Despite being put to the test by the pandemic, it’s evident that B2B marketers are on top of their game and exploring new growth opportunities through the dynamic application of strategy, digitization, creativity, culture, and content.
Businesses have witnessed extraordinary shifts in the B2B market over the last year and a half. The COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a major shift in customer demographics, have altered B2B marketing best practices, leaving many business owners unclear of how to proceed.
Standard practices are rapidly becoming obsolete, thus recalibrating strategy is more critical than ever. Navigating the new market might be difficult, but here are some industry forecasts for 2022 that can assist CMOs in staying ahead of the curve.
Also Read: Elevating Customer Experience with Digital Experience Platforms
Audio content will take a spot on center stage in 2022
“2020 saw the rise of Clubhouse, a social audio app built for users to communicate in audio chat rooms. In the span of several months, it amassed millions of users. Its popularity spawned an avalanche of similar audio-based spaces from social media platforms including Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook”, says Jennifer Burak, VP of Marketing at Socialive. In addition, the growth of audio-based platforms highlights consumers’ thirst for more audio content, also evidenced by Edison Research’s March report which notes that listening to audio content is at an all-time high. The number of people who consume audio content will continue to grow and I predict that all or most video content will also be available as audio in 2022. Jennifer believes that consumers will want the ability to shift seamlessly between audio and video content and businesses will seek to provide a fluid listening experience to meet those demands.
Also Read: The Urgency to Utilize Digital Experience Platform in 2022
Marketing professionals will prioritize smaller, more niche virtual events to truly build community
B2B marketers, according to Jennifer, had to drastically pivot their event marketing strategies given the pandemic-induced restrictions on live, in-person events. Many marketers turned to virtual events which, due to their accessibility and cost efficiency, quickly became a staple for driving awareness and connecting with external audiences. However, when you’re watching someone present a live talk to a camera rather than being face-to-face with a room full of people, it can make it harder to connect on a personal level. “In 2022, marketers will incorporate smaller and more niche virtual events as part of their marketing strategy to offer more engaging and intimate experiences for attendees to truly connect with customers, share stories and build community”, adds Jennifer Burak.
Hybrid events will require both digital components on-site and short-form video content online to deliver engaging experiences for both in-person and virtual attendees
“A hybrid event offers both virtual and in-person options for attendees”, says Jennifer. Companies have adopted this model as an effective way to engage prospects and customers at a time when not everyone is comfortable with in-person interactions and virtual interactions have gone mainstream. However, she believes that hybrid events are challenging to host, and for most organizations, execution will be uneven — either heavily favoring in-person attendees vs. virtual, or vice versa. Companies will be motivated to establish strategies and find the right tools to deliver equally engaging experiences for both audiences. “Hybrid events in 2022 will prioritize having a strong digital component at in-person events and incorporate short-form video content throughout the virtual portion to create a deeply engaging experience”, adds Jennifer.
For more such updates follow us on Google News TalkCMO News.
