn remains a high-value platform in the B2B world, but many companies don’t think about the more off-the-beaten B2B-path platforms like Reddit. With so many relevant subreddits to choose from–for B2B, think /chemistry, /additivemanufacturing, or /nutraceuticalscience–users are seeking relevant and accurate information. Recent Google algorithm updates lead to increased visibility, too, since Reddit content ranks on SERP pages as long as it’s keyword-rich, engaging, and high-quality.
TL; DR
Whether prioritizing first-party data collection to navigate stricter privacy laws, leveraging AI, integrating video into the mix, or exploring social platforms like Reddit, the focus remains on delivering value. As we move forward, the key is to ensure that every tool and trend works toward driving measurable results.
