As 2023 has already begun, B2B startups are already grappling with a myriad of issues: the economic slump in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and rising worldwide inflation, ever-faster developing technologies, and AI as a new way of life.
Marketing in 2023 is addressing some of these challenges with changes, such as deploying new technologies (such AI-powered tools for content creation) and shifting marketing work to outsourced contractors to help cut costs.
Some things, however, will stay the same. Mainstay marketing tools remain solid (there is no substitute for a well done brand frame or sales deck).
Let’s explore 2023 marketing trends for B2B startups:
- Livestream content and short videos are high performers
Social media is THE place to build your brand, publish thought leadership, and connect with all important stakeholders, including potential customers, investors, and partners. In 2023 so far, we’re seeing that livestream content and short videos are a potent way to reach these audiences online.Clearly, a few seconds on livestream feed will capture hundreds more hearts and minds than a single phone call or meeting. However, in many circumstances, it still cannot replace the face-to-face sales meeting. - Customer success stories are essential for doing business.
Now, more than ever, people want to know that they are going into business with a company that has a history of success, and they also want to hear how the other guy dealt with the same problems they are dealing with.In 2022, for example, a customer of ours in the field of corporate productivity found that when they emailed collateral after cold calling, prospects always opened the case study first. Not the brochure, not the sales deck, not the link to the company website. Case studies were found to be the most interesting. - Influencer marketing is trending in 2023
Influencer marketing is not only for global brands. In 2022, a customer of ours – a startup in the field of assist-tech – deployed influencer marketing to increase awareness and downloads of their app to great success.If you want some pointers, read our post on influencer marketing for startups. One thing to take into consideration, is that influencer marketing is a long term endeavor. It takes about six months to bear fruit and requires a lot of determination and a people person to handle it. It’s also industry specific. Make sure your area of business is the kind of space that fosters many influencers who are ready to collaborate with companies. One of our customers caters to people with disabilities and there are a lot of inspiring influencers in this sphere. - Watch the quality AND the quantity!
Quality content is the thread that runs through all other marketing tools and will continue to do so in 2023. This holds true to customer stories, product sheets, and now, more than ever to social media. Social media platforms want you to write. A lot.LinkedIn, for example, changed its guidelines for posts and articles, putting the optimal length for articles at 2,000 words (!).Quality, however, is as important as quantity. Social media platforms want to see content that brings value to your audience. They are gauging this by the number of engagements and by AI analysis.For example, in 2022, we created high-quality posts on LinkedIn for a customer in the medical device field. We published two posts a week about topics that relate to our target audience, each post between 150 to 200 words. The hard work was repaid when only two months later, Linkedin informed us that our posts were included in its Featured Posts weekly newsletter. - Paid advertisements are important, but organic activity is essential for it to succeed
A paid ad offers a hook to bring in new customers and to generate awareness quickly. For example, collaborating with Top Interactive, a digital marketing agency, we generated market awareness for an IPO among potential investors in North America.To get the ball rolling, we first build momentum organically. When creating awareness and interest among potential customers, they’re going to check you out, meaning they’re going to go to your Twitter page and website. You want to make sure that you already built your brand as a thriving company with a strong business case and innovative technology. In short, you first need to build your story, then advertise it. - LinkedIn is in the top 10, but WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok are on the rise.
Use SEJ’s table to help you decide how to plan your social media marketing in 2023, summarized as follows.Top Social Media Platforms Compared by MAU (monthly active users worldwide):
- Facebook 2.9 billion
- YouTube 2.2. billion
- WhatsApp 2 billion
- Instagram 2 billion
- TikTok 1 billion
However, before you run to create TikTok videos and Facebook reels, check where your audience is. For most B2B companies, TikTok is still not as relevant as LinkedIn and Twitter.
Want to get started with B2B marketing in 2023? Talk to an expert.