Digital B2B Marketing

DECEMBER 6, 2011

Google makes approximately 500 search algorithm changes a year. Looked at another way, Google averages two algorithm changes every business day. Wow. Many of these changes, like the well publicized rounds of Google’s Panda updates, are designed to remove ways companies have found to game Google’s search results. So how do you keep up with all the changes Google makes?

Google 127

Google Curation Marketing Management Twitter 127

Digital B2B Marketing

DECEMBER 6, 2011

Google makes approximately 500 search algorithm changes a year. Looked at another way, Google averages two algorithm changes every business day. Wow. Many of these changes, like the well publicized rounds of Google’s Panda updates, are designed to remove ways companies have found to game Google’s search results. So how do you keep up with all the changes Google makes?

Google 127

Google Curation Marketing Management Twitter 127

Digital B2B Marketing

MAY 27, 2011

The research about mobile usage does not do mobile justice. Sure, 82% of executives have a smartphone. 49% of C-level executives search on a mobile device. Yes, mobile is pervasive, but numbers alone don’t capture how much mobile can change marketing. Many B2B marketers are catching on slowly, distracted by low mobile usage on corporate websites or a limited understanding of how mobile marketing and mobile accessibility contributes to goals.

Mobile Marketing 124

Mobile Marketing Blogger B2B Marketing Social Networks 124

Digital B2B Marketing

DECEMBER 22, 2011

I was recently informed that every marketing blogger must publish their predictions for the year ahead. So to claim my status as a blogger and not put my right to use WordPress at risk, here are my 12 serious predictions for B2B marketing in 2012. Content Marketing 1. Name recognition will rule. Flooded with content, audiences will turn to recognized sources.

B2B Marketing 123

B2B Marketing Mobile Advertising Paid Search Agency Marketing Automation Services 123

Digital B2B Marketing

DECEMBER 1, 2011

A creepy alligator has been stalking me. Yes, an alligator. Ads for HostGator , perpetually offering 20% off, have been on nearly every site I visit. Unfortunately for HostGator, I already chose a hosting provider, and now, I’m tired of HostGator’s advertising and their alligator mascot. Retargeting ads are inexpensive and for online direct marketers, they usually perform very well on click rate, conversion rate and cost per conversion metrics.

Online Marketing 121

Online Marketing Peer-to-peer Paid Search Agency Telemarketing 121

Digital B2B Marketing

DECEMBER 1, 2011

A creepy alligator has been stalking me. Yes, an alligator. Ads for HostGator , perpetually offering 20% off, have been on nearly every site I visit. Unfortunately for HostGator, I already chose a hosting provider, and now, I’m tired of HostGator’s advertising and their alligator mascot. Retargeting ads are inexpensive and for online direct marketers, they usually perform very well on click rate, conversion rate and cost per conversion metrics.

Online Marketing 121

Online Marketing Peer-to-peer Paid Search Agency Telemarketing 121

Digital B2B Marketing

JULY 21, 2011

Content Marketing should provide valuable information to your market at large and to prospects at each stage of the buying process. Ideally, your content is easily discovered, naturally making you and your content a resource. But how do people find your content? Is it through search and peer recommendations (which are increasingly connected), or will they only find it in their inbox?

Peer-to-peer 119

Peer-to-peer Content Marketing Content Demand Generation 119

Digital B2B Marketing

JULY 14, 2011

Thought leadership is a common marketing topic, but unfortunately thought leadership is not a common outcome of marketing. Part of the problem is that thought leadership marketing has lost all notions of actual thought leadership. Gartner defines thought leadership marketing as “the giving — for free or at a nominal charge — of information or advice that a client will value so as to create awareness of the outcome that a company’s product or service can deliver, in order to position

Thought Leadership 119

Thought Leadership B2B Thought Leadership Wikipedia Paid Search Agency 119

Digital B2B Marketing

AUGUST 16, 2011

Twitter is not a communication channel, it is a platform that allows each of us to create and evolve our own custom communication channel. If Twitter is not working for communication, it is not a problem with Twitter. As a platform, Twitter is developing and our behavior reflects its infancy, with the full spectrum of human behavior on display. The societal norms for Twitter have yet to be established.

Twitter 117

Twitter Social Media Google Advertising Channels 117

Digital B2B Marketing

APRIL 11, 2011

This could be called a rant. And it briefly draws on basic economic theory. So unless you like rants based on forgotten college coursework, use the navigation or category links above to find another post. Otherwise, read on, and please share your thoughts below or with me on Twitter. According to eMarketer’s Ad Dollars Still Not Following Online and Mobile Usage , on hour spent online drives 77% fewer advertising dollars than an hour spent with newspapers.

Allocation 116

Allocation Emarketing Mobile Advertising PR 116

Digital B2B Marketing

OCTOBER 11, 2011

Nearly every marketer in every industry has heard the cry “ Content is King “ Even the cover of Ad Age was emblazoned with Content is King last month, complete with a crown. Once a call for change and recognition of a new marketplace reality, Content is King has become conventional marketing wisdom. The problem is, conventional wisdom is average.

Marketing Automation Services 116

Marketing Automation Services Differentiation Content Paid Search Agency 116

Digital B2B Marketing

JULY 28, 2011

KMart’s CMO made waves recently by saying TV, and other traditional channels, are easier to measure than social media. Social media proponents responded, defending social media’s measurability and highlight the data social media provides. My favorite was this tweet from Jay Baer (who I have a tremendous amount of respect for and I don’t disagree with lightly).

Social Media 115

Social Media Media CMO Marketing Mix 115

Digital B2B Marketing

APRIL 26, 2011

We all want to get more than we give, it is simply human nature. We don’t overpay at Walmart out of the goodness of our hearts. Likewise, we don’t pay attention to advertising that doesn’t give us something of value in return , either discounts, entertainment or information. I could launch from here into the value of developing personas to ensure advertising is delivering value.

Advertisements 115

Advertisements Advertising Banner Ads Banners 115

Digital B2B Marketing

AUGUST 23, 2011

In social media, marketers buy attention with promotions or discounts. And research shows consumers expect this from marketers. 44% connect with brands on Twitter for discounts ( source ). The problem is, buying attention is an old school mindset, plopped into a new communication paradigm. For social media to become an important part of the marketing mix and create loyal customers, it cannot continue to rely on tactics that reinforce consumer price sensitivity.

Social Media 115

Social Media Buy Media Pricing 115

Digital B2B Marketing

DECEMBER 20, 2011

Many B2B marketers look to content marketing as a key part of establishing thought leadership. However, companies frequently expect the same content marketing program to capture contacts or leads as well. The problem is, registration and thought leadership are at odds with each other. Thought leadership requires your point of view to be broadly distributed and recognized across a peer group , where it can drive discussion and shape opinions.

B2B Thought Leadership 114

B2B Thought Leadership Thought Leadership Lead Generation Webcast 114

Digital B2B Marketing

AUGUST 25, 2011

Mobile devices are expected to be the primary mode of internet access in the next three years. This is worth saying again: Your company’s digital experience will be primarily via mobile devices. The current response from marketing falls woefully short of where they need to be in a few short months. Discussions of mobile marketing quickly turn to apps, mobile sites and how to make content mobile-friendly.

Mobile Marketing 114

Mobile Marketing B2B Marketing Internet Marketing Twitter 114

Digital B2B Marketing

SEPTEMBER 27, 2011

“Why do you want my email and phone number again? So your sales consultant can contact me? No thanks, I’ll pass.” Most B2B marketers are still fixated on capturing registration data, and no wonder. The marketing automation machine lives on a diet of email and your sales process is built on the telephone. The problem is, your buyer’s process is not built on your email or your phone.

Paid Search Agency 114

Paid Search Agency Marketing Automation Services PR Demand Generation 114

Digital B2B Marketing

MAY 17, 2011

Two weeks ago, I wrote Five Reasons Lead Generation is on its Last Legs , exploring the reasons why today’s common lead generation tactics are beginning to fail. However, the requirement that marketing deliver leads will not change. Marketers need to move beyond today’s content for contact information exchange and embrace new ways to drive demand and capture more interested and qualified contacts.

Lead Generation 114

Lead Generation Sales Qualified Leads Generation Leads 114

Digital B2B Marketing

DECEMBER 15, 2011

All marketing is integrated, even if it is unintentional, poorly done or working against itself. Marketing activity does not happen in a vacuum void of other influences. What is the ROI of your social media activity? What is the ROI of search? What is the ROI of TV? Most marketers don’t actually know. Traditional marketing organizational structures and measurements are built around individual components.

Paid Search Agency 113

Paid Search Agency Work Management Marketing Mix ROI 113

Digital B2B Marketing

NOVEMBER 17, 2011

All Marketing Advice Should Include a Disclaimer Your strategy is your direction; it should never be prescriptive. The strategy you develop should be unique to your business, an outgrowth of the challenge or opportunity you are facing and the environment surrounding your target audience. The problem is, marketing advice is prescriptive. It may sound important and be delivered with authority, but it is still prescriptive.

Planning 113

Planning Curation Marketing & Strategy Inbound Marketing 113

Digital B2B Marketing

NOVEMBER 17, 2011

All Marketing Advice Should Include a Disclaimer Your strategy is your direction; it should never be prescriptive. The strategy you develop should be unique to your business, an outgrowth of the challenge or opportunity you are facing and the environment surrounding your target audience. The problem is, marketing advice is prescriptive. It may sound important and be delivered with authority, but it is still prescriptive.

Planning 113

Planning Curation Marketing & Strategy Inbound Marketing 113

Digital B2B Marketing

NOVEMBER 29, 2011

Two weeks ago, I wrote Just Say NO to Marketing Advice. Inbound marketing is a great example of popular marketing advice and it may makes sense for most marketers. But it doesn’t make sense for all. Most B2B marketers are not providing pure commodity products, even in commodity markets. Every company is looking to differentiate by meeting specific business needs.

Inbound Marketing 113

Inbound Marketing Paid Search Agency Differentiation Marketing & Strategy 113

Digital B2B Marketing

APRIL 13, 2011

One of the biggest differences between social media and most other marketing channels is the idea of developing an audience. As a marketer, this may not seem all that new at first — you have a marketing database already, right? But an audience isn’t a database. An audience chooses to listen to or engage with you. You earn your audience , by listening and engaging, by entertaining or by providing value.

Social Media 113

Social Media Media Impressions Social Marketing 113

Digital B2B Marketing

SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

You find a great blog, read regularly, and tweet or share everything posted. So why not automate sharing what you already share , and get a few minutes back each day? On the surface, it seems logical. However, if you are using automation, it likely is having side effects. Automation has made your algorithm, primarily your selection of sources , more important than the content itself.

Automation 112

Automation Content Curation Twitter 112

Digital B2B Marketing

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

Choose Your Own Adventure books were a staple when I was growing up. I could read them for hours, choosing different paths and seeing each outcomes unfold. As a child, these books gave me a sense of control, they engaged me with choices and opportunities throughout the book. Today, B2B marketers use content to meet the information needs of their audiences.

Planning 112

Planning Content Marketing Webcast Content 112

Digital B2B Marketing

JUNE 2, 2011

Current marketing wisdom says content should be mapped to buying cycles. Yet according to a study from MarketingProfs and Junta42 , 78% of B2B marketers say awareness is an objective of content marketing. Question: Where is awareness most valuable in the buying cycle? Answer: Early stage research and creation of a consideration set. Question: Would it be better if prospects where aware of your company when they started the research process?

Buying Cycle 112

Buying Cycle B2B Thought Leadership Content Hubspot 112

Digital B2B Marketing

JUNE 14, 2011

Audience research is invaluable and well developed personas provide a broad array of insights into the lives and minds of your target audience, insights that form the basis for your social media plans. Then, you put your social media plan in place, including sharing great content from others and creating your own. And you hit a fundamental disconnect.

Social Media 112

Social Media Media Curation Ideal Customer Profiles 112

Digital B2B Marketing

OCTOBER 4, 2011

The current trend in digital media is to move online advertising to trading desks, ad exchanges or real time bidding platforms. These platforms provide access to enormous pools of advertising inventory and allow media buyers to cherry pick their exact target audience , based on a wide range of audience data available for targeting. However, for enterprise B2B marketers, these approaches are not mature enough to broadly support demand generation marketing.

Demand Generation 112

Demand Generation Demand Buy Generation 112

Digital B2B Marketing

AUGUST 30, 2011

The role of brand in enterprise B2B marketing can be a subject of debate (my friend Maureen Blandford even wrote a book “ Branding Doesn’t Work in B2B “). With complex buying processes, multiple stakeholders, and a high touch sales process, how important is a brand? And what does that have to do with a woozle? Woozle’s live in the hearts and minds of Pooh and his friends.

B2B Marketing 112

B2B Marketing Peer-to-peer B2B Touchpoints 112

Digital B2B Marketing

JUNE 28, 2011

You Manage What You Measure. This should be a call to ensure you measure your social media activities, and to measure them correctly. One of the challenges of measuring social media ROI is the return comes in many different forms. As companies develop social media plans and programs, anticipating the ways social media will deliver ROI is a challenge few have addressed.

Media 111

Media Social Media ROI Media Plans 111

Digital B2B Marketing

SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

Smartphones always have a corner of our attention. When they beep, buzz or blink, we take notice. Walking down the sidewalk, on public transit, or while watching television, our smartphones are our sidekicks. Even during meetings, or maybe especially during meetings. But our attention is rarely complete. Few people schedule smartphone time the way they [.].

Television marketing 111

Television marketing Buzz Mobile Marketing B2B Marketing 111

Digital B2B Marketing

JUNE 7, 2011

Advertised Price: Free. Real Price: Your Reputation and Influence. How much will you pay for a service that saves you time in social media? Judging by the $1 to $10 per month price tags for a number of tools, outside of business accounts, it isn’t very much. However, increasingly companies are asking us to pay by promoting their products and services to our connections.

Social Media 111

Social Media Word of Mouth Cost Media 111

Digital B2B Marketing

JUNE 23, 2011

If B2B marketing isn’t dead, it is changing very quickly. But the real change isn’t the marketing , it is how marketing has evolved in response to the evolving buyer. The biggest factor driving the changes in today’s buyers is the accessibility of information technology has enabled. This change has turned demand creation upside down.

Peer-to-peer 111

Peer-to-peer Planning Mobile Marketing Budget Programs 111

Digital B2B Marketing

JULY 7, 2011

This post was sparked by a spirited, and at times emotional, debate during the #bizforum chat on Twitter yesterday evening. Thanks to @ samfiorella for instigating and @ chieflemonhead , @ MaureenB2B , @ PrashSabharwal and @ josepf , among others, for a spirited discussion. B2B buying is complex because the products are complex. Evaluating B2B solutions is hard, and the final decision is not made with absolute knowledge it is the right decision.

B2B Marketing 110

B2B Marketing B2B Paid Search Agency Demand Generation 110

Digital B2B Marketing

OCTOBER 6, 2011

Marketers have a huge blind spot when it comes to nurturing and lead scoring. It does not matter if you have built a sophisticated lead management and nurturing system, driven by content consumption, engagement and response. Your blind spot is there. The problem is, you only see how people respond to your content and your offers. You only see what is happening on your own properties.

Lead Scoring 110

Lead Scoring Lead Ranking Peer-to-peer Leads 110

Digital B2B Marketing

AUGUST 11, 2011

What would happen to your marketing programs if every channel required explicit opt-in and opting out or unsubscribing was just a click away? Although it may seem absurd, this question is relevant today for two reasons: Congress continues to consider privacy legislation every year, and although not well understood, it is broadly supported by constituents.

Opt-in 110

Opt-in Social Media Social Marketing Media 110

Digital B2B Marketing

APRIL 28, 2011

When you consider what social networks can become key marketing channels for your business, there isn’t one right answer. Take a quick look at the very different sharing patterns of the three sites below. Mashable : Twitter is huge, LinkedIn isn’t even included. Jay Baer’s Convince & Convert : Twitter leads today, LinkedIn is growing.

Social Networks 110

Social Networks Network Marketing Social Marketing B2B Marketing 110