What trends will be most important for B2B demand generation professionals in the next five years? We asked marketing experts to weigh in on the fundamental changes they expect to see to answer this question. Here’s what they had to say.
The B2B demand generation landscape constantly evolves, and companies must stay ahead of the latest trends to succeed. We’ll look at some key trends you can expect to see in 2022. These trends will shake up the industry from AI-powered lead scoring to account-based marketing. So if you want to be on the edge of the curve, read on!
B2B Demand Generation Trends to Watch in 2024
- Content marketing will still be a key component of demand generation efforts- but it will take on new forms and formats.
- Technology investments by businesses will continue to grow, to improve customer experience and drive revenue. Artificial intelligence (AI) in B2B demand generation is expected to grow exponentially as more companies use AI’s capabilities for lead scoring, lead qualification, and other functions.
- The rise of digital marketing
- Increased collaboration with customers and prospects
- Better targeting for B2B companies to reach the right people at the right time
- Seeing more investment in customer experience initiatives, such as chatbots and live video
- The number of B2B companies that use digital marketing will grow by 8%
- 93% of all B2B marketers will be using video to generate leads in 2022
- 38% of all B2B marketers are generating leads through social media, up from 34% last year
- 64% of all B2B marketers currently use content marketing, up from 54%.
- The use of predictive analytics to identify potential customers
- Increasingly sophisticated customer journeys that span multiple channels
- A focus on the customer’s entire journey, not just their conversion funnel
- More marketing automation tools for both B2B and B2C companies
- The use of digital channels such as social media and video will grow, while traditional channels like print and television decline
- Marketing automation tools will be increasingly used for lead scoring and nurturing campaigns
- Marketers will be more likely to invest in data-driven decision making
- The rise of the digital customer
- New ways to use artificial intelligence for lead generation
- More B2B marketers will be using video and live streaming as a content marketing strategy
- B2B buyers are increasingly researching their purchases online
- Social media transformed the way people do business- companies need to be active on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
- Email marketing is still a valuable tool for connecting with customers
- Companies will have to use more personalization in their messages or risk being ignored by recipients
- Companies must offer value propositions that excite potential customers
- Demand generation will be more focused on the customer journey
- Companies are going to start using chatbots for lead conversion
- There’ll be a rise in demand for generation automation tools
- Content marketing is going to become even more critical as it’s one of the best ways to generate leads
- The rise of the customer-centric organization
- The importance of creating a personal connection with customers
- Increased use of data and analytics to generate demand
- Decreased reliance on cold calling and increased use of email, social media, and other digital channels
- The demand generation industry is expected to grow by 12% in the next five years
- Ad agencies are expected to shift their resources from TV advertising to digital marketing, with social media at the forefront of this change
- Companies will continue investing heavily in content creation and distribution channels
- Demand Generation professionals will have more opportunities for career advancement
- The Rise of the Customer-Generated Content Economy
- Increased Focus on Data Quality and Integration
- Increasingly Digitalized Supply Chain Management Systems
- More Significant Roleofr AI in Marketing Automation
- Increase in demand for B2B services
- Expanding the use of AI and machine learning to improve lead generation
- More demand for content marketing, including video and live broadcastingRequestd for customer data management experts, will rise as businesses try to comply with GDPR
- Increased customer expectations
- More targeted marketing
- SEO has become more critical than ever
- Marketing automation is the new norm
- Brands will have to work harder to reach decision-makers
- B2B buyers are becoming more tech-savvy and expect a personalized experience
- The importance of content marketing will only grow in the coming years
- It’s going to be important for brands to focus on their buyer personas, not just their products
- Marketers must understand how social media changes how people find information about companies.
- The increased importance of B2B demand generation for generating revenue
- The continued growth of the marketing automation market
- The rise in popularity of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies
- The importance of digital marketing and demand generation will continue to grow
- More companies will adopt a hybrid approach, using both inbound and outbound tactics
- Demand gen budgets will increase because more B2B marketers understand the ROI
- Marketers who use social media for demand generation purposes need to be wary of fake followers or bots that can harm their brand’s reputation
- More companies will invest in demand generation as a way to generate leads
- The use of data-driven marketing tools will be widespread, with more marketers using predictive analytics to make decisions about how they market their products or services
- Marketing automation technology will become increasingly sophisticated, making it easier for marketers to orchestrate the process of lead scoring and qualification
- Marketers are expected to focus on creating content that is personalized based on customer preferences and behaviors
- The shift to digital will continue, with more companies going online
- Companies are shifting their focus from sales-driven marketing to business development-driven marketing
- Organizations will use marketing automation tools for lead nurturing and qualification
- More B2B marketers will be using retargeting campaigns as a method of capturing the attention of potential clients
- The demand for B2B services will increase as more companies seek to automate their operations
- Customer data will be the key to success in the future, so businesses need to focus on collecting and analyzing it
- Organizations will have a variety of options when it comes to marketing campaigns- they can go with traditional methods or newer digital advertising techniques like search engine optimization (SEO) or video marketing
- Social media is essential for generating leads, but other channels, such as LinkedIn, YouTube, and blogs, should not be ignored.
- Generating leads is not enough- companies will need to convert them.
- Marketing automation software will become more prevalent and sophisticated.
- Content marketing will be essential for B2B companies, but they must do it differently than their consumer counterparts.
- There are still opportunities for B2B companies that can provide high value with lower pricing.
- Companies should focus on customer service as an integral part of their strategies.
Conclusion
Every year, companies face staying current on trends to stay competitive. That’s particularly true for B2B organizations with fierce competition, and customers have more options. Some things would be crucial if you wanted your organization to remain successful in 2022. What do you think these future demand generation trends will look like? Reach our team today!