Business-to-Business, otherwise known as B2B, is a unique business breed. The differentiation between B2B and Business to Consumer (or B2C) is highlighted in each segment’s premise of sale. According to a 2012 Marketing Sherpa report, 60% of B2B companies name lead generation as their top priority. However, nearly half of B2B companies view lead generation as their most challenging activity. Clearly, there is a demand for lead generation strategies after all it is the lifeline of any B2B company. Rather than showcasing the obvious lead generation shortcomings of most B2B companies we decided to place particular emphasis on the strategies used by B2B companies that are successfully and consistently generating leads in today’s economy.

Inbound Marketing Statistics Every B2B Company Should Know

B2B companies generate more leads from their website using inbound marketing strategies. In a recent study provided by Mediative 70% of B2B customers use a search engine to begin their purchasing process. Of those 70% more than 73% of B2B customers click on organic search results. Therefore if you’re a B2B company you must be able to be found online. Moreover, simple PPC ads do not account for prospect pool majority. This does not mean there is not a highly responsive PPC market for B2B companies, it only means that the most accessible form of consistent self-prospected targets are found via SE. In other words, B2B companies can perform PPC campaigns but they should closely monitor ROI and segment campaign platforms to determine the most responsive PPC venue.

However, the most effective, results oriented, and highly measurable strategy is search engine optimization. Yes, it’s absolutely true the search engine mogul Google is not the only SE on the block. However, according to Mediative at the very minimum 77% of B2B prospects prefer Google SE over any other search engine online. This is definitive proof the inbound marketing is a must have for all B2B businesses.

Why? Simply because inbound marketing strategies are based largely on search engine optimized blogging and content creation. A B2B website optimized for search engines via blogging or blog integration helps B2B companies generate more leads from their website. Moreover, content focused blogging creates a perpetual lead flow. This is one of the distinctive and prevalent factors of inbound marketing strategies and lead generation. The perpetual lead flow is supported by consistency via search engine optimization and subscriber loyalty. Inbound marketing takes into account the idea of reader retention via top of the funnel offers and Calls-to-Action while also maintaining algorithmic content delivery components like freshness required by Google.

B2B Social Media Statistics

In a recent report, Whitehorse revealed that over 85% of B2B companies are using social media. Additionally, 89% of companies are using social media in their business. A smart B2B company understands that their consumers are not only online but also actively participating in the social media frenzy. The internet showcases an abundance of social media platforms, extensions, and plug-ins that help companies easily integrate their social media presence into their website. Considering aspects like Facebook’s OG protocol and Twitter’s indexing capabilities B2B companies can generate more leads from the website using both viral marketing activities akin to the famous YouTube as well as social media integration.

Contrary to what many skeptics believe social media is not a dying trend. According to Forrester B2B activity on social networks is expected to more than double based on interactive marketing spending. However, there is still a gaping whole in B2B marketing. According to AMR International only 50% of B2B companies formally analyze their online data or marketing metrics to determine ROI. A lack of metrics is the weakest point of any social media campaign or marketing campaign in general. However, according to eMarketer 46% of B2B companies consider social networking as irrelevant. This means that although the majority of B2B prospects are found online nearly half are them are not actively using social media for marketing purposes. This is an excellent opportunity for B2B companies to start using a very underplayed market. Furthermore, if done correctly B2B companies can leverage social media marketing to generate leads through their website.

Need Help?

If generating more leads from your website is something that you are interested in but don’t know how to get started, contact us today to schedule your free marketing analysis.