Search engine marketing techniques are uniquely suited for tackling challenges faced by the B2B community. Here's why.
In 2007, B2B online advertising spending in the U.S. was more than $3.6 billion. According to eMarketer, that's more than 16 percent of all online advertising spending. This means that B2B companies are investing heavily in search engine marketing (SEM) -- and they're reaping the rewards.
It's not too hard to figure out why SEM is quickly becoming a must-have in B2B marketing plans. With companies throughout the industry fixed on generating leads, building their brands and tracking online and offline communications with prospects and clients, SEM holds the answer. Natural search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) search engine marketing provide solutions to challenges in the B2B space, as well as calculable predictors of success and measurable results.
Let's take a closer look at how search adapts to B2B marketing challenges.
The sales process
Unlike business-to-consumer companies, B2B companies are regularly faced with long, complicated sales cycles. Often, it takes months after initial contact to close a sale. This cycle can initiate online, but it will go through several different stages and forms of contact, many of which occur offline. And of course, no matter how many stages there are, or how detailed the process happens to be, all communications need to be recorded and tracked. That's where online marketing comes in.
It begins with developing a message that speaks clearly to your prospects. That message should be integrated into both online and offline communications, enabling one to reinforce the other. A prospective customer is logically more inclined to initiate contact offline with a brand they recognize, such as those they've encountered online, and vice-versa. With an advanced tracking system, tracking all of these communications, from online to offline, is not only possible -- it's easy. And, it enables efficient management of the sales pipeline, delivering calculable returns for all initiatives.
The need for brand awareness
Creating brand awareness is a key step in promoting a company or product. This is especially true in the B2B industry, where products and services are typically more customized and complex. A high level of customization inevitably results in a multi-faceted and long-term relationship. And if customers are going to enter into that kind of relationship with your business, they need to feel comfortable with your company. They need credibility -- and so do you.
By engaging in search, your business will receive exposure on search engine results pages, thereby ensuring that your customers see you during their research, which further reinforces your brand. Also important, yet often overlooked, is ensuring that your company is listed among your competitors for consideration.
According to a recent study by Cornell University, searchers spend 83 percent of their time focused on the first five listings that appear on the first page of search results. This means it is absolutely imperative to be among those five listings, and SEM can put you there.
When one-size-fits-all just doesn't
Let's face it. Just because you're in the B2B industry doesn't mean your marketing plans are one-size-fits-all; B2Bs are not all created equal. What's right for one company may be completely wrong for another. Take, for example, a medical equipment manufacturer and a motorcycle parts manufacturer. Although they're both manufacturers, they make completely different products that they need to sell to completely different audiences. And that same motorcycle parts manufacturer probably won't benefit from doing the exact same thing as its competitors.
SEM, including both SEO and PPC, is flexible and adaptable. It can be easily tailored to fit individual needs and allows for a high level of customization. SEM is an ongoing process that helps keep a watchful eye on the competitive landscape.
By helping B2B companies generate more qualified leads, build brand awareness and track online and offline communications with prospects and clients, search can enable companies to efficiently manage their sales pipelines and optimize effectiveness.