It can be challenging to create an effective marketing strategy. The world of digital marketing is changing rapidly. There are policy changes, new best practices, and an increase in competition.

But the fundamental of digital marketing B2B strategy remains the same. It follows the 3 stages of a buyer’s journey: Awareness, Consideration and Decision.

Awareness stage: The prospect knows of a problem and is researching to have a better understanding of the problem.

Consideration stage: Prospect has clearly defined the problem and has researched some possible solutions.

Decision stage: Prospect has chosen a solution strategy and is ready to buy from the right vendor.

Let’s take a look at how to craft your digital marketing B2B strategy around your buyer’s journey.

Leverage the power of your website

Your website is a critical part of any digital marketing strategy. In the digital era, it would be weird to operate without a website. Would you treat a business seriously if it doesn’t have a professional-looking website? Surveys show that over 80% of buyers visit a website before making a purchase.

Moreover, there are many parties involved in the B2B buying process. There are the decision-maker, the gatekeepers and other stakeholders in that project.

Your website needs to have the right message to show to these buyers. Think of your website like a salesperson who is silently selling for you 24/7.

For it to do its job well, it must load fast and easy to navigate. And the best part is it doesn’t complain about working overtime, going on holiday or getting stressed.

Get short term leads with a B2B PPC Campaign

“If you build it, they will come.” That may work in baseball, but sadly people aren’t going to find your website on their own. You have to bring in traffic.

The quickest way to bring in targeted traffic is by paying for advertising. This is commonly known as pay per click (PPC). PPC allows you to show your ads only to your most ideal clients.

When setting up your campaign, think about the buyer journey we mentioned at the beginning of this article. A person would type different keywords in Google depending on their buying stage.

For instance, in the initial research phase, they search for keywords related to their problems. But as they move along the buyer’s journey, they may be looking for product comparisons to help them decide. Or they may be looking for a solution provider in their local area.

Position yourself as a thought leader through content

Content marketing is valuable because it positions you as an expert. Instead of pushing people to buy your product, you’re attracting them to your brand.

When executed correctly with good search engine optimization (SEO), your content can rank on the search engines. That’s when you have inbound leads coming into your website for free.

Content marketing is a long term strategy. You can think of content marketing like dating. On the first date, you won’t be asking your partner to marry you immediately. For most people, you want to know more about the other person to decide if it’s worth continuing.

It’s the same with content marketing. You add value to prospects by providing helpful insights, content, and resources. They will be attracted to it and want to come back to your website to learn more.

As they dive deeper into more of your content, they’ll get to know you. Eventually, they’ll submit their details to download your lead magnet. Or they may contact you for more information.

Build your brand with B2B Social Media Marketing

It’s a common misconception that social media marketing is only for B2C. But the truth is, your buyers are human too. And they are spending time on social media.

For B2B businesses, LinkedIn is the number one platform. You’ll be able to find potential customers and decision-makers there. The best part is you have direct access to them. There are no gatekeepers to deal with.

But don’t neglect the other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Even though these are typically for B2C, your buyers are also spending time there outside of work settings. For example, big brands like General Electric have leveraged these platforms to share stories of their team members and how their projects are impacting the world.

When it comes to social media marketing, the strategy isn’t to sell directly. Instead, it’s to build awareness and stay top of mind.

Remember that the B2B sales cycle is longer. So you need to stay in touch with them all multiple points throughout the buyer’s journey.

Nurture existing relationships through B2B Email Marketing

Email is the number one choice for business communication. It’s an excellent tool to follow up with your prospects as well as existing clients. The key to email marketing strategy is to build and nurture the relationship with your list by sharing helpful tips and resources.

Here are some tips for a successful email campaign:

Craft a subject line that gets opened. This is very important. You can write the best email message, but if it doesn’t get opened, no one is going to read it. A good way is to highlight a benefit the reader will get from opening and reading your email.

Responsive email design. Today, many people check their emails (even work email accounts) on their mobile phone. So your email must be responsive. It has to look good and readable on both desktop and mobile devices.

One call to action. After reading your email, what is it the one thing you want your readers to do? One call to action ensures they don’t get confused. For instance, it can be to book a call, schedule a demo, or simply to read the latest article you posted.

Segment the list. This is the key to better email engagements. Segment your list based on what solutions your prospect is looking for. And tailor your messages to address that specific need. Better engagements mean better results from your emails.

Developing Your Digital Marketing B2B Strategy

Now it’s time to form your digital marketing B2B strategy. Keep the buyer’s journey in mind and implement the 5 critical elements. To recap, they are:

1. Professional website
2. PPC Campaign
3. Content Marketing
4. Social Media Marketing
5. Email marketing

Don’t hesitate to reach out and ask for a professional agency to develop your strategy. It will be one of your best business investments.