Another year has come and gone, and with it comes a list of trends that B2B marketers may have tried. For example, automation was a massive trend in the past year, and marketing automation was all the rage to make processes more manageable, even for B2B organizations. There was also a noticeable focus on putting digital marketing first as the internet grew more in terms of the netizen population, thanks to the pandemic. Among the many options that made a company’s marketing strategy work in 2022, it can be said that a lot of it was focused on streamlining steps and creating content that finds its niche in the online realm.
What’s in it for staffing agencies this coming year when marketing content about their brand on different channels? How do they ensure the content is captivating enough for potential customers to say yes to agency services? New year’s resolutions may be passe for many, but when it comes to learning from mistakes and going into a new direction, B2B marketing needs to be on trend to know what works. To create a stronger strategy, usher the new year in with B2B marketing lessons from the past and prospects for the future.
What Are Noteworthy Lessons In Doing B2B Marketing This 2022?
B2B marketing lessons in 2022 emphasize brand awareness. Many companies focus their marketing strategy on making their brand known by employing strategies that allow customers to understand what their brand is all about and actually interact with it. Along this train of thought came about tried and tested B2B marketing techniques that staffing agencies still find relevant in the coming year:
- Search engine optimization. Companies constantly vie for the top spot on Google searches, and different strategies were employed in hopes that potential customers would see their names when searching for products and services. For example, B2B content marketing through blog posts and the correct use of handpicked keywords give a company’s brand the right boost to be noticed immediately during internet searches, with the right adherence to accepted steps that’ Google approved.
- Social media marketing. Creating captivating social media content was imperative in the past year. With the world essentially closed during the past two years, individuals depended on online content, which was the gateway for increased social media participation. This was key to successful digital marketing efforts, as social media provided massive audiences and a bountiful source for possible leads. As a result, corporations hopped on to almost every social media site, and your staffing agency did, too.
With SEO and social media at hand, recruitment firms and other companies dabbled into B2B content marketing pretty well this past year, with some success in building their brand. However, there were also some missed opportunities in ensuring successful marketing. Hopefully, your staffing agency won’t leave them in planning for next year’s strategy.
What Are B2B Marketing Mistakes That Were Committed This Past Year?
For various reasons, a B2B marketer may have either omitted steps or misused resources altogether. Don’t let your agency miss out on these opportunities for the coming year:
- Not defining one’s target audience. B2B marketing is an endeavor that takes a lot of effort, with various channels to look after if they are producing results. But this lack of impact can stem from not identifying the correct audience for your content strategy. For staffing agencies, this means narrowing down who will truly benefit from your services, what kind of companies will work well with your unique recruitment strategy, and who is your target hire. Asking these questions is a good start to necessary market research.
- A digital marketing strategy that lacked email. Some find using email tedious and takes a lot of time. However, email marketing can be successful with the right email title, content that suits your target audience, and inclusions of CTAs and further ways for the recipient to respond. In addition, it can have an ROI of $36 for every dollar spent, so why not look into email marketing apps like MailChimp?
- Posting the same content on all social media handles. While staffing agencies may want to achieve consistency, it doesn’t mean the same in social media. Different social media sites have different audiences, and it’s integral that you study the audience of each particular area, then calibrate the content. It doesn’t always have to be new content. Instead, think of ways to take what you currently have and present them in a new light for your B2B social media marketing.
- Skipping on user-generated content. Word-of-mouth and online reviews still hold a lot of truth when it comes to brand recommendations. The past few years saw an extension of where else to look to know the best customer experience: user-generated content. Social media statuses, videos, and even comments on posts have become ways to not only speak about consumer experience, but also to engage with brands. Potential hires and clients listen to these contents, so make sure not to skip them moving forward. Include them in your emails, highlight them on your website, and so on.
B2B Marketing In 2023 Sees Serving the Target Audience Better.
While the past year challenged companies to build a strong online presence, finally reaching their target audience meant answering their needs. This seems to be a running theme in projected B2B marketing trends for the coming year. B2B firms are called to truly hone their understanding of what their audience will truly appreciate, including existing customers. Whether adjusting within a current strategy or creating a new one, companies must better understand their audience in the B2B market.
Taking all of the do’s and don’ts of the past year, how can your staffing agency go into another year of B2B marketing that strikes a balance between past lessons and challenges of the new year? Build good marketing habits as early as now, and reap the rewards of a well-prepared strategy for the year:
- Interactive content catches more attention nowadays. Nowadays, people want to be involved. Whether it’s an online survey, a personality quiz, or a live video: interactive content allows potential hires or clients to join in and express their opinions. What’s great about these contents is you can embed them almost everywhere: emails, social media, direct messages on LinkedIn, etc. These contents feed into your customers who want to be involved, so give them this chance to interact with your brand.
- Segmentation will upgrade your email marketing strategy. While emails will provide better reach with specific customers, email segmentation will allow further categorizing of prospects into smaller groups based on their everyday needs and demands as potential hires or clients. This means calibrating the content of your emails so that a more specific audience is convinced that they need your brand.
- Include post-conversion engagement in your B2B marketing strategy. The past year saw a lot of effort in reeling customers in. For 2023, customer satisfaction is on top of the priority list, which includes retention. Post-conversion engagement is all about checking on your current clients to see if they are experiencing what they expect so that they will become repeat customers. Especially in a fierce market today, fellow staffing agencies will be ardent in forwarding their brand. Putting a premium on satisfying your current clients and hires will promote brand loyalty.
LET ALLIED INSIGHT HELP YOU IN WELCOMING ANOTHER YEAR IN B2B MARKETING.
Expect another set of B2B marketing lessons in 2023, which will reveal to your staffing agency as the month goes by. To help you identify these new discoveries, while practicing tried and tested ways of presenting a cohesive and consistent brand, you need a marketing team with the right experience and knowledge. Allied Insight is a marketing firm dedicated to recruitment companies such as yours. Let our tenure-leading staffing agencies be your guide toward branding success as you welcome this new year. Contact Allied Insight today!