3 unrealistic expectations of B2B advertising and what it wants as a substitute

A little over a decade ago, content marketing was just beginning to gain traction as an effective approach to B2B marketing. Of course, content marketing has grown in popularity since then.

With the further development of our Internet infrastructure and the increasing digitization of society, more and more companies are trying to reach customers online via content. As a result, it’s harder than ever to create customer-centric, high-quality content that makes your brand stand out.

How B2B marketers work stand out in today’s overcrowded internet ecosystem, flooded with new content every second? As it turns out, B2B marketing campaigns take a lot of time and a lot of persistence to become effective. In this article, we discuss the 3 most unrealistic expectations people have of B2B marketing and what it takes to run a successful campaign instead.

The top 3 most common unrealistic marketing expectations for B2B campaigns

Today’s marketers rely heavily on Content Marketing and Social Media to discover new leads and convert sales. Surprisingly, however, this was shown by statistics from the Content Marketing Institute 53% of companies report having small content marketing teams, some of which are even one-man businesses. Unsurprisingly, 38% of content marketing teams surveyed said they felt the organizations they worked for had unrealistic expectations of what they could accomplish.

Most companies understand the incredible power behind a content-driven B2B marketing campaign, but many of the key elements of a successful strategy are misunderstood. Here are the 3 most unrealistic marketing campaign expectations that are all too familiar to many in the industry.

1 – High-quality marketing campaigns are immediately successful!

It takes time and persistence to build a digital presence, and high-quality marketing campaigns don’t always have instant success. Marketing—particularly content marketing—is critical to building a the digital identity and authority of the brand.

Unlike advertising, which aims to get consumers to buy their product or service now, content and B2B marketing should place a greater focus on building brand visibility and integrity. Good content paired with a quality B2B marketing campaign should increase brand awareness and drive sales – when the time is right.

In this day and age, when customers are bombarded with choices about where to spend their money, businesses really need to go the extra mile to build trust and integrity in the eyes of future customers. Establishing your brand as the leading authority in your industry is a must in B2B marketing, but many others also strive to showcase their company values ​​to potential customers as well.

In a recent poll 91% of consumers reported that they wanted to see, for example, that the companies they buy from show some level of commitment to sustainability and eco-friendly practices. Adopting green practices and corporate social values ​​is the right thing to do, and it makes customers feel better knowing they are doing business with a company with a certain level of ethics.

Unlike the “used car salesman” approach that seeks to close the deal at any cost, most brands today want to take the time to build trust and respect with their customers. Successful businesses understand that they should aim to build a relationship with customers that will last beyond the initial purchase. To do this, they focus on creating quality content that provides value to their readers and establishes them as experts in their field by highlighting not only their brand accomplishments but also their commitment to the ideals they represent. This is not an overnight process.

creating a content customer-centric marketing strategy This includes speaking to your customers, sifting through data, and creating content that focuses on what your customers need, rather than the sales goals you need to achieve. It’s about creating brand recognition that makes consumers think of your business first when they need it.

According to recent studies over 70% of online customers report preferring a credit card solely for online transactions, with many choosing to store their payment information via G Pay or Apple Pay. That means a sale is always just a click away, and if your brand is the first thing they remember, when they need your product or service, they turn to you.

2 – Successful marketing campaigns generate lots of clicks and leads!

As any seasoned marketer understands, high number of clicks and low-quality leads don’t always provide a tremendous return on investment. It’s not enough to drive traffic to your website by using clickbait or offering freebies as an incentive to build your email list. Taking the time to find quality leads—the kind of customers who will truly benefit from your product or service, not time wasters—is key to a successful marketing campaign.

Most marketers estimate that a sustainable B2B campaign will last at least 4-6 months to achieve results. The focus for marketers should be on brand presence, which ensures your brand is first in the mind when a customer is ready to make a purchase. However, it’s not about creating artificial demand or trying to force your wares on anyone with an Internet browser.

While ads can generate an immediate ROI by driving sales, they’re often costly. Once ad spend is cut back, returns often vanish. Maintaining a digital presence with excellent content should be part of a longer-term strategy.

Content is so valuable because not only does it help organizations with marketing, but it can also become a valuable brand asset. High-quality, engaging content can even be recycled for new audiences, unlike pieces of fluff that are only there to boost rankings, drive traffic, and increase clicks. According to statistics surrounding content marketing, 92% of companies watch content as a valuable resource.

3 – In today’s digital world, high-impact marketing campaigns are easier than ever to implement!

The internet has increased people’s ability to connect, so it should be easy for brands to create impactful online marketing campaigns instantly, right? It’s true that the internet is an unprecedented place to find and nurture new leads. However, it is often difficult to differentiate your brand in a sea of ​​competition. In order to cut through the noise, online marketing campaigns need to be constantly analyzed and refined using data.

The truth is, once your content first goes live, there likely won’t be an immediate, resounding response from your audience. The incremental growth that content marketing is fueling excels in creating should be part of a long-term strategy to create brand loyalty and brand authority. For example, the expectations of your B2B marketing campaign should not match your expectations of your advertising campaign. The content is worth the extra time and effort it takes to maintain the brand image and brand authority needed to make a lasting impression on your audience

Conclusion

Because content-driven campaigns are notoriously successful, many unrealistic expectations are attached to them. Especially with a B2B marketing campaign, it is important to know and avoid these misunderstandings.

There is no magic wand to achieve marketing success. A great B2B marketing campaign requires sustained, consistent effort and monitoring. Coupled with realistic expectations and patience, a content-driven B2B marketing campaign can yield incredible dividends.

This post was written by Nahla Davies, a software engineer and tech writer. Before dedicating her work full-time to technical writing, she was – among other fascinating things – a senior programmer at an Inc. 5,000 experience branding organization whose clients include Samsung, Time Warner, Netflix, and Sony.