Advertising for business-to-business (B2B) companies can be a tricky endeavor. B2B advertising has to be both informative and creative, since it needs to target individual decision-makers but also highlight the company’s overall brand.
1. Email Marketing Campaigns
Email marketing campaigns are one of the most popular forms of B2B advertising today. According to research from HubSpot, email marketing offers an impressive ROI of 122%, meaning you earn $122 for every dollar you spend on email marketing campaigns.
Additionally, research from the Direct Marketing Association found that email had an ROI of 4300%, making it a powerful tool for reaching your target customers.
Some real life examples of successful email campaigns include sales of both Dell and HP products, with one study showing that Dell’s email campaign resulted in sales 8 times higher than traditional channels and HP reporting that their strategy delivered $1 million in incremental revenue.
Email marketing also offers the opportunity to see what works (and doesn’t work) through A/B testing of various strategies and content, allowing businesses to make informed decisions when shaping future campaigns.
2. Pay Per Click Advertising
Pay per click (PPC) advertising is another popular form of B2B advertising wherein advertisers pay a fee each time someone clicks on their ad. According to research from Wordstream, PPC has an average CPC of $2.32 and CPA of $59.18, making it slightly more expensive than social media ads but still relatively affordable compared to other forms of B2B advertising.
Additionally, PPC campaigns offer more control over targeting than other forms of digital advertising because they allow advertisers to set budgets and bid on specific keywords or phrases related to their product or service offering.
Real world examples like Huron Technology Group have seen great success with PPC, seeing all-time high conversions and a 4X return on investment in one year with an effective strategy.
The performance analytics are backed up by their total PPC media spending which was reduced from $1 million last year to less than $200,000 this year. These kind of successes demonstrate what companies can gain when they invest in cautious development of their PPC Advertising Campaigns.
3. Content Marketing Campaigns
Content marketing campaigns are also a great way to reach potential customers in the B2B market; they provide valuable information that readers can use while simultaneously offering promotional material that encourages conversions or sales.
According to research from Content Marketing Institute, 88% of marketers who use content marketing report that it’s been effective for their business goals. Additionally, 60% of marketers say content marketing has increased their sales pipeline activity over the past year.
For example: A 2016 study by the Content Marketing Institute revealed that 86% of business-to-business marketers use content marketing as part of their overall marketing strategy with 65% noting that it has been achieving higher ROI compared to other tactics.
What’s more 70% stated that their organization increased its content production year over year revealing how significant it’s become in terms of efficacy.
With these numbers in mind as well as some creativity mixed with out of the box online strategies there’s no reason why business-to-business marketers should not take advantage of this powerful type of outreach today.
4. LinkedIn Ads
LinkedIn is one of the most popular social networks for business professionals, making it an ideal platform for B2B marketing. According to a study by AdRoll, LinkedIn ads generate an average click-through rate (CTR) of 0.5%, which is five times higher than the average CTR for all other platforms.
The study also found that LinkedIn ads had a 1% conversion rate on average, meaning one in every hundred people that saw an ad went on to purchase or use the product or service being advertised.
To illustrate this technique’s effectiveness, take the example of an IT company that recently wanted to increase brand awareness and boost online sales. Through targeted LinkedIn Ads campaigns, they saw an increase in followers by 70% within a two month period and revenues increased by 22%.
Moreover, these results were achieved while simultaneously reducing their cost per impression by 15%. The success of these campaigns is proof that business-to-business marketing has great potential and when well done, can generate impressive results.
5. Facebook Ads
Despite its popularity among consumers, Facebook has become increasingly popular with B2B marketers as well. According to statistics compiled by WordStream, Facebook ads boast an impressive 4.5% conversion rate on average across all industries, well above the industry average for all other platforms combined (0.77%).
Additionally, businesses on Facebook can take advantage of detailed targeting options to ensure their message reaches exactly who they want it to reach, such as businesses with a specific location or size, making it easier than ever before to reach potential customers online.
For example, according to a case study by Semrush, a global leader in digital marketing solutions, one company was able to generate $1 million in extra revenue thanks to its B2B Facebook Ad Campaigns.
In just a few months’ time the campaign reached over 3 million people, with clicks costing under 15 cents each. By harnessing powerful features like retargeting, lookalike audiences and boosted posts, all of which are optimized perfectly for B2B market optimization, companies can improve their brand awareness and obtain ROI from this digital platform better than ever before.
If executed properly, business-to-business marketing via Facebook Ads should be an essential part of any comprehensive marketing strategy.
6. Twitter Ads
Twitter is another popular platform among B2B businesses looking to reach potential customers online. According to data compiled by Salesforce Pardot, Twitter ads boast an impressive 5x higher ROI than traditional digital campaigns such as search engine optimization (SEO).
Additionally, Twitter’s “promoted tweets” feature allows businesses to target their messages specifically at certain users based on demographics such as age and gender, giving them more control over who sees their ads and increasing the likelihood that they will convert those users into paying customers.
Innovative companies such as Microsoft, Dell, and Cisco have all turned to Twitter Ads Campaigns to help spread their message with targeted audiences. Statistics have shown that when implemented correctly, Twitter Ads can lead to increases in user engagement and website visits.
For example, after launching a Twitter campaign inviting users to join their Microsoft Partner Network, Microsoft witnessed a 50% reduction in cost per follower. On top of that, Dell reported seeing almost a 500% increase in the number of blog subscribers gained through the use of Twitter Ads.
These tangible results show just how effective targeted promotional campaigns on Twitter can be for business growth.
7. Instagram Ads
Instagram Ads are often thought to be only suitable for B2C businesses, but they can also be used effectively by B2Bs as well. According to an analysis from Adespresso, Instagram ads have an average CTR of 0.90% and CPC of $4 USD, slightly lower than LinkedIn ads but still highly effective if used strategically in combination with other platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.
For example, music streaming services Spotify and Apple Music were able to increase subscriptions by 15% over two months after starting an Instagram ad campaign targeting music fans.
Brands selling music instruments such as electric guitars and drum kits saw comparable levels of success with increased clicks through rates on their products’ websites recorded.
This highlights just how effective B2B Instagram ads can be in helping music brands reach their respective customer bases, providing a valuable return on investment as well as measurable success from campaigns.
8. Influencer Marketing
Influencers are people who have built up an online presence in a particular area, such as health and fitness or fashion. They have the ability to influence their followers’ buying decisions with their reviews and recommendations. According to Statista, influencer marketing is estimated to generate $9 billion in revenue this year alone.
IBM Watson is an example of a successful B2B influencer marketing campaign. IBM partnered with several prominent influencers in the tech industry such as Mark Cuban and Kevin Rose to promote its artificial intelligence platform. The campaign resulted in more than 2 million impressions, 5 million video views, and 1 million engagements on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. IBM also saw an increase in website visits and overall brand awareness.
Microsoft Office 365 also leveraged influencer marketing to great effect. They partnered with well-known bloggers in the business space such as Paul Graham and Guy Kawasaki to create content that was both informative and engaging for their target audience.
As a result, they saw an increase in website visits and downloads of their software products. Additionally, Microsoft Office 365 saw an increase in customer engagement on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.
9. Experiential Events
Experiential events offer a unique opportunity for your business to reach potential customers in an interactive setting. According to Eventbrite, 80% of consumers say that attending an experiential event has made them more likely to purchase a product or service.
Such events also provide a platform for you to build relationships with other businesses and industry professionals, as well as showcasing products and services in real time.
For example, Ikea organised a pop-up event for local businesses in one city that resulted in an impressive 24% increase in overall sales for the region.
Another great example is Red Bull’s branding campaign, frequent launch events surrounding its sponsorship of sporting activities helped enormously to boost their commitment from 31% to 56% within the target market.
These are just two examples that demonstrate how powerful business-to-business experiential events can be; they not only define a brand more definitively, but often result in quantifiable increases in customer engagement and overall sales.
10. Virtual Reality (VR)
VR is becoming increasingly popular in B2B advertising as companies strive for innovative ways to engage their target audience. In fact, according to Statista, the global virtual reality market is expected to grow from $9 billion in 2018 to $44 billion by 2024, a growth rate of over 40%.
By leveraging VR technology, businesses can create immersive experiences that showcase their products or services in an exciting way while also gaining valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences.
For example, Eon Reality Inc., an educational VR company, has used VR to offer interactive product demonstrations and engage customers in a groundbreaking way. Statistics show their business-to-business virtual reality campaigns are significantly more successful than traditional advertisements, netting the company a 73% rate of customer return.
The use of VR in business advertising allows for a fully immersive experience that captivates customers and truly draws them into the brand’s message.
11. Customer Referral Programs
Customer referral programs are a great way for B2B companies to spread the word about their products and services. According to one study, 84% of people trust recommendations from family, friends, or colleagues, and referral programs take advantage of this trust by rewarding customers who refer new business.
For example, one company initiated a customer referral program that rewarded customers with a discount on their next purchase if they referred another customer who made a purchase within 90 days. This campaign resulted in an increase in customer referrals by 20%.
For example, Postmates reported increasing their referrals by 800% after launching a customer referral program with incentives; Landlordolog saw an impressive 400% boost in referrals almost immediately after adding rewards to their referral program; and companies like Birdseye and Lyft saw an astounding 1600% higher rate of conversion through offering existing customers rewards for referring new customers.
Referral reward systems continue to show statistics that show impressive growth for businesses in regards to customer acquisition.
12. Event Sponsorship
Event sponsorship is an often overlooked form of B2B advertising that can be very effective in reaching potential customers who may not otherwise be exposed to your brand or product offering. By sponsoring events related to your industry or target market, you can put your brand in front of hundreds or even thousands of potential customers all at once, and research shows it works.
A recent survey found that 72% of respondents had attended an event sponsored by a business within the past year and nearly half said they were more likely to consider purchasing from the sponsor due to their attendance.
For example, Microsoft sponsored the popular video game exhibition PAX East in 2019, heralding their reach of over 66,500 attendants and achieving a success rate of 91%, as the show’s highest rated exhibitor.
Not to be outdone, McDonalds joined forces with Major League Baseball in 2017 to launch a comprehensive media release that was seen by over 32 million viewers and increased annual domestic sales 3.4%.
These are only two of many examples of businesses leveraging event sponsorship advertising to further their branding campaigns, but with careful planning and consideration of success rates and ROI metrics business owners can find the right match for their needs.
13. Webinars
Webinars are becoming increasingly popular with B2B companies as an effective form of advertising. They allow companies to present educational content and valuable information in an accessible format that is easy for people to digest, and often do so through engaging visuals like slideshows and videos.
According to HubSpot, webinars can generate up to 11 times more leads than traditional email campaigns and have an average conversion rate of 20%. So if you want to reach out directly with valuable information about your product or service, consider hosting webinars as part of your strategy.
Conclusion
As you can see from these 13 business-to-business advertising examples, there are a number of ways to create an effective ad. The key is to consider your audience and what will resonate with them. Keep in mind the principles of persuasion, such as social proof and Authority principle, and test out different strategies until you find what works best for your business. With some creativity and attention to detail, you can develop ads that get results.
References
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/b2b-marketing
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/business-to-business-advertising.asp
https://mailchimp.com/en-gb/resources/business-to-business-marketing/
