Business-to-business (B2B) marketing is a complex process that requires a deep understanding of the target audience and effective use of marketing channels to generate leads. It can be challenging whether you are an expert or just a beginner. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t do it successfully.
There are numerous marketing channels available you can use as a B2B marketer, each with its strengths and weaknesses. So, If you know which marketing channels are the best for your goals, then you can succeed even if you aren’t very experienced with lead generation.
That being said, with so many marketing channel options available to you, it can be easy to get lost. Nevertheless, it’s worth trying out the most popular ones to understand what you want to work with.
In this article, we will explore the 14 best B2B marketing channels for B2B lead generation. Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, this guide will help you develop a comprehensive B2B marketing strategy that leverages the most effective channels for your target audience. So, let’s get started!
#1 Content Marketing
Content marketing is the most obvious channel for lead generation and one of the most effective ways to generate B2B leads. It involves creating and sharing valuable and relevant content to attract and engage your target audience. Though content marketing is an umbrella term that includes all types of content you work with online, focusing on your website and blog content is a good starting point. Remember that better content leads to better leads.
To start, you have to ensure that your website contains relevant content that will get your website discovered on the search engine results page (SERP). In other words, you should optimize it for search engine optimization (SEO). Additionally, it’s important to consistently publish content in your website’s blog section. This will help you further work with search engine optimization (SEO) to get discovered. This will help you further enhance your SEO efforts and increase the chances of being discovered by your target audience.
Why content marketing? Simply put, by creating high-quality content that addresses your audience’s pain points and interests, you can establish your brand as a thought leader, attract more leads, and ultimately drive revenue.
#2 Ads and Retargeting
Another channel to use is advertising. More specifically, display ads (and retargeting) and pay-per-click (or PPC) ads. In the first case, you track your website visitors and then target and retarget them with ads to eventually make them come back. In the second case, you launch a PPC ad campaign that is set up using the information you already have about your target audience. Both methods can be very effective as long as you accurately analyze the data you possess about your potential B2B customers.
Why Ads and Retargeting? With targeted advertising and retargeting campaigns, you can increase brand awareness, drive conversions, and maximize your ROI.
#3 Organic Search
While paid search ads are displayed above the SERP, you can still use organic search itself as one of the channels for your lead generation marketing.
The organic search involves optimizing your website for search engines to drive traffic and generate leads. At its core, working with organic search is pretty much what was described above in the content marketing section. Except that it goes further than that because you have to optimize your website for search engines, not just with the content you publish on it (and your blog). You should also work with your SEO such as meta descriptions and titles, URLs, alt tags for images, and so on.
Why organic search? It’s free and one of the most effective marketing channels by optimizing your website for search engines, you can increase your visibility, attract more traffic, and generate more leads for your business.
#4 Email Marketing
A subset of content marketing (as an umbrella term), email marketing is one of the powerful channels for lead generation. However, this statement holds up only if you have a good mailing list. You can purchase one from a reputable company or create your own by collecting emails through a variety of other channels. Email marketing works best when you heavily rely on personalization in your emails, so collect as much information about your audience as possible. However, ensuring that your email campaigns are well-crafted, valuable, and not spammy is essential.
Why email marketing? With a well-crafted email campaign, you can deliver targeted messages straight to your audience’s inbox, nurture leads, and drive conversions.
#5 Account-Based Marketing
Account-based marketing (ABM) is a targeted marketing approach that focuses on specific accounts and decision-makers within those accounts. Rather than casting a wide net and hoping to attract leads, ABM takes a more personalized approach by tailoring campaigns to the specific needs and pain points of each target account.
ABM requires a deep understanding of your target audience, including their industry, company size, pain points, and buying behavior. With this knowledge, you can create highly personalized campaigns that resonate with your target accounts and drive conversions.
Why ABM? By focusing on high-value accounts and creating personalized, targeted campaigns, you can increase engagement, generate more qualified leads, and increase the chances of turning them into loyal customers.
#6 Guest Blogging
To improve your SEO and establish yourself as an authority in your field, consider using guest blogging. By guest blogging, you expand your online presence. The key to a successful guest blogging strategy is finding high-quality websites to write for, so when you start researching, make sure to opt for the sites and blogs in your niche that are respected and popular.
Why guest blogging? By sharing your expertise on other blogs and websites, you can expand your reach, build credibility, and generate more leads for your business.
#7 Social Media Marketing
Another subset of content marketing, social media marketing is a great way to find an online following, establish yourself as an authority, and benefit from the branding opportunities social media platforms provide. Don’t forget to create engaging and shareable content, using hashtags, and running targeted ads.
LinkedIn, for example, is the best social media platform for B2B business. Because, unlike other social media platforms, LinkedIn is focused specifically on professional interactions which is why it’s worth looking at it separately. This platform can be used for researching potential prospects and reaching out to them directly. You can immediately determine the quality of your prospects and choose to either pursue them or leave them at the very beginning of your research.
Why social media marketing? By building a strong social media presence, you can increase your brand awareness, engage with your audience, and drive traffic and leads to your website. With the right social media strategy, you can build relationships and ultimately convert your followers into loyal customers.
#8 Cold Calling
Just like email marketing, the success of your cold calling efforts largely depends on your list of prospects. Similarly, it’s a good idea to either purchase a list from a reputable company or create your own by collecting phone numbers through other channels. Cold calling also requires your agents to be trained and prepared for any turn the conversation may take.
Why cold calling? Cold calling involves reaching out to potential customers by phone or email. Although it’s often perceived as an outdated approach, it can still be effective if done correctly. It’s essential to have a targeted list of prospects and a well-crafted message to make cold calling successful.
#9 Word-of-Mouth
This is probably the only channel you can’t control, but it’s still worth mentioning. Word of mouth can help you get many new leads, but you can’t control what your clients say about you… not directly, at least. Consider introducing a referral program to encourage past clients to find new leads for you. Work on your customer service to ensure the best customer experience and create a loyal client base that will promote your business for you.
Why utilize word-of-mouth marketing? By providing exceptional customer experiences and incentivizing referrals, you can generate powerful word-of-mouth marketing and drive more leads for your business.
#10 Video Marketing
Also a form of content marketing, video marketing is a great way to achieve a variety of digital marketing goals. You can use it on your website, with guest blogging, on social media, and even purely on YouTube. Whatever platform you choose for your videos, they will likely attract a lot of attention if they are of decent or high quality.
Why video marketing? With engaging and informative videos, you can capture your audience’s attention, build trust, and ultimately generate more leads for your business.
#11 Webinars and Event Networking
Webinars can be an unusual way for you to generate leads. Cleveland Osborne, an expert from the custom writing reviews site All Top Reviews, puts it this way, “If you want to attract prospects that are actually interested, start a webinar and advertise it online. Those who join will come to you instead of you coming to them. You can also collect information for your other channels such as email marketing.”
However, not all of the marketing needs to happen online which is why it’s a good idea to consider event networking at conferences and other relevant events. Though, you can still network as an online event. The most important thing to remember is that you shouldn’t be too clingy when networking because that can turn potential prospects off. Even if you don’t connect with them properly at the event, you can still use their information later for cold calling or email marketing.
Why webinars and event networking? Webinars and events involve hosting online or in-person events to engage with your target audience. By providing valuable information and networking opportunities, you can build relationships and generate qualified leads.
#12 Quora Q&As
While Quora isn’t a social media marketing platform, it may act similarly. It can help you establish yourself as an authority while also finding an online following. You can regularly seek out relevant questions to answer and subtly (or explicitly) promote your own business. Just make sure to use sources to support your arguments and indeed display your expertise in the field.
Why Quora Q&As? Through Quora, you can give a personalized response to your possible prospects which means by providing valuable answers to questions on Quora, you can establish yourself as an expert and build credibility for your business.
#13 Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO is one of the most important marketing channels you can use aligned with your content marketing strategy and organic search. It is a technique you can use to improve the organic search visibility of your website in SERPs. Its major goal is to increase organic traffic to your website by improving the website’s ranking in search engine results for specific keywords or phrases. By using relevant keywords, creating high-quality content, and building backlinks, you can improve your website’s ranking and generate leads.
However, SEO is a long-term strategy that requires time, effort, and continuous optimization to see results. By investing in SEO, you can make sure to generate high-quality traffic and leads to your website, which can lead to increased sales and revenue.
Why SEO? It is a marketing channel that brings potential customers to your site who want what you offer but don’t know how to find you.
#14 Podcast
Last but not least, podcasting can be another B2B marketing channel to include in your arsenal. In a way, podcasting is similar to video marketing except that you use audio content rather than video content. At the moment, podcasts are extremely popular, so it’s the perfect time to start using this channel for marketing. Besides, you can publish podcasts on different platforms, including your website, YouTube, and others.
Why podcast? By sharing valuable insights and interviewing industry experts, you can establish your brand as a thought leader and generate leads.
In Conclusion
B2B marketing is a complex process that requires a deep understanding of the target audience and effective use of marketing channels to generate leads. There are numerous marketing channels available, and choosing the right ones can be challenging, but it can be done successfully with the right knowledge of the best channels that will achieve your goals.
In this article, you’ve explored the 14 best B2B marketing channels for lead generation, including content marketing, ads and retargeting, organic search, email marketing, account-based marketing, guest blogging, social media marketing, and so on. By leveraging these channels, you as a B2B marketer can increase engagement, generate more qualified leads, and increase the chances of turning them into loyal customers.
