B2B marketing & branding: Trends to watch in 2024

Happy New Year & welcome to 2024!

While 2023 was a whirlwind year for B2B enterprises, 2024 promises to be wilder. As B2B brands get more competitive, a few key themes will emerge across the marketing landscape, regardless of industry verticals. Here is what to expect going forward in 2024.

Humanizing the brand

• From product/service to human: Pushy, product/service-centric messaging is finally a thing of the past. Whew! B2B brands started noticing their audience's needs and pain points, crafting more empathetic messaging, and building genuine connections. Humanizing the brand and connecting with their audiences, however niche, on an emotional level will continue to play a crucial role in driving engagement and loyalty.
• Employee advocacy: In a related realm, employees have now become brand ambassadors, sharing their experiences and insights on social media. This culture of employee advocacy is something that can work for organizations, as they find avenues to tap into the employees’ network and credibility to reach new audiences and build brand trust, both with talent and prospects.
• Ethical imperative: End consumers, and thereby enterprises, are increasingly conscious of their brand's values and social impact. Embrace transparency, champion sustainability, and actively support causes your industry and audiences care about. Authenticity and purpose-driven branding will resonate deeply and build trust.

AI, AI everywhere

• AI-led Content & Creative: From generating personalized emails and blog posts to creating engaging video content and social media captions, AI tools have become valuable assets for B2B content creation, and the trend will continue to grow. Expect faster content production, improved content quality, and catered to diverse content formats that resonate with target audiences. Human augmentation on AI-generated content is going to help brands thrive.
• Augment Customer Experience with AI: AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants will become ubiquitous, providing 24/7 customer support, answering frequently asked questions, and qualifying leads for your business. This improved customer experience, increased lead generation, will reduce reliance on human resources.

DTC/B2C influences B2B

• Video is king: The dominance of short-form video platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels spilled over into the B2B world. Brands embraced video content, creating engaging explainers, customer testimonials, and behind-the-scenes glimpses to connect with their audience in a visually captivating way.
• Influencer marketing: Partnering with industry experts and thought leaders as brand advocates gained traction in 2023. B2B brands will continue to industry-specific influencer marketing to reach targeted audiences, build trust, and establish themselves as thought leaders in their field.

Marketing goes high tech

• Social media 2.0: Social media platforms transformed into powerful sales tools in 2023, with B2B professionals actively engaging with potential customers on LinkedIn and Twitter. However, 2024 will push teams to explore alternative channels like professional networking sites, industry-specific forums, and even emerging platforms like BlueSky. Be nimble and adapt your social media strategy to where your audience is engaging, and build relationships and nurture leads through social interactions in these platforms.
• Data-driven decisions: B2B marketing became increasingly data-driven. Marketers leveraged analytics to optimize campaigns, measure ROI, and personalize experiences for individual customers. Real-time data insights will become essential for agile decision-making and campaign adjustments in 2024 and beyond.
• Immersive experiences: VR and AR are no longer just buzzwords. These technologies offer incredible opportunities to showcase your products and services in immersive, interactive ways. Imagine hosting virtual product tours, conducting training sessions using VR simulations, or offering AR demos of complex solutions. Be a pioneer in using these tools to stand out from the crowd.
• Automations get better: Marketing automation platforms will continue to become even more sophisticated, powered by AI, enabling personalized email campaigns, dynamic website content, and automated lead nurturing processes. B2B marketers will leverage automation to streamline workflows, improve efficiency, and personalize customer experiences at scale.

This is just a taste of what's to come in 2024. The B2B marketing landscape is constantly evolving; watch this space for more updates as we find cool practices, platforms and tools that are here to stay.

Until then, grab your marketing toolkit, put on your creative hat, and get ready to conquer the B2B marketing world!