Hot B2B Lead Generation Techniques In 2018

As we move closer to 2018, it is worth taking stock of the marketing world, which is changing all the time. Particularly in the sphere of lead generation, if you don’t keep up with the latest techniques, your competitors could very quickly find a cutting edge which allows them to snare a larger share of the market.

In this article, we look at the B2B lead generation techniques you won’t want to dismiss in 2018. These lead generation tips are based on the channels and methods which we believe will have the most impact next year, and are essential to the continued growth and success.

PAY PER CLICK (PPC)

Pay per click, also known as PPC, is a brilliant way of harnessing the immense potential offered by the internet. Irrespective of which industry you operate in, there is a very good chance a large number of your prospective customers are online, and PPC allows you to target them, according to what they search. Join the bidding process for various key phrases which are searched for on Google, and should you choose to pay what is asked for, your PPC ads will accompany the search results for your chosen phrases when searched for on Google. You will only pay each time a searcher visits your site, hence the PPC name, and if you are willing to invest time in a process of trial and error in order to ‘fine tune’ your chosen key phrases, you will be able to appear in front of the people you want, rather than those who are irrelevant.

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMISATION (SEO)

While PPC is high on the list of B2B lead generation best practices, it is a paid-for technique. Search engine optimisation, or SEO, at a basic level can be conducted entirely naturally by a number of means, and has the potential to give your website a prominent placing on Google’s organic listings, offering a direct route to generate leads. For a start, you can make sure your the basics of your website are fully optimised for SEO, including keywords, page titles and structure; this will give Google the pointers it is looking for to rank you highly for certain keywords. Then you can pack your site full of engaging content which is continually updated – this can help channel traffic to your address; another sure fire way of rising up the rankings. Use blogs, video content, and direct through your social media channels to heighten the impact.

CONTENT MARKETING

We have learned over the past few years that content is key, but that won’t stop after 2017 – it will only become more pertinent. If you are not captivating your audience with content which educates, informs, entertains or amuses, you could be missing out on valuable leads. In so many industries, the best lead generation techniques are now less about the ‘hard sell’ and more about stimulating the minds of your audience, and then giving them clear routes to learn more or enquire. So you needn’t worry if the content you are marketing isn’t directly related to your product or service. So long as there is a way to link back to your brand, and the content is serving you well by raising publicity or strengthening your profile, it can be effective as a lead generation technique.

MARKETING AUTOMATION

Why sweat buckets in your lead generation process when marketing automation software can do the hard work for you? Software such as HubSpot can bring so many tasks together under one roof, and make them easy to administer. That includes email marketing campaigns, blogging, social media output, control of your website, landing pages, and the leads themselves. With scheduling capabilities which allow you to keep on top of things during a typically busy working day, marketing automation software is a winner for lead generation, because it leaves you time to get on with the more challenging creative and strategical elements, while administerial tasks are done while you work. You can also gain some fantastic insights through the analytics functionality of this software, allowing you to make improvements across the board.

So that is our look ahead at the hot B2B lead generation techniques in 2018. You might use some, or all of them, depending on your objectives, but you should be sure to know your audience, and know your market.

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