B2B Marketing Blog

5 Standout Traits of the Best B2B Content Marketers

Nick Nelson on Jan 24th, 2021
B2B Marketing, Content Marketing

My favorite part of playing a sports video game is the “Create a Player” function. It gives me the opportunity to set realism aside and dream up the most legendary, dominant athletic specimen imaginable. On the basketball court, no real-life point guard would be able to match up against “Dimes McGee,” my customized 7-foot-10 wunderkind with 99 ratings for shooting, passing, ball-handling, speed, and defense. Talk about optimization!

What if you could “create a player” in B2B content marketing? Which attributes would you want to max out in order to fabricate the most successful practitioner possible? It’s a fun and interesting question to contemplate, in large part because the answers now are different than even a few years ago.

Which traits and characteristics define the most effective B2B content marketers in 2021?

5 Standout Traits of the Best B2B Content Marketers

B2B Marketing News: Trust in 2021, Top Content Marketing Goals, Twitter Alternative, Cookieless Targeting

Lee Odden on Jan 22nd, 2021
Marketing Industry News

2021 Edelman Trust Barometer: Plague of mistrust follows COVID-19
After a year of unprecedented disaster and turbulence – the Covid-19 pandemic and economic crisis, the global outcry over systemic racism and political instability – the 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer reveals an epidemic of misinformation and widespread mistrust of societal institutions and leaders around the world. Edelman

What Are B2B Marketing Leaders Measuring: Five Key Takeaways from Forrester’s SiriusDecisions 2020 Metrics Study
Forrester’s study asked worldwide B2B leaders which metrics appear on their company’s top-level dashboards. Key insights include: Leadership attention is precious, High-growth companies focus more on the customer lifecycle and others. Forbes

New Study from SEMRush Shares Top Goals for Content Marketers in 2021
79% more quality leads, 74% more website traffic, 57% improve brand reputation, 47% improve customer engagement and loyalty. eMarketer

B2B Marketing News: Trust in 2021, Top Content Marketing Goals, Twitter Alternative, Cookieless Targeting

5 Inspiring Reasons For B2B Marketing Optimism in 2021

Lane Ellis on Jan 20th, 2021
B2B Marketing

How can the intense brightness that often follows humankind’s darkest moments help us achieve greater team unity and newfound marketing energy, gratitude and strength?

As the pandemic marches on into its second year, B2B marketers looking to rise above despair and make this a brighter and more successful year can look especially to the five reasons we’ve gathered here for being optimistic about the many positive opportunities and experiences that 2021 holds in store.

Let’s jump right in and take a look at five inspiring reasons for B2B marketing optimism in 2021 and beyond.

1 — We’re More United As Teams & As Communities

Despite the difficult pandemic challenges of 2020 that have continued into 2021, B2B marketers have gained a newfound understanding of the power of successful teamwork, even as remote work has typically meant less physically time together.

5 Inspiring Reasons For B2B Marketing Optimism in 2021

Top B2B Marketing Trends for 2021

Lee Odden on Jan 18th, 2021
B2B Marketing

Each year I’ve taken inventory of the major trends emerging within our B2B marketing agency practice and with the crazy year that was 2020, the new year requires even greater focus on what’s ahead. Some of the marketing predictions and trends I’ve shared in the past include:

Top 10 B2B Digital Marketing Trends in 2020

Personalization
Video content and live video
AI and Machine Learning
Voice engagement and Podcasts
B2B Influencer Marketing
Content Marketing
Chatbots and Conversational Selling
Customer Experience
Visual and Interactive Content
ABM

Top Digital Marketing Trends for 2019

Live, Interactive Video
Voice Search
AI/Machine Learning/Chatbots
Data/Privacy/Transparency
Influencer Marketing 2.0
Purpose Driven Brands and Gen Z

Top B2B Marketing Trends for 2021

B2B Marketing News: Top B2B Content Barriers Study, Google Adds New My Business Data, Top Posting Times Report, & Tech Spending On The Rise

Lane Ellis on Jan 15th, 2021
Online Marketing News

The Top Barriers to Creating Great B2B Content [Study]
Workload, resources, interference and changing priorities rank as the leading obstacles faced by B2B content marketers, according to recently-released survey data of interest to digital marketers. MarketingProfs

Google My Business launches new performance reporting
Google has added new performance reporting features to its Google My Business service, which now includes search term data from Google Search and Maps, among other new reporting information available. Search Engine Land

The Best Times to Post Your Social Media Updates in 2021 [Infographic]
One LinkedIn post a day published on Tuesday through Thursday between 7 to 10 a.m. or 5 to 6 p.m. are the top posting days and times on the platform, according to newly-released report data, which also covers other social media platform top posting times. Social Media Today

B2B Marketing News: Top B2B Content Barriers Study, Google Adds New My Business Data, Top Posting Times Report, & Tech Spending On The Rise

Break Free B2B Marketing: Oliver Christie on Making Life Better With AI

Susan Misukanis on Jan 14th, 2021
B2B Marketing, Video Interviews

Just what is a B2B influencer, and what do they actually look like?

In our third season of Break Free B2B Marketing video interviews we’re having in-depth conversations with an impressive array of top B2B influencers, exploring the important issues that each expert is influential about.

Successful B2B influencers have a rare mix of the 5 Ps — proficiency, personality, publishing, promotion, and popularity — as our CEO Lee Odden has carefully outlined in “5 Key Traits of the Best B2B Influencers.”

Offering up all of those boxes and more is Oliver Christie, chief artificial intelligence (AI) officer at PertexaHealthTech, who we’re delighted to be profiling today.

Break Free B2B Marketing: Oliver Christie on Making Life Better With AI

How the Most Successful B2B Marketers Approach Influencer Marketing in 2021

Lee Odden on Jan 11th, 2021
B2B Marketing, Influencer Marketing

According to the 2020 State of B2B Influencer Marketing Report, 96% of B2B marketers that engage influencers consider their program to be successful and 90% expect their budget for influencer marketing to increase or stay the same over the next 12 months.

Why the confidence? 77% of marketers say their prospective customers rely on advice from industry experts with 84% engaging influencers to create brand awareness and 69% counting on influencers for lead generation.

Influence plays a role across the entire B2B customer lifecycle from awareness to advocacy and with B2B marketing going decidedly digital during the pandemic and uncertainty of 2020, the importance of peer, expert and influencer recommendations through social and digital media are more important than ever.

How the Most Successful B2B Marketers Approach Influencer Marketing in 2021

B2B Marketing News: LinkedIn’s 2021 Planning Report, Traits of Top B2B Performers Study, Google’s Question Hub, & Apple’s Search Aspirations

Lane Ellis on Jan 8th, 2021
Online Marketing News

LinkedIn Shares New Usage Insights for Your 2021 Planning [Infographic]
Microsoft-owned LinkedIn (client) has released updated usage statistics showing that the professional social network’s LinkedIn Live video streams have increased by 89 percent since March, along with strong levels of member engagement — two of numerous statistics of interest to digital marketers. Social Media Today

Google Question Hub Is Open & It’s A Great Way To Find Content Ideas
Google has rolled out a new service showing unanswered search question data, offering U.S users access to its Question Hub for the first time — a feature previously only available in three non-U.S. nations. Search Engine Roundtable

B2B Marketing News: LinkedIn’s 2021 Planning Report, Traits of Top B2B Performers Study, Google’s Question Hub, & Apple’s Search Aspirations

How B2B Marketers Can Get Closer to Their Customers

Joshua Nite on Jan 7th, 2021
B2B Marketing, Content Marketing, Online Marketing

Last year I finished up my fifth full year as a B2B marketer. A lot has changed in that half decade.

When I started, there was a growing movement: “B2B marketing doesn’t have to be boring.”

Now we’ve finally moved on to, “B2B marketing can’t afford to be boring.” We’ve finally acknowledged that B2B buyers are people — they want useful information, they want to be entertained, and they’re just as bored by corporate-speak-laden white papers as everyone else.

To our credit, I think marketers already knew this. We just had to convince the rest of the organization.

For the most part, we marketers have more leeway to choose the best way to reach our audience. And, of course, with that freedom comes responsibility.

How B2B Marketers Can Get Closer to Their Customers

Pitfall! Steering Clear of 5 Common B2B Content Marketing Missteps

Nick Nelson on Jan 5th, 2021
Content Marketing

It’s been almost 40 years since Pitfall!, the classic side-scrolling platformer for the original Atari, was first released. David Crane’s creation went on to become one of the first console video game hits, selling more than 4 million copies, and is now remembered as an influential breakthrough for the medium.

Why did Pitfall! gain such rampant popularity? Because it was realistic and relatable!

I’m not talking about the pixelated 2D graphics or exotic jungle setting. I’m talking about the basic premise of problem-solving. The game is full of traps, hazards, and challenges, but there’s always a way around them. “Oh hey, a giant pit full of alligators. How will I get to the other side? Perhaps by grabbing hold of that swinging vine…”

Pitfall! Steering Clear of 5 Common B2B Content Marketing Missteps