by Jorge Borges
In 2024, several trends are set to shape the B2B marketing arena, from personalization to AI-powered data-driven-decisions. After attending a couple of international industry events, I’ve destiled insights and notes into 7 major trends that (IMHO) will define B2B landscape in the coming year and beyond.
Trend 1. Personalization Takes Center Stage
Personalization is no longer a mere trend; it is the vanguard in B2B marketing. Instead of pursuing generic approaches, businesses are making a profound shift towards crafting hyper-personalized experiences that resonate with their clients. It’s about understanding not just the needs but the very essence of each customer.
Embracing personalization has a profound impact on your overall marketing strategy, fostering long-term customer loyalty. People prefer feeling connected to the things they buy and the companies they support. Giving “b2b relationships” a human touch is guaranteed to connect better with your desired audience, but understanding how to connect with that audience is also a key part of your marketing strategy.
At the core of personalization is the art of segmentation. No longer are mass emails the strategy of choice- Hyper-segmenting the audience will be the new standard. This approach results in substantially higher engagement, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Personalization extends beyond the content; it is about enhancing the overall customer journey.
Trend 2. Surfing the (huge) AI wave
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not just another wave – it’s Nazaré’s HUGE 30ft wave. It’s not another tech hype – it will be the biggest B2B marketing trend for 2024, so you should prepare your business to surf it successfully.
AI enables businesses to gather and analyze vast amounts of customer data, providing insights that help tailor marketing campaigns and personalize customer experiences. AI-powered chatbots are gaining prominence for enhancing customer engagement and streamlining communication (Salesforce just announced their AI studio so you can build your own genAI-chatbot-interface)
Moreover, taking into consideration that the majority of B2B customer journeys start (or are validated) with online search, you need to fine-tune your content strategy, by ensuring your brand remains not just visible but relevant in this new LLM (Large Language Model) AI search paradigm.
2 crucial SEO strategies to stay relevant in this new generative AI era:
#Keep building authority – by being a primary source, an expert AI search will likewise prioritize content from authoritative sources;
#Be present in data sources that AI trains on – Generative AI will become better and better at parsing unstructured data from various sources — some of which we’ve been safely ignoring pre-AI;
Overall takeaway: continue to publish original and quality content, quickly. Do that all at once, and LLM AI search will be sure to reward you with visibility.
Trend 3 – Connect through Emotional Storytelling
It may look a paradox, but in this techy-AI-everywhere new world, a shift towards more humanized storytelling is imperative. The rationale behind this shift is rooted in the fact that the analytical minds of B2B buyers are consistently inundated with information. In such a climate, traditional methods are losing their effectiveness.
Picture yourself as a potential customer, bombarded with content that solely focuses on solving problems and fulfilling practical needs. Emotional storytelling involves the art of crafting narratives that resonate with your audience on a deeper level, eliciting genuine emotions and forging a connection. It goes beyond the transactional and taps into the realms of personal interests, aspirations, and attitudes.
Trend 4. Building trust by using Influencer Marketing
More than 50% of B2B buyers get product information through social media and that’s increasing, rapidly. Influencer marketing enables businesses to tap into industry experts or thought leaders to reach a wider audience and build trust. Building relationships with influencers is essential, and it starts with thorough research to identify relevant influencers in your industry.
Leveraging influencers for content promotion is also a valuable strategy. Their endorsement can increase brand visibility and credibility, ultimately driving traffic, generating leads, and increasing brand awareness in B2B marketing.
Trend 5. Embracing the Power of Video
Video is becoming increasingly popular in B2B marketing tools. Videos offer a dynamic way to convey complex B2B solutions effectively, and they can go viral, significantly increasing brand visibility and reach.
Moreover, videos can be interactive, allowing viewers to actively engage with the content. Interactive videos create a more immersive experience, making it more likely for viewers to remember and connect with your brand.
Repurposing is another key strategy in video marketing. By creating videos that have a longer shelf life, you can extend the reach and impact of your content, leading to better lead generation results.
Trend 6. Building a Community to Strengthen Your Brand
Building a community around your brand is a powerful trend in B2B marketing. A strong community enhances customer loyalty and advocacy while reinforcing trust and brand credibility.
Communities provide a safe space for like-minded individuals, such as your customers, to interact and share opinions on specific topics, resulting in value for all participants.
To create a successful community, it should have a defined niche, provide members with value, be easy to join, facilitate connections, and maintain a clear code of conduct. Building a community also involves being present where your audience spends their time, ensuring your community is seen, and can easily attract new members.
(nothing new here 😉 Only simpler and more effective to implement using technology & collaboration tools)
Trend 7 – d-AI-ta driven strategy
In trend 3, we explored the creative side of marketing. Now, let’s delve into the left side – the analytical one, as AI is transforming how we operate, with more processes and decisions relying on data.
Data-driven decision-making has been the marketing holy grail for some years, by systematically gathering and studying data to find patterns, connections, and trends. That analysis can guide marketing strategies, making sure decisions are based on evidence, not just gut feelings. This (hopefully) leads to better predictions, adaptable strategies, and more accurate measurement of success.
The key to this approach is getting precise and relevant data. Marketers can use various sources like customer feedback, web data, social media engagement, sales information, and customer insights to better understand their audience, market dynamics, and how past marketing efforts performed.
The new magic pill is AI which analyzes large amounts of data and uses predictive analysis, a powerful tool in B2B marketing campaigns. Businesses will use AI to identify potential customers who are most likely to be interested in specific product offerings or solutions.
