8 predictions from B2B Marketing Agency of the Year Earnest on what lies ahead in 2016 for B2B marketers

2. …were mad about content
…got down and dirty with social
…professed the virtues of
inbound AND outbound
…wrestled with marketing
automation
…laughed in the face of the
adblockalypse
…and finally moved from
outputs to outcomes…
If 2015 was the year
B2B Marketers…

3. What lies ahead in
2016?

4. #1
IT WON’T BE ABOUT THE
PATH TO PURCHASE,
BUT PATHS TO PURCHASE

5. The days of the
‘typical’ B2B buyer
are long gone.

6. The B2B buying cycle has
splintered
into lots of decision-
making moments at every
stage of the funnel.

7. In 2016, it will be all
about winning the
micro-
moments*
*aka. micro-yesses
Google Micro-
Moments report

8. Persuading buyers
and influencers to:
• Watch your video
• Click that social link
• Open your email
• Share the infographic
• Read your guide
• Interact with your site
Etc…
Engaging with your brand

9. [Don’t underestimate
them.]
All these
micro-yesses
lead to one
BIG YES
to choose
your brand.
Earnest Yes
Factor SlideShare

10. #2
ANOTHER MORE
INTERESTING BRAND
WILL ONLY EVER BE A
CLICK AWAY

11. Look at it this way,
B2B buyers can’t go
anywhere these days
without being
awash
with content.
Image source: Flickr, Mark Smiciklas

12. So if they spare a moment to:
Think of it as a privilege.
…skim
…read
…watch
…share yours

13. [74% say they have
even less time to
review content
than last year]
Do them a favour
DemandGen
Content Prefs
Report

14. Ruthlessly edit yourself
If you can’t be bothered to:
Read your 12 page report
Sit through your 3 min video
Wade through your infographic
How the hell can you
expect your audience to?

15. Win the micro-yes,
by being the
most
interesting
thing they’ve
discovered today.

16. #3
STRATEGIC MARKETERS
WILL THINK IN TERMS OF
CONTENT PACKAGES

17. Bite-sized
content, it’s all
the rage don’t
you know.

18. But for too many marketers:
more snackability = less substance

19. Savvy marketers are
thinking differently

20. 2016 will be the year of
the content package
53% of b2b buyers
strongly
recommend
marketers create
them
DemandGen
Content Prefs
Report

21. Think related content
bundled in smart ways for the
buyer’s convenience…
Soundbites
Snippets
Deep-dives




22. Respecting
Their time.
Their effort.
Their intellect.
Their thirst to know
more (on occasion).

23. #4
2016 WILL BE THE YEAR OF
DOING IT WITH FEELING

24. There’s never been a better
opportunity to create an
emotional connection
with your brand.

25. In 2016, don’t just
think experiences.
Think immersive
experiences.

26. Video just got
that bit more
interesting
IDG says 61% of B2B
buyers watch mobile
videos relating to work
(we think it’s more)
IDG Global
Mobile Study
Findings

27. Interactive video Honda Other
Side campaign

28. Personalised video Idomoo
examples

29. 360 degree video
Now supported by:
Wired mind-
blowing
examples

30. Google Cardboard (£3 quid)
+
Smartphone (Android or iOS)
+
YouTube VR video
=
Virtual Reality experience

31. See it as a virtual
window of opportunity
to engage with your buyers.

32. #5
BUYERS WILL WANT TO
LISTEN – SO BE THE
BRAND THAT GETS HEARD

33. In 2015, podcasts
made a come back

34. Apple has surpassed
1 billion subscriptions for
podcasts via iTunes
Podcast
research

35. Audio on-demand =
Wholly captivating
Who said attention
spans are dead, when
people will listen to 25
min podcast episodes
back to back?

36. 67% of podcast
listeners don’t mind
sponsorship messages
Kapost Podcast
Statistics

37. Don’t miss out
Branded content is getting a
shot in the arm
Image source: Flickr,
Sascha Kohlmann

38. #6
IT WON’T BE ABOUT
DESTINATIONS, BUT
PIT STOPS

39. For too long, we’ve
been trying to drive
our B2B buyers places

40. And when they get
there, they can be just
plain disappointing

41. So 2016,
will be more
about being
in the places
they like to
hang out.

42. Expect to see more brands take up
residence on social platforms (rather
than build their own content hubs)
Oktopost
infographic
WHY?

43. So their content sits on an
altogether bigger doorstep in a
more familiar and convenient
neighbourhood

44. #7
THINGS WILL START
TO TALK TOGETHER
AND BE A WHOLE LOT
MORE ACCOUNTABLE

45. Over half of B2B
marketers still cite
proving ROI as their
No.1 challenge HubSpot
study

46. Why?
Too many
Too few
Too complex
Too simple
Too many excuses
Systems

47. While they’ve been
implementing
CRM
Web & Social Analytics
Marketing Automation

48. It’s just led to a bigger
data problem and even
less insight

49. In 2016, organisations will see
the value of joining the dots
Using smart APIs
to make it happen

50. Making
marketing
attribution
easier
Answering questions like:
What worked?
What didn’t?
What actually led to sales?
What value are we adding?

51. #8
IT’S LAST CHANCE AT
THE MOBILE SALOON

52. 86% of B2B buyers access
content on their mobile phones
[60% on their tablets]
DemandGen
Content Prefs
Report

53. That’s almost 2x as many as
the year before.

54. Mobile usage
happens in bursts
As people seek to fulfil the…
…moments
Google Micro-
Moments report

55. It pays to:
Be there
Be useful
Be quick

56. If you don’t,
chances are a
competitor
will be.

57. #1 IT WON’T BE ABOUT THE PATH TO PURCHASE, BUT
PATHS TO PURCHASE
#2 ANOTHER MORE INTERESTING BRAND WILL ONLY
EVER BE A CLICK AWAY
#3 STRATEGIC MARKETERS WILL THINK IN TERMS OF
CONTENT PACKAGES
#4 2016 WILL BE THE YEAR OF DOING IT WITH FEELING
#5 BUYERS WILL WANT TO LISTEN – SO BE THE BRAND
THAT GETS HEARD
#6 IT WON’T BE ABOUT DESTINATIONS, BUT PIT STOPS
#7 THINGS WILL START TO TALK TOGETHER AND BE A
WHOLE LOT MORE ACCOUNTABLE
#8 IT’S LAST CHANCE AT THE MOBILE SALOON
8 Predictions for 2016

58. www.earnest-agency.com
Share your own
predictions for
2016
#b2bpredicts
@earnestagency
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unless otherwise stated

59. www.earnest-agency.com