B2B Marketers on the Move: 2022 Brings New Opportunities

The B2B marketing landscape consists of swift changes, with growth often happening at a speedy pace that can sometimes be difficult to fully appreciate. For over 20 years TopRank Marketing has been honored to help some of the world's top B2B marketers and brands elevate and go beyond merely being competitive, to standing out from the crowd with a variety of creative and award-winning successes. In this spirit we regularly like to take a moment to congratulate and honor business marketers, thought leaders, industry influencers and our own team members who have recently advanced in their careers. When B2B marketers take on new roles in leadership, it's only natural to seek out trusted resources to help them hit the ground running, and TopRank Marketing is happy to have been a go-to B2B content and influencer marketing agency for a powerful array of marketers in new leadership roles. We're also always seeking out B2B technology industry influencers advancing in their careers to partner with on unique content collaborations. We'd like to extend big congratulations to our B2B technology industry partners, clients, associates, friends and teammates in this third edition of B2B Marketers on the Move.

Celebrating 2022 B2B Marketers on the Move

Tequia Burt has taken a new position as editor in chief, LinkedIn Marketing Solutions Blog at LinkedIn*.

"Be brave. Much of the time, we are afraid to bring our authentic and true selves to work, but in order to be an authentic storyteller and marketer who connects with audiences, you can't be fake."

Tequia's keen B2B content marketing insight led her to be featured on our annual list of top B2B content marketing influencers, in "Top 25 B2B Content Marketing Influencers and Experts To Follow #CMWorld 2021." Rebecca Stone has taken a new position as senior vice president of customer solutions marketing at Cisco. Marcus Tober has taken a new position as head of enterprise solutions at Semrush.

“SEO takes time and patience, and engagement from multiple departments in companies. SEO should be a focus, because when demand rises and advertising costs increase again, starting SEO is too late,”

Marcus' search marketing insight was featured in our look at pandemic search engine optimization (SEO) tips, "Best SEO Tips for Marketing During the Pandemic Plus 9 Top SEO Platforms." Elizabeth Williams has been promoted to director of new business and client accounts at TopRank Marketing.

“The marvelous impact we can make for our clients — for their businesses and for them as marketers and humans — is what keeps me inspired.”

Danny Nail has taken a new position as director, global ABM COE leader, at Salesforce.

“You have to let go of templatized, old ideas. You have to break free of thinking about things the way we’ve always thought about them, and start really digging into how you can change what you’re doing and make it more efficient, more effective, but be creative about that.”

Danny sat down with our own senior content marketing manager Joshua Nite for our ongoing multiple-season Break Free B2B Marketing video and podcast series to speak about account-based-marketing (ABM) on a global scale in, Break Free B2B Marketing: Danny Nail of SAP on Creating a Global ABM Platform. Debbie Friez has been promoted to influencer marketing manager at TopRank Marketing.

“I am thankful for almost 7 years of working with the amazing, smart, talented team at TopRank Marketing. Every day I look forward to new challenges and exciting experiences. The best part of my job is learning from the many thought leaders some will call influencers. I truly treasure the relationships I’ve built with so many great minds.”

Brian Hood has been promoted to vice president, digital product management and marketing technology, at Thomson Reuters. Jennifer Leggio has taken a new position as chief marketing officer at Netography.

"I often joke that people don't find marketing; that it finds us. It's a career path for creative empaths who also live and die by the stories that data tells us. These things make us brilliant and impactful, but also make us vulnerable. My greatest advice to B2B marketing up-and-comers is to stay strong and fearless when working with people who don't get us or our craft — because very few do — and keep your eye on the outcomes. There is no greater joy than seeing that final campaign, design, or story win, so never stop pushing for them."

Jennifer has been featured as one of the most influential women in B2B marketing on several of our annual industry lists, including "50 Influential Women in B2B Marketing Who Rocked in 2020." Jane Bartel has been promoted to director of content and search at TopRank Marketing.

“One of my favorite things about good B2B content marketing is that it’s so focused on adding value for the audience More than in the B2C space, B2B content marketers are asking themselves, ‘is the content I’m producing going to help the person consuming it solve a problem?’”

Elizabeth Dieckman has been promoted to director of product marketing at LinkedIn*. Adolfo Alvarado has taken a new position as SEO strategist at TopRank Marketing. Amber Naslund has been promoted to senior manager, marketing solutions, at LinkedIn*.

“Never be afraid to explore paths you hadn’t considered before. Sometimes the most exciting opportunities are the ones that are most unexpected, don’t look like a ladder climb, and weren’t necessarily in your plan. And that feeling of imposter syndrome? It’s really just a sign you’re stepping outside your comfort zone. Say yes to the exploratory call, be courageous, and recognize that the most powerful words in your career journey can be what if?”

Amber has been featured on our most recent annual list of the top 50 B2B marketing influencers, and shared the digital stage with our CEO Lee Odden on an episode of LinkedIn’s Live with Marketers Home Edition, focusing on "The Business of Executive Thought Leadership." Mia Umanos has been promoted to chief executive officer at Clickvoyant. Alexander White has taken a new position as social media and influencer marketing coordinator at TopRank Marketing. Jason Miller has taken a new position as marketing director at CreativeX.

"As a marketer, the best advice I’ve ever been given is to focus on your soft skills. There are a lot of savvy marketers who all know how to do the same things; the differentiator is how you excel at creativity, problem-solving, and communication. Master these skills, and you will not only stand out, but you will also be on the path to becoming a strong marketing leader. I learned this the hard way and paid the price by losing opportunities early on in my career. Map these skills out immediately, double down, and get to work."

Jason was among those featured on our most recent annual list of the top B2B marketing influencers, in "50 Top B2B Marketing Influencers, Experts and Speakers To Follow In 2022," and on our look at "LinkedIn’s List of 24 B2B Marketers You Need to Know." Amy Otis has taken a new position as account manager at TopRank Marketing. Keith Guse has taken a new position as associate director, social media, at Merck. Nick Nelson has been promoted to senior content marketing manager at TopRank Marketing.

"What I’ve found at TopRank Marketing is an accommodating environment, meaningful work, amazing colleagues, clear avenues for growth, and a real sense of pride."

Christina Stelene has been promoted to director of demand generation and digital sales, training and adoption Americas, at SAP. Danielle Motley has taken a new position as account manager at TopRank Marketing. Waynette Tubbs has taken a new position as director of content marketing at Oracle.

“Make your customer the hero. Tell your customers' stories about how they solve problems using your product.”

Waynette was featured on our look at some of the inspirational content that leading marketing industry professionals have crafted, in "10 Inspiring Expert Quotes That Honor Timeless Content Marketing Best Practices." Harry Mackin has taken a new position as content strategist at TopRank Marketing. Anna Griffin has taken a new position as chief marketing officer at Intercom. Kay Stone has taken a new position as director of social media and influencer marketing at TopRank Marketing. Mark Barrera has been promoted to vice president of audience and content acquisition at TrustRadius.

"Always look at ways to bring value to a business beyond tasks that may be tied to your current role. This allows you to take on more and show that your worth is beyond what it's currently being used for."

Steve Lewis has taken a new position as social media manager at TopRank Marketing. Virginia Brailey has taken a new position as chief executive officer at Xemoto.

"As much as I love marketing and technology, there is nothing better than bringing people with diverse strengths together and building a strong team. If you really want to exceed in the marketplace you need to first succeed in the workplace."

Sam Kirchoff has taken a new position as internal marketing manager at TopRank Marketing.

"I like working at TopRank because it's one of the only agencies I've worked at where I felt welcomed as the person I was, not the person they wanted me to be. I've worked here twice: once at the very beginning of my career and now, ten years later, as someone with more experience. Both times I've made professional and personal connections that have made a real difference in my life. It's an easy place to feel passion and care for your clients and coworkers because that same energy is reflected all around you. It's an easy place to be."

Brooke Osmundson has taken a new position as lead of digital marketing at Smith Micro Software, Inc. Theresa Dorsey Meis has taken a new position as content strategist at TopRank Marketing. Sarah McLaughlin has been promoted to vice president of marketing at R3 IoT Limited.

“You can achieve any ambition during your marketing career. Don’t underestimate your potential, ability, or worth. I went from high school dropout, to single parent, to VP Marketing with four beautiful daughters. Set yourself goals. Invest in your personal growth. And don’t settle. When looking for your next career move, choose a role, company, or industry outside your current comfort zone. You will grow enormously, both personally and professionally.”

Sara Varni has taken a new position as chief marketing officer at Attentive. Art Allen has taken a new position as content strategist at TopRank Marketing. Abby Johnson has been promoted to director of communications at Gray.

"Having a career in marketing isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes hard work, passion, commitment, continuous learning, creativity, and a touch of obsessive-compulsive behavior. But that’s what makes marketers special. Effective marketers today understand this complex, ever-evolving environment and turn challenges into opportunities. At its core, marketing is about creating experiences. We, as marketers, have the power to make these positive or negative. This perspective continues to inspire me."

Abby has been featured in an installment of our annual list of women who rock social media, a tradition that we've continued each year, including our most recently look at "25 Women of Color Who Rocked B2B Marketing in 2021."

Thanks To These Top Leaders For Helping Elevate the B2B Marketing Industry

Thanks to all of the talented B2B marketing professionals here who have recently been promoted or taken new industry positions. We're certain that you'll elevate and reach new heights when it comes to the performance you'll deliver in your new roles. You can find our previous edition of "Saluting B2B Marketers on the Move" here. If you're looking for a change of your own, be sure to check out our list of current job openings at TopRank Marketing on our careers page. *LinkedIn and SAP are TopRank Marketing clients.

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B2B Marketing News: B2B Data Acquisition Strategies, Rising Social Privacy Concerns, Meta Brings WhatsApp To Its Workplace Platform, & The Role Of Timing In B2B Marketing

Which Contact Data Acquisition Strategies Are Most Effective for B2B Marketers? [Survey] 79 percent of B2B marketers have said that their website registration forms are the most effective customer and prospect data-gathering tactic, followed by 54 percent who said content downloads from dedicated landing pages, and 47 percent who said in-person events, according to recently-released survey data. MarketingCharts B2B sellers deal with challenges of online customer experience Half of B2B sellers see budget and supply chain improvements as the largest challenges they're likely to face in 2022, with 47 percent noting that data management will be among their top issues during the year ahead, according to newly-reased survey data of interest to digital marketers. Digital Commerce 360 [bctt tweet="“Collaboration is the future of business. I think the only way forward is to really be able to understand what your colleagues in marketing, customer service, or procurement are going through on a day-to-day basis.” @bevictoryus" username="toprank"] Meta Announces Planned Integration of WhatsApp into its Workplace Platform Facebook and Instagram parent firm Meta has announced forthcoming integration of its WhatsApp mobile communications technology into Meta’s enterprise Workplace platform, in efforts aimed at providing greater mobile reach, the firm recently announced. Social Media Today TikTok the Top Social Platform for Increased Marketer Investment This Year TikTok was joined by YouTube, Instagram, Amazon, Twitch, Google, and LinkedIn as the top platforms for marketing investment in 2022, according to newly-released survey data. Some 84 percent of marketers said that they plan to increase investment in TikTok this year, 66 percent in YouTube, and 64 percent in Instagram, the survey showed. MarketingCharts New Survey Shows that Social Media Users are Increasingly Concerned About Data Privacy [Infographic] 69 percent of U.S. adults have deleted or considered getting rid of a social media account due to data breaches, while some 81 percent have expressed more concern about the privacy of their social data than they did last year — two of several findings of interest to online marketers contained in recently-published survey data. Social Media Today ANA Finds Email Most-Used Response Medium, But The Biggest Check Is Still In The Mail Direct mail and SMS messaging delivered the best return-on-investment (ROI) when it comes to the media formats that get the highest rates of direct consumer responses, while e-mail and social media are the most used, even though they rank second and fourth for ROI, according to newly-released survey data. MediaPost TikTok Looks to Expand Content Horizons with New, Integrated 'Stories' Test TikTok has rolled out a test that folds story-format content into the primary user feed on the growing platform — on-pace to top 1.5 billion users in 2022 — in a move that could eventually offer greater reach to marketers. Social Media Today Ad Market Expands For 10th Consecutive Month, But Shows Sharp Deceleration In December The U.S. advertising market’s rate of spending grew by 1.33 percent in December compared to the same month last year, with digital categories continuing to perform the best, driving ad market expansion for 10 months in a row, according to new report data. MediaPost Twitter Experiments with a New 'Flocks' Option for More Enclosed Tweet Sharing Twitter has begun testing a tweet audience management system called Flocks, a system in testing previously known as "Trusted Friends" that is likely to eventually bring digital marketers broader content-sharing options on the platform, Twitter has noted. Social Media Today Much like comedy, good B2B marketing comes down to timing 56 percent of B2B buyers have said that they consume more types of sales and marketing content today than in 2020, with 87 percent saying they are more likely to consider a B2B vendor that has a positive brand impression — two of numerous findings of interest to B2B marketers contained in newly-released B2B buyer survey data. B2B Marketing ON THE LIGHTER SIDE: A lighthearted look at the “brand experience and the metaverse” by Marketoonist Tom Fishburne — Marketoonist Humorous Photos of Dogs Catching Flying Treats — PetaPixel TOPRANK MARKETING & CLIENTS IN THE NEWS:

• Lane R. Ellis — Planning Your Marketing Budget for 2022: A Statistical Look at the Landscape — LinkedIn (client)
• Lee Odden — How B2B Content Marketers Can Dominate in Search: Be the Best Answer — Content Marketing World Europe
• TopRank Marketing — Top 90 Digital Marketing Agency Blogs & Websites — Feedspot
• Lee Odden — Blogger Quotes to Motivate You to Start that Blog — EverydayPower

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 week's TopRank Marketing B2B marketing news, and we hope that you'll return again next Friday for another round 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 Data Acquisition Strategies, Rising Social Privacy Concerns, Meta Brings WhatsApp To Its Workplace Platform, & The Role Of Timing In B2B Marketing appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

In-Person, Virtual & Hybrid: How To Get The Most From B2B Marketing Events In 2022

How can B2B marketers get the most from events in 2022, whether they’re in-person, all-virtual, or in any of several combinations of hybrid formats? The marketing event landscape in 2022 may not be as topsy-turvy and uncertain as it was in 2021, yet there’s no shortage of questions many events are still facing. Some have chosen to hedge their bets as long as possible, waiting to see whether an in-person format will work for their audience. Others have gone all-in with one format or another, hoping that their event won’t have to make last-minute format changes as the winds of the pandemic shift. After a near-total 98.1 percent drop in year-over-year in-person B2B exhibition industry performance during the third quarter of 2020, the most recent 56 percent decrease in the The Center of Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) index points to some progress on the slow road back to pre-pandemic, in-person B2B event totals. Whatever an event’s format may be, B2B marketers can still enrich their professional learning and networking with the many real benefits that come from attending conferences. My first involvement with technology conferences took place in the 1980s, when the Commodore hardware and software company I worked for — Progressive Peripherals and Software — would attend what was usually the world’s largest computer-related trade show, the annual COMDEX event in Las Vegas, with up to 225,000 attendees. Later on in 1993, I was exploring options for taking the computer bulletin board system I’d operated since 1984 into new terrain, as rumblings of the nascent World Wide Web began, and attended one of the early online communications conferences, ONE BBSCON. Dr. Vinton Cerf, who in 1973 co-developed the TCP/IP protocol that the Internet uses, and who has worked for Google since 2005 as a vice president and chief Internet evangelist, spoke during the conference, and I still have the cloth ONE BBSCON attendee bag I got during the event. You can learn more about Dr. Cerf and the history of marketing on the Internet in my look at, “Classic Marketing Insights to Celebrate the Internet’s 50th Birthday.” For a decade beginning in 2007 I was involved in the operational side of the event landscape, as lead editor for social media, digital marketing and search engine conference firm Pubcon. Over the many decades I’ve been taking part in technology conferences, I’ve learned a few helpful tips for making the most of events. Let’s look at how B2B marketers can get the most from the three primary varieties of events being held in 2022 — in-person, virtual, and hybrid. [bctt tweet="“The closer you look at something,the more complex it seems to be.” — Vinton Cerf @vgcerf" username="toprank"]

1 — Capitalize On In-Person Opportunities

In-person events have a certain unique magical atmosphere that can’t quite be turned into a digital format with the same aplomb, and for B2B marketers fortunate enough to be attending in-person events in 2022, there are a few key advantages to focus on:

• Human-to-human interactions
• Forging deeper, in-person connections
• Reuniting and reinforcing long-standing professional relationships
• Building new business relationships

The human-to-human interactions real-world events provide are among the greatest advantages of the format, and savvy B2B marketers will make sure to capitalize on the opportunity to meet face-to-face with cohorts, existing and potential clients, event keynote and session speakers, and others. Humanizing B2B marketing with newfound authenticity is in fact one of the year’s greatest opportunities for marketers, as our CEO Lee Odden recently elaborated on in, “Three of the Biggest Opportunities to Elevate B2B Marketing in 2022.” In-person events certainly allow attendees to forge deeper connections, in sometimes subtle ways that can be difficult to simulate during an all-digital event. Real-world events are known for their “conference family” atmospheres, as multi-year attendees form bonds that are strengthened at each subsequent in-person conference. Every conference gives off its own unique vibe, and during my time at Pubcon we were fortunate to attract a number of early search engine pioneers who didn’t attend any other events. It can be helpful to make a ranked list of who you most wish to meet at an in-person event. Building new business relationships is often another advantage of in-person events, as typically the entire experience is built on bringing together people who don’t know each other to network — going beyond the traditional learning elements offered by keynotes and breakout sessions.

2 — Learn More From Virtual Events

During the pandemic, virtual events have gone from sometimes-kludgy afterthoughts to highly-polished and full-featured premium digital experiences. Established events have found new audiences, and new events have risen up as virtual conferences have proliferated. B2B marketers can benefit by keeping a few things in mind when taking part in virtual events:

• All-virtual doesn’t have to mean digital-only
• Take advantage of the unique aspects virtual offers
• Don’t forget to share your digital learning with teammates and associates

Just because you’re attending a virtual event doesn’t mean it has to be a digital-only experience, as most events offer a multitude of convenient ways to communicate with fellow attendees, speakers, and sponsors. The key here is to study conference materials ahead of time, so that you’ll know where the event after-parties, social hours, or interactive one-on-one sessions are taking place. A well-prepared attendee will not only have — depending on the size of the event — first, second, and third choices of concurrent sessions to attend, but will also know just when and in which online hangouts the conference’s bonus networking opportunities will be taking place. Virtual events offer special advantages, often including the ability to go back and replay sessions you were a part of and wish to study in greater detail, or to watch all of those that you weren’t able to see live. Taking what you’ve learned back to your organization and work associates is another way B2B marketers can get extra value from attending conferences, and with the digital-only events of today it’s easier than ever.

3 — Double-Up On Insight With Hybrid Events

The hybrid event truly came into its own in the later part of 2021, and this year the format is likely to see nothing but continued growth, as it combines the best of both real-world and digital experiences. When attending hybrid events, B2B marketers can get the most by coming into the experience prepared to:

• Take advantage of both in-person and virtual elements
• Experience the best of each format
• Respect associate decisions regarding in-person or virtual

B2B marketers fortunate enough to be attending hybrid events in 2022 should take part in at least some event elements in-person and others in all-digital formats. Hybrid events provide a unique networking opportunity, as attendees can interact with new associates both in the hallways or exhibition halls between sessions, but also in the online experiences the conference has lined up. It’s a one-two networking punch that can pay off even more than at all-digital or solely in-person events. Not all attendees will be able to take advantage of the real-world portion of a hybrid conference, however, for a variety of reasons. This is another motivation to position yourself to take part in each of the event’s formats if you are able to, so that you have the opportunity to meet those who are attending only in one format.

Initial Challenges Can Strengthen Us In The End

via GIPHY In 2022 some B2B marketers will attend, speak at, or exhibit during events taking place in all three of the formats we’ve explored, while others will experience just one form of event. No matter which form of marketing event you attend, the tips we’ve looked at here can give you Popeye-like strength at planning, putting you ahead of the game as you prepare, attend, and then apply the knowledge you’ve gained throughout the year ahead. Be sure to catch our own CEO and co-founder Lee Odden presenting a virtual session presentation entitled, “How B2B Content Marketers Can Dominate in Search: Be the Best Answer,” on March 23, 2022 at 3:35 p.m. CEST, at the Content Marketing World Europe 365 event, and keep posted for information about additional TopRank Marketing event presentations throughout the year. As a bonus, we wanted to share additional resources relating to how B2B marketers can benefit from the ongoing learning opportunities events offer. Below are several articles we’ve published about events B2B marketers can attend, and how to get the most from them.

• 13 Top Strategies For B2B Marketers To Host & Promote Live Virtual Events
• Autumn of Search: In-Person & Virtual SEO Events for B2B Marketers
• The BIGLIST of 50 Top 2021 B2B Marketing Conferences
• How B2B Influencer Marketing Offers Brands an Ideal Alternative to In-Person Events
• Break Free B2B Series: CMI’s Stephanie Stahl on Data-Driven Event Planning and Promotion
• Content Marketing Gold Rush: How to Unearth Content Gold at Marketing Industry Events

Crafting award-winning B2B marketing that elevates, gives voice to talent, and humanizes with authenticity takes considerable time and effort, which is why an increasing number of firms are choosing to work with a top digital marketing agency such as TopRank Marketing. Contact us to learn how we can help, as we’ve done for over 20 years for businesses ranging from LinkedIn, Dell and 3M to Adobe, Oracle, monday.com and others.

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Three Steps to Elevated B2B Marketing in 2022: Innovate, Collaborate, Accelerate

B2B marketers have faced unprecedented challenges over the past two years but I am one of those people that genuinely sees these times as an opportunity. Working in the marketing industry, especially at a B2B marketing agency, means being adaptable and engaged in a constant state of improvement aka ABO (always be optimizing). Information overload, changing buyer behaviors towards digital first information experiences and the dramatic increase in content competition mean B2B marketers cannot win simply be creating more content or chasing the latest shiny object tactic. In these times of elevated digital savviness and access to digital content consumption, creation and engagement, we are all creators. We are all influential. We are all in market to engage on topics relevant to the brands that serve us. As marketers, we are also increasingly pressed to prove our impact to the business. Winning at B2B marketing in 2022 and beyond requires a more strategic approach to creating marketing experiences that are more empathetic to customers in ways that are differentiated from competitors that can can connect more authentically through partnerships with trusted voices in the industry at both a macro and micro level. The increased emphasis on marketing to prove its contribution to the business also means improved accountability for impact. To help B2B marketers elevate their 2022 B2B content marketing more strategically, provide better experiences to customers and demonstrate impact to the business, here are three key areas of focus:

Innovate

Research shows there is more content being created now than ever but B2B company execs do not feel all this content is particularly valuable. To stand out, B2B marketers need to "break free of boring B2B' to escape the status quo trap of trying to win customer attention simply by creating more content. More than ever, it is important to create content that is more in lime with customer experience expectations. Our own analysis and research has found that innovation of our content means going beyond creating blog posts, social content, presentations and reports to emphasizing short form videos for thought leadership as well as practical topics, episodic and story form content, publishing on story based platforms like IG reels, TikTok and even leveraging AI avatars for certain content creation. Content innovation for your B2B brand might be similar or very different. The important thing is to be empathetic towards customer expectations and data informed with an emphasis on looking forward to how buyers are discovering, consuming and engaging with content. Of course there is a cost to experimenting with new content formats and speculating that becoming prominent in emerging publishing channels will help your brand stand out to customers. There is also a cost to reacting to the new challenges of digital first buyers and changing behaviors simply by creating more of the same kinds of content.

Collaborate

Virtually everyone in business is empowered to publish through any of a number of digital devices. Millenial and Gen Z generations are digital natives to electronic content consumption and creation. As B2B buyers increasingly pull themselves through the majorithy of the sales journey through researching solutions options through digital content, peer networks, search engines, social media and industry content, B2B brands have an opportunity to elevate their content marketing with authentic voices. We've all seen statistics about the lack of trust customers have for brands and their advertising / marketing messages. We've also become increasingly aware of how important it is to have the trusted voices in the industry talking about and even advocating for our brand. Every day there are conversations about the very topics that drive buyers to choose solutions happening with people influential towards decision making. B2B brands can either continue trying to push their own messages towards these buyers or they can become part of the conversation by engaging relevant industry experts, media and even prospects/customers in content collaboration. By identifying and targeting key industry influencers, prospects, media and cusotmers for content collaboration, B2B marketers can create value and impact in multiple ways:

• Content collaborations that create value for contributors builds relationships with the brand
• Collaborations help elevate visibility and credibility of contributors - which they will appreciate
• Co-creating content can help create community around topics buyers care about must, building trust for the brand
• Developing content collaboration can elevate a B2B brand amongst the most trusted voices in the industry
• Engaging customers, industry experts and internal key opinion leaders can drive conversations that create real value for customers and drive purchase intent

Accelerate

In 2020 many B2B marketing budgets were put on pause and expectations for marketing to deliver impact increased significantly. As brands pivoted and embraced digital transformation, marketing budgets have opened up but those increased expectations for marketing to deliver value to the business have remained. Research has shown that new digital go-to-market models have performed as well better and B2B brands are not going back to their old "boring B2B ways" anytime soon. With these increased expectations of impact, B2B marketers must focus on acceleration. From moving prospects through the sales journey more quickly and in greater volume to increasing the size of deals, better sales and marketing collaboration and technology integration are essential.  B2B brands must do a better job of leveraging customer insights for more personalized content experiences using strategies like Account Based Experiences supported by platforms like Demandbase (client). Additionally, improved thought leadership can help B2B brands connect as a "best answer" solution for buyers across the customer lifecycle from awareness to purchase to advocacy. Research being put out by The B2B Institute at Linked is incredibly insightful about these opportunities. B2B brands cannot afford to sit and wait for their content marketing to work like throwing digital spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks. They must be proactive at elevating the marketing experience to create trust, credibility, confidence and speed of decision making with what we call "best answer content strategies". The changes that have occurred in the past few years in the B2B marketing world are not a speed bump for us to get over, they are a launching pad for something greater for our industry. In marketing and business, if you're not growing you're dying. The B2B marketing industry needs to continue the transformation started during the pandemic to elevate the marketing experiences for customers and impact for B2B brands. With a strategic approach to content innovation, collaboration and acceleration, B2B marketers can achieve all of those things and more.    

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B2B Marketing News: More Executives Using Social, B2B Events Rebound, New Trust Barometer Data, Meta’s New Ad Policies, & Mobile Ad Spend Rises

B2B Pros Worry About Leads Getting To The Right Person, Study Finds 58 percent of B2B marketers have said that they are only somewhat or not confident in their organization's process for taking inbound leads to proper sales team members — one of several statistics of interest to digital marketers contained in recently-released survey data. MediaPost More executives are turning to social media during the pandemic. [Report] Some 56 percent of business executives have said that they are increasing their usage of social media due to the pandemic, with 68.4 percent expressing positive reactions to colleagues or leaders sharing industry news and content on social media, according to newly-released report data. PRWeekUS [bctt tweet="“Social media is a great way to amplify the work that your team is doing and frankly, our next generation of leaders.” — Sarita Rao @saritasayso of @ATTBusiness" username="toprank"] LinkedIn Adds New Courses on Building Your LinkedIn Presence, New Alert and Newsletter Tools for Company Pages Microsoft's LinkedIn has launched three new online courses of interest to digital marketers, while also releasing new details about forthcoming additional platform features including newsletters and audio events, LinkedIn (client) recently announced. Social Media Today Last Year’s Global Ad Spend Said to Have Outperformed Pre-Pandemic Total by Almost 20% A strong 29.1 percent increase of the digital ad spending category highlighted overall 2021 global advertising spending that outperformed pre-pandemic figures by nearly 20 percent, according to newly-release report data of interest to online marketers. MarketingCharts Microsoft Removes Minimum Spend For Customer Match, Adds Shopping Enhancements Microsoft has eliminated minimal spending requirements to utilize audience targeting with its Customer Match feature in Microsoft Advertising, and added several new features, as the firm increases its use of zero-party data, voluntarily shared information the firm makes use of for increased transparency and control, Microsoft recently announced. MediaPost Social Media Usage Statistics For Digital Marketers In 2022 There were nearly 10 percent more global social media platform users in 2021, representing a total of over 4.5 billion people, while 84 percent of the U.S. population now say that they use at least one social platform — two of numerous statistics examined in a new look at digital marketing usage. Search Engine Journal Only 1 in 5 B2B Exhibitions Were Canceled in Q3 After a near-total 98.1 percent drop in year-over-year in-person B2B exhibition industry performance during the third quarter of 2020, the most recent 56 percent decrease in the The Center of Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) index points to progress on the slow road back to pre-pandemic in-person B2B event totals. MarketingCharts Mobile Ad Spend Leapt 23% To $295B In 2021, 19% Jump Forecast For 2022 A robust 70 percent of overall digital advertising spending was accounted for by mobile during 2021, with mobile ad spend garnering a 23 percent increase, as globally some 3.8 trillion hours were spent on mobile during the year — three of numerous statistics of interest to digital marketers contained in recently-released report data. MediaPost Meta Outlines Policy Requirements for Businesses Looking to Advertise and Sell on its Platforms Facebook and Instagram parent firm Meta has rolled out information about forthcoming updated advertising policies, including some that will see the removal of certain targeting options used by marketers, Meta recently announced. Social Media Today Edelman Finds 'Vicious Cycle Of Distrust,' Puts Onus On Businesses, Brands Edelman has released the 22nd edition of its Trust Barometer report, highlighted by a growing 'vicious cycle of distrust," as fewer people have said that they trust the media, while some 58 percent have said they either buy or advocate for brands bases on their values and beliefs — two of many insights of interest to B2B marketers contained in the newly-released report. MediaPost ON THE LIGHTER SIDE: A lighthearted look at the “thought leadership” by Marketoonist Tom Fishburne — Marketoonist Woman Bravely Powers Through Instagram Warning that She’s Been on App Too Long — The Hard Times TOPRANK MARKETING & CLIENTS IN THE NEWS:

• Demandbase — Considering Working With B2B Influencers? Read This First — MediaPost
• Joshua Nite — 10 Ways to Adjust Your Current Marketing Strategies for Today’s Consumers — Small Business Trends
• Lee Odden — 5 Content Marketing Tips Using Webinars As An Example — Pepper Content

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The post B2B Marketing News: More Executives Using Social, B2B Events Rebound, New Trust Barometer Data, Meta’s New Ad Policies, & Mobile Ad Spend Rises appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®.