B2B Marketing News: B2B Buyers Using More Channels, Brands Embrace Digital Personalization, & LinkedIn’s New Workplace Representation Efforts

Fiddling With First-Party: B2B Firms Face Corporate And Data Integration Hurdles 41 percent of B2B brands have said they use first-party data for marketing segmentation, while 37 percent use it for sales outreach, and 36 percent for advertising and analytics — one of several findings of interest to B2B marketers contained in recently-released Dun & Bradstreet study data. MediaPost Oracle to Buy Cerner in $28B Health Care Play Oracle has announced that it will acquire medical records firm Cerner for some $28.3 billion, a move that will bring a vast expansion to Oracle’s health care segment and bolster the reach of both firms, following a similar move by Microsoft earlier this year, Oracle recently announced. CFO B2B Tech Sector Will Decline In 2022, But Rebound In 2023: Study The B2B technology category is forecast to see a two percent decrease in 2022 in the U.S., while accompanied by a three percent increase in overall sales placing the annual figure at some $106 billion, according to newly-released report data from the NPD Group. MediaPost YouTube Adds New Updates to YouTube Studio App, Bringing it More Into Line with the Desktop Version Google's YouTube has rolled out new features to its mobile YouTube Studio app, which will bring B2B marketers the ability to perform more complex community comment filtering, along with several new analytics upgrades, YouTube recently announced. Social Media Today Study: Brands Are Making Personalization A New Priority During 2021 some 31 percent of brands said that they were able to personalize the majority of digital interactions, a figure that was up from 10 percent in 2020 — one of several statistics of interest to online marketers in recently-released survey data. MediaPost [bctt tweet="“You can't solve personalization before you solve customer understanding.” — Tom Treanor @RtMixMktg" username="toprank"] PR Pros to Turn More to Social Engagement to Measure Efforts 60 percent of communications professionals have said that they plan to use social media engagement as a public relations (PR) metric in 2022, with 28 percent noting that they expect to report on consumer sentiment, according to newly-released survey data. MarketingCharts Meta Unveils Future Ad Manager Updates Focusing On Outcomes Facebook parent firm Meta has launched a new Outcome-Driven Ad Experiences (ODAX) feature, offering advertisers six primary objectives including awareness, traffic, engagement, app promotion, leads, and sales, in a program that could make its way to Facebook and Instagram in time, Meta recently announced. MediaPost LinkedIn Launches New Campaign to Highlight the Importance of Representation in the Workplace Microsoft-owned LinkedIn (client) has rolled out a new campaign focusing on efforts that highlight how professionals are shifting to expressing more of their authentic selves in today’s new hybrid and remote workplace environments, LinkedIn recently announced. Social Media Today Brands That Make Life Simpler Score With Global Consumers 76 percent of global consumers have said that they’re more likely to recommend brands that deliver simple experiences, up from some 64 percent in 2018, according to newly-released survey data of interest to digital marketers. MediaPost B2B buyers and sellers put digital commerce on a faster track It’s not unusual for B2B customers to use 10 or more channels for interactions with suppliers, up from just five in 2016, while some two-thirds of B2B buyers are choosing either remote human interactions or digital self-service methods — two of numerous findings of interest to marketers contained in newly-released survey data of U.S. B2B decision makers. Digital Commerce 360 ON THE LIGHTER SIDE: A lighthearted look at the “definition of insanity” by Marketoonist Tom Fishburne — Marketoonist Ugly Sweater Party Winner Didn’t Realize That Was The Theme — The Hard Times TOPRANK MARKETING & CLIENTS IN THE NEWS:

• Lee Odden — Optimize for Search and for Trust [Video] — Oracle CX
• Lee Odden — The Age of Authenticity — Arshiya Kapadia
• Lee Odden — Ask the Experts: Trends to Grow Your Business [Podcast] — Pam Didner
• Lee Odden — 12 Social Media Marketing Experts Share Their Best Advice — CocoFax
• TopRank Marketing — How To Value Your Working Experience As A Freelance Event Planner — Event Planner News

Have you come across your own favorite B2B marketing news for the week? Please drop us a line in the comments below. Thank you for taking the time to join us for this week's TopRank Marketing B2B marketing news, and we hope you'll come back again next Friday for another selection of the most relevant B2B and digital marketing industry news. In the meantime, you can follow us on our LinkedIn page, or at @toprank on Twitter for even more timely daily news.

The post B2B Marketing News: B2B Buyers Using More Channels, Brands Embrace Digital Personalization, & LinkedIn’s New Workplace Representation Efforts appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Article Source: http://bathseoexpert.blogspot.com/2021/12/b2b-marketing-news-b2b-buyers-using.html

Best Of B2B Search Marketing: Optimize Your 2022 With Our Top 10 SEO Posts

Search marketing has morphed and grown in numerous ways throughout 2021. At each of the shifts and changes in the search marketing landscape along the way, we've done our best to not only cover each twist and turn thoroughly, but to also offer insight and research-based strategy that will help B2B marketers meet the increasing challenges placed in front of us. We're fortunate to have a wealth of talented B2B marketing professionals contributing to the TopRank Marketing blog covering the state of search marketing — which will celebrate its 19th year in 2022. To help our blog community grow its search marketing knowledge, we’re happy to offer our annual list of the most popular search marketing and search engine optimization (SEO) posts of 2021 we've published throughout the year.

Our Most Popular Search Marketing Posts in 2021:

1. 6 Timeless SEO Tips Content Marketers Can Do Now — Lee Odden

How can content marketers improve their search visibility? The best SEO advice isn't worth much if it's never implemented. In our most popular search marketing post of 2021, our CEO Lee Odden shared six timeless SEO tips that you can implement right now, including:

• Avoid overuse of pronouns
• Facts tell, stories sell
• Links are like electricity
• Be the best answer
• Close the gap with an SEO audit
• Always be optimizing

Check out all of Lee’s 2,600+ posts here, and follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn. [bctt tweet="“Strive to 'be the best answer' for what customers are looking for by creating content that is in-depth, engaging, and inspires deeper click-throughs into your site.” — Lee Odden @LeeOdden" username="toprank"]

2. SEO Harmony: Why B2B Marketers Need To Integrate Search With Content Strategy — Lane R. Ellis

Why should B2B marketers should turn segmented SEO and content marketing efforts into an integrated strategy? In the second most popular search marketing post of the year, I shared why uniting the two forms a more powerful and harmonious B2B marketing union, examining:

• SEO Specialists Gain By Reaching Out To Content Teams
• Audience Insights Benefit Both SEO & Content Marketing
• Content Teams Thrive By Making SEO A Fundamental Concern
• United SEO & Content Form A Powerful B2B Marketing Union

You can check out all of my posts here, and follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn. [bctt tweet="Marketers need to break free over the next 10 years by radically changing how they work with sales, stopping the baton hand-off model and moving much more of an integrated team. ” — Jon Miller @jonmiller" username="toprank"]

3. Trust and the Search for Answers: How Influence Optimizes SEO Performance — Lee Odden

How can B2B marketers optimize content for trust? In the number three spot on our top search marketing posts of 2021 list, Lee shared how trusted content elevates the strength of brand search visibility, and why taking optimization to the next level creates even better customer experiences. Lee shared fascinating and powerful ways to align your content, SEO and influencer engagement opportunities, including:

• Identify experts creating on-topic content with great search visibility
• Seek influencers with Knowledge Panels in Google
• Evaluate influencer’s link attraction rates when they publish or contribute content
• Provide influencers with SEO audits of their blogs so they can improve their search visibility

[bctt tweet="“Creating best answer content means an approach to content marketing that involves aligning the best practices of SEO and content strategy with influencer marketing and employee advocacy.” — Lee Odden @LeeOdden" username="toprank"]

4. What 5 Recent Search Marketing Changes Mean For B2B Marketers — Lane R. Ellis

How can B2B marketers adapt to new changes in search engine marketing? From Google’s “About This Result” and feedback features to its new Display & Video 360 data insights, Google Discover, TensorFlow ranking updates, and Bing search engine result page (SERP) chatbot and related-image features, in our fourth most popular search marketing post of 2021 I shared five recent changes, including:

• Learning More With Google Discover
• Google’s “About This Result” & Feedback Features
• Display & Video 360 Bring New Google Data Insights
• Google TensorFlow Ranking Updates
• Bing’s New Chat & Related Image Features

[bctt tweet="The biggest overarching trend in SEO in recent years which will undoubtedly continue in 2021 is the focus on E-A-T: expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. — Lily Ray @lilyraynyc" username="toprank"]

5. Beyond SEO: B2B Content Optimization for Trust and Customer Experience — Lee Odden

How does B2B content optimization work to build greater trust and better customer experiences? In the fifth most popular search marketing post of 2021, Lee shared how to take optimization beyond search and into customer experience with a more holistic B2B content strategy, including:

• What Can Be Searched Can Be Optimized
• Optimize For Customers
• Optimize For Experiences
• Great Content isn’t Great Unless it’s Findable and Credible
• Go Holistic with B2B Content or Go Home

[bctt tweet="“B2B marketers that do not consider creating credible content experiences after the sale are missing out on substantial opportunities to serve customers and subsequently, generate increased revenue.” — Lee Odden @LeeOdden" username="toprank"]

6. Content Marketing Optimization Audits – Find Where SEO Can Boost Content Marketing Success — Lee Odden

How do SEO and content marketing strategy interact with one another in a cohesive way? In our sixth most popular search marketing post of 2021, Lee walked us through the five fundamentals of SEO and audit reports to help you boost your content marketing success, including:

• Keyword Research
• Content Audits
• Technical SEO Audits
• Inbound and Internal Linking Audits
• Social Media Audits

[bctt tweet="“To understand where SEO can create performance optimization opportunities, it’s important to evaluate the current situation and uncover the gaps that represent opportunities for improvement through a series of audits.” @LeeOdden" username="toprank"]

7. 5 Tips for Empowering Enterprise SEO Success — Lee Odden

How can B2B marketers empower enterprise SEO? From ongoing education and energizing advocates to marketing results and customizing communications, in our seventh most-read search marketing article of the year, Lee shares how, and why even the best SEO advice isn't so great if it's never implemented. Learn all five ways to empower SEO at enterprise companies, including:

• Ongoing Education
• Energize Advocates
• Market Results
• Be Available
• Customize Communications for the Enterprise

[bctt tweet="“Successful enterprise SEO projects require a unique combination of creative and mechanical SEO expertise as well as large company political savvy.” — Lee Odden @LeeOdden" username="toprank"]

8. Optimizing Digital Assets: How B2B Marketers Can Combine the Best of External & Internal Search Findability — Lane R. Ellis

How can B2B marketers optimize a digital asset workflow that combines best practices for search findability both externally and within your business? In our eighth most popular search marketing post of 2021, I shared how to bring it all together with a digital asset management (DAM) solution, including a look at the following key areas:

• What Are Digital Assets In B2B Marketing
• Better Search Findability Externally
• Better Findability For Your Organization
• Bringing It All Together With A Digital Asset Management Solution

[bctt tweet="“The more complex your marketing strategies and organization are, the greater the benefits of digital asset management (DAM) will be, especially over time.” — Lane R. Ellis @lanerellis" username="toprank"]

9. Autumn of Search: In-Person & Virtual SEO Events for B2B Marketers — Lane R. Ellis

What are the top conferences and events B2B marketers should be considering for hybrid of in-person learning? In the last decade alone the number of conferences has risen drastically, making it harder than ever to hone in on the ones that can best help build your business, boost your networking opportunities, and offer the most relevant new industry education from top speakers, especially in world of B2B search marketing. These 19 hybrid and in-person B2B marketing conferences and events will help elevate and inform your search strategy. From #Pubcon & #SearchLove to #MozCon & more, in our ninth most popular search marketing article of 2021, I share them all. [bctt tweet="“We’re all the same size rectangle on the Zoom screen.” — Vanessa Colella of @Citi" username="toprank"]

10. How Influencers & Best Answer Content Help B2B Marketers Dominate in Search — Lee Odden

How can optimized best-answer content help B2B marketers dominate in search? Rounding out our top ten list of search marketing posts for the year, Lee has shared the SEO value that influencers can bring to content marketing through expertise, authority and trust, including a helpful look at the following advantages B2B influencer marketing offers:

• Industry experts can add credibility to brand content
• Influencers can help lesser known B2B brands build their exposure and credibility in the marketplace more quickly
• Trusted influencers can help B2B brands c0-create more authentic content that resonates with buyers
• Influencer partners can help B2B brands create more content than they could on their own
• Key opinion leaders can drive conversations about topics important to brands and their customers through content
• Influencers can help create and promote brand content to new audiences that ignore traditional tactics like ads
• B2B brands that develop relationships with the experts in the industry that customers listen to can realize important marketing objectives like increased advocacy for the brand and its solutions

[bctt tweet="“Content is the reason search engines began and yet many B2B content marketers are not taking full advantage of opportunities to attract customers that are actively looking.” — Lee Odden @LeeOdden" username="toprank"]

Thanks TopRank Marketing Readers

Thanks to each of you, our TopRank Marketing blog readers, for continuing to read and learn from us, including these top 10 search marketing posts of 2021. We published dozens of posts this year specifically about search marketing, and plan to bring you even more in 2022, so stay tuned for a new year of the latest helpful search industry research and insight. Please let us know which SEO-related topics and ideas you'd like to see us focus on for 2022 — we'd love to hear your suggestions. Feel free to leave those thoughts in the comments section below. Many thanks to each of you who read our blog regularly, and to all of you who comment on and share our posts on the TopRank Marketing social media channels at Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. To learn more about the rising power of influence in B2B, watch our CEO Lee Odden in the comprehensive new webinar "How to Accelerate B2B Marketing Results by Working With Influencers," and learn how to create greater content marketing impact with influence.

The post Best Of B2B Search Marketing: Optimize Your 2022 With Our Top 10 SEO Posts appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Article Source: http://bathseoexpert.blogspot.com/2021/12/best-of-b2b-search-marketing-optimize.html

25 Women of Color Who Rocked B2B Marketing in 2020

The post 25 Women of Color Who Rocked B2B Marketing in 2020 appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Article Source: http://bathseoexpert.blogspot.com/2021/12/25-women-of-color-who-rocked-b2b.html

B2B Marketing News: Values-Driven Ads Gain Greater Trust, Podcast Engagement Rises, New Instagram Sharing Options, & Reddit’s IPO

People trust ads that talk about values, not products, finds Nielsen 89 percent of consumers place word-of-mouth as the more trustworthy form of advertising, followed by brand websites at 84 percent, while humor and brand values were seen as the top drivers of advertising response rates, with value-oriented ads gaining 10 percent from 2015 rates, according to newly-released Nielsen trust survey data of interest to digital marketers. The Drum Reddit files to take the company public Following a 200 percent year-over-year increase in ad revenue during the second quarter of 2021, Reddit has filed to move ahead with an initial public offering (IPO), which could bolster the firm's social platform and 52M daily users, Reddit recently announced. The Verge Instagram Adds New Option to Embed User Profiles on Third-Party WebsItes Facebook's Instagram social networking platform has rolling out new embedded mini-Instagram profiles for use on other web properties, which could bring new cross-platform sharing opportunities to influencers and digital marketers, Instagram recently announced. Social Media Today What Are Advertisers’ Top Programmatic Priorities in the Coming Year? 40 percent of U.S. brand and agency programmatic ad buyers have said that increased viewability will be their top priority in the next year, with 37 percent listing increased consumer engagement and 36 percent noting supply path efficiencies, according to newly-released survey data. MarketingCharts Engagement With Podcasts Increases, Continues To Grow Podcast audience listeners are some five times more inclined to like content sponsored by brands when it comes in the podcast format, with listeners also noting that they're nearly four times more likely to like podcasts directly from brands, according to recently-released survey data. MediaPost [bctt tweet="“While marketers address personalization in their Account-Based Marketing strategies, Account-Based Podcasting is an additional level that advanced marketers are embracing.” — A. Lee Judge @ALeeJudge" username="toprank"] Well, TikTok has a Discord now Online communications portal Discord has seen growth that has attracted an increasing number of brands, now including short-form video creation firm TikTok, which recently launched its first public discussion server on the platform, TikTok recently announced. TechCrunch Mobile, Social, Digital Video Are Top Advertising Priorities For 2022 Mobile video and contextual targeting solutions are among the top 2022 media priorities, while 48 percent of U.S. digital media executives have said that in-stream digital audio and podcast ad formats will be a priority, according to newly-released survey data of interest to online marketers. MediaPost The Traits of B2B Firms With Exceptional Marketing and Sales Performance Engaging with relevance throughout the entire buyer journey and increased data investment are among the top traits of leading performers, according to new sales and marketing data research from Dun & Bradstreet. MarketingProfs Ad Market Expands For Ninth Consecutive Month, Posts Best November Ever The U.S. advertising market’s rate of growth grew by 10.3 percent in November compared to the same month last year, with digital categories performing the best, while overall expansion has continued for nine consecutive months, according to newly-released index report data. MediaPost Visualizing Mobile Traffic Worldwide [Infographic] Some 49 percent of global mobile traffic consists of streaming video content, with 19 percent accounting for social media, and 13 percent web traffic, according to recently-released mobile traffic statistical report data. Social Media Today ON THE LIGHTER SIDE: A lighthearted look at the “ho, ho, holiday labor shortag” by Marketoonist Tom Fishburne — Marketoonist Interview with Santa, “C-Ho-Ho” of Old St. Nic Inc — Sitecore TOPRANK MARKETING & CLIENTS IN THE NEWS:

• Lee Odden — Key ingredients of a great content marketing strategy for 2022 — Oracle
• TopRank Marketing — 10 of the Best Influencer Marketing Resources for Marketers in 2022 — Shane Barker

Have you located your own top B2B marketing news for the week? Please drop us a line in the comments below. Thanks for joining us for this week's TopRank Marketing B2B marketing news, and we hope that you will return again next Friday for another array of the most relevant B2B and digital marketing industry news. In the meantime, you can follow us on our LinkedIn page, or at @toprank on Twitter for even more timely daily news.

The post B2B Marketing News: Values-Driven Ads Gain Greater Trust, Podcast Engagement Rises, New Instagram Sharing Options, & Reddit’s IPO appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Article Source: http://bathseoexpert.blogspot.com/2021/12/b2b-marketing-news-values-driven-ads.html

Happy Holidays & 2022 Wishes from the Team at TopRank Marketing

Positivity may not be what first comes to mind when B2B marketers the world over describe 2022, yet during this holiday season it's the positive energy, outlook, and attitudes from our team, clients, associates, family and friends that spring forth. Overcoming the world's continuing shared challenges with positivity has brought us closer together in new ways, even as most of us collaborate in creative remote and hybrid ways, and as we enter the holiday season all of us at TopRank Marketing bring you special wishes for health and happiness. We wish you and your family a joy-filled holiday season filled with warmth, laughter, and friends. We also wish you a happy 2022 that eases some of the greatest challenges we've all faced the past two years, and sees newfound levels of positivity in your professional and personal life. The trust our many new and long-time clients have continued to place in us during 2021 has allowed us to reach record levels of client retention, and for this we are very thankful. Our team has pulled together and we’ve added major new B2B technology industry, global telecommunications and IT firms as clients. We’ve also continued to expand and grow partnerships with existing clients such as LinkedIn, SAP, monday.com and many more. This unique year has reminded all of us just how important communities are — communities of clients, associates, influencers, executives, our fellow B2B marketers, as well as our local communities here in Minnesota — and we wish you all a joyous holiday season and a very happy new year ahead in 2022. We’re also continuing to grow and hiring in many roles. Take a look at our careers page for a full list.

TopRank Marketing Wishes You the Happiest of Holidays

We’re incredibly grateful for each other, our wonderful clients, subject matter experts, and friends we’ve worked and grown with this unique year. From our marketing family to yours, Happy Holidays!

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Article Source: http://bathseoexpert.blogspot.com/2021/12/happy-holidays-2022-wishes-from-team-at.html

Why There’s a Need for Creative Storytelling in B2B Tech and How Influencer Marketing Can Accelerate Results

Today’s B2B marketers have more challenges than ever, making it hard to cut through the noise and deliver results for their companies. In all of their efforts they must maintain a focus on connecting with new audiences, expanding their reach, and building relationships founded on a sense of mutual trust. Here are a few examples of some of the biggest challenges today’s B2B marketers are facing:

• Finding ways to boost marketing efficiency: Marketers are often expected to achieve greater results with fewer resources, so finding ways to maximize efficiency is critical to achieve success within budgetary parameters.
• Increasing marketing impact: Marketers are expected to deliver a higher return on investment (ROI) on their marketing efforts.
• Improved experiences: Customers have higher expectations than ever before in a digital world, and those expectations will only continue to get higher. Marketers must fulfill those expectations by providing high caliber customer experiences.
• Being authentic: Customers also expect a certain level of authenticity, even in B2B interactions. Brands need to find ways to be more human in order to build increasing trust with their customers.

Using influencer marketing to overcome these challenges

One of the most effective ways to get past these substantial challenges is to invest in influence marketing. By collaborating with experts who already have earned the trust of your audience, you can develop high-quality content that improves the customer experience, helps position your brand as a thought leader, and in turn earns new levels of trust. Keep in mind that there is a big difference between who or what an influencer is in the B2B world versus the typical B2C world. Many people hear the word “influencer” and think of a celebrity or notable figure who has a paid partnership with a company to show off its products on social media. With B2C, this style of influencing relies heavily on tone, a sense of coolness and image, while also building a certain amount of trust — at least to an extent. B2B influencers need to be significantly proficient in their particular subject matter, and genuinely passionate about what they do as thought leaders. They should regularly publish or create content, whether it’s in the form of text, video, podcasts, or social content. They should already have an audience that pays attention to that content, and they should be well-versed in promoting the content they’ve collaborated on with you. Businesses can successfully turn subject matter experts to influencers for collaboration and integration with just about any kind of content, from thought leadership and lead generation to product launches, reviews, and more.

Studies show greater demand for, effects from influencer marketing

TopRank Marketing performed extensive research into B2B influencer marketing, which we published as part of our 2020 State of B2B Influencer Marketing Report. One of the primary insights was just how many brands said that they stood to gain from collaborating with influencers. According to our research, 63 percent of marketers believe they would achieve better results with an influencer marketing program. Another 74 percent of marketers said they agreed that influencer marketing improved the brand experience for customers and prospects. Ultimately, influencer marketing can impact the entire customer lifecycle. It can help attract new audiences and inspire advocacy, engage through greater authenticity and through the voice of the customer. It can also convert new customers thanks to the trust already built-in to the influencer, help retain leads, encourage community participation, and create greater incentive for customers to become brand advocates and refer others.

Learn more about implementing influencer marketing for your business

TopRank Marketing recently developed a comprehensive webinar that takes a deep dive into B2B influencer marketing. In the new webinar we go beyond the information outlined in this article to extensively discuss key issues such as the top ways influencer marketing can address the challenges B2B marketers will face in 2022, and an array of actionable tips on implementing an influencer strategy for your company. Want access to the free video webinar to start your B2B influencer marketing journey? You’ll find it all here.

The post Why There’s a Need for Creative Storytelling in B2B Tech and How Influencer Marketing Can Accelerate Results appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Article Source: http://bathseoexpert.blogspot.com/2021/12/why-theres-need-for-creative.html

Digital First B2B Marketing is Here to Stay and It’s All About Experiences

The marketing journey B2B brands have been on since the start of pandemic has accelerated digital transformation and the transformation of marketing faster than any time in history. During uncertain times the pivots companies make often settle back into the status quo but this time it's different. According to research from McKinsey:

• 96% of B2B companies shifted their go-to-market model during Covid-19
• 65% say their new go-to-market models were equally or more effective in reaching customers
• 80% will continue new go-to-market models for 12 months or more

And with Gartner reporting that 80% of B2B sales interactions between suppliers and buyers will occur in digital channels by 2025, the direction is clear: digital first is here to stay for B2B marketing. So how can B2B marketers make sure they are positioned for digital first marketing in 2022? Most B2B marketers have already made the shift towards go to market efforts that emphasize online experiences including virtual events, increased focus on social media, content, SEO and video formats including livestreaming and episodic content. Here's how Bhawna Sharma, Worldwide senior partner marketing manager at Google Cloud sees it (CMSWire):

"My focus will be to gain buyer mindshare via small yet effective tactics such as hyper-personalization (think account-based marketing); succinct video and audio content (under 18 minutes), mobile ads for on-the-go users, page speed for better digital experience, chatbots for engagement, voice search for the multi-taskers; and influencer programs (think niche marketing) as a middle of the funnel educational and entertainment tactic.”

Optimizing buyer experiences through digital channels means empathizing with buyers of course and understanding their expectations in terms of information discovery, consumption and engagement, an approach we've advocated and implemented for our B2B clients for over 10 years. So what's different in 2022? Over the past 2 years many marketing departments have been held to a higher standard will fewer resources which has pros and cons. Of course the pro is that increased pressure to perform means more accountability for marketing investments. The con is that overemphasis on ROI can cut out innovation and the breathing room that marketing sometimes needs in uncertain times to adapt, evolve and innovate to the new normal. The best of both can come from a focus on marketing experiences. “Organizations can break out of their efficiency-first mindsets to elevate the experiences of their customers, workforces, and business partners” Deloitte When you look across the customer lifecycle from awareness to conversion to retention and advocacy, there are many opportunities to optimize the experiences brands deliver for customers. For B2B marketers that want to maintain high levels of accountability for marketing investments while also creating maximum value for marketing experiences, there are few opportunities like those provided from an integrated approach to content, influence and search.

Influence & Trust Drive B2B Content Experiences

What are those influences on content credibility and experience? According to recent research reported in the Demand Gen Content Preferences Report the major trends affecting B2B content effectiveness include:

• 44% Trustworthiness of the source
• 40% Credible content from industry influencers
• 38% Shorter formats
• 35% On-demand Interactive content
• 32% Mobile-optimized content
• 32% Peer-recommended content

The sheer volume of content being produced in digital channels means B2B brands need to stand out and earn the trust of their audiences. Being the best answer for the topics customers care about with content marketing is a big part of the credibility and utility needed to build that trust. But what puts brands like Mitel over the top is adding the respected and authentic voices of recognized industry experts to brand content.

Search and Content Experience

As B2B brands create content in formats that are more digital first, search will continue to play an essential role in how buyers discover the kinds of information they need as they pull themselves through the journey from awareness to consideration to decision. The experience buyers have on that information journey is what sets one brand apart from another. As shared on CMSWire, “The nature of search will increasingly move towards voice, visual and video search, supported by growing investments in text, audio and video content experiences designed to educate and engage throughout the customer journey.” As B2B brands focus on creating digital first content that is more in line with digital first expectations, they will also continue to optimize the discovery of that content through SEO integration and the credibility of that content by incorporating industry and internal experts. To learn more about integrating content, search and influence to become the best answer for your digital first customers, be sure to check out this case study featuring Mitel or check out this free webinar, How to Accelerate B2B Marketing Results by Working with Influencers.    

The post Digital First B2B Marketing is Here to Stay and It’s All About Experiences appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Article Source: http://bathseoexpert.blogspot.com/2021/12/digital-first-b2b-marketing-is-here-to.html

B2B Marketing News: B2B Email Investment Grows, LinkedIn’s Gen Z Insights, Brand Values Gain Ad-Buy Influence, & Influencer Pay Gaps

The 10 Sales Behaviors That Are Deal-Breakers for B2B Buyers 55 percent of B2B buying decision makers have said that the top quality for salespeople when it comes to making a deal is an understanding of the business situation and needs, while 40 percent said that demonstrating the return on investment (ROI) was a key trait — two of several findings of interest to digital marketers contained in recently-released survey data. MarketingProfs LinkedIn Shares New Insights on How to Reach Gen Z Users on its Platform [Infographic] Microsoft-owned LinkedIn (client) has released new insight into how brands are increasing reach to Gen Z, which represents the fastest-growing demographic on the professional social platform. Just 21 percent of Gen Z users on the platform have said that they feel represented in advertising, while 57 percent have said that brands should be reliable, according to LinkedIn data. Social Media Today [bctt tweet="“Why are so few teens and young adults using #LinkedIn to grow their careers and networks?” — Dr. Ai Addyson-Zhan @aiaddysonzhang" username="toprank"] B2B Content Consumption Grew Again During the First Half of the Year B2B digital content viewing time grew by 63 percent during the first half of 2021 compared to 2020, with visitor traffic also up by some 55 percent, while online presentations achieved the greatest distribution gains over the past year, according to newly-released report data. MarketingCharts 81% of marketers see brand values gain influence over ad buying, study finds 60 percent of advertisers are willing to downgrade or leave media partners that don't meet higher corporate responsibility and brand value standards — an increase of 18 percent from February 2020, according to recently-released brand value survey data of interest to digital marketers. Marketing Dive The Top Areas of B2B Marketing-Sales Alignment That Need Improvement 48 percent of B2B marketers have said that lack of time is the primary impediment when it comes to achieving alignment with sales, while 32 percent say the area most needing improvement is mutual feedback between marketing and sales — two of several statistics of interest to online marketers featured among new survey data. MarketingProfs Microsoft Advertising Bing Search Ads New Asian, Latin, Women Owned & Diabetic-Friendly Attributes Microsoft has rolled out four new ownership attributes that allow digital search marketers to add greater specificity to Bing search ads on the Microsoft Advertising platform, the technology giant recently announced, including the ability to note women-owned and Asian-owned businesses, among 32 other attribution options. SEO Roundtable Study Reveals Big Pay Gap Between Black And White Influencers An influencer pay gap of 29 percent between white and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) has been observed in newly-released survey data, topping typical pay gap amounts in a wide range of other industries. The report data also highlighted a desire for greater pay transparency among influencers. MediaPost Explainer Videos Prove Popular with Content Marketers 65 percent of primarily B2B marketers who use video for content marketing have said they publish how-to or explainer videos, while 58 percent use interviews with influencers or subject matter experts — two of several insights of interest to digital marketers contained in recently-released survey data. MarketingCharts Email Will Receive Continuing Investment In Both B2B and B2C In 2022: Study 40 percent of B2B marketers have said that newsletters play a critical role when it comes to top digital marketing channels, while the most-used channels include social media platforms and websites, according to newly-released HubSpot survey data. MediaPost B2B Supplier Websites Need to Improve in Some Areas, Buyers Say 44 percent of B2B buyers have said that delivery and tracking are the leading customer experience challenges with supplier websites, followed by 39 percent who considered supplier relationships as the top obstacle, according to new B2B buyer survey data. MarketingCharts ON THE LIGHTER SIDE: A lighthearted look at the “supply chain excuses” by Marketoonist Tom Fishburne — Marketoonist Google Points To These Marketing Trends For 2022 — MediaPost TOPRANK MARKETING & CLIENTS IN THE NEWS:

• Lee Odden — 100+ Content Marketing Trends and Predictions for Success in 2022 — Content Marketing Institute
• Lee Odden — 9 Skills Required for Success as a Modern Marketing Professional — Career Enlightenment
• Lee Odden — 100 Of The Best Marketing Quotes That Will Get You Inspired — Nazmul Marketer

Have you come across your own favorite B2B marketing news for the week? Please drop us a line in the comments below. Thank you for taking the time to join us for the TopRank Marketing B2B marketing news, and we hope you'll come back again next Friday for another selection of the most relevant B2B and digital marketing industry news. In the meantime, you can follow us on our LinkedIn page, or at @toprank on Twitter for even more timely daily news.

The post B2B Marketing News: B2B Email Investment Grows, LinkedIn’s Gen Z Insights, Brand Values Gain Ad-Buy Influence, & Influencer Pay Gaps appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Article Source: http://bathseoexpert.blogspot.com/2021/12/b2b-marketing-news-b2b-email-investment.html

Best of B2B Marketing: Learn & Refine With Insight From Our Top 10 Content Marketing Posts

What were our top B2B content marketing articles of the year? Content encompasses nearly everything we read, watch, or listen to, and as our CEO Lee Odden said years ago, it's also represents a significant part of the reason the need for search technology began in the first place. We're proud of the continued content marketing successes our team of marketers at TopRank Marketing have achieved during another challenging year, for a wide-range of major B2B clients. As 2022 draws ever closer, we wanted to take time to share our top content marketing articles of the year — each filled with insights, best practices, research, examples, and a look towards the future. We're also fortunate to have a wealth of talented B2B marketing professionals contributing to the TopRank B2B Marketing blog — which celebrates its 19th year this month. This collection of our top 10 content marketing posts of the year can serve as a valuable resource, filled with practical examples and relevant topics for digital B2B marketing professionals from CMOs to copywriters. We hope that you'll find these articles useful well into 2022 and far beyond. Now, sit back and join us as we move on to the top 10.

Our Most Popular Content Marketing Posts of 2021:

1. 6 Eye-Opening B2B Content Marketing Statistics for 2021 — Nick Nelson

In our top content marketing post of the year, our senior content marketing manager Nick Nelson looks closely at the state of B2B content marketing and where it's going, with data-backed statistics from a various of sources that help paint an insightful picture of what is coming. Insights include:

• Businesses are the most trusted institution for information
• 88% of marketers say collecting first-party data is a priority
• Mobile device usage has risen dramatically
• Brands are using Instagram Stories more than ever
• Most B2B marketers say the pandemic had a meaningful impact on their strategies
• Top barriers to creating great B2B content include workload and changing priorities

You can check out all of Nick's posts here, and follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn. [bctt tweet="“People are looking to businesses for credible, clear, and accurate insights and guidance. As marketers, we must harness this opportunity to earn and solidify this trust.” — Nick Nelson @NickNelsonMN" username="toprank"]

2. 5 Ways to Humanize Your B2B Content Marketing – And Why It Matters — Joshua Nite

B2B buyers are people. Is your content written about, by, and for humans? In our second most popular content marketing post of the year, our own senior content marketing manager Joshua Nite shares five powerful ways to better humanize your B2B content, from using key vocabulary elements to co-creation with influencers, and much more. You can check out all of Josh's posts here, and follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn. [bctt tweet="“If human beings are buying and using your product or service, they are experiencing emotions and generating stories.” — Joshua Nite @NiteWrites" username="toprank"]

3. 5 B2C Content Marketing Techniques that B2B Marketers Should Steal (And 5 They Shouldn’t Touch) — Joshua Nite

Can B2C-style content marketing work for B2B? In our third most popular content marketing article of the year, Joshua Nite says yes, but only up to a point. Josh takes a look at what B2B marketers can borrow from B2C, and what they shouldn't — from taking a greater stand and embracing diversity to getting personal, this fascinating article gets to the core of top B2B content marketing tactics. [bctt tweet="“The central thesis for using B2C techniques in B2B is the realization that there’s no such thing as a 'B2B buyer.' They’re not a distinct species. People are people, whether they’re at work or at home.” — Joshua Nite @nitewrites" username="toprank"]

4. 10 Ways to Drive Revenue through Content Marketing by Joe Pulizzi — Joe Pulizzi / Lee Odden

How can content marketing drive revenue for your business? In our fourth most-read B2B content marketing article of the year, the one-and-only Joe Pulizzi of The Tilt shares 10 direct and indirect methods to drive revenue with content marketing, in a powerful and insightful guest post celebrating his updated and expanded Content Inc. book. Learn content marketing revenue-driving tactics you may be overlooking, including:

• Advertising/Sponsorship
• Conferences and Events
• Premium Content
• Donations
• Affiliate Sales
• Subscriptions
• Product Sales
• Services Sales
• Loyalty Revenue
• Increased Yield on Current Customers

[bctt tweet="“The most successful content creators leverage not one, but multiple streams of revenue. Whether you consider yourself a marketer or part of a media company, we are all publishers.” — Joe Pulizzi @JoePulizzi" username="toprank"]

5. 5 Things B2B Content Marketers Need to Know About Working with Influencers — Lee Odden

What do B2B content marketers need to know about working with influencers? In our fifth most popular content marketing post of the year, Lee shares five key points to inform and drive a successful B2B influencer content marketing program, from where to start and examples of success to what not to do, including details on:

• Defining B2B Content Influencer Marketing
• How to Engage B2B Influencers for Content
• Where to Start with Influencer Content Marketing
• B2B Influencer Content Marketing in Action
• What Not to Do When Collaborating with B2B Influencers on Content

Check out all of Lee’s 2,600+ posts here, and follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn. [bctt tweet="“Collaborating with influencers on content for B2B marketing efforts is an effective way for B2B brands to optimize their marketing.” — Lee Odden @LeeOdden" username="toprank"]

6. B2B Content Marketing: 10 Tips to Level Up Your Writing Skills — Joshua Nite

How can B2B content marketers elevate writing skills and create a more human connection with readers? From rhythm and revision to spicing up conclusions, in our sixth most popular content marketing article of the year, Josh shares 10 helpful tips to level-up your writing skills, including:

• Be Aware of Rhythm
• Practice Introductions
• Don’t Tell the Audience What They Already Know
• Let Go of Obsolete Rules
• Read It Out Loud
• Write, Wait, Review, Revise
• Spice Up Your Conclusions

This inspiring piece includes tips to elevate your B2B content marketing writing, and to make that blank screen less daunting. [bctt tweet="“Writing and revising require two different mindsets. If you’re trying to do both at the same time, you’re likely not doing either as well as you might.” — Joshua Nite @NiteWrites" username="toprank"]

7. Social First for B2B Content Marketing: What, Why and How — Joshua Nite

What is social first, and how does it make B2B content marketing distinctively better? In the seventh most read content marketing piece of the year, Josh shares the what, why, and how, combined to create substantial social posts crafted to provoke comments, likes, reactions and shares, including:

• Hit the Sweet Spot for Word Count
• Start a Conversation
• Involve Influencers
• Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose

[bctt tweet="“In the never-ending struggle to earn attention, B2B marketers have to use every strategy we have. And we have to make sure our goals for each channel line up with that channels’ strengths and weaknesses.” — Joshua Nite @NiteWrites" username="toprank"]

8. 10 Actionable B2B Content Marketing Insights From New Research — Lane R. Ellis

Where is B2B content marketing headed in 2022 and beyond? In our eighth most-read content content marketing post of the year, I share 10 actionable insights that marketers can use today, from eye-opening B2B content marketing research, including a look at:

• More B2B Content Marketing & Greater Success From Defined Strategies
• More Successful B2B Organizations Outsource, Use Content Marketing Tools
• Measurement, Creativity & Consistency Present In Top B2B Content Marketing
• Bolstering Customer Loyalty & Nurturing Audiences Are Key
• Empathy Allows B2B Marketers To Capture Greater Attention
• Video Investment In 2022 & A Different B2B Content Marketing Landscape
• Large & SMB Organizations Benefit From B2B Content Marketing
• Putting Audience Needs & Journey Stages First
• Virtual Events, Research & Blog Posts Are Primary Elements
• Content Marketing Hits Multiple B2B Targets

You can check out all of my posts here, and follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn. [bctt tweet="“B2B content marketing is growing in importance, scope, and adoption by organizations of all sizes, and is poised to see further expansion in 2022 and beyond.” — Lane R. Ellis @lanerellis" username="toprank"]

9. 6 B2B Content Marketing Summertime Sizzlers To Increase Audience Engagement — Joshua Nite

How can B2B marketers make their content more engaging? In our ninth most popular content marketing post of the year, Josh offers up six summertime B2B content marketing sizzlers, from going live and taking people behind the scenes to exploring social-first and interactive content, collaborating with influencers, and measuring engagement metrics. [bctt tweet="“It’s all about customer engagement. That means connecting with people on a personal level, offering something novel and fascinating, and using that contact to build a meaningful relationship.” — Joshua Nite @NiteWrites" username="toprank"]

10. Equilibrium: 10 Tips to Balance Creativity and Process in B2B Content Marketing — Joshua Nite

How can you balance the analytical and creative for greater B2B content marketing success? Rounding our our list of the top content marketing article of the years is another insightful piece by Josh. From involving diverse voices and embracing keyword research to learning your audience and more, Josh shares 10 tips to balance creativity and process in B2B content marketing, including:

• Embrace Keyword Research
• Learn Your Audience
• Involve Diverse Voices
• Release the Ego
• Read Other People’s Content
• Don’t Confuse the Garnish for the Meal
• Have a Clear Next Step
• Get Invested in Results
• Collaborate with Analytics Folks
• Continue Your Education

[bctt tweet="“Marketing content should compel your reader to take specific action. No matter how creative and fun your piece is, at the end there should be a logical, meaningful, and measurable next step.” — Joshua Nite @nitewrites" username="toprank"]

Thanks TopRank Marketing Readers & Writers

Thanks to you our readers, and to all of our top content marketing authors for contributing these top 10 content marketing posts of 2021 — congratulations on making the list! We published dozens of posts this year specifically about content marketing, and plan to bring you even more in 2022, so stay tuned for a new year of the latest helpful search industry research and insight. Please let us know which content marketing topics and ideas you'd like to see us focus on for 2022 — we'd love to hear your suggestions. Feel free to leave those thoughts in the comments section below. Many thanks to each of you who read our blog regularly, and to all of you who comment on and share our posts on the TopRank Marketing social media channels at Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. To learn more about the rising power of influence in B2B, watch our CEO Lee Odden in the comprehensive new webinar "How to Accelerate B2B Marketing Results by Working With Influencers," and learn how to create greater content marketing impact with influence.

The post Best of B2B Marketing: Learn & Refine With Insight From Our Top 10 Content Marketing Posts appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

Article Source: http://bathseoexpert.blogspot.com/2021/12/best-of-b2b-marketing-learn-refine-with.html