Trends are changing rapidly in the digital space. Identifying technologies B2B marketers should use for managing their content marketing is challenging. No one can know “for sure” how customer behaviors OR technologies could change.
For example, Gartner’s research states that 44% of millennials prefer not to work with sales reps in the B2B space. In other words, there are swift moves toward digital channels and away from in-person interactions.
In this guide, you’ll learn the importance of B2B marketing tools and technologies B2B marketers should use today.
Why are B2B Marketing Tools Important?
A marketer’s goal is finding, reaching, and converting leads into customers. Therefore, they must have the best B2B marketing tools in their toolboxes. These tools allow marketers to:
- Maximize time and resources
- Understand which audiences to target
- Determine the best channels to use
- Identify the most effective campaigns
Marketers can design communication strategies by compiling detailed information about their prospects. B2B marketing tools help them achieve that goal. Marketers can develop and maintain customer relationships by strategically gathering data and targeting messaging using these tools.
Increase Engagement
Use B2B marketing tools to engage with current and potential customers. Then, keep the conversation going. Avoid pushing offers, products, or services. Increasing engagement involves highlighting relevant information about your industry, business, and how your products or services solve pain points.
Increasing engagement also allows companies to build solid customer relationships by:
- Sharing expertise and relevant knowledge
- Fostering relationships with a customer advisory board
- Improving customer service experiences
- Becoming a trusted advisor – not just a vendor or service provider
Provide Answers
Your target audience wants answers – they’re researching products and services that’ll solve their pain points. Focus on what audiences need and provide them with solutions and answers to their questions using:
- Blog posts and articles
- eBooks, guides, and white papers
- Video tutorials and live streams
- Webinars
Meet Expectations
We learn from salesforce’s 4th edition of the STATE of the CONNECTED CUSTOMER that 66% of consumers expect brands and marketers to understand their unique needs and how to meet their expectations. They don’t want companies to treat them like a number but rather as someone they value.
A surefire way of creating repeat customers is by meeting their expectations. Meeting expectations using B2B marketing tools also helps brands communicate directly with their target audience, conduct research, improve response times, streamline workflows, personalize customer experiences, and more.
Improve ROI
Before measuring or determining how to improve ROI, marketers must identify a campaign’s expenditures and how much they stand to gain from it. Those budget line items could include content creation, social media ads, influencer marketing, and costs for marketing tools.
Calculating ROI involves tallying up these expenditures and profits and then plugging those numbers into the following calculator:
The Advertising ROI Calculator
If you’re unhappy with the results, use B2B marketing tools to measure and track ROI, identify areas for improvement, and determine where to leverage marketing automation tools.
5 Technologies B2B Marketers Should Use Today
Maintaining the competitive advantage means B2B marketers must keep up with digital trends and technology continues evolving. There’s no shortage of technologies B2B marketers can tap into, but the challenge lies in which to choose and focus energy on. Here are some suggestions:
Analytics Tools
Marketers can use analytics tools to measure website traffic, analyze target audience behaviors, and research customer preferences—these insights guide marketing teams during demand generation and lead generation efforts. Doing so allows them to maximize their budgets, save time, and improve their return on investment (ROI).
Examples of analytics tools include:
Email Marketing Tools
Email marketing tools are excellent for building and nurturing leads and reaching existing customers. Use these tools to send valuable information, collect data, and alert them of current promotions. In addition to quickly targeting, personalizing, and scheduling relevant content, marketing teams can efficiently measure results and gather insights.
Examples of email marketing tools include:
Content Management Services
B2B companies need unique or specialized content creation support. Content creation services are integral to their content marketing success. B2B content creation aims to ensure teams create engaging content that generates leads and continues nurturing them through the buyer’s journey.
For example, the content creation software and services nDash offers help streamline processes for B2B marketers using features including calendars, integrations, payments, and workflows. Use these tools to scale content production with a content strategy, editorial planning, and content production.
Marketing Automation Software
An advantage of marketing automation software is that marketers can use this tool for more than one purpose. These platforms automate activities and tasks across multiple channels allowing marketing teams to streamline workflows and measure their efforts efficiently. Examples of such activities include digital advertising, email marketing, lead generation, and social media.
Examples of marketing automation software include:
Webinar Presentation Platforms
Webinars are an excellent tool for digital-first engagement. According to a survey as part of the ON24 Webinar Benchmarks Report 2021:
- 99% of marketers state that webinars are a critical element of their marketing campaigns
- 72% of marketers indicate that webinars play an integral role in their pipeline and revenue
- 89% of marketers find that webinars are the top digital channel for creating qualified leads
Examples of webinar presentation platforms include:
B2B Content Marketing FAQs
What is B2B marketing technology?
B2B marketing technologies include:
- analytics tools
- email marketing tools
- content management services
- marketing automation software
- webinar presentation platforms
What is B2B content marketing?
B2B content marketing helps brands reach their audience and create brand awareness. It also helps them nurture leads as they travel through the buyer’s journey.
Which is the best content marketing tool?
We’ve mentioned several in this guide. Choosing the best depends on your goals. Here are some suggestions:
- Analytics: Google Analytics
- Email marketing: Constant Contact
- Content creation services: nDash
- Marketing automation software: ActiveCampaign
- Webinar presentation platform: GoToWebinar