Last updated on October 16th, 2016 at 10:25 pm
Welcome back to another edition of B2B Trending Conversations, our weekly roundup of what’s buzzing about B2B on social media. This week we’ve got a bumper crop of B2B goodies, including the just-published B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends survey, tips on using Twitter lists as well as Snapchat and Instagram to improve your company’s presence and profits, predictions for the future of Big Data and more. There’s a lot to digest this week, so let’s get started!
Content Marketing
#Content #Marketing Takes a Turn for the Better: New 2017 Research
>>> #B2B #ContentMarketing #DigitalMarketinghttps://t.co/kuor3XW2FY pic.twitter.com/Hv2VGYzmwF— CREATIVE & DIGITAL (@francecreative) October 13, 2016
The Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs have published their annual B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends survey. Fully 89 percent of B2B marketers currently use content marketing, and the majority of non-users say they plan to start. Still, the survey surprisingly found that many B2B companies have small — sometimes even one-person — content marketing “teams” serving their entire organizations, and we can expect to see a greater focus on content marketing as it moves toward ubiquity in the coming year. Content marketers are also getting better at what they do, as 62 percent said their organization’s overall approach to content marketing has been somewhat or much more successful compared to a year ago.
Using Snapchat & Instagram
4 Ways B2B Can Use Snapchat and Instagram https://t.co/pShWdjD3Sc #HowTo #b2b https://t.co/U9WnRvG20x pic.twitter.com/xnIsjF2i7q
— Amy the creAtor (@AmyHouckCEO) October 13, 2016
Are you unsure if your business can benefit from Snapchat and Instagram, two of the more relatively recent arrivals on the social media scene? Are you wondering how your B2B competitors are utilizing these platforms? Sarah Patrick at Social Media Examiners argues there’s no reason to limit your B2B social media marketing to just LinkedIn and Twitter. Snapchat and Instagram can help you attract new talent, create greater visibility at events, boost awareness of your brand and showcase your customer success stories.
“B2B companies have plenty to gain from these popular networks, and more are jumping on board,” Patrick writes. “In fact, one recent survey found that while B2Bs are still more likely to choose LinkedIn, 53 percent are now active on Instagram.” As VaynerMedia CEO Gary Vaynerchuk reminds us, “behind every B is a C.” B2B marketers should always remember they’re not really marketing to other businesses, but rather to the human decision-makers behind those businesses.
Using Twitter Lists
12 #TwitterLists Every #B2B Marketer Needs https://t.co/IhDYRbNv1n [#socialmedia via @danielnewmanUV]
— Sam Hurley (@Sam___Hurley) October 13, 2016
The concise, informal nature of Twitter makes it arguably the easiest social media platform for building a large following, says V3B’s Tom Pick, who offers this listicle of 12 Twitter lists every B2B marketer needs. Often overlooked, Twitter’s list capabilities are powerful and flexible, enabling the creation of public or private lists based on any desired criteria. Sorting by prospects, customers, competitors, employees, media, influencers, partners, suppliers, industry analysts and your most active followers will help you maximize your social media efforts.
“Twitter lists are a valuable and effective way to separate out a specific group of ‘voices’ from the general noise of a busy tweet stream,” writes Pick. “They enable you to monitor important and timely topics, share helpful or interesting information with your followers, and selectively engage with accounts important to your business for a variety of reasons… B2B marketers need to create lists strategically. Determine what types of lists are really meaningful to your business; name them carefully; and determine which lists to share with the world, and which are best kept private.”
Big Data
New study forecasts double-digit growth for big data market https://t.co/9MieMBihgx via @techtanknews #B2B #BigData
— Robert (Rob) Burns (@robertlburns) October 13, 2016
The latest Worldwide Semiannual Big Data and Analytics Spending Guide from IDC is out, and it’s predicting big things for Big Data and analytics in the years ahead. According to the study, worldwide revenues for Big Data and business analytics will grow from $130.1 billion in 2016 to more than $203 billion in 2020. While large and very large companies are expected to be the primary drivers of the Big Data and business analytics opportunity, generating revenues of more than $154 billion in 2020, small and medium enterprises will remain significant contributors, with nearly a quarter of global revenue coming from companies with less than 500 employees. Geographically, more than half of all Big Data and business analytics revenue is expected to come from the United States, with the American market for Big Data and business analytics solutions expected to be worth $95 billion by 2020.
Video: The Future of B2B Sales
Listen to this #entrepreneur‘s take on the 3 Ways #B2B Sales Will Change in 20 Years. https://t.co/Ooq0qvsxQ7 via @Entrepreneur @alxberman
— Cisco EIR (@CiscoEIR) October 13, 2016
How will B2B sales change over the next 20 years? Entrepreneur Network contributor Alex Berman predicts that by 2036, companies will offer productized services — customers will be able to go to a company’s website, easily see what services are being offered, make their selection without speaking to anyone in advance and sign up on the spot. Berman also believes video calls will increasingly replace face-to-face meetings as more and more companies realize they’re basically the same. In fact, he recommends that companies start selling via video chat today and stop having customers come into their offices. Software will also drop dramatically in price, and “the real money will be in new ideas.”
Content Marketing Infographic
Journey Through the World of Visual Content [Infographic] https://t.co/uuelkLtArS #ContentMarketing #Infographic #b2b #Consumer
— Johannes Dultz (@obbulus) October 7, 2016
Marketo takes us on a journey through the world of visual content with this infographic that will help you create the best material to met your company’s objectives. Content is king — but only when it’s done correctly. Do you have what it takes to navigate the strategic, calculated risks involved in creating content that will work for you? Developing concepts into images will build a visual vocabulary that defines your brand and appeals to your customers’ emotions. Infographics, especially interactive ones, help your buyers easily digest complex data — 58 percent of B2B marketers and 63 percent of consumer marketers say they’ve found success using infographics. Slideshows are also a great way to present content, but make sure you keep text to a minimum. Fun quizzes and informative webinars are also great ways to present visual content in a memorable and effective manner.
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That’s all for this week. If you still haven’t gotten your fill of the B2B buzz, check out last week’s column for more. We’ll be back again next week; until then, we wish you a productive week and as always, feel free to send pitches and great B2B content to @b2bnewsnetwork.
