Google: Digital Age Requires Changes in B2B Marketing

By Ali Ord - Tue, 02/23/2010 - 5:08pm.

New Marketing Imperatives for B2B

Google recently posted a video on its Barometer Blog, which focused on B2B marketing in a digital world. Richard Robinson, Head of Business Markets, Google UK gave this video an animated twist about how businesses are developing and changing in a new digital age. The following outlines some of the things discussed in the video.

Digital has developed into an essential part of our everyday life. There are 1.4 billion people online globally, with 83 percent B2B buyers. "The world's information is simply a click away," states Robinson.

Comprehending the shift B2B marketing has taken, is important for businesses to progress in this digital age.

Robinson shares the three B2B approaches previously used when marketing:

   1. Who are we targeting?
    2. What are we offering?
    3. How do we communicate this in the most effective way?

Although these three straight forward approaches can be helpful, digital has made marketing challenges a bit more complex. In return, these three questions are difficult to ask.

Robinson says business success is now centered on:

    -understanding where your costumers are
   -delivering messages to the right point of the buying cycle
    -changing strategies to incorporate digital values as a main focus

Robinson reveals three shifts for the 'New Digital Imperative for Marketing' leading brands and businesses to an affective outcome.

The first shift is 'research to real time' insight. We are given immediate access from the web today, allowing us to keep up with changing technology. This teaches businesses to take advantage and make necessary adjustments when change appears.

The second shift is 'creative to content'. Robinson gives advice on what to look for and understand when improving your business.

What types of information are B2B buyers searching for?

    -depends on where they are in the buying cycle, their roles and their needs
    -need to understand audience and provide appropriate content for the right state of the buying cycle
    -many prefer watching video content to text
    -need to distribute content wherever prospects are looking

The third and final shift is known as 'push and pull'. Brands and businesses can use methods to "pull costumers to content, push content to costumers and combine push and pull marketing", using digital.
Robinson says, "This will help gain a competitive advantage in the long term."

B2B marketing is changing, and with this change, alterations must be made to stay in the game.

News Tags: Richard Robinson, Barometer Blog, B2B

Comments

By Good (SBN reader) - Sun, 04/11/2010 - 4:02am.

Digital Age Required Changes

The change created by recession has been fundamental and monumental. Traditional marketing premises are being thrown out and conversation and engagement marketing are the new rules.