The most successful marketers plan ahead, anticipate marketplace changes and capitalize on trends before their competitors. Although it’s impossible to predict the future, it is essential to plan for it. Here are three trends to watch for and build on in the year to come:

1.  Digital acceleration

The pandemic forced in-person customer interactions to go remote. Today, customers are comfortable moving through the entire buying journal entirely online. As a result, they’re demanding a high-quality digital experience.

The stats:

• Nearly 47 percent (double-digit growth during COVID) of B2B buyers report purchasing primarily through digital self-serve channels without the aid of a sales rep. (Pros)
• More than 75 percent of buyers and sellers now prefer digital self-serve and remote human engagement over face-to-face interactions. (McKinsey)
• 73 percent of B2B decision-makers are millennials (age 25-39) and more than one-third say there are the sole decision-maker. (Harvard Business Review)

How to take advantage of it:

• Upgrade or reinvent your website to support the online customer journey.
• Optimize your site for mobile and customer experience to meet Google’s new ranking requirements. Your customers will be more likely to find you and enjoy a positive online experience when they do.
• Explore and refine virtual and hybrid event opportunities because they are here to stay.

2.  Content prioritization

Content marketing became increasingly important during the pandemic. Without face-to-face selling, the quality of the content companies created drew more attention and gained more power. But its importance isn’t new. When you consistently produce useful content that helps your buyers solve a problem or make a decision, you’re demonstrating your expertise and your value.

The stats:

• 33 of buyers spend more time researching products now than before COVID. (TrustRadius)
• 47 percent of B2B buyers read three to five pieces of content first before contacting a salesperson. (DemandGenReport)
• 73 percent of B2B companies have a documented content marketing strategy. (Content Marketing Institute)

How to take advantage of it:

• Conduct a content audit to understand what content is resonating with your audience, what content needs to be updated and what content should be deleted.
• Develop a strategic marketing plan that includes a focus on creating and delivering the content your buyers are looking for (not what you want to tell them about your company).
• Create content for each stage of your buyer’s journey to ensure you are delivering the right content through the right medium at the right time.

3.  User-generated content

User-generated content brings your customers into the conversation on a personal level. In fact, almost all marketers agree that customers trust content created by other customers more than content created by brands.

The stats:

• 92 percent of buyers trust peer recommendations. (Search Engine Watch)
• 90 percent of buyers say user-generated content influences their purchasing decisions, outranking all other forms of marketing, including search engines and emails. (TurnTo Networks)
• Websites that feature user content saw a 20 percent increase in return visitors and a staggering 90 percent increase in time spent on-site. (Digital Information World)

How to take advantage of it:

• Ask your social media followers to write reviews, make videos or send pictures describing their experiences with your products and services.
• Conduct a survey and invite customers to share their opinions about the industry, marketplace trends and your products and services. Transform their insights into a white paper, series of blogs or other content.
• Ask customers for testimonials that can be used on your website, in sales materials, newsletters or email campaigns, but make sure to get permission before sharing user-generated content.

Looking forward

It’s an exciting time to be a B2B marketer. Today’s marketing world is increasingly digital, but also increasingly personal. Advances in technology are driving more meaningful insights and helping us better customize content and target campaigns. The key is to strategically determine how to integrate new trends in a way that moves you toward your growth goals. To learn how Trade Press Services can help you shape your marketing strategy for 2022 and beyond, schedule a call with one of our experts.