Digital B2B Marketing

OCTOBER 31, 2012

What, it’s changing? Quick, call it dead! Write an article about how social media is killing advertising! Advertising is Dead. SEO is Dead. Television is Dead. Magazines are Dead. Newspapers are Dead. Websites are Dead. Agencies are Dead. Media companies are Dead. Did TV kill radio? After more than 50 years, radio is still here. Like everything else, it has changed.

Advertising Agencies 178

Advertising Agencies Paid Search Agency Television marketing Social Media 178

Digital B2B Marketing

JUNE 14, 2012

You are ready to take your content marketing to the next level. Until now, you have been producing mostly mid and late stage content. Your content supports the sales process and effectively communicates the value of your solutions to prospects. Now, you are ready to use content marketing to raise the profile of your company overall. Content that drives overall visibility for your company is different.

Content Marketing 174

Content Marketing Planning Eloqua Marketing Automation Services 174

Digital B2B Marketing

DECEMBER 4, 2012

Dan Zarella and Hubspot gave the “what is your social media audience worth” pot a good stir last week. It doesn’t matter if you like Hubspot’s formula or not (at least not for this article). One day many businesses will put a value on their social media audience, if it is in the form of monthly impact to their business or the average value of an audience member.

Wikipedia 171

Wikipedia Social Media Hubspot Sample 171

Digital B2B Marketing

OCTOBER 30, 2012

Distraction is constant in our technology and communication-fueled lives. Email alerts, Facebook replies, tweets , Google’s red box, … Everything around us is competing for our attention. We may not have ADD, but we definitely act like it. How can B2B content marketers, who are often marketing complex products and need to share a meaningful level of detail, be effective in this environment?

Content Marketing 169

Content Marketing Tips Content Act-On 169

Digital B2B Marketing

JUNE 26, 2012

The following 9 terms are so overused or misused in B2B marketing that they have lost nearly all meaning. If you are using these terms today, it is time to stop and explain what you really mean. Otherwise, we may hear you, but we will think you mean something completely different. 1. Thought Leadership Almost any type of content has been labeled thought leadership marketing in recent years.

Demand Generation Agencies 168

Demand Generation Agencies B2B Thought Leadership Advertising Agencies Allocation 168

Digital B2B Marketing

JANUARY 19, 2012

Google, Plus Your World was rolled out just over a week ago, and the online world has adopted the rallying call to get onto Google+ for the SEO benefits. Multiple articles point to brand pages as the solution. Publications from mainstream (Mashable wrote “ get your Google+ brand page into as many influential people’s circles as possible “) to niche (HelloBloggerz.com wrote “ brands need to invest more time into promoting their Google Plus brand pages “) are misleading mar

Google 167

Google SEO Branding Brand Identity 167

Digital B2B Marketing

MARCH 15, 2012

Last week, I made the case for a new definition of inbound marketing , or as Michael Brenner ( @brennermichael ) called it in the comments, a “call to arms” for inbound marketers. The new definition: Inbound marketing is marketing focused on being found through the recommendation of others and delighting everyone that finds you. As inbound marketing evolves, the components also need to change.

Inbound Marketing 166

Inbound Marketing Budget Programs Blast Campaigns Marketing & Strategy 166

Digital B2B Marketing

MAY 14, 2012

If it doesn’t benefit us, entertain us, educate us, solve our problems or advance our causes, we don’t want it. If we find something better, we switch. Today, our mantra is “What’s in it for me?” All too often, the answer is “Not much.” We are flooded with content. This blog post will be one of millions published today.

Content 166

Content Buyer's Journey Education Marketing Prospects 166

Digital B2B Marketing

MAY 7, 2012

View original on Pinterest You are ready for social media. You have staff, tools and resources. You have a clear strategy, well-defined goals and an execution plan. You have executive support. But how long will it last? How long will you have the resources and support you need? Your social media program needs time. The old-fashioned time that is measured on a calendar, not in staff hours.

Budget Programs 166

Budget Programs Social Media Curation Case Study 166

Digital B2B Marketing

AUGUST 28, 2012

If you are looking for another article that lists search, social media, persona development or lead management, this is not it. Those are skills that can easily be learned by the right person. The more important thing to know is what type of person can learn both the skills they need today and the new ones they will need tomorrow? Here are 7 key characteristics of B2B marketers that will be able to learn the skills needed today and tomorrow and will be able to identify and pursue new B2B marketi

B2B Marketing 165

B2B Marketing B2B Best Practices Marketing Management 165

Digital B2B Marketing

JUNE 11, 2012

B2B marketers are looking for a shortcut to thought leadership , but the shortcut many are taking lead somewhere else completely. According to a recent report on eMarketer , 85% of marketers curate content in order to establish thought leadership! Does sharing someone else’s content make you a thought leader? No. Marketers, in their race to the shortcut, are confusing respect and attention with thought leadership.

Curation 165

Curation B2B Thought Leadership Thought Leadership Emarketing 165

Digital B2B Marketing

MAY 22, 2012

According to recent research from IDC, lead generation is a top B2B marketing priority , and in the next four years Sirius Decisions predicts 75% of all registrations will be captured online. (Sirius Decisions actually labels this as inbound marketing, however I use a more limited definition of inbound marketing.) One of the primary ways B2B marketers capture leads online is asking prospects to register for content.

Marketing Prospects 164

Marketing Prospects Webcast B2B Marketing Planning 164

Digital B2B Marketing

JULY 31, 2012

B2B marketing is complex. Sales cycles are long, measurement can be convoluted, and segmentation, lead scoring and sales and marketing alignment take traditional marketers into uncomfortable spaces. Amid the details and uncomfortable spaces, the bigger marketing picture is often lost. Take a step back and consider the three bigger picture items below.

B2B Marketing 163

B2B Marketing Planning B2B Demand Generation 163

Digital B2B Marketing

NOVEMBER 8, 2012

Inbound marketing leads, according to Hubspot, cost 62% less than leads from outbound marketing. But don’t expect that cost advantage to last. One of two things is happening: Inbound isn’t really more cost effective. Maybe Hubspot’s sample is biased or methodology is bad, but for whatever reason, the 62% isn’t true. Inbound really is more cost effective today and early adopters are reaping the benefit.

Inbound Marketing 160

Inbound Marketing Cost Barriers Sample 160

Digital B2B Marketing

OCTOBER 16, 2012

Outbound marketing is about interruption. Inbound marketing is about discovery. But so what? We have all been interrupted and had it lead to something wonderful. We have all turned to Google or social media and discovered things that are completely useless or misleading. So why is inbound marketing a better way to market? The difference is friction.

Inbound Marketing 158

Inbound Marketing Webcast Banner Ads Banners 158

Digital B2B Marketing

JUNE 19, 2012

That was the headline on the first page article when BtoB Magazine landed in my inbox last week. According to new research from IDC, only 18.6% of B2B technology buyers say social media has influenced their purchase decisions or interactions with vendors. So should B2B organizations shutter their social media efforts or reduce their investments? No.

Social Media 158

Social Media BtoB Media B2B 158

Digital B2B Marketing

NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Do you care if potential prospects see your services as high value or a complete rip-off? Of course you do. This is about the perception each individual has about you. This is about your brand. Perceptions are created by experience with your products, service and people, through what other people say about you (even competitors) and through your own marketing.

B2B Marketing 158

B2B Marketing Bundling B2B Marketing Proposals 158

Digital B2B Marketing

APRIL 18, 2012

Sure, your content is excellent. It is unbiased, educates and provides valuable advice and perspectives. But is that how your audience sees it? Depending on your perspective, you may see an old hag or a young lady in the drawing at the right. And once you see one, it can be difficult to switch and see the other perspective. Marketers get caught in the same trap with their content.

Content 157

Content Education Twitter Best Practices 157

Digital B2B Marketing

FEBRUARY 21, 2012

Pinterest is the marketing flavor du jour. Media and press are tauting the ability of Pinterest to drive traffic and the time spent on Pinterest. Many B2B marketers do not have any presence on Pinterest. In my search for major B2B marketers on Pinterest, I only found a handful using it actively. Here are three of the better B2B marketing examples I found.

B2B Marketing 156

B2B Marketing Branding Brand Identity B2B 156

Digital B2B Marketing

JUNE 28, 2012

Develop a relationship. Don’t propose on the first date. Relationships take time. You talk about relationships as a marketer. You use the same words and clichés. However, you don’t really mean a relationship. You won’t talk a walk in the park with me because we enjoy spending time together and share what we did today just because we want each other to know.

Enterprise Management 156

Enterprise Management Paid Search Agency Work Management Marketing Proposals 156

Digital B2B Marketing

JULY 9, 2012

Is your strategy and organization up to the task? Content marketers need to deliver results in an environment that is constantly changing. Faced with these constant changes, content marketing can either devolve into a series of reactionary random acts of marketing or take the changes in stride. The difference comes down to your content marketing strategy and your marketing organization.

Content Marketing 153

Content Marketing Planning Marketing Management Content 153

Digital B2B Marketing

MAY 3, 2012

Among paid media and advertising tactics, lead generation programs like content syndication are a key source of leads for B2B marketers, especially in the enterprise technology space. Tell a B2B publisher that you are interested in lead generation and the majority will point to some form of white paper syndication program they offer. For the sake of this post, lead generation programs refer to publisher programs that promote your content and capture registration.

Lead Generation 153

Lead Generation Advertisements Advertising Lead Scoring 153

Digital B2B Marketing

SEPTEMBER 13, 2012

You have agonized over your copy, crafting something with depth and nuance. You tell the story around the table of how the message and design combine to illustrate your brand’s superiority. As you explain it heads begin to nod, the connection becomes clear and the program moves forward. The problem is, you expect your audience to find the same winding road from creative to communication objective, with no map or guide.

Rules 151

Rules Advertisements Advertising Eye-Tracking 151

Digital B2B Marketing

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

Buyer personas are a hot topic of discussion in the B2B marketing world, but how do you create the personas that you need and ensure you are getting the value you need out of them? Do you even need to create B2B buyer personas at all? B2B buyer personas were the topic of discussion recently on #B2Bchat and the group shared their perspective on these and a number of other questions.

Buyer Personas 149

Buyer Personas B2B Marketing Paid Search Agency B2B 149

Digital B2B Marketing

JULY 16, 2012

The B2B marketing community has become so focused on the journey they have lost sight of the destination. The purpose of B2B marketing is not leads, relationships, content or branding. Social media, mobile, search and local are all irrelevant at the end of the day. This focus on the day-to-day marketing and business activities has given rise to a number of B2B marketing myths.

B2B Marketing 148

B2B Marketing B2B Marketing Management Social Media 148

Digital B2B Marketing

DECEMBER 11, 2012

In B2B marketing organizations, content marketing aims to help buyers buy. Right? Content marketing provides the information buyers need to determine the type of solution they need, develop internal support for a change, create a short list of providers and address objections , all while positioning your company as a trusted resource. Wow, that sounds amazing.

Buy 148

Buy B2B Marketing Work Management Content Marketing 148

Digital B2B Marketing

AUGUST 14, 2012

What if banner ads could become as targeted and relevant as emails? One of the emerging trends in online advertising promises to make this possible. Rather than targeting an audience based on various characteristics, CRM retargeting allows you to target segments of your CRM database with online ads. How It Works You have seen retargeting ads, banners that promote whatever products you looked at or left in your shopping cart and follow you around the web.

CRM 148

CRM Advertisements Advertising Tactics 148

Digital B2B Marketing

APRIL 9, 2012

Just over half (52%) of B2B marketers are now using video, a 27% increase over the year before. However, that means nearly half of B2B marketers are not using video yet. Last week for #B2Bchat I moderated a discussion on video in B2B marketing, including why B2B marketers should care , how to get started, production quality and tools and resources. A summary transcript from the discussion is below and is worth reviewing, there were a number of insights as well as individuals in the discussion wo

B2B Marketing 147

B2B Marketing Video Marketing B2B Paid Search Agency 147

Digital B2B Marketing

AUGUST 7, 2012

Inbound marketing is all about your content, right? If you use the components of inbound marketing I have shared or the common definition centered on content, social and search, content is at the core. Content is definitely one path, and the path most companies traditionally take. However, it isn’t the only viable approach. During Marketo’s Social Rockstar Tour presentation, they presented two alternatives to content in inbound marketing.

Inbound Marketing 146

Inbound Marketing Planning Paid Search Agency Content 146

Digital B2B Marketing

AUGUST 30, 2012

Your marketing makes me dislike you. In fact, it makes me, once a potential customer, reconsider if I should even do business with you. However, your marketing performance measurement doesn’t capture my disdain. I am simply one more individual that did not buy. I am just part of your standard drop-off rate. How many more people like me are out there?

ROI 144

ROI Autoresponders Advertising Agencies Correlation 144

Digital B2B Marketing

FEBRUARY 23, 2012

Have you ever wondered who is sharing your blog posts or other content on social media sites but don’t have access to expensive social media monitoring applications that can tell you? Here are ways you can find out who is sharing your content, and in some cases how much traffic each share is driving, on Twitter and LinkedIn. Some of the approaches here use Google Analytics or WordPress statistics, the measurement solutions I use here on B2B Digital Marketing.

Twitter 145

Twitter Linkedin Stats Marketing Analytics Tools 145

Digital B2B Marketing

JUNE 21, 2012

A documentary-style video featuring Oliver North? That definitely would not be marketing. The video is entertaining. It is educational. It isn’t about a video game. But it is. If you have not seen the documentary video for Call of Duty 2 , you can watch it below. It is an example of content marketing that many B2B marketers can learn from. Here are a few of the things that set this video apart as part of a marketing program.

B2B Marketing 144

B2B Marketing Content Marketing B2B Content 144

Digital B2B Marketing

MARCH 28, 2012

I have had it with “research” about the content formats B2B buyers prefer at each stage of the buyers journey. Multiple B2B publishers are pedaling this misinformation and as B2B marketers struggle with content marketing, it is diverting their focus. Here is one example from TechTarget : eBooks are earlier than white papers which are earlier than virtual trade shows?

Buyer's Journey 143

Buyer's Journey Trade Show Content B2B Sales 143

Digital B2B Marketing

MAY 24, 2012

B2B marketing can quickly become complicated. Scoring leads, establishing marketing automation, building thought leadership, creating demand… it isn’t easy. Far too often, the complexity masks the important foundational elements. Remembering the things dear Mom taught you before you were old enough for school will make you an infinitely better marketer.

B2B Marketing 143

B2B Marketing Marketing Automation Services B2B Thought Leadership B2B 143

Digital B2B Marketing

JULY 23, 2012

In B2B marketing, collecting numbers is easy. Picking the right measurements and consistently using them to improve your marketing is the real challenge. Here are just a few of the questions you will need to address: Should you be focused on revenue that is directly attributed to your marketing activities? Is the data you have reliable? How do you measure and manage newer segments of marketing, including social media?

B2B Marketing 142

B2B Marketing B2B Social Media Twitter 142

Digital B2B Marketing

MARCH 21, 2012

We just welcomed our third son, Caleb, into our family. Over the last few months, I have been thinking about the world he is coming in to, how it is changing and what marketing, one of my focuses, will look like as grows up. Innovation is happening so quickly that predictions like this are a fool’s errand, but for the sake of Caleb and discussion, here are trends I see that I believe will continue to carry through the next 18 years.

Paid Search Agency 143

Paid Search Agency Telemarketing Ad Frequency Privacy 143

Digital B2B Marketing

SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

Two weeks ago GoDaddy’s outage knocked numerous sites offline for an extended period of time. On the same day, this site ( B2B Digital Marketing , in case you are reading this elsewhere) received more search traffic than ever before. Google search traffic was up 20% over the previous one-day high and was nearly 40% higher than the average from the prior three weeks.

Godaddy 141

Godaddy Marketing Management Planning Marketing & Strategy 141