Q3 Wrap-Up: What’s Changed For B2B Marketers & What’s Ahead in 2020?

We've now reached the end of the third quarter of 2019, one filled with many significant B2B marketing changes and several surprising twists and turns that will combine to affect how the industry moves forward as we enter Q4 and push forward to 2020. Q3 saw numerous exciting shifts in new directions, and a few seemingly slight changes in course that are nonetheless poised to make big impacts in 2020. We're always working to bring you the most relevant B2B marketing news, including over 180 weekly industry news videos, hosted by Tiffani Allen, Joshua Nite and others here on our blog and on our TopRank Marketing YouTube channel. Each quarter we reflect on what's happened in digital marketing and look ahead with key trends. Let's examine both the challenges and opportunities the quarter's top B2B marketing news has brought our industry.

The Digital Marketing Sights and Sounds of Q3

When It Comes to Digital Marketing Spending …

Forecasts from the third quarter showed that global digital advertising spending is expected to continue to rise. In the U.S. alone digital ad spending grew to $28.4 billion for the first quarter of 2019, up 18 percent from the same quarter a year ago. (ClickZ) What Else?

• • Digital advertising spending was up nearly 20 percent in the second quarter of 2019, according to study data that also highlighted the comparatively greater number of small-to-medium size firms using digital versus traditional formats. (Broadcasting & Cable)
  • Digital advertising expenditures in the U.S. increased by 18 percent year-over-over from the first quarter of 2018, hitting $28.4 billion, with paid search comprising some 40%, according to IAB report data. (ClickZ)
  • By 2021 global digital advertising spending is predicted to increase by 47 percent from 2019, with ad expenditure growth up by 5.3 percent, according to Zenith. (MarketingProfs)
  • Amazon cut into Google’s advertising market share during the quarter, garnering ad revenue growth of 53 percent for sponsored brands and 102 percent for sponsored products, while Google spending growth slowed from the prior quarter. Microsoft’s Bing also saw desktop ad spending growth, its strongest since 2016. (MediaPost)
  • Revenues from advertising on social media and messaging platforms climbed 26.2 percent year-over-year during the first quarter of 2019, but at a slower rate than last year. (Mobile Marketing Magazine)
  • Forrester Research released a report looking at the strong growth of Amazon ads and how the company’s rise is affecting an array of rivals from Facebook to agencies and ad-tech firms. (Marketing Dive)
  • Mobile advertising within apps saw impressions increase by 26 percent in the second quarter of 2019 compared to last year, and in-app mobile video is increasingly driving ad spending. (MarTech Advisor)
  • 73 percent of B2B senior-level executives use more sources when researching and evaluating purchases than they did last year. (MarketingCharts)
  • By 2021 podcast advertising is expected to top $1 billion in annual revenue, IAB predicted. (The Verge)
  • Digital video advertising spending has seen continued growth according to IAB study data, with the average survey advertiser projected to spend $18 million in 2019, up from 2018’s $14.2 million. (Adweek)
  • 63% of B2B companies plan to moderately raise spending on email marketing, with top goals being increased engagement, conversion, and lead generation, some of the trends of interest to digital marketers among forecast data released during Q3 by GetResponse and Ascend. (MediaPost)
  • Some 65 percent of marketers see high-quality data as the most important element for campaign success, while also estimating that roughly 21 percent of marketing spending goes towards poor quality data. (MediaPost)

Read more on this topic:

• The Currency of Influence in Marketing — Buy, Sell, or Trade
• Zari Venhaus’s Framework for Gaining Executive Buy-In for Marketing Technology #CMWorld

When It Comes to Search Marketing …

Q3 saw the release of data showing that for the first time most Google searches don’t yield subsequent clicks, with 50.33 percent ending on the search giant’s result page, and 45.25 percent of searches resulting in organic clicks and 4.42 percent in paid advertisement clicks. (SparkToro) What Else?

• Google gave content creators the ability to incorporate multiple thumbnail images from the same video, which will all appear in search results linked to various spots within a video, using custom markup code. (TechCrunch)
• Audience targeting is the top search marketing technology affecting search engine marketing strategy. At 86 percent, audience targeting topped keywords, which came in at 83 percent, and re-marketing, which had 76 percent, Q3 survey data showed. (MarketingCharts)
• Google has made new image tracking data derived from recent changes to Google Image Search available in its Search Console feature, including an array of swipe-to-visit image analytics and other mobile AMP-centric features of interest to marketers. (Search Engine Journal)
• Jumping up a single position in Google search results can boost click-through-rates by over 30 percent, and online content containing questions within page titles saw 14.1 percent higher CTR rates — two insights from a Google search result analysis published during the quarter. (Backlinko)
• Google rolled out playable podcast episodes that appear directly in search results, presenting both new visibility opportunities along with attribution and analytics challenges for marketers and brands. (Engadget)
• Facebook began offering more advertisers options for inserting ads within search results on its platform, including new news feed campaign options for marketers. (Search Engine Journal)
• A Q3 Marin Software survey showed that paid search accounts for 40 percent of digital ad spending, with paid social just under 20 percent. (ClickZ)
• Digital marketers using Bing search advertisements got new insights from Microsoft Advertising, which added to the metrics data available including those relating to impressions and “prominence metrics.” (Search Engine Journal)

Read more on this topic:

• What the Future of Google Search Means for B2B Marketers
• What’s Missing In Your B2B Marketing Strategy? 5 Key Elements You Don’t Want to Overlook

When It Comes to Content Marketing …

During the third quarter report data showed that B2B marketers see in-person events, content marketing, traditional e-mail, and paid social as the most effective B2B marketing channels. (MarketingCharts) What Else?

• Facebook began testing the elimination of “like” counts in news-feed posts, a move echoing a similar shift from tests conducted with its Instagram property — aimed at placing greater focus on content and less on like counts. (TechCrunch)
• Among senior B2B marketers, a sizable 82 percent viewed content as important for achieving marketing goals, however only 48 percent believed their content was only somewhat effective — or even ineffective. (ClickZ)
• 80 percent of B2B buyers expect a B2C-like experience, while 47 percent read between three and five pieces of content before initiating sales contact communication. (Webbiquity)
• YouTube video content was the subject of a Q3 Pew Research study that examined popular channels with 250K or more subscribers. Among them, just 10 percent produced 70 percent of the content, the research showed. (Social Media Today)
• Facebook announced new features aimed at helping creators monetize content, including several new placement choices for video advertisements, brand collaboration enhancements, and Creator Studio additions. (Marketing Land)
• B2B marketers see their websites as an effective method for building awareness, however the sites often fail to offer compelling content and directly answer top questions, according to Q3 research from Forrester. The best sites engage using interactive visuals, useful tools, and experiences that demonstrate a keen audience understanding, the study revealed. (MediaPost)

Read more on this topic:

• 5 Unexpected Content Marketing Benefits of B2B Podcasting
• Lee Odden Shares His Secret to Content Marketing Fitness #CMWorld

When It Comes to Social Media …

Q3 saw a number of reports detailing the health of social media and how marketers, brands, and consumers use various platforms, and the technology as a whole. Liking posts topped a Q3 list of how people interact with brands on social media platforms, at 51 percent, followed by 31 percent who leave reviews, while millennials are more likely to purchase due to social ads. (Social Media Today) What Else?

• Twitter is foremost a “look at this” social media destination, YouTube is primarily a learning target, while Instagram and Facebook fall into the “look at me” category. (Adweek)
• Consumer conversations about brands share very little crossover from social media listening and offline discussion, according to study data released during the quarter that looks at real-world and social media interaction differences and similarities. (Marketing Land)
• 60 percent of regular emoji users like brands using emojis that match their own personality, and 51 percent are more likely to comment on social media posts from brands that use emojis. (MarketingCharts)
• 56 percent of Gen X consumers find too much advertising on social platforms, and 42 percent don’t like brand social interaction. (eMarketer)

Read more on this topic:

• Margaret Shepard Shares How Mayo Clinic Built its Facebook Live Broadcast Strategy #DSMPLS
• 5 Top B2B Brands Delivering Exemplary Twitter Engagement

When It Comes to Influencer Marketing …

Implementation of B2B influencer marketing continued its growth during Q3. Influencer advertisements were also seen to have generated 277 percent more emotional intensity and 87 percent more memory encoding than traditional television ads, according to Q3 survey data that also examined the varying effectiveness of macro, micro, and celebrity influencers. (eMarketer) What Else?

• Global spending for influencer marketing will top $5 billion and could reach as high as $10 billion over the next two years, during which time 57 percent of marketers expect to add the practice to their marketing activities. (Social Media Today)
• Influencer marketing spending in the U.S. and Canada has seen 83 percent year-over-year growth, accompanied by second-quarter spending of $442 million. (The Drum)
• 70 percent of U.S. consumers who use social media platforms and follow at least one influencer say they trust the opinions of influencers at least as much as those of their own friends, with 78 percent trusting influencer opinions over those presented in traditional digital ads. (MediaPost)
• Pinterest and LinkedIn (client) are increasingly seeing social influencers utilizing the platforms, and finding new audiences and success with online video. (CNN)
• Micro and niche-influencers are forging stronger target audience connections and boosting long-term loyalty, while the use of traditional paid influencers among marketers has seen rising associated costs. (eMarketer)

Read more on this topic:

• 50 Content Marketing Influencers and Experts to Follow 2019 #CMWorld
• 11 Qualities You Should be Looking for to Find Your B2B Influencer Match

When It Comes to The TopRank Marketing Team …

The team at TopRank Marketing has had a busy, exciting, and productive Q3, and here are just a few of some of the team’s highlights in the press during the past quarter:

• Lee Odden: “B2B Doesn’t Have To Mean Boring To Boring” [Podcast] (B2B Marketing Exchange)
• Why Experience Matters [Video] (The New Economy)
• Eight Colors That Will Brightly Grow Your Personal Brand (Forbes)
• What Customer Experience Management Means For Today’s Business Ecosystem [Video] (Adobe Experience Cloud)
• How To Build A B2B Influencer Marketing Strategy For 2020 (Demand Gen Report)
• How to Build a B2B Influencer Marketing Strategy for 2020 [Infographic] (Social Media Today)
• The Stranger Things In B2B Marketing: 5 Ways to Avoid The Upside-Down of ABM (Engagio)
• Augmented And Virtual Reality: The Latest Engagement Drivers In B2B Marketing (Demand Gen Report)
• The Guide to B2B Influencer Marketing for CMOs [Infographic] (Social Media Today)
• A Shark’s Perspective – Episode 147 – Lee Odden [Podcast] (A Shark’s Perspective)
• 5 Crucial Ingredients for a Tremendous Content Marketing Strategy [Infographic] (Social Media Today)
• 5 Easy Ways Your Brand Can Use Twitter Video for More Engagement (Social Report)
• The Top B2B Influencer Marketing Trends for 2020 [Infographic] (Social Media Today)

Goodbye, Q3. Hello and Welcome, Q4.

B2B marketers, we hope that your Q4 is filled with plenty of success and innovation, and hope that you'll join us each week and keep up with the latest industry news, trends, and opportunities in our Digital Marketing News Roundup, with highlights and video commentary from Tiffani Allen and Joshua Nite. *Disclosure: LinkedIn and Adobe are TopRank Marketing clients.

The post Q3 Wrap-Up: What’s Changed For B2B Marketers & What’s Ahead in 2020? appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Article Source: http://bathseoexpert.blogspot.com/2019/09/q3-wrap-up-whats-changed-for-b2b.html

Digital Marketing News: Google Brings Multiple Thumbnails to Video Results, Facebook’s AR Ads Plan, Twitter Adds Multiple List Feature, & More

The post Digital Marketing News: Google Brings Multiple Thumbnails to Video Results, Facebook’s AR Ads Plan, Twitter Adds Multiple List Feature, & More appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Article Source: http://bathseoexpert.blogspot.com/2019/09/digital-marketing-news-google-brings.html

B2B Marketing Spotlight: Ty Heath on Optimizing ABM & Social Sales with LinkedIn #mpb2b

Ty Heath is one of those people who's reputation precedes them. I had heard of Ty as a marketing industry speaker and force for change working at LinkedIn before finally meeting her in person. The IRL Ty experience did not disappoint. Each time I meet with Ty, ideas pop like popcorn - who needs coffee with such inspiration around what's possible? Currently Ty is Global Lead of The B2B Institute at LinkedIn where she is responsible for scaling education on LinkedIn’s Marketing Solutions product globally. She has previously worked for major brands including IBM, Nestle and over 7 years at Google - plus she’s had her own consultancy. On top of that, Ty is Co-Founder of LinkedIn's annual TransformHER conference, was a contributing author in the recently published books "The Professional Black Woman” and the "Black Female Leader” and author of the book, "Marketers of Tomorrow: A Step by Step Toolkit for Inbound Marketing". Ty was also honored as one of the Top 25 Influential Women in Marketing Who Inspired Us in 2018. One thing you may not know about Ty is that she is a two time Olympic Trials qualifier in track and field for the 800 meters. I’ve known Ty for just over a year - we serve on an industry advisory council for The Digital Marketing Institute together and have many mutual friends and shared interests like B2B marketing, science fiction and brunch. Enjoy the full video interview below: Ty Heath on the Growth of ABM Many folks have been thinking about making account based marketing part of their go-to-market strategy or maybe it's already a part of it. I think the primary reason why that's happening is because buyers expect more. We've all gotten used to the experience that Amazon and Netflix, and other companies have created.

Business buyers expect more personalized attention and customization of content...and account-based marketing is a way to deliver on that. @tyrona

Even though we are in the space of B2B, that experience and those expectations are translating over from B2C. That expectation of personalization and level of knowledge around the buyer's needs. So, I think ABM is in demand more because of changing business customer expectations and account-based marketing is a way to deliver on that. Ty Heath on Alignment Beyond Sales and Marketing: At the core of a powerful account based marketing plan is a team that is invested in sales and marketing alignment. And frankly, when you think about account-based marketing it's not even just about sales and marketing. It's about having your entire team oriented to connect with customers wherever they are in their journey, wherever they touch your business and have them make that the best possible experience. Sales and marketing tend to be the two groups within your business that are most oriented towards having those conversations and having those touch points. Ty Heath on Ann Handley: I've been following her for so long. That's the thing. I'm one of the subscribers to MarketingProfs, but even before that, even earlier in my career as a marketer I read Content Rules. I read Everybody Writes. I've been following her for a long time. I think she is truly a pioneer as a woman in the space of B2B marketing. I think she's an amazing storyteller. Her ideas are clear. She's been an inspiration for me! Thanks Ty!  Bound for B2B Forum: For more information about imagining what’s possible in B2B marketing including Ty Heath's presenation, check out the MarketingProfs B2B Forum conference including agenda, list of speakers (including Ashley Zeckman and myself) and many other fun facts on the B2B Form website here. Also, get $100 off by using this mpb2b discount code: B2BFriends You can find more information about Ty on her website The Spectacled Marketer and follow her on Twitter here: @tyrona

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Article Source: http://bathseoexpert.blogspot.com/2019/09/b2b-marketing-spotlight-ty-heath-on.html

5 Top B2B Brands Delivering Exemplary Twitter Engagement

With more than 139 million active daily users and available in over 40 languages, Twitter has increasingly grown as a platform for both B2B and direct-to-consumer brands looking to creatively and effectively showcase products and services. Twitter has kept up a steady pace of new feature roll-outs over the past few years that have helped it make significant gains as a social media platform not just for consumers, but also for more professional business users than ever. It's also increasingly become a destination for all manner and size of brands, and the users who frequent Twitter expect an experience markedly different from that offered by LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. As the following chart from MarketingCharts shows, over the last year Twitter has seen increasing satisfaction among social media users. Since Twitter has launched so many new resources for brands to maximize their engagement on the platform — such as six-second viewable video ads — let’s take a look at how five large primarily B2B companies are using them to connect with audiences.

#1 — Adobe

Twitter profile: @Adobe 642,400 followers Twitter tagline: "Changing the world through digital experiences. " Adobe* has creatively used Twitter to engage with its audience of fans, using a plentiful variety of message post types, including many that incorporate innovative use of video. From a recent tweet announcing the firm’s latest drawing and painting app's arrival on iOS, to news of its subsidiary Marketo’s Fearless 50 list of top global marketers, Adobe keeps its Twitter messaging both lively and information for the 640,400 people following its page. Whether it’s a tweet celebrating World Interaction Design Day 2019 (IxDD) — a global happening featuring over 100 events in more than 40 countries focusing on interaction design's ability to improve the human condition, or a tweet looking ahead 10 years at the future of advertising, Adobe keeps its Twitter page both fun and relevant.

#2 — Deloitte

Twitter profile: @Deloitte 479,600 followers Twitter tagline: "Sharing the latest news, research, events and more from Deloitte Global and the Deloitte network of member firms." Multinational professional services network firm Deloitte uses a variety of engaging techniques to connect with its sizable Twitter audience. From using visually engaging native video tweets highlighting record $46.2 billion revenue and over 90,000 new hires, to image tweets about company initiatives such as its global impact map helping children in Papua New Guinea, Deloitte offers an informative and compelling Twitter presence.

#3 — Dun & Bradstreet

Twitter profile: @DunBradstreet 18,800 followers Twitter tagline: "Official Dun & Bradstreet Twitter. Our #DNBDataCloud delivers #data & insights to help customers improve business performance." Dun & Bradstreet uses images, documents, video and other digital assets to enhance its Twitter customer and fan experience. A recent tweet used video to explore the firm's data and analytics initiatives, while another announced an upcoming webinar focused on turning data into return-on-investment (ROI). Using Twitter to thank its constituents who attended a recent company event with a multiple-photo tweet, Dun & Bradstreet mixes up its messaging on the platform to keep fans both informed and entertained with video and image-rich content, all with a down-to-earth yet professional tone business customers have come to expect on Twitter.

#4 — General Electric

Twitter profile: @generalelectric 455,800 followers Twitter tagline: "For over 125 years, GE has worked around the clock to tackle the world’s biggest challenges." Tying 3D printing to one of New York's top fashion events, a recent tweet by GE used native video to stunningly highlight a company report about its GE Additive program and a dress printed entirely from 21 plastic petals and a titanium cage. Both lighthearted animated GIF images and brief video clips were recently utilized by GE as part of an employee social media takeover initiative — a time-tested tactic that has proven successful for both B2B and B2C businesses.

#5 — Intel

Twitter profile: @intel 4,800,000 followers Twitter tagline: "Intel news, views & events about global tech innovation." From a tweet announcing an immersive highlights partnership with English Premier League Champions Manchester City, to video-rich content featuring artificial intelligence (AI) innovations from the firm's presence at technology conference IFA, or its 2020 Tokyo Olympics partnerships for real-time athlete insights, Intel keeps it's Twitter feed filled with news delivered within the platform's unique format.

Creating a Powerful Twitter Strategy

It’s clear from the mix of fine examples we’ve looked at here implemented creatively by Adobe, Deloitte, Dun & Bradstreet, GE and Intel that there are a wide variety of successful methods for building a solid and sustainable Twitter brand strategy. Twitter itself has had an ongoing effort to help brands with content creation on the platform, including it's recently-updated marketing playbook. With enough time, staff, and dedication most brands can build their own successful ongoing Twitter strategy, while others may find it more efficient and practical to partner with a professional marketing agency highly skilled in Twitter-specific efforts. TopRank Marketing had the honor of being named by Forrester as the only B2B marketing agency offering influencer marketing as a top capability in its “B2B Marketing Agencies, North America, Q1 2019” report.” Finally, here are five recent articles we've written that relate specifically to either Twitter or to the process of creating engaging B2B content marketing:

• The Impact of Twitter’s Proposed Shakeup on Marketers and Influencers
• Why Twitter Lists Are Still a Great Tool for B2B Marketers
• Where Do Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn Stand With B2B Video?
• Twitter Has Renewed its Live Video Push & Here’s What You Need to Know
• Lee Odden Shares His Secret to Content Marketing Fitness #CMWorld

* Adobe is a TopRank Marketing client.

The post 5 Top B2B Brands Delivering Exemplary Twitter Engagement appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Article Source: http://bathseoexpert.blogspot.com/2019/09/5-top-b2b-brands-delivering-exemplary.html

5 Unexpected Content Marketing Benefits of B2B Podcasting

We all know by now that podcasting is a fantastic content marketing tactic, right?  To review: 

• Over 81 million people listen to podcasts (Edison Research)
• 80% finish the majority of every episode on their favorite podcasts (Edison Research)
• Most people who listen to one podcast are likely to pick up more (Edison Research)

In other words, there’s an enormous audience out there, ready to spend multiple hours with your quality content. And now they can get your episodes right on the Google results page. So, since you’re ready to start your podcast anyway, how can you use it to elevate the rest of your content marketing efforts? It turns out podcasts can do more for your editorial calendar than just deliver value to your subscribers. At Content Marketing World this year, I saw a presentation from Ryan Estes of Frontline Education about the hidden marketing powers of podcasts. The points he hit on were spot on with how we view the potential of B2B podcasting. So, with a tip of the hat to Mr. Estes and his Field Trip podcast...

B2B Podcasting: 5 Unexpected Content Marketing Benefits

#1: Content Research

Say you’re a marketer who just got hired by a supply chain logistics company. Odds are you don’t yet know how your target audience thinks and talks about supply chain issues. You might not even know what problems supply chain folks are currently looking to solve. You’re good at marketing; you’re not a subject matter expert... yet. Usually, the answer is to fire up your web browser, pull up some industry publications, and do hours of research.  Certainly, some first-hand research is a must, but what if you could deepen your knowledge and create content at the same time? Interviewing industry experts for your new podcast will help you learn the industry, the lingo, the concerns, the potential solutions, you name it. Each interview is a podcast episode and a treasure trove of audience research, all in one.

#2: Prospect & Customer Relations

Planning a B2B podcast means finding subject matter experts — trusted voices who can lend credibility to your podcast and provide riveting content. When you’re looking for these guests, include prospects and customers in your search.  For prospects, the podcast interview can be a great way to start a conversation. Which is more compelling:

1. Let’s book a half hour so we can talk about our supply chain solution?
2. I would love to get your industry expertise in an interview for our podcast.

The second one is clearly the easier (and more value-driven) ask.  Inviting customers on your podcast can help deepen that business relationship, too. But it also provides proof to your prospects that you support and promote your customers — something that will come in handy for the next deal.

#3: Influencer Relations

We may have mentioned this before: Co-creating content with influencers results in better content an a wider audience to receive it. Podcasts are no exception. In fact, the basic interview format that is a perfect fit for podcasts is also the perfect way to engage industry influencers. We have found that people are amenable to an audio interview who would never, say, contribute a guest post to your blog. It’s easier to say 2,000 words than to type them out. Simply put, a podcast gives influencers another option — a fun and creative one — for co-creating content. [bctt tweet="Simply put, a podcast gives influencers another option — a fun and creative one — for co-creating content. @NiteWrites #B2BPodcasting #ContentMarketing" username="toprank"]

#4: Repurposing Possibilities

Think of a podcast as you would any other marketing content: When you’re producing it, you can plan for endless content repurposing. That doesn’t mean just using the transcript in a blog post, though you should do that, too. You can pull quotes for an eBook, do a roundup with highlights from every episode, even add video to portions of the audio for organic social or YouTube. Here's a recent example from SAP*. Following the release of Season 1 of its Tech Unknown Podcast, original and previously unreleased content was brought together for a tales from the trenches eBook. My favorite repurposing tip, though, comes from Ryan’s session: When he does a podcast interview with a Frontline Education customer, the first half of the interview is customer-focused. There’s no talk about the education software Ryan’s company sells, no testimonial, just the customer’s story about finding and solving a problem. That part is what goes into the podcast. The second half of the interview is explicitly focused on how the customer used the software to solve a problem. Ryan then repurposes that audio into case studies, using embedded audio excerpts to emphasize the customer quotes. It’s a powerful way to get a podcast episode and a case study in one go.

#5: Podcast Cross-Promotion

We know that people who listen to one podcast are likely to listen to more. That makes podcasts unique among marketing channels: Other podcasts aren’t your competition. Your ideal potential listener is the one who makes podcast listening a habit, who is looking for the sixth or seventh show to round out their weekly listening. As such, having a podcast gives you the opportunity to cross-promote with other podcast hosts. Look for podcasts where your host might make a knowledgeable, valuable guest. And look for podcasts hosts who might bring value to your show. The ability to expand and cross-pollinate audiences is one of the cooler aspects of the whole podcast community. Read: How to Promote Your B2B Podcast

Cast Your Pods to the Wind

A podcast in and of itself is a great channel for bringing valuable content to your audience. But the benefits don’t stop there. From filling out your editorial calendar to spicing up your case studies and beyond, a podcast can elevate your B2B content marketing efforts across your entire strategy. Guess what? There happens to be an on-demand webinar covering the art of B2B podcasting, featuring moi and TopRank Marketing President Susan Misukanis: The 4 P's of B2B Podcasting Success. Check it out! *Disclosure: SAP is a TopRank Marketing client.

The post 5 Unexpected Content Marketing Benefits of B2B Podcasting appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Article Source: http://bathseoexpert.blogspot.com/2019/09/5-unexpected-content-marketing-benefits.html

What’s Missing In Your B2B Marketing Strategy? 5 Key Elements You Don’t Want to Overlook

A car engine without a water pump. A baseball team without a shortstop. A guitar without a D string. All it takes is one missing piece to prevent something from working as it should. Your B2B marketing strategy might excel in certain areas, but a single overlooked element can cause results to stall out.  I’m not talking about tactics here, because those can vary on a case-by-case basis. But there are specific considerations and focal points that ought to exist in pretty much every marketing strategy, and if we fail to account for them we are doing ourselves a disservice. This isn’t a matter of covering bases or checking boxes. This is about thinking through your marketing approach holistically to set it up for sustainable growth. If any of the following aspects are amiss for your team at a strategic level, I highly recommend addressing them.

Common Gaps in a Modern B2B Marketing Strategy

#1 - You Don’t Have a Sophisticated Content Promotion Plan

I came across two different blog posts in the past couple weeks highlighting common mistakes in content marketing – one from Social Media Today, another from Business 2 Community – and they both mentioned this in some form. There’s a good reason for that: Way too many marketers out there are narrowly focused on content creation, with promotion of said content lagging behind as a distant afterthought.  When we say that a simple checklist doesn’t suffice, this is a prime example. If you want to make a real impact, it’s simply not enough to blast the same blurb and link across all social channels, every time, and call it a day. Your promotion plans should be built in from the beginning. It should align with the purpose and goals of the specific content in question. And it shouldn’t fall into the cyclical trap of sameness that eventually causes audiences to tune out. There are plenty of creative ways to prop up content and get people’s attention. I really love the assortment of creative promotional tactics shared by our Lane Ellis earlier this year. If you’re feeling limited in ways to gain exposure, TopRank Marketing CEO Lee Odden’s mega-list of 50 content promotion tactics is an essential read. Pick the ones that jibe with what you’re creating, and who you hope to reach.

#2 - You’re Not Getting Maximum Mileage from Your Content

An excellent piece of content deserves more than one fleeting opportunity to be consumed. Yes, promotion is important to maximizing your investment in creation, but so is the extensibility of your creations. Repurposing is a concept that tends to be overly simplified – there ought to be more to it than just republishing a blog post six months later, or turning your podcast episode into a readable transcript. [bctt tweet="An excellent piece of content deserves more than one fleeting opportunity to be consumed. @NickNelsonMN" username="toprank"] Like promotion, repurposing should be wired into your planning from the get-go. When you conceive a content idea you think will hit home with your audience, think about the different ways you can package and present it. More formats equates to more ways for people to find and experience it. Staggered rollout equates to more opportunities for getting noticed over time. It’s important to remember that not every eventual hit is an immediate winner. Read: A Tasty, Strategic Content Marketing Table: ‘Repurposed Content Cobbler’

#3 - You’re Not Focusing on User Intent

Back in the day, SEO was about talking to machines. Now, it’s about talking to humans. Finding high-volume keywords and optimizing for them or bidding for them is not a straightforward recipe for driving results. We should be thinking not just about what people are searching for, but why they’re searching for it.  As Google’s algorithm grows more advanced, rankings are increasingly reflective of searcher motivation as opposed to technical signals. It’s not uncommon that I’ll search for a phrase, and the exact wording won’t appear in any of the headlines or descriptions on the first page. But the results are still relevant, because the engine is elevating results that similar searches have found useful in the past.  I firmly believe that intent should be at the heart of any marketing strategy. It is vital not only to SEO, but also operational efficiency and customer-centricity. Using data, audience research, and intuition, we need to be analytical and predictive about the intent behind each search, each click, each engagement. [bctt tweet="I firmly believe that intent should be at the heart of any marketing strategy. It is vital not only to SEO, but also operational efficiency and customer-centricity. @NickNelsonMN" username="toprank"] In her recent “Soapbox” contribution for Search Engine Land, Fractl’s marketing director Amanda Milligan argues that intent should be every marketer’s No. 1 obsession. “Without it, it’s like serving someone steak when they ordered a cheeseburger. Sure, steak is great, but it’s not what they wanted.”  Even metrics are evolving accordingly. For example, Aberdeen’s Olivia Lipkin recently wrote about a new form of lead: the Intent Qualified Opportunity (IQO). Read: The Key to SEO & Content Marketing Success: Understanding Search Intent

#4 - You’re Not Optimizing

Lee’s 2012 book Optimize! offered a simple premise: Everything is optimizable. The word has long been closely associated with trying to rank in searches (especially around that time), but it’s a practice that should be the lifeblood of any marketing unit seeking reliable growth and results. Our CEO doesn’t just preach optimization, he lives it. In his book he wrote about how he once considered himself a timid and under-equipped public speaker, but he worked systematically at improving his skills. Now he travels the world delivering major keynotes. He also applied this mindset to his diet and exercise routine, and lost 65 pounds in one year as a result. At its core, optimizing is a pretty basic and uncomplicated endeavor. It’s about experimenting with different things, measuring how audiences respond to them, then proceeding with an emphasis on what’s working and a de-emphasis on what is not. You can apply this to almost every component of your strategy. Don’t stop at A/B testing ads.

#5 - You’re Not Thinking Your Goals and Measurement Through

The term KPI has started to bug me lately. Not because of what it is, but what it often seems to represent: static and inflexible goal-setting. By definition, Key Performance Indicators are vital to ongoing measurement and optimization, but it’s a mistake to get too caught up in one single metric or to use it as a blanket across campaigns and initiatives. Goals should always be laid out from the start, and they should always be tailored to what you’re trying to achieve with any given initiative. For example, I rather like the way LinkedIn’s* revamped interface for advertisers promotes this type of process; called objective-based advertising, the new experience compels users to select an objective and desired outcome from the outset, then places them at the center of campaign creation.

Eliminate Holes to Make Your Strategy Whole

If your marketing strategy isn’t quite yielding the results you desire, the fix might be relatively minor. In many cases it’s just one or two missing or insufficient elements that greatly affect overall performance, like absent cogs in a clock’s gearwork.  Taking a step back and looking at the totality of your strategy – especially in terms of how the five functions above are working in unison – can make all the difference. Sometimes, it helps to gain an outside perspective or expert diagnostic (I happen to know of one agency that specializes in such assessments).   Don’t let unaddressed holes diminish your whole marketing strategy. Once you’re hitting every necessary note, you’ll know it by the harmonious result. Another key aspect of a B2B marketing strategy? Documenting it! If you’re wondering where to start, check out our three-point checklist. * Disclosure: LinkedIn is a client of TopRank Marketing.

The post What’s Missing In Your B2B Marketing Strategy? 5 Key Elements You Don’t Want to Overlook appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Article Source: http://bathseoexpert.blogspot.com/2019/09/whats-missing-in-your-b2b-marketing.html

Digital Marketing News: Salesforce’s New Brand Trust Study, Twitter’s Business Playbook, WhatsApp Status Ads, Updates From Facebook & LinkedIn & More

About 1 in 4 Consumers Say They’ve Made A Purchase After Hearing A Podcast Ad Roughly a quarter of consumers have made a purchase after being exposed to a podcast ad, and about one in three say they find podcasts ads to be more engaging than other formats, according to newly-released survey results. MarketingCharts Poor Data Quality: Marketers Waste 21 Cents Of Every Dollar Spent On Media Some 65 percent of marketers see high-quality data as the most important element for campaign success, while also estimating that roughly 21 percent of marketing spending goes towards poor quality data, two of the findings in a new report about marketing data quality. MediaPost Will WhatsApp Status Ads Be a Good Fit for Promotions? As WhatsApp's Status ads — the messaging firm's "stories" format — have seen increasing use by marketers, privacy concerns remain, and eMarketer looks at WhatsApp content, and why people unsubscribe from mobile messaging. eMarketer Twitter Launches New 'Agency Playbook' to Help Businesses Better Understand the Platform Twitter has released an updated edition of its agency playbook guide for businesses, including new overviews of various advertising options and the likely results for each type, the firm recently announced. Social Media Today Consumers’ Trust in Brands Has Fallen to a New Low. Surprised? Probably Not 54 percent of consumers believe that companies don't have their best interests in mind, one of several signs of low brand trust revealed in Salesforce’s new "Trends in Consumer Trust" study, and Adweek takes a look at how marketers are working to adjust. Adweek Are B2B marketing rules different from B2C? An examination of the nuanced similarities and differences between B2B and B2C marketing rules, and how they are converging, as The Drum digs in with Linkedin Marketing Solutions' (client) Alex Sibois. The Drum Google Updates Quality Rater Guidelines: Reputation for News Sites; Video Content Updates; Quality for Information Sites Google recently released an update to its search quality rater guidelines documents, one of the human-feedback elements the search giant uses to surface top search results, and SEM Post takes an in-depth look at the many new changes. The SEM Post Despite big spending on digital, brands still aren’t sure how to measure cross-channel campaigns While digital advertising has seen significant spending growth, it's remained a challenge for brands advertising in multiple channels to accurately gauge success, and new study data from Kantar looks at how marketers are working to implement better cross-channel measurement solutions. The Drum Facebook video marketers get new tools, metrics for Live, Watch Parties, Creator Studio Facebook recently releases an array of new features that may affect how digital marketers utilize the platform, including new rehearsal video features that make practice-run testing possible, add Live API and Watch Party metrics, and bring updated Creator Studio tools, among other additions. Marketing Land LinkedIn Publishes New Checklist for Tech Marketers [Infographic] 55 percent of B2B decision-makers view thought leadership as important when it comes to vetting vendors, and some 90 percent of B2B technology buyers take their search outside buying committees, two of many insights included in a new Enlightened Technology Marketer report from LinkedIn (client). Social Media Today ON THE LIGHTER SIDE: A lighthearted look at the state of e-commerce by Marketoonist Tom Fishburne — Marketoonist Teach your children (to tweet) well. Today's Cartoon: September 19, 2019 — Wired TOPRANK MARKETING & CLIENTS IN THE NEWS:

• Lee Odden — What’s Trending: Turn Euphoria into Action — LinkedIn (client)
• Lee Odden — B2B Influencer Marketing Adds Up To Nurture and Ultimately Conversion — WebProNews
• Lee Odden — Eight Colors That Will Brightly Grow Your Personal Brand — Forbes
• Lee Odden — How Brands Can Get AMAZING Content From the Influencers they Hire: Advice from Dear Mishu’s Dad & Friends — Dear Mishu Dad
• Lee Odden — What Customer Experience Management Means For Today's Business Ecosystem [Video] — Adobe Experience Cloud

Have you found your own leading B2B content marketing or digital advertising stories from the past week? Thank you for joining us, and please return again next week for more top digital marketing industry news, and in the meantime you can follow us at @toprank on Twitter for even more timely daily news. Also, don't miss the full video summary on our TopRank Marketing TV YouTube Channel.

The post Digital Marketing News: Salesforce’s New Brand Trust Study, Twitter’s Business Playbook, WhatsApp Status Ads, Updates From Facebook & LinkedIn & More appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Article Source: http://bathseoexpert.blogspot.com/2019/09/digital-marketing-news-salesforces-new.html

B2B Marketing Spotlight: Jay Baer on Employee Generated Content #mpb2b

It was back in 2010 at SXSWi that I was in the blogger lounge networking with other social media savvy content creators and thought leaders like Brian Solis, Chris Heuer, Amber Naslund, Chris Brogan and Rohit Bhargava, when I met a fellow marketer who shared a metal bottle opener as his business card. What a brilliant idea! Package your identity around something useful to trigger conversations. Fast forward to 2019 and Jay Baer has continued to carry that message of utility, talk triggers and clever marketing savvy to his online media empire of Convince & Convert that includes an award winning blog, a network of podcasts, professional speaking, training and consulting. Jay is the New York Times best-selling author of six books including his most recent, Talk Triggers. He is also a serial entrepreneur, technology company investor and a world class professional keynote speaker that has been inducted into the Professional Speaking Hall of Fame. On top of all that, Jay is an avid tequila collector, a certified barbecue judge and owner of some of the most colorful and stylish suits you'll see on the speaking circuit. On Wednesday October 16th, Jay will be giving an opening keynote on how to turn your customers into volunteer marketers at the MarketingProfs B2B Forum in Washington D.C.. Jay was kind enough to connect with me to talk about the topic of employee advocacy and world of mouth marketing. Enjoy the full video interview below: Jay Baer on B2B Marketing Alphabet Soup and How to Get Focused "I feel like you should go back to the utility principle which is, let's set aside all the shenanigans and just say, 'Okay look, what do these prospective customers need and how can we give that to them?' If we do that consistently, eventually we're gonna win. Ultimately, that's the only great truism of marketing. Give people what they need and eventually you will win. But there's not enough patience."

Ultimately, the only great truism of marketing is, give people what they need and eventually you will win. @jaybaer

"People aren't like, "Hey, LinkedIn post, here's $1 million for a software package." There is actually a consideration period here. I've been doing some consulting with B2B companies that have last-click attribution on social. So you're telling me that your software company is going to try and sell software off a tweet? Like, that ain't going to happen. No wonder you think your social media doesn't work." "Ultimately I feel like there's not enough patience in the game and the culture around B2B is becoming a culture of instant performance and that is not going to work." Jay Baer on Employee Advocacy and Customer Experience "If you have a truly differentiated customer experience, something that creates conversations, your employees will naturally echo that and amplify it and connect the dots for potential customers. They will be part of the marketing arsenal. The problem with employee advocacy is that marketers completely forget what it's like to be a customer."

If you have a truly differentiated customer experience, something that creates conversations, your employees will naturally echo that and amplify it and connect the dots for potential customers. @jaybaer

"It's like this weird amnesia effect sits in and they're like, 'Oh, so they're not just gonna tweet out this thing that says this company is the greatest company in history.' And it's like, 'No bro, you wouldn't do that either. Why would you think it should be so nakedly promotional? It's like a commercial and nobody's going to put that on their personal social media.' They're just trying to turn employees into shills and nobody's down with that." Jay Baer on What He Loves Most About MarketingProfs CCO, Ann Handley "Yeah, I don't know. I don't really like anything about her. No, she's one of my favorite people. She is incredibly, incredibly successful but also one of the most genuine and kind people I know despite her massive success, which is extraordinary. But I'll tell you the one thing that I will reference that doesn't get enough talk about Ann Handley, is that as the crazy suit guy, I really appreciate Ann's pants game." "She's really started, in the last two years especially, I know she's really starting to lean into the crazy pants routine and I feel like A, she stole my bit, but B, I do appreciate that she's going for it on the pants. I may have to find some pants for Ann as a B2B forum gift. We'll see." I'm glad I'm not the only one who appreciates Ann's Pants.  Thanks Jay!  Bound for B2B Forum: For more information about imagining what’s possible in B2B including Jay Baer's keynote, check out the MarketingProfs B2B Forum conference including agenda, list of speakers (including Ashley Zeckman and myself) and many other fun facts on the B2B Forum website here. Also, get $100 off by using this mpb2b discount code: B2BFriends Get more great info from Jay on Convince and Convert and follow Jay on Twitter here: @jaybaer

The post B2B Marketing Spotlight: Jay Baer on Employee Generated Content #mpb2b appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Article Source: http://bathseoexpert.blogspot.com/2019/09/b2b-marketing-spotlight-jay-baer-on.html