Unlocking Programmatic Performance with Supply Path Optimisation (SPO) for B2B Marketers

Today we're diving into the topic of Supply Path Optimisation (SPO) and how it pertains to a B2B marketer. We're looking at the concept of SPO, why its especially relevant to B2B and what we have done here at FunnelFuel to optimise the supply chain which we connect our proprietary B2B DSP into. Nailing the right supply chain is critical to our success running best-in-class managed service B2B campaigns globally, and we have built up a knowledge base over the years, not least through the trial by fire of optimising a £300,000 PCM AWS bill whilst trying to find the right B2B audiences.

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In the ever-evolving world of programmatic buying, supply path optimisation (SPO) is often presented as the ultimate solution for B2B marketers aiming to maximise their advertising investments. The concept revolves around carefully selecting supply-side platforms (SSPs), publishers, exchanges, and buying models to build a highly productive, effective, and sustainable supply chain. While SPO promises remarkable benefits, recent studies, such as the ANA study, have shed light on numerous challenges faced by even the largest advertisers whilst implementing SPO strategies. In this blog post, we will delve deep into the world of SPO, offering valuable insights and tips for B2B marketers looking to optimise their supply chains and achieve exceptional results.

Why is SPO (arguably) more important for B2B marketers then other category of programmatic advertising?

As someone who has spent the last decade (+) building advertising technology, firstly focussed on broad sectors including the major B2C areas, and more latterly for the last 5 years focussed on B2B, I believe that B2B is much more challenging from a programmatic supply chain, DSP capabilities, measurement, attribution and in almost every sense represents a greater challenge then building technology focussed on the B2C world. I believe the nuances that make B2B and SPO more pertinent breakdown into 4 key areas

  1. Precision and Contextual Awareness: Unlike B2C advertising, B2B campaigns often target niche industries, specific job roles, and decision-makers within organisations. B2B advertisers need to deliver their message to the right audience at the right time, with precision and contextual relevance. SPO enables advertisers to curate their supply chain, ensuring that their ads reach the most relevant publishers, exchanges, and SSPs. By optimising the supply path, B2B marketers can establish a direct connection with their target audience, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversion.A supply chain which maximises biddable impressions coming from definitively B2B media is critical and negates one which is focussed on a pure audience play. We have had clients come to us having worked with 'B2B focussed DSPs' who were literally serving audience ads into colouring in apps and chasing cheap CPCs. This sector really does need sector expertise.
  2. Organisation-Specific (ABM) Data Requirements: B2B advertisers heavily rely on organisation-specific data to drive their marketing strategies effectively. They need access to accurate and reliable data to understand their audience, refine targeting, and personalise their messages. Here at FunnelFuel, we have a huge database of global company data, with individual decision making data sat behind it, and it's critical that we shape our bidstream to ensure that the maximum number of biddable impressions are surfaced from named accounts in premium environments. SPO allows B2B advertisers to strategically select partners who can provide the necessary data insights and integrations. By focusing on a well-curated supply chain, B2B marketers can align their data requirements with partners who have the capabilities to deliver precise targeting and customisation, maximising the impact of their campaigns.
  3. Minimising Costly RTB Bidstream: Real-time bidding (RTB) bidstream data is valuable but can come at a significant cost, particularly for B2B advertisers with niche target markets. Since header bidding blew up the duplicative volumes of data flowing through open market place pipes, and in a heartbeat the SPO need was born, this has been a major challenge for all bidders - but even more so for B2B or other niche DSPs. B2B campaigns often require greater precision and contextual understanding, making the bidstream expenses disproportionately high. Without SPO, a B2B bidder is going to end up listening to huge volumes of often highly irrelevant advertising canvases for their clients needs, and doing so raises costs and heightens the odds of ads getting delivered into irrelevant B2B environments. Through SPO, B2B advertisers can implement curation models that enable them to minimise their DSPs' cost base while maintaining an optimised supply chain. By strategically selecting partners, negotiating favourable agreements, and leveraging data-driven insights, B2B advertisers can optimise their investments, achieving better cost-efficiency without compromising performance. It should also be noted that these huge [in terms of volume of duplicative data] is a huge part of why there is so much adtech tax, with clients picking up the tabs for adtechs disproportionately bid cloud hosting bills. We have been there before, and with even a relatively modest bidstream you can end up with a £250,000+ PCM AWS bill. That takes some covering on a 10% bid reduction of a CPM that often clears at <£3.
  4. Maximising ROI and Performance: For B2B advertisers, the ultimate goal is to achieve a high return on investment (ROI) and drive performance-driven outcomes as they target decision making teams within target accounts. By implementing SPO, B2B marketers can ensure that their ads are delivered through the most efficient and effective channels. The optimisation of the supply chain enables them to reach the right audiences, maximise visibility, and generate high-quality leads. Additionally, by reducing unnecessary intermediaries and focusing on key partners, B2B advertisers can improve transparency, accountability, and overall campaign performance.

What did we learn whilst building FunnelFuel's bidstream?

Tip 1: Gain In-Depth Knowledge of Your Working Relationships To kickstart your SPO strategy, it's crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of your investments and their outcomes. Take the time to analyse and assess your spending patterns across various publishers, exchanges, and SSPs or managed service partners. Identify your top spending entities and evaluate their performance. Collaborate with agencies to access detailed reports and information, ensuring you have a clear picture of what is working and what isn't. By leveraging data-driven insights, you can make informed decisions before implementing any tactical optimisations.

Tip 2: Deepen Relationships with Publishers, Exchanges, and SSPs When it comes to supply path optimisation, the primary stakeholders with the most relevant insights are publishers, exchanges, and SSPs. Each entity possesses unique information related to your campaigns, and combining these insights strategically can yield significant benefits. For instance, if a substantial portion of your programmatic media budget is allocated to five publishing houses, consider scheduling regular meetings with them to explore opportunities for collaboration. Its highly likely in 2023 that the majority of their best media is not openly available, so direct negotiation and curation at a publisher level is critical. Engage in discussions to uncover additional avenues for growth, such as new targeting options based on 1st party data, innovative ad formats, and commercially favourable agreements. Tap into the wealth of knowledge that exists within niche publishers and their intermediaries to unlock hidden potential.

Tip 3: Embrace Balance, Agility, and Agility Again It's important to acknowledge that supply path optimisation is a complex endeavour, comprising interdependent components. Avoid falling into the trap of seeking a one-size-fits-all solution to your challenges. Instead, adopt a proactive and agile approach, treating SPO as a game of whack-a-mole. Focus on tackling different parts of the supply chain systematically, one step at a time. To guide your efforts, consider implementing the PIQS framework which Wayne Blodwell talks extensively about: Performance, Investment, Quality, and Sustainability. These four pillars form the foundation of an optimal SPO strategy, enabling you to make continuous progress and ensure your marketing budget works as efficiently as possible.

Conclusion: As the landscape of B2B marketing continues to evolve, supply path optimisation emerges as a vital strategy for success. By carefully selecting the right DSPs, publishers, exchanges, and buying models, B2B marketers can build a highly productive and sustainable supply chain. Remember to prioritise gaining in-depth knowledge of your working relationships, fostering closer collaborations with publishers, exchanges, and SSPs, and embracing balance, agility, and continuous improvement. With a well-executed SPO strategy, B2B marketers can unlock the full potential of their advertising investments, driving exceptional results and maintaining a competitive edge in the market.

Don't fancy handling all of this yourself? Feel free to reach out to me on email (mike@funnelfuel.io) to discuss inclusion lists, private marketplaces (PMPs), working media, or any questions related to SPO. I look forward to engaging with you further! We have built all of this stuff for the B2B world so that clients do not need to worry about it. Learn more about FunnelFuel and how we built the definitive measurement and attribution tech which we leverage to run world class managed service advertising across programmatic, social, search, audio, television and digital out of home 

Dissecting & Optimising The Best-In-Class TOFU B2B Media Mix (April 2023 stats)

What are B2B marketers doing to drive their Top of Funnel (TOFU) marketing mix in 2023? According to the latest research from Insider intelligence, it's squarely into the world of social media. As you can see on the below graphic, according to B2B marketers in the USA, as of April 2023, 50% felt that social contributes the most to their TOFU goals. The traditional go-to channels of search, SEO and content have fallen down the pecking order, all of which got me thinking. What are the most effective top of funnel tactics in mid-2023?

At FunnelFuel, we're pretty ambivalent to the source of paid media and cary no bias - indeed we measure the performance of the full funnel across a diverse range of B2B clients, giving us a level of insight which is largely unmatched. We help clients measure a LOT of social media marketing, alongside plenty of the other big channels - paid search, programmatic, SEO, television, audio, Digital out of Home (DooH) and many more.

My personal view is that the B2B marketers are missing a trick with their skewed mix. I note that the 22% who answered ABM are going to fall into the below wheelhouse, as indeed can the slightly vague 'video' 30%, but essentially targeted display advertising outside of social doesn't feature in the list. However, a well-executed programmatic advertising approach, leveraging Account-Based Marketing (ABM) and contextual targeting, has emerged as a highly effective and impactful tactic for inserting a brand into the research journey of B2B buyers. Now my honest absolute best guess on the above data, is that the TOFU goals have not been tightly defined enough, and without knowing the direction of the TOFU goals, it is hard to determine how good any tactic is versus another, but when you have the chance to use a tactic which 'jumps the gun' by getting in front of prospects at the very start. of their research journey, in a sector which has very long sales cycles, then it cannot be overlooked.

Lets delve into the evidence supporting the notion that programmatic advertising can be one of the most efficient top-of-funnel tactic for B2B marketers.

  1. B2B Marketers' Allocation of Resources: According to research conducted by Insider Intelligence, B2B marketers are increasingly investing in upper-funnel programmatic marketing tactics to drive brand awareness and engage potential buyers. This includes allocating a significant portion of their budgets to social media advertising, content marketing, influencer marketing, and display advertising.
  2. The Rise of Programmatic Advertising: Programmatic advertising has gained immense popularity in recent years, transforming the way B2B marketers approach paid media campaigns. With programmatic, marketers can leverage data-driven automation to reach highly targeted audiences at scale, optimising ad placements and budgets in real-time.
  3. Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Approach: ABM has revolutionised B2B marketing strategies by focusing efforts on specific high-value accounts. By aligning programmatic advertising with ABM tactics, B2B marketers can target decision-makers and key stakeholders within their target accounts. This approach ensures that marketing efforts are directed towards the most relevant and influential audience, enhancing the effectiveness of top-of-funnel campaigns.
  4. Contextual Targeting: Contextual targeting allows advertisers to deliver relevant ads based on the content and context of the websites being visited by potential buyers. By aligning programmatic campaigns with contextual targeting, B2B marketers can insert their brand into the research journey of their target audience, reaching them at the right moment with personalised messages. This strategy enhances brand visibility, establishes credibility, and increases the likelihood of driving engagement and conversions.
  5. Supporting Evidence and Industry Reports: Several industry reports and studies support the effectiveness of programmatic advertising in driving top-of-funnel campaigns:
    1. According to a study by eMarketer (source: [2]), programmatic display advertising spending in the B2B sector is projected to reach significant heights in the coming years, indicating the growing confidence and success of this approach.
    2. A report by Dun & Bradstreet reveals that B2B marketers employing ABM strategies have experienced higher levels of customer engagement, improved lead quality, and increased marketing ROI.
    3. A study by Demandbase highlights that ABM-focused programmatic advertising generates higher click-through rates and greater engagement, leading to increased conversions and revenue.

SO what could a best in class Top of Funnel B2B paid media mix look like?

Besides what we saw in the above graphic, I'd venture that these 5 tactics have a lot to offer B2B marketers:

  1. Harnessing the Power of Targeted Programmatic Advertising: Targeted programmatic advertising, powered by advanced data-driven automation, has revolutionised the way B2B brands reach and engage their audiences. By utilising programmatic technology, brands can leverage comprehensive data insights to deliver personalised messages at scale, optimising ad placements and maximising campaign performance.
  2. Strategic Account-Based Marketing (ABM): ABM has emerged as a game-changing approach for B2B marketers. By aligning programmatic advertising with ABM strategies, leading brands can target high-value accounts and key decision-makers. This targeted approach ensures that ad placements are precisely tailored to reach the most influential stakeholders in the research journey, enhancing brand visibility and generating higher-quality leads.
  3. Contextual Targeting and Content Alignment: Contextual targeting allows B2B brands to deliver relevant ads based on the content and context of websites visited by their target audience. By aligning programmatic campaigns with contextual targeting and content alignment, brands can interject their messaging seamlessly into the research journey. This strategy enables them to position themselves as thought leaders and provide valuable insights to potential buyers at critical decision-making stages.
  4. Leveraging First-Party Data: Leading B2B brands understand the value of first-party data and use it to fuel their programmatic advertising campaigns. By utilising their own customer data and behavior insights, brands can precisely target prospects who align with their ideal customer profiles. This personalized approach helps increase relevancy, engagement, and conversion rates.
  5. Account-Based Retargeting: Account-based retargeting is an advanced tactic that further enhances the effectiveness of programmatic advertising. By tailoring ad content specifically for target accounts, brands can re-engage and nurture prospects who have already shown interest. This personalised retargeting strategy helps keep the brand top-of-mind during the research journey, driving higher conversion rates. Yes this may be associated with lower funnel activity, but it doesn't take much lateral thinking to slot in at the top of funnel either.
  6. Advanced Measurement, segmentation and Analytics: To optimise top-of-funnel paid media strategies, B2B brands rely on advanced measurement and analytics tools. By monitoring key metrics, such as impressions, click-through rates, lands, on-site goals and conversions, brands gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of their campaigns. This data-driven approach allows for continuous optimisation and ensures that resources are allocated to the most impactful channels and messages

Conclusion: As B2B marketers strive to maximise the impact of their top-of-funnel campaigns, programmatic advertising, coupled with ABM and contextual targeting, emerges as a powerful strategy. By leveraging programmatic technology, B2B marketers can efficiently insert their brand into the research journey of potential buyers, capturing their attention and establishing meaningful connections. The evidence and industry reports discussed in this blog post demonstrate the effectiveness of programmatic advertising as the most efficient top-of-funnel tactic for B2B marketers. By adopting this approach, businesses can drive brand awareness, engage their target audience, and ultimately accelerate their growth in the dynamic B2B marketplace.

 

 

Dark Social Falsely Attributes B2B Web Traffic as “Direct”: Unmasking Dark Social For B2B Marketers

We have spoken previously about the impact of 'dark social' for B2B marketers and I was interested to see the topic hit the headlines again this week with research carried out my Rand Fishkin and SparkToro. I've followed Rand since his days founding SEOMoz, which later rebranded into Moz, so when this research came out I knew it would be meaningful and significant.

The concept of dark social is not new, it actually dates back to 2012 and a piece in The Atlantic, but what is newer is the amount of attention it is getting in the B2B world. To put it starkly, its impact is enormous and most of what you think you know based on your web analytics is likely wrong.

What is dark social and how does it relate to B2B?

Dark social, otherwise known in B2B communities as 'dark funnel', 'dark traffic' or 'dark social media' - I actually think 'dark traffic captures the term best and I'll show you why below -  is a concept used by marketers to describe the web traffic that comes from popular modern distribution channels which is incredibly difficult to accurately track. These are places where B2B buyers are highly active, and are places which are directly impacting your funnel but you will not (currently) have direct visibility of the impact.

When we say 'modern distribution platforms' we can break these down further into;

  1. Employee communication platforms; think Slack, Teams, Zoom and any other internal comms tools that you may use
  2. B2B groups and communities: Industry Slack communities, Clubhouse, WhatsApp groups, Facebook Groups, LinkedIn communities and anywhere that can groups of likeminded professionals can gather to share information privately
  3. Word of mouth and in-person recommendations: formal gatherings like industry events all the way through to informal gatherings, smaller pub gatherings of industry friends etc
  4. Content platforms: podcasting platforms like Spotify, Apple podcasts, YouTube
  5. And of course, Social networks: LinkedIn, Quora, Twitter, Meta platforms etc. Social can br broken further into private community based social networks like Discord and the more 'open social' platforms like Facebook.

As you can see above, 'dark social' is really only part of the attribution challenge, we're really looking at a dark traffic problem.

Increasingly the go-to social networks for discussion are also increasingly the private ones. This makes tracking them increasingly difficult. Where once, social focussed on being open and broadcasting publicly, slowly but surely the major social networks brought in more privacy tools, from Facebook down to the likes of Twitter, and then more recently B2B decision makers migrated into more private forums, including the likes of Discord, Slack channels, etc. Discussions which may once have ben somewhat open in Twitter threads are now increasingly hidden in WhatsApp and Slack channels, making tracking them neigh on impossible.

To make matters worse, 84% of B2B web pages that get shared across both vendor/client pages and publisher pages is now done in private channels such as Slack, email and instant message. To me this makes perfect sense, I don't find an interesting tool, service or piece of content and rush to Twitter or LinkedIn to post it, I am, by an order of magnitude, more likely to Slack it to the relevant team members within FunnelFuel or text to the relevant stakeholder. To compound it further, these are the EXACT sort of shares which are most likely to lead to  B2B purchases.

So all of this paints a fairly bleak picture when it comes to measurement, tracking and measuring the business impact with your web analytics platform.

Google Analytics and Dark Social - now you know why you (apparently) have so much 'direct traffic'

Accurate information is an expectation of site owners and marketers when they check their analytics tools to see how visitors find and access their site. Sadly, this data is prone to being seriously flawed. Recently, SparkToro collaborated with Really Good Data in an experiment which entailed driving 1000 visits from 11 popular social networks. The aim was to study how Google Analytics categorised these referrals. The experiment was robust, and they pulled in an expert resource from GA4 migrations and implementations, a vendor which specialises in setting up GA correctly.

The results were stark. A number of major social networks obfuscate their referred traffic entirely by stripping out any refer information, and a significant, additional set obscure referral data at least some of the time. That second set seems almost intentionally misleading; technically you'd expect to see refer either populated or not, so removing it occasionally speaks of darker arts.

As per SparkTuro - this was their findings: Article: https://sparktoro.com/blog/new-research-dark-social-falsely-attributes-significant-percentages-of-web-traffic-as-direct/

  • 100% of all visits from TikTok, Slack, Discord, Mastodon, and WhatsApp were marked as “direct,” and contained no other referral information.
  • 75% of visits from Facebook Messenger contain no referral information. This does not appear strictly related to browser choice, device type, or web vs. app.
  • Instagram messages (DMs) as well as public LinkedIn and Pinterest posts also missed substantial portions of referral data (30%, 14%, and 12% respectively)
  • A smaller amount of traffic was misattributed to “direct” by Reddit posts, LinkedIn messages (DMs), and Twitter DMs
  • YouTube, public Instagram profile links, public Facebook posts, and Tweets appear (for now) to provide referral data in most or all cases

I have marked in bold those that have the biggest impact on B2B purchase decisions, although a case can be made for all of these channels having an impact when you consider the full width and breadth of B2B services and offerings, especially and most pertinently for any brands operating in B2B2C.

All this means that if you take GA at face value, then you are misrepresenting everything from lead to sale against 'direct' when in reality you can expect that dark social channels are actually a significant portion of those refers.

What can B2B marketers do to build a better picture of what is actually happening on their website and how can we start to uncover the true origins of our B2B web traffic?

How can FunnelFuel's Journey platform help you get more precise web traffic data?

  1. FunnelFuel tracks 100% of all web visits to your brand or B2B publisher pages. GA and other analytics platforms use sampling and predictive analytics to 'guess' and approximate. This is important because this gives us a better chance of catching the real refer information when it is present - so that closes some of the data loop.
  2. Utilise our campaign URL generator: This provides a unique URL formatting service which makes it possible to append your own refer data to the traffic coming out of social media and other such places. It doesn't entirely solve the problem but it does fill in a lot of blanks. Getting into the habit of using this tool across key social distribution channels will give you much more robust data to work with within FunnelFuel.
  3. We integrated the browsers of major social networks into our tracking: The likes of LinkedIn and Meta have their own web browsers that they open outbound clicks into - by integrating LinkedIn and other key web browsers we are able to (realistically) infer that a 'direct' click is really a LinkedIn click.
  4. We provide real-time (live) log level data which captures much more 'raw data' and sometimes this captures more refer data or other signals that can help draw deeper inferences. An example of what this can pick up is server re-directions which may leave a trace on the true origins of the click
  5. Track deeper page lands - this is a method of inferring data. It is worth pointing out that true direct traffic is much more likely to land on your homepage and is not likely to land on some deep URL. Somebody could type in funnelfuel.io based on hearing about our services but they are not going to type in "https://funnelfuel.io/scaling-b2b-seo-ai-content-programmatic-seo-tactics-to-dominate-search-engines-lower-sem-costs/" - so realistically and 'direct' entries into that page are going to be link clicks not type ins.
  6. Ultimately - we have to accept that when a referring platform has either not provided refer data or sometimes strips it out we can not generate this - if it is missing it is missing and there will be data leakage. No platform is perfect 100% of the time, especially when some social sites seem to be intentionally misleading

We're also dedicating time to thinking through how we can uncover more of this traffic, and we're working to solve these problems for B2B marketers.

For many the first step is understanding what is dark social and how it is impacting your pipe today, and then getting better and using unique URL generator tools, full visit tracking and other smart tactics to build a bigger picture of how these dark platforms are impacting your business.

The Future of B2B Advertising: Pandemic Digital Shifts Are Here To Stay & Now TV Is Coming Into The Mix

As B2B advertising continues to evolve, advertisers are constantly on the lookout for the most effective way to reach their target audience. In a year, 2023, which Forbes are calling ‘a pivotal year for B2B marketing’ we explore whether this is the year that the most traditional of big media platforms really starts to ‘work’ for B2B marketers. 

In recent years, B2B marketing has been fundamentally shifting. Forecast to top $15 billion in the US alone this year, the seismic shift in B2B marketing with its acceleration into digital driven by the pandemic are fast becoming permanent changes. Part of that mix has included TV advertising increasingly getting captured under the ‘digital umbrella’ with its move to addressability, and resultantly has been an increasingly popular choice for B2B brands looking to increase brand awareness and generate leads. However, with the rise of digital advertising and the ongoing shift in viewing habits, many are wondering what the future holds for TV advertising. In this blog post, we will explore the predictions for TV spend in 2023 and beyond, and how B2B advertisers can adapt and thrive in the changing landscape of one of advertisings most traditional arenas. Whether you're a seasoned advertiser or a newcomer to the world of B2B advertising, this post will provide valuable insights to inform your advertising strategy moving forward.

TV advertising has always had a creative barrier, namely the need for a TV creative. Yet as of 2023, 71% of B2B advertisers are already making video content, which is opening the door for television in their strategies. Yet the strategy isn’t yet pervasive, meaning there’s a gap in the market for ambitious B2B marketers too address television at a time when a meagre 11% of their peers are doing paid YouTube ads, let alone the big screen.

Overview of B2B TV Advertising

In 2023, B2B TV advertising serves as a reliable and effective method to reach potential customers. Despite the common belief that television advertising may not be suitable for B2B marketing, it turns out that this type of advertising can provide remarkable advantages. The major shift has been the move to connected television and the data enablement that comes with it, opening up a world of digital addressability married with the impact of TV. By using B2B TV advertising, companies can create brand awareness and establish their presence in the market. This can be incredibly beneficial, especially for newly established or small-sized businesses that need to stand out from their competitors. Additionally, B2B TV advertising allows companies to reach specific target audiences by selecting appropriate programming slots and developing high-quality content. This gives businesses the opportunity to tailor their campaigns to the specific needs and preferences of their target audience, enhancing the chances of success. Moreover, with modern advertising technology, it's now possible to measure the ROI of B2B TV advertising campaigns more accurately. This provides a clear understanding of the effectiveness and success of marketing endeavors, enabling businesses to make data-driven decisions in the future. In conclusion, B2B TV advertising does work and is an effective marketing tool that companies should consider when planning their marketing strategies.

Also, B2B TV advertising can be a powerful tool for creating brand awareness, generating leads, and driving sales. When executed strategically, it can reach a wide range of decision-makers and influencers in a company, helping to build trust and credibility. As businesses continue to invest in digital marketing strategies, B2B TV advertising offers a unique and effective way to cut through the noise and connect with audiences in a more personal and memorable way. With the right approach, B2B TV advertising can be a valuable asset to any company's marketing mix, helping them to stay competitive and achieve their goals.

2023 Predictions for B2B TV Spend

According to recent B2B TV spend statistics, 2021 is expected to see a significant increase in advertising expenditure in this area. This is in part due to the shift in advertising strategies towards creating more personalized messaging, and B2B TV advertising provides a unique opportunity to reach a wide audience with highly specific messages. With the proliferation of streaming services and online channels, B2B TV advertising is becoming an increasingly attractive option for businesses looking to engage with their target markets. As companies seek to differentiate themselves from their competitors, the ability to create bespoke content that resonates with specific customer segments is becoming ever more important. B2B TV advertising offers the potential to achieve this effectively, with a range of targeting options and formats available to suit various business needs. As we move further into 2021, it will be interesting to see how this trend develops and how businesses continue to leverage the power of B2B TV advertising to drive growth and success.

B2B TV advertising is poised for growth as businesses become more aware of the benefits of using television for their advertising campaigns. With a multitude of viewers having access to a vast variety of content, businesses can leverage this trend by creating tailormade and targeted TV advertisements that cater to their specific customer bases. In the current media landscape, there is a growing trend of viewers preferring content that's personalized to their unique interests, which further amplifies the effectiveness of B2B TV advertising. By investing in this channel, businesses can reach a larger audience and create a more engaged customer base. As such, the demand for B2B TV advertising is expected to grow in the coming years.

Moreover, the rise of B2B TV advertising can be attributed to the immense flexibility it provides businesses in terms of targeting a specific audience. By analyzing the viewing habits of potential customers, companies can schedule their ads at times and channels that are most likely to capture the attention of their target audience. This strategy not only increases the chances of conversion but also maximizes the return on investment for advertising spend. Businesses can further improve their ROI by partnering with TV networks to create sponsored content that is more engaging and informative, helping them establish a stronger connection with their target audience. In conclusion, as more technologies emerge, B2B TV advertising will remain a relevant and effective method of reaching key demographics and boosting brand awareness among potential customers.

Impact of New Technology on B2B TV Spend

With the advent of new technologies like 5G networks, B2B TV advertising has become a more worthwhile investment than ever before. The enhanced capabilities of such technologies have opened up countless possibilities in terms of what can be achieved through B2B TV advertising. For instance, the ability to provide immersive, engaging content has made it possible for businesses to better connect with their target audiences. Furthermore, the increased precision of targeting algorithms and advanced analytics tools has made it easier than ever for companies to reach their ideal markets with a high degree of accuracy. If you are wondering how to run B2b TV ads, the answer is simple: embrace new technologies and explore all the options they offer for engaging with your audience in an impactful way. By taking advantage of the latest tools and techniques available, you can create ads that are tailored to fit your specific audience, and deliver better results than ever before. So if you want to get ahead in the world of B2b TV advertising, set your sights on embracing the latest technologies and staying ahead of the curve.

In today's digital age, businesses are increasingly turning to technology as a means of gaining a competitive advantage. One area where this is particularly evident is in the realm of B2b TV advertising. Many companies are investing significant amounts of money in this field in order to leverage its potential benefits. With the rise of streaming services and other online platforms, B2b TV advertising has become an increasingly in-demand option for businesses of all shapes and sizes. By utilizing this technology, companies can reach a wider audience than ever before and promote their products and services in a more targeted and efficient manner. Furthermore, B2b TV advertising offers a unique opportunity to showcase innovative technologies and solutions to potential customers, making it an essential tool for companies looking to stay ahead of the curve. As such, it is no surprise that more and more organizations are investing in B2b TV advertising in order to maximize its impact and reap its many benefits.

Again, according to the B2B TV spend statistics, businesses are allocating a significant amount of their budgets towards B2b TV advertising. However, simply increasing the spend is not enough to guarantee success. Businesses must also utilize the latest technology available to them to ensure their campaigns are highly targeted and personalized. With advanced analytics and personalization capabilities, businesses can gain insights into their target audience's preferences and behaviors, allowing them to tailor their campaigns accordingly. By doing so, businesses can maximize their ROI and ensure their B2b TV advertising efforts are reaching the right people at the right time. As technology continues to evolve, it will be imperative for businesses to stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in order to remain competitive in the marketplace.

Industry Trends That Could Influence B2B TV Spend

The world of advertising has undergone a drastic transformation in the past few years, with digital advertising taking over the traditional mediums. As a result, businesses in the B2B sector have also adjusted their media mix, decreasing their TV advertising spend and funneling more funds into digital advertising. However, as the industry continues to evolve, it is important for B2B companies to stay up-to-date with the latest trends that could impact their TV advertising expenditures. To create a successful marketing strategy, businesses need to ask themselves, "how can I run B2B TV ads?" While it is true that digital advertising is currently dominating the market, TV advertising still holds significant value in terms of reaching a targeted audience with engaging and memorable content. By staying abreast of industry trends, companies can optimize their media mix by balancing their digital and TV advertising budgets effectively. In short, understanding the changing landscape of B2B TV advertising is paramount for businesses looking to drive growth and remain competitive in today's dynamic business environment.

Thereafter, it is important for brands to take into account the various trends and advancements in technology that have been revolutionizing B2B TV advertising. With the emergence of data-driven audience targeting capabilities on TV, brands have the opportunity to reach their desired audience with precision and efficiency. Furthermore, the increasing affordability of programmatic buying channels has made it possible for brands to optimize their investments and get more out of their ad spend. Additionally, streaming platforms have been experiencing continued growth in viewership, making them an ideal platform for B2B TV ads. By understanding these emerging trends and incorporating them into their B2B TV investment strategy, brands can effectively leverage the power of television advertising to achieve their marketing goals. In short, to answer the question "how can I run B2B TV ads?", brands should prioritize staying abreast with advancements in technology and trends in the industry to ensure that their investment is well-informed and optimized.

Challenges Facing the Future of B2B TV Advertising

B2B TV advertising is facing a significant challenge in the present and the future, and that is ensuring that ads are reaching the appropriate target audience. It is becoming increasingly challenging to find the right mix of channels that can effectively reach potential customers. With more channels available, it creates a challenge of navigating through all the available channels with precision to ensure that the ad is delivered to the audience that is most likely to convert. As such, businesses need to develop strategies for media planning and optimization to make informed decisions when choosing channels to invest in. This process calls for research and analysis plus monitoring and evaluation of campaigns to get a clear understanding of what works best for their target audience. In conclusion, companies need to keep an eye on industry trends, customer habits, and technological advancements to stay ahead of the game and make informed decisions regarding their B2B TV advertising campaigns.

In conclusion, with the increasing cost of TV advertising for B2B companies, it has become more important than ever to carefully strategize ad placement in order to get the most out of their investment. It may seem daunting at first, but with the right approach, it is possible to create effective B2B TV ads that generate significant ROI. From targeting the right audience to creating compelling content, every aspect of creating a successful TV ad requires careful planning and execution. So, if you're wondering how you can run B2B TV ads that deliver results, start by analyzing your target audience and developing a strategy that focuses on maximizing your return on investment. Remember, success will come with persistence and a willingness to adapt and refine your approach as needed.

Recommendations for Maximizing Return on Investment from B2B TV Spend

In today's digital age, there is a common misconception that traditional advertising methods like TV are no longer effective for B2B companies. However, research has shown that TV advertising can be a powerful tool for reaching and engaging with decision-makers in the B2B space. When budgeting for B2B TV advertising, it is important to incorporate both short-term and long-term return on investment (ROI) strategies. Short-term ROI strategies include optimizing the frequency of your ads, scheduling them at peak viewership times and using targeted messages to reach a more relevant audience. Long-term ROI strategies involve building brand awareness and recognition through consistent messaging and visual imagery. By incorporating both short-term and long-term ROI strategies, B2B companies can successfully leverage the power of TV advertising to increase their reach, engage with decision-makers and ultimately drive business growth. So, does TV work for B2B? The answer is a resounding yes, as long as you have a well-planned strategy in place that incorporates both short and long-term ROI objectives.

When it comes to B2B TV advertising, one must consider the long-term return on investment (ROI) by focusing on brand awareness. Building a strong brand can have a significant impact on the business as it resonates with customers and stays in their memory. According to B2B TV spend statistics, investing in TV advertising is still a great way to reach a wider audience, and it can have an immediate effect on brand strength. To maximize this, businesses must focus on relationships with key networks and influencers. Collaborating with influential people who align with your brand can help amplify your message, increase engagement, and ultimately lead to higher ROI. In today's highly digital world, where attention spans are shorter, B2B TV advertising can still make an impact and provide long-term benefits if done correctly. Therefore, businesses must prioritize building brand awareness through strategic partnerships and collaborations to make the most out of their B2B TV advertising efforts.

Similarly, analyzing the effectiveness of B2B TV advertising campaigns can provide valuable insights into what works best for your business objectives. To effectively allocate B2B TV spend, tracking metrics such as viewability, engagement rates, click-through rates, and other performance indicators is crucial. By identifying which campaigns are performing well and adjusting them if necessary, businesses can maximize the ROI from B2B TV spending over time. Additionally, keeping a close eye on B2B TV spend statistics can help businesses make informed decisions about future advertising campaigns and know when it's time to adjust their approach. As with any type of advertising, monitoring and analyzing performance is essential for success in B2B TV advertising.

 

Wrapping up

In conclusion, the future of B2B advertising is evolving, with the rise of digital advertising and the shift in viewership habits. However, TV advertising still holds a significant influence on brand awareness and lead generation. By keeping up with the latest trends and adapting to new technologies and platforms, B2B advertisers can continue to thrive in this changing landscape. With the predictions for TV spend in 2021 and beyond, there's no doubt that advertisers should be mindful of investing in TV advertising sustainably. If you're looking to navigate the future of B2B advertising successfully, staying attuned to the needs of your target audience and taking a multichannel approach can help you achieve your goals. Whether it's through TV or digital advertising, the key to success is catering to your audience's interests and preferences to drive engagement, conversions, and ultimately, ROI.

The Ultimate Guide to Programmatic Account Based Marketing

Account-Based Marketing (ABM) has been a buzzword in the B2B marketing world for quite some time now. It is a strategic approach that involves targeting high-value accounts with personalised and relevant marketing messages to create a more meaningful relationship with them. On the other hand, programmatic advertising is a technology that automates the process of buying and selling digital advertising. Programmatic Advertising has become an essential tool for marketers to achieve their advertising goals, yet for too long, it hasn't maximised its potential for B2B marketers - a problem which we have set out to solve here at FunnelFuel.

But have you ever heard of programmatic account-based marketing? It is the marriage of ABM and programmatic advertising. In this blog post, we will discuss what programmatic account-based marketing is and how it can help you achieve your marketing goals.

What is ABM?

Account-based marketing is a B2B marketing strategy that targets high-value accounts with personalised and relevant marketing messages. The idea behind ABM is to treat each account as a market of one and customize the marketing message to fit the specific needs and characteristics of that account.

The ABM approach is different from traditional marketing approaches that target a broad audience with a one-size-fits-all message. ABM focuses on specific accounts and crafts targeted messages that resonate with the account's pain points, needs, and goals. As a result, ABM allows companies to create a more meaningful relationship with target accounts, drive engagement, and ultimately, win more business.

What is programmatic advertising?

Programmatic advertising is a technology-driven approach to buying and selling digital advertising. Programmatic advertising automates the process of buying and selling ad inventory in real-time using algorithms and data analysis. The technology allows advertisers to target specific audiences with precision and scale, making it more efficient and cost-effective than traditional advertising methods.

Programmatic advertising platforms use Artificial Intelligence and machine learning algorithms to analyse massive amounts of data and identify trends, behaviors, and patterns. This data analysis allows advertisers to deliver personalized ads to specific audiences at the right time and place.

Can you do ABM programmatically?

Yes, you can do ABM programmatically. Programmatic account-based marketing combines the targeting and personalisation capabilities of ABM with the scale and efficiency of programmatic advertising.

Programmatic ABM uses data and technology to help businesses identify and target high-value accounts with personalised ads at scale. It allows marketers to automate the process of identifying, targeting, and delivering personalized messages to a specific set of accounts.

How to run programmatic ABM?

Running Programmatic ABM involves the following steps:

1. Identify Target Accounts: The first step in Programmatic ABM is to identify the target accounts. You can use data analytics, website visitor tracking, and CRM data to identify the highest-value accounts. The idea here is to try and identify your Total Addressable Market (TAM) and then to use more scientific processes to whittle this into the most precise Target Account List (TAL), a list which contains the organisations which we'll be targeting with our programmatic ABM campaigns.

2. Build Audience Segments: Once you have identified your target accounts, the next step is to build audience segments based on firmographic data, behavior data, and intent data. Audience segments allow you to deliver personalised messages to groups of accounts that share common characteristics. Here at FunnelFuel we take the approach that we should, behind the scenes in our ABM DSP, build a large bunch of 100s of individual audience segments consisting of named accounts and firmographic + intent combinations. This lets us test the marketing resonance, and the dial our media buying into precise segments with the strongest alpha performance.

3. Develop Personalised Ads: The next step in Programmatic ABM is to develop personalised ads for each audience segment. The ads should be tailored to the specific needs and pain points of each account. At FunnelFuel we use our advanced ABM Dynamic Content Optimisation product (DCO) to personalise the ads programatically - using macros in the creative which enable us to call out key features to the target segment. Example; if we know a key feature of your service resonates with segment A (e.g. banks, in the U.K, headcount greater then 5,000 and revenue greater then £1 billion) but not segment B (e.g. banks, in the U.K, headcount greater then 50,000 and revenue greater then £10 billion) then we can call that feature out to one segment and not the other. Using some of this firmographic data to make the ads more personally relevant can also dial up performance.

4. Deliver Ads with Precision: The final step in Programmatic ABM is to deliver ads with precision to the target accounts. Advertisers use programmatic advertising platforms to deliver personalised ads to the target accounts across multiple channels, using live data signals. The ability to use these signals and display ads at the right moment is key, and the DSP needs contextual awareness pertinent to B2B, a huge bidstream of biddable impressions (to cherry pick the right ITDM users from the Target Account List) and the ability to dynamically handle creative variances (DCO) to have the best chance of getting a positive action (ad engagement) from the needle in a haystack user when that user is located.

Does programmatic ABM scale?

Yes, programmatic ABM can scale. Programmatic advertising platforms allow you to reach a large audience with personalised messages at scale. The technology uses data analytics and machine learning algorithms to automate the process of identifying target accounts, building audience segments, and delivering personalised ads.

Programmatic ABM allows marketers to target the right accounts with the right message at the right time, creating a more meaningful relationship with the target accounts. The technology also allows you to track and measure the impact of your account-based marketing campaigns, making it easier to optimize and improve performance.

Conclusion:

Programmatic account-based marketing is a powerful tool that helps businesses target high-value accounts with personalised and relevant messages at scale. While ABM and programmatic advertising are different marketing approaches, they can be combined to create a more effective marketing strategy.

By leveraging the benefits of both ABM and programmatic advertising, businesses can create a more meaningful relationship with their target accounts, drive engagement, and ultimately, win more business. So, if you are looking to take your ABM strategy to the next level, consider incorporating programmatic advertising to achieve your marketing goals.

Unlocking Early B2B Buyer Intent: Leveraging the Bidstream to augment the research journey & position yourself as the market leader

Every company dreams of being the first to 'get in front of the prospect' and today we show you how a combination of bidstream data, a best-in-class audience and contextual graph and proprietary B2B data makes this possible. The result? a chance to augment that research with valuable and accretive content which aids the customers understanding of your solutions landscape whilst simultaneously positioning your brand as the go-to solution and thought leader in the space. 

Are you struggling to understand your B2B buyers' decision-making process? Are you tired of trying to create content that speaks to their needs, only to find out it's not hitting the mark? The key to unlocking buyer intent is identifying the starting point of their research journey. In today's digital age, B2B buyers have access to a wealth of information at their fingertips, and they're using it to make informed decisions about purchases. By understanding the first step they take when researching a product or service, you can create targeted, effective content that speaks directly to their needs and drives conversions. In this blog post, we'll explore the importance of identifying the starting point of the B2B research journey and show you how to use it to your advantage.

Understanding the B2B Research Journey

In the highly competitive B2B solutions landscape, conducting thorough product research is paramount. One important step in this process is to understand the B2B research journey, which we went into great detail on here. As we previously discussed, here at FunnelFuel we believe that the B2B sales cycle consists of 6 steps. The first step happens when an organisation realises that they have a problem to solve, and this triggers the topic of todays blog - the research journey. 

Put simply, the research journey is when an organisation starts to research how to solve their challenge, and increasingly this begins in the content intent, using search engines like Google and trusted editorial websites that orbit around their sector and/or their problem.

The ability to deeply understand the B2B research as pertaining to your product or service then opens up the chance to interject the research with a combination of targeted content, whether delivered and found via organic means or via paid adverts targeting these deep contextual environments. To be able to leverage these tactics, we need to identify the needs and wants of customers, determining what type of content and messaging resonates with them the most, and figuring out how to guide them through the buyer's journey. By understanding these factors, businesses can tailor their products and services to meet the specific needs of their customers, and ultimately increase their chances of success. Additionally, this knowledge can help businesses identify key touchpoints in the customer journey, allowing for more effective communication and engagement. Overall, a deep understanding of the B2B research journey is crucial for businesses seeking to succeed in today's highly competitive marketplace.

B2B product research is a critical process that helps businesses make informed decisions when purchasing products and services. To fully comprehend this journey, it is essential to map out all of the steps that customers take from awareness to purchase. This involves researching the available options in the market, evaluating your product against those of your competitors, and gathering feedback from peers and colleagues before making a final decision. B2B product research is not only about finding the best option but also about understanding the features, functionalities, and benefits of the products being considered. It enables businesses to identify the most suitable product that meets their specific needs and requirements. Therefore, conducting thorough research is a crucial step in the B2B buying process as it helps organisations to make informed decisions that can positively impact their bottom line.

However, B2B product research is not just about creating content that guides customers through the buying process. It is also about providing them with a positive experience that will lead to repeat business and referrals. By understanding the specific needs and pain points of your target audience at each stage of the journey, you can create content that speaks directly to their concerns and demonstrates the value of your product or service. Ultimately, by mapping out the steps of the research journey and tailoring your content accordingly, you can establish yourself as a trusted advisor and build lasting relationships with your customers. As a result, you can increase customer loyalty, reduce churn, and drive revenue growth for your business.

Using context and bidstream data to build a stronger view of the market, the challenges being faced and what features a customer may prioritise

A lot of what we have been talking about here, is data which is created before the prospect ever gets to your website. This means that your on-site Google analytics is not going to be a panacea for uncovering this stuff - that comes in later in the sales cycle, when the prospect is already researching solution providers.

So how can we get an earlier view of the first prospects who are coming into the market? the answer lies in the fingerprints they leave behind when they start researching solutions and going onto premium digital content websites.

The first stage in the process requires a deep contextual understanding of B2B, which is why FunnelFuel built a contextual taxonomy designed only for this market. This gives us hundreds of levels of data around sub-contexts in B2B, meaning we have a laser like understanding of a B2B web page when we see one.

Secondly, you need to see these web pages, and that is where bidstream data comes in. FunnelFuel's DSP listens to the entirety of the B2B publishing market - literally every content website that sells ads programmatically and we enable a bunch more who otherwise don't sell into the wider ad-tech ecosystem. This lets us see which web pages are being read and precisely what these web pages are talking about. 

Third and finally, we need to be able to understand which companies read these pages, which we do using a bunch of our proprietary data around organisations, and a digital synching process. Know we understand which companies are reading which pieces of content, and exactly what those pieces of content are about.

Engage potential prospects before they even know your solution exists

Remembering our buyer journey, these people are still on stage 2 of the 6 stage process. They know they have a problem and they have Googled solutions to that problem. These early phases land them on broad articles which talk generally and at a higher level about the solutions landscape and the companies that provide solutions.

At this stage, for example, they may be reading an article that states 'you need a reverse ETL in order to write data back into a CRM solution'. Great, but this could literally be the very first time I have ever heard of the term, and I certainly don't know which companies offer those solutions.

THIS is the very moment where we can inject your organisations solution into the research journey, deploying cleverly and perfectly aligned adverts with valuable editorial content, which could, for example, come from your blog, into the journey.

This wins you early share of voice, and positions your brand as the dominant player in the industry. Sometimes this is literally all you need to win the customer, running through the rest of the sales cycle as the 'first pick' solution.

Leveraging Buyer Intent to Unlock New Opportunities

When conducting B2B product research, leveraging buyer intent data can be a powerful tool for gaining valuable insights into customer behaviour and preferences. By analysing the online search and bidstream (bidddable advertising opportunities on premium publishing websites) of potential customers, businesses can gain an understanding of what products or services their customers are interested in, what features they prioritise, and what pain points they are trying to solve. This information can then be used to inform product decisions and guide product development strategies. By incorporating buyer intent data into their research approach, businesses can better understand and meet the needs of their target customers, leading to more effective product offerings and increased sales.

Besides, the competitive B2B solutions landscape has made it more important for businesses to understand their customers' needs and preferences. With the help of buyer intent data, businesses can identify the pain points of their potential customers and tailor their marketing efforts accordingly. By doing so, they can create targeted campaign strategies that generate leads and boost conversions. Additionally, analysing buyer intent data can provide insights into market trends and customer behaviour, giving businesses a competitive edge in their industry. In conclusion, incorporating buyer intent data into B2B product research can greatly benefit businesses by allowing them to optimise their marketing efforts, drive new opportunities, and ultimately achieve growth and profitability in an increasingly competitive market.

Wrapping up

In conclusion, unlocking buyer intent is essential to creating successful B2B marketing strategies. By identifying the starting point of the B2B research journey, you can tailor your content to meet the needs of potential customers, and ultimately drive conversions. The digital age has provided buyers with easy access to information, making it even more critical to ensure that your content stands out from the competition. With a solid understanding of your audience's starting point, you'll be well on your way to successful B2B marketing. Start by putting yourself in your customers' shoes and asking yourself what their first step might be when researching a product or service; this small step will go a long way in unlocking the key to buyer intent.

How to Understand and Navigate the 6 Stages of the B2B Buying Journey

If you're in the business of selling to other businesses, then you know that the B2B buying journey is a complex process. From the initial research to the final purchase, there are numerous stages that a buyer goes through before handing over their hard-earned cash. As a seller, it's crucial to understand these stages and what your potential customers are looking for at each one. In this blog post, we'll break down the six stages of the B2B buying journey, so you have a better understanding of what your customers are going through and how you can navigate them towards making a purchase. 

What are the 6 stages of the B2B buying journey?

Here at FunnelFuel, we break the B2B buying journey into 6 stages, which we identify as:

  1. Identifying the problem: at this stage, the prospect has identified that their organisation has a challenge to solve. The problem may ell be novel enough that they have no understanding of the solutions landscape. Alternatively they may have varying degrees of awareness around what companies have services which could provide their required solution, or have some brand names that would be a logical starting point on step two, the commencement of their research journey.
  2. Research journey: The organisation knows they have a problem and now they will be actively researching solutions. This research will aim to uncover a solutions landscape of product or service providers who could help them alleviate their problem.
  3. Solutions evaluation: This is the stage whereby an organisation starts directly engaging with solutions providers. This is perhaps the first time that you start to see prospects coming onto your website, filling in your forms, viewing your educational content and so forth
  4. Purchase justification: Having gathered RFPs and otherwise gone through the sales cycle with solutions vendors, this is the stage where the organisation needs to justify that their identified solution will alleviate their problem, and that the cost of alleviating the problem is proportional to the size of the problem for the organisation
  5. Completing the purchase process and on-boarding: Depending on the complexity and how customised the solution is, this can take a significant proportion of the overall sales cycle. Some solutions have a heavy on-ramp process and need a lot of custom work.
  6. Post purchase evaluation: Customers will be continually evaluating their solutions, whether formally on a cadence of say quarterly, or more informally with their team keeping their eye on the solutions landscape.

Now we know the process, lets dive in!

What is the B2B Buying Journey?

The B2B buying journey refers to the entire process that businesses go through when they purchase products or services from other businesses. This entails a series of steps where businesses identify their needs, research potential solutions, evaluate different vendors or suppliers, negotiate terms, and eventually make the purchase. Making the purchase is the end goal of this journey, but it involves multiple decision-makers and requires considerable investment in terms of time, resources, and budget. Moreover, the B2B buying journey is highly complex and involves a long sales cycle, where product education, relationship-building, trust-building, and customer service play crucial roles in influencing the final purchasing decision. Overall, understanding the B2B buying journey is essential for businesses to optimise their sales and marketing strategies and deliver a seamless customer experience.

Again, the B2B buying journey involves numerous stages, from identifying a business need to making the purchase. However, the ultimate goal of this journey is to reach an agreement between buyer and seller. This can be achieved through extensive research on the products or services available in the market, setting a budget and timeframe for their purchase, and identifying the right vendor to work with. Once the buyer is satisfied with the terms and conditions proposed by the seller, they can proceed to making the purchase. This marks the end of the buying journey, but also the beginning of a long-term partnership between the two businesses. With careful planning and execution, both parties can benefit from a successful b2b buying journey.

Identifying the 6 Stages of the B2B Buying Journey

The buyer journey itself is not mind-blowingly hard to understand, the stages are quite logical and simple to follow. However the real trick in the B2B marketing game is being able to identify these stages early in the journey - how can we identify, for example, when a prospect is at the start of their research?

The research journey, stage 2, is increasingly done online. Sometimes it can be initiated quickly, merging stage one and two at say an event or conference where the company finds a solution which identifies the problem, ie the vendor tells them their problem, they agree, and then they get talking with the vendor about the solution. More often though, the journey begins on trade press, trade content sites and Google research.

This is why here at FunnelFuel, we digest huge blocks of what we call bidstream data, data that comes into our programmatic Demand Side platform which shows the available ad impressions across thousands of the worlds leading B2B publishers. This lets us get a first look at which pages are being read by which companies, in real-time, as the pages are read. Combining this with our company deanonymisation data and our 169 level B2B content taxonomy, we can bulk pages by their detailed context and we can tell which companies have been reading about which context. This lets us jump the research phase, and get a really early understanding of which companies are showing intent for which solutions. 

Understanding the journey that a B2B buyer goes through when making a purchase is vital for businesses seeking to develop effective marketing strategies. This involves identifying the six stages of the buying journey, which includes problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision, and post-purchase evaluation. By recognising the stage at which a potential customer is at in the buying journey, businesses can tailor their marketing messages to meet the specific needs and requirements of that particular group. Moreover, companies can also ensure they provide adequate support and service to customers after a purchase has been completed. Evaluating the purchase and post-purchase stages are crucial parts of this process, as they enable businesses to assess customer satisfaction levels and identify ways to improve their products or services. By adopting this approach, businesses can build stronger relationships with their customers, boost customer loyalty, and increase sales and revenue in the long run.

The B2B buying journey is a crucial aspect of any business that deals with other businesses. Understanding the 6 stages of this journey is essential for any business looking to succeed in the B2B market. The first stage is awareness, where businesses become aware of the product or service they need. This is followed by the consideration stage, where businesses evaluate their options and narrow down their choices. The third stage is purchase intent, where businesses are ready to make a purchase and start looking for suppliers. The fourth stage is the purchase decision, where businesses select a supplier and finalise the purchase. Delivery is the fifth stage, where the product or service is delivered to the buyer. Finally, there is the post-purchase evaluation stage, where the business evaluates the purchase they made to ensure they received what they paid for. Evaluating the purchase post-purchase is important as it helps businesses ensure they got their money's worth and identify areas for improvement. Understanding these stages and evaluating post-purchase will help businesses succeed in the B2B market.

Thus, it is imperative for companies to understand that the B2B buying journey is not a linear process, but a complex web of touchpoints and interactions. Researching the solution is a key stage in this journey and providing relevant content at this stage can help companies build trust, establish credibility, and position themselves as industry experts. By tailoring their content and campaigns to each stage, companies can not only capture leads but also nurture them through the decision-making process, ultimately leading to increased conversions and long-term customer loyalty. In a competitive market where customer experience is the key differentiator, taking a customer-centric approach to the B2B buying journey is crucial for success.

Understanding the Buyer's Process and Needs at Each Stage

Understanding the buyer's process and needs is crucial when it comes to executing a successful b2b buying journey. To comprehend the buyer's goals and objectives, it is essential to have a deep understanding of what they are trying to achieve and the problems they're attempting to solve. Having this knowledge enables identification of where the buyer is in their purchase process, as well as what may be required to move them closer towards making a successful purchase. This procedure is particularly important when evaluating options during the b2b buying journey. By evaluating options, the buyer can examine alternatives before making a final decision, taking into account their goals and objectives. Effective evaluation of options requires a thorough understanding of what is important to the buyer and what they hope to achieve. As such, having a detailed understanding of the buyer's goals and objectives is crucial for any seller looking to establish a productive relationship with their customers.

In the world of B2b buying, understanding the buyer's needs is the key to success. As a seller or marketer, you need to know what motivates your prospects and what their goals are. Once you have this information, you can tailor your approach accordingly. Your focus should be on providing content, resources, and services that support the buyer's stated goals and help them progress through their buying journey. This will not only increase your chances of closing the sale but also build rapport and trust with the buyer. A critical moment in any B2b buying journey is at the point of justifying the purchase. When a potential buyer decides to invest in your product, they need to be confident that it will meet their needs and provide a real ROI. To assist them in making this decision, you can provide testimonials, case studies or demos that demonstrate the value of your product. By doing this, you can help buyers feel secure as they move forward in the buying process and ultimately make a confident purchase decision.

Also, it is crucial to understand that researching the solution is an essential part of the B2b buying journey. Prospective buyers invest a considerable amount of time and effort into evaluating different options before making a decision. As such, being proactive in anticipating their needs and providing relevant information can go a long way in building trust and establishing a long-lasting relationship with them. By taking the time to address their questions and concerns, you can ensure that they are fully informed and confident in their decision-making process. Ultimately, by being attentive and responsive throughout the B2b buying journey, you can demonstrate your commitment to delivering value to your customers and help them to achieve their business goals.

Utilising Strategies to Navigate Each Stage

Successfully navigating the b2b buying journey is crucial to the success of any business. Understanding and addressing the various stages involved in the process is the key to achieving this. The first stage is evaluating the purchase, which involves determining the specific needs of your business and identifying potential solutions that can meet those needs. The next stage is identifying potential vendors and reviewing their products or services to determine which one will best meet your needs. This stage often involves researching and comparing different vendors, analyzing their pricing models, and looking at customer reviews or testimonials. Once you have found the right vendor, it is important to develop strategies to negotiate the terms of the contract and finalize the deal. Finally, post-purchase evaluation is essential to ensure that the product or service is meeting your business's needs and that the vendor is providing adequate support. By understanding and addressing each stage of the b2b buying journey, you can ensure that your business is making informed decisions that will drive growth and success.

Researching the solution is an essential part of the B2B buying journey. To achieve success in this journey, businesses must adopt strategies that enable them to identify the needs of their customers and provide solutions that meet those needs. One such strategy is evaluating customer needs by engaging with them to understand their pain points and goals. In addition, conducting detailed research on the market and competitors provides businesses with valuable insights that enable them to make informed decisions. Creating customized content is also crucial in providing relevant information to potential customers, which helps in building trust and establishing credibility. Finally, offering special discounts can be a great way to attract and retain customers by providing them with cost-effective solutions. By implementing these strategies, businesses can gain a competitive edge in the B2B buying journey while ensuring customer satisfaction.

However, it is important to keep in mind that the B2B buying journey does not end after potential customers have been presented with a solution. Researching the solution is a crucial step in the process for decision-makers, and it can be difficult to navigate without the right guidance. Leveraging marketing automation tools can help ensure that potential customers are not only presented with the right solutions, but are also guided through the research process in a way that is personalized and consistent. This can ultimately lead to greater trust in a brand and increased chances for conversion. By focusing on providing a seamless and efficient journey for potential customers, B2B companies can build stronger relationships and drive revenue growth.

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding and navigating the six stages of the B2B buying journey is key to success in selling to other businesses. By knowing each stage and what your potential customers are looking for during that stage, you can better position yourself to meet their needs and ultimately guide them towards making a purchase. Remember, the B2B buying journey is a complex process, but with this knowledge, you'll be better equipped to navigate it successfully. Start by identifying where your potential customers are in the journey and tailor your approach accordingly. With time and practice, you'll become an expert at guiding buyers towards making a decision that works for both parties.

How to Build an Effective Target Account List (TAL) for Your Business - Without Spending a Penny

Are you looking for a way to better target potential customers for your business? Building a Target Account List (TAL) can be a great way to do it. In this blog post, we'll discuss the steps you need to take to create an effective TAL and discuss how it can help you reach the right people for your business. So read on to learn how to create the perfect TAL for your business!

Defining a Target Account List

Defining a Target Account List (TAL) is an essential part of any successful B2B sales strategy. It is the process of creating a list of companies and contacts that are most likely to be interested in buying what you have to offer. When creating a TAL, companies must consider the industry, company size, company goals and challenges, company culture, and more to determine the right accounts to target. Data-driven tools such as predictive analytics can help sales teams identify the best opportunities for their company and prioritise accounts based on their fit with a company’s value-based selling approach. By focusing on the right accounts and contacts in the right industries, organisations can increase overall sales effectiveness, improve their close rate and ultimately drive more revenue.

A well-defined TAL should consider criteria such as the size and nature of the company, its geographical location, current and potential customer needs, existing accounts, competitive landscape and potential for growth. This can give a company an understanding of their optimal headcount and the kinds of talent they should be looking to bring on board. It is important that the company has the right skills on their team to keep up with competitor advancements and customer demands. Having a well-defined TAL can make sure the company does not hire too many or too few people, saving money and streamlining operations.

Additionally, creating a segmented TAL allows for more targeted outreach and personalised messaging which can lead to increased engagement from your prospects and higher conversion rates. Thereafter, creating a segmented target account list (or TAL) provides a powerful tool that allows you to target leads and prospects more effectively. These lists enable you to create personalised messaging that can lead to higher levels of engagement and ultimately result in more conversions. Investing in a well-crafted target account list is an invaluable addition to any outbound marketing strategy.

Building Your TAL Strategically

When building your TAL strategically, it's important to consider the current market landscape and whether our strategy is in line with the goals of our business. In particular, company revenue should be a major priority as this will directly relate to the company’s success and profitability. It is important to take a holistic view of the company and its strategy when making decisions surrounding TAL; this ensures that the company’s objectives and revenue are met. By leveraging the insights gained from TAL, companies can create an effective, yet innovative strategy that brings in profits while also keeping customers engaged.

A comprehensive TAL strategy should also consider how to utilise existing tools and technology as well as explore potential new methods of leveraging TAL to optimise performance across key stakeholders. Moreover, when crafting a comprehensive TAL strategy, it is essential to consider how to best use existing tools and technology as well as explore new methods that leverage the Target Account List to optimise performance across key stakeholders. This way, companies can ensure they have a strategy in place that optimises their success in the current market.

How to build your TAL list for free? 

The old adage that you get nothing for free largely rings true, but here at FunnelFuel we actually offer just that. FunnelFuel's core offerings are Journey, our B2B data and insights management platform, which is intended to act like a central nervous system for B2B marketers, giving 24/7 data and insights which fuel your media buying. This includes tracking of named account behaviours on-site, with the view of delivering paid media against these accounts. Which brings me onto our ABM DSP, which is a programmatic platform built specifically for B2B.

Therefore, we allow businesses to claim a totally free of charge Target Account List from us, as our hope is you will then explore using our wider suite of services. So there you have it, there's not quite a free lunch, but you will get a comprehensive list of all of the variables that match your ideal customer profile.

[button link="https://www.funnelfuel.io/get-your-free-target-account-list/" type="big" color="purple" newwindow="yes"] Click here to claim your FREE Target Account List (TAL). Fill in the details, and our team will pull a market map which gets to the very heart of our data stack and prospecting expertise. Click here to get started! (opens in a new window so you can continue enjoying the article below) [/button]

What goes into your free TAL, what variables can you add in to get the best possible results?

At this stage you may be wondering what goes into building your TAL, and specifically what variables you can toggle in order to make it as accurate as possible?

When we're building a TAL, we follow the following order of play;

  1. Identify the geo-location/s that you serve, because a TAL is useless if its serving up companies in areas that you do not serve
  2. Share any data you have around your ICP - such as headcount or revenue, as this enterprise size has a big bearing on how well your offering aligns to the market
  3. Identify and share any specific industries that align with your offering. We generally use NAICS codes, which are really granular.

This tool is super-useful for identifying the exact NAICS codes based on keyword searches

Analysing Your TAL for Maximum Efficiency

Careful analysis of the TAL helps us maximise our efficiency by uncovering areas where we can improve. This includes understanding our target audiences, their needs and preferences, and then creating content and materials tailored to them. By analysing company headcount numbers, we are able to better gauge how many resources are needed to deliver the best materials and services. 

Analysing our TAL also allows us to identify potential threats and opportunities, such as competitive threats or market trends that require careful consideration. In addition, we can use this analysis to improve our production capabilities, ensuring that our products and services align with the needs of our customers. With an accurate TAL assessment, our company can gain insights into how we compare with other industry players while also understanding our strengths and weaknesses as they relate to the larger market. This analysis can then be used to make the necessary strategic decisions that will help us create a competitive advantage and position us for long-term success.

The theory is solid, but how can we really analyse and optimise our TAL? this will come down to a combination of detailed segmentation in your analytics platform, alignment with the sales field and the feedback that your organisation gets from all things marketing - all of which helps to interrogate to what degree the current account targeting is on point, and how the market may or may not be moving in-line with your offerings. 

Implementing and Tracking Progress with Your TAL

A key part of any successful TAL strategy is tracking progress towards the desired goals. This requires an effective system for recording, monitoring, and analysing data to assess performance. Data should be collected regularly and systematically to accurately measure the TAL goals that have been set. The data should be analszed in order to identify where improvements can be made and to help identify areas of success. Once the data has been collected and analszed, it should be used to inform any adjustments that need to be made to the TAL strategy as needed. This cycle can help ensure that the TAL strategy is successful in achieving its desired goals.

In order to do this effectively, organisations should create a detailed plan that clearly outlines the goals and objectives of the TAL program, as well as the necessary steps for implementation. This plan should also include milestones so that progress can be tracked. Planning how to make a TAL should include gathering insights from stakeholders to set goals and objectives, selecting products or services to be offered, establishing how customers will interact with the program and how it will be monitored for performance. Additionally, a plan should outline how the TAL will be marketed and how resources should be allocated for its successful implementation. Once all the elements of the plan have been created, the organisation can begin implementing the TAL with confidence that it has a clear roadmap in place.

Additionally, it is important to set up systems for evaluating progress and providing feedback on results to ensure that the TAL program is successful and achieving its intended outcomes. This process should involve both quantitative and qualitative data collection in order to get a comprehensive picture of performance Also, company headcount is a major part of evaluating TAL success, as this data allows stakeholders to track the number of people that have been trained and how much knowledge is being retained. Collecting both quantitative and qualitative data will provide a fuller picture of the company's progress towards its goals and objectives, while at the same time guiding decision-making related to further development of TAL.

To Conclude

In conclusion, building a Target Account List (TAL) is an important step in the process of targeting the right people for your business. A well-crafted TAL can help you to create more effective campaigns, reach the right people more quickly, and increase your overall sales. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can create an effective TAL that will help your business to reach its maximum potential.

Improving Your B2B Marketing Strategies on a Tight Budget

Everyone knows that marketing can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. With the right strategies, you can get a lot of mileage out of even a small budget. In this blog post, we'll look at some of the best tips and tricks for effectively marketing your B2B business on a tight budget. Keep reading to find out how you can get the most bang for your buck!

2023 is the tear of the budget cut, and CMO's everywhere, from the smallest B2B services to the biggest multinational companies are wrestling with budgets which have been eroded by inflation and further reduced by business uncertainty and the loom threats of recession.

However there are practical ways to make your budgets work as hard as possible, even in these most challenging of times.

Maximising Your Budget

To make your budget work harder for you, start by setting a sensible spending limit that allows you to cover your basic needs while also building in some wiggle room for unexpected expenses. When it comes to digital media budgets, you can achieve more then you may think with comparatively small budgets but you also need to make sure you're spending enough to drive learnings, insights and optimisations. Once you have a budget in place, think about better ways to allocate your resources. Consider investing in better ad creative to better engage your market or exploring more cost-effective methods of production. Taking a few extra steps to dig deep and find better ways to manage finances will ensure that you are getting maximum value from every dollar spent. Ultimately, if you're serving less ads (ie spending less money) then those ads you do serve need to really resonate, and have the best chance of driving actions from your target market. This is undoubtedly where the power of great creative kicks in, and why this is one area that we would not recommend making cuts in. 

Managed service media can make costs more forecastable and enable you to dedicate more of your investment to media vs in-house execution 

Growing your brand on a budget doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive – with a few simple strategies and tactics, you can create a powerful presence without breaking the bank. By utilising managed service providers, you can make your budget work harder to increase your brand’s visibility. Managed service providers can help align your company’s goals with market opportunities, whilst leveraging internal expertise and thus allowing for effective cost management and utilisation of resources. Furthermore, managed services can provide insights into how to effectively target customers and potential resources that may have gone unnoticed or the insights can be derived across a greater pool of media execution compared to what you can achieve directly. As such, utilising managed services can help you maximise the potential of your budget and create an effective digital marketing plan to further your brand visibility without breaking the bank.

Managed service went out of vogue for a number of years, when the market had a huge focus on in-housing expertise. In reality, few clients have the consistent spend thresholds needed to really drive the economies of scale that in-house promised, and they're instead left executing media buying in their own echo chamber, losing the insights that wider agency input can bring

At the start of any project, it’s important to take stock of your current resources – both tangible and intangible – and think about how they can contribute to building your brand. Making your budget work harder is an essential part of the process. To do so, you should identify the most cost-effective ways to achieve your objectives and seek out opportunities to achieve more with less. 

From leveraging existing relationships to finding free or low-cost design and marketing tools, there are lots of ways to make your budget work harder for you when it comes to brand-building. It is important to consider the 2023 recession. While preparing for a downturn can feel daunting, there are many proactive steps businesses can take now to ensure they remain resilient during the 2023 recession. Now is the time to plan and develop targeted strategies that allow businesses to not only survive but thrive in the years ahead.

Ensure that the right attention goes into your landing pages, so that they work s hard as possible at converting the traffic which you drive into them 

Making our budget work harder starts with understanding what resources are available to us. Knowing every detail of our budget is key to leveraging these resources to their fullest potential. We can do this by better optimising our landing pages to better target potential customers, which will result in better return on investment. Additionally, better resource allocation allows us to better allocate funds towards better quality assets and those that directly contribute to increased revenue. 

Ultimately, we can get away with slightly poorer performing landing pages when we can afford to send more traffic to them. A lower conversion rate can yield the same absolute number of leads, but in these times of tighter budgets, if we're going to hit our goals, we will need to have very high performing landing pages.

Doing this can help us make smarter decisions on how to best use our funds, such as investing in new technologies, hiring additional staff, or making changes to certain processes to improve efficiency. All of these tactics can help us optimise the funds we already have and make our budget work harder for us Thus, if we plan ahead and plan wisely for 2023, we can make our budget work harder for us. 

Reaching Customers on a Shoestring Budget

In order to reach customers on a shoestring budget, it's essential to focus on leveraging digital marketing strategies such as organic social media, email campaigns, search engine optimisation and targeted, highly specific paid media tactics, which yield the biggest 'bang for the buck' like ABM. Additionally, conversion rate optimisation is an effective way to make the most out of your budget. By improving conversion rates, you will be able to get more out of every dollar spent on marketing activities. This entails creating appealing content, running A/B testing, and making sure website design and layout are super-engaging and highly intuitive. Moreover, conversion rate optimisation can focus on improving conversion rates at each step of the customer journey. Doing so ensures that no conversion opportunities are overlooked, thus allowing you to make your budget work harder for you.

Stretching Advertising Dollars - make paid media sweat harder

When it comes to stretching advertising dollars, it's important to focus on targeting the right audience. This means researching potential customers and understanding their needs and wants so that you can tailor your ads accordingly. Additionally, conversion rate optimisation can help ensure that your budget works harder. By analysing website traffic, conversion paths and user behaviour, you can identify user trends to help optimise conversion rates. This means more effective conversion opportunities and a better return on investment.

Another way to make your advertising dollars go further is by taking advantage of digital and social media platforms, which are often less expensive than traditional methods such as television and radio. When advertising on these platforms, its critical to combine highly specific and precise targeting with brilliant creative, ensuring you can target their lowest hanging fruit. 

Finally, tracking your return on investment (ROI) is essential for optimising your marketing spend. Keep a close eye on how many leads or conversions you're getting from each of your campaigns so that you can adjust as necessary and ensure that you're getting the most bang for your buck Furthermore, it's paramount that you closely monitor your ROI when attempting to make your budget work harder. By tracking how many leads or conversions you receive from each of your campaigns, you can make adjustments accordingly and ensure that you are getting the greatest value for your dollar.

Top Tip; never rely on the media buying platform to provide the conversion data - they are biassed and use attribution techniques designed to ensure they come out looking great. Platforms like Journey provide cookieless attribution, long sales cycle management, multi-touch attribution and other such tools needed to understand how the marketing mix combines to drive value

To Conclude

In conclusion, there are many different strategies you can use to successfully market your B2B business on a tight budget. From leveraging the power of social media, to creating effective copywriting content and utilising managed service solutions from best-in-class vendors, there are many ways to spread the word about your business without breaking the bank. With a bit of research, creativity and hard work, you can create a successful marketing strategy that will drive leads and sales for your business.

How to really measure the performance of your B2B media buying strategy

Media buying is an important part of any B2B marketing strategy, but how do you know if it’s doing its job? Analysing the performance of your media buying efforts can give you valuable insight into how to optimise your strategy and get the most out of your marketing budget. In this blog post, we’ll discuss different methods for measuring the success of your media buying strategy.

Benefits of Measuring B2B Media Buying Performance

Measuring B2B media buying performance is essential to understanding and optimising the effectiveness of both current and future campaigns. Measuring, in our experience around B2B has too often been limited to 'platform metrics'; time and time again, we see clients coming to our media buying division who have been working with vendors who feedback on metrics as limited as 'cost per click' and such like. This limited horizon leads to platforms chasing cheap clicks, because they don't measure and optimise to what actually matters; on-site performance. 

By leveraging data-driven insights from programmatic advertising, attribution, the programmatic bidstream, and analytics tools like Journey, companies can accurately measure the performance of each campaign and adjust their strategy accordingly.

For example, funnel analysis is a tool used within Journey to measure the success of campaigns by tracking and optimising funnel performance, allowing marketers to determine which steps in the funnel are driving conversions. Further, data-driven insights from bilateral bidding exchanges and programmatic advertising platforms allow companies to access valuable information regarding their campaigns, including reach and impression data, enabling them to make informed decisions when it comes to their media buying strategy.

Leveraging data-driven insights from programmatic advertising and analytics tools help businesses to identify the most cost-effective platforms for their campaigns, as well as which marketing channels are most effective in driving conversions. Additionally, it allows them to understand how their campaigns are performing compared to competitors’ strategies, allowing for a more informed decision-making process when allocating resources However, high quality engagements are not always easy to achieve with B2B programmatic advertising, as B2B attribution and analytics tools often need to be leveraged in order to accurately measure campaign effectiveness. By using data-driven insights from these tools, businesses can identify the most cost-effective platforms for their campaigns while also understanding which channels are most successful in driving conversions. Additionally, this data gives them an insight into how their campaigns perform compared to those of competitors, helping them make more informed decisions when allocating resources.

Utilising Programmatic Advertising for B2B Media Buying

Programmatic advertising is an automated way to buy, measure, and optimise media in real-time. This makes it a great choice for B2B media buying, as it enables marketers to quickly and efficiently allocate budget to the most effective sources of demand. The drawback has been media participation; many leading B2B publisher resources have not been available to buy on 'open exchanges', and the technology behind programmatic has been entirely focussed on consumer media buying (B2C). This is what we have changed here at FunnelFuel; leveraging bespoke technology built for B2B, married with unique B2B data sets to uncover business users within the anonymity of the big open programmatic world, and leveraging analytics tools to fuel 24/7 always-on optimisation - we have made B2B programmatic work, finally. 

With effective B2B programmatic advertising, B2B marketers can benefit from sophisticated analytics for better insights, increase ROI with advanced attribution models, and gain a competitive advantage by leveraging real-time data. As such, programmatic advertising is an effective way for B2B organisations to interact with prospects, advertise products and services efficiently, and design targeted digital marketing strategies that result in measurable business outcomes.

Comprehensive attribution capabilities are critical for understanding the performance of programmatic campaigns. Leveraging these insights can help marketers understand what efforts are delivering the best ROI and adjust their strategies accordingly. When it comes to B2B programmatic advertising, B2B attribution offers invaluable insights on the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. With B2B attribution, marketers can track customer journeys, measure the performance of various channels, and optimise their B2B strategy in real time. In addition to B2B attribution, B2B analytics can provide deeper insights into campaign performance, enabling B2B businesses to better understand their audiences and tailor their campaigns accordingly. By utilising B2B programmatic advertising, B2B attribution, and B2B analytics together, marketers can make more informed decisions and maximise their ROI.

By combining attribution data with analytics, marketers can gain a holistic view of their programmatic campaigns and identify areas of improvement Meanwhile, B2B programmatic advertising is more effective when marketers combine attribution data with analytics. This comprehensive approach to data analysis allows marketers to gain a holistic view of their programmatic campaigns and identify areas of improvement. With this data, businesses can implement strategies that provide increased ROI on their investment in programmatic advertising, thus creating a better overall marketing success.

Strengthening Your B2B Attribution Strategy

B2B attribution boils down to understanding which parts of the marketing journey and stack are driving the outcomes you're seeking, whilst understanding how these channels, formats and executions work synergistically to power outcomes rather then viewing each in its own data silo. This can be a powerful tool to maximise the ROI of your organisation’s marketing efforts. It can identify which channels and tactics are most effective in driving conversions that result in sales, allowing you to optimise your programmatic advertising strategy. Through B2B attribution, you can gain valuable insights into which B2B campaigns and strategies are driving the most value for your company. By leveraging  analytics, you can measure the performance and effectiveness of your B2B campaigns, as well as identify areas where you can increase performance and allocate resources more effectively. 

To ensure your programmatic advertising is optimised based on attribution data, it's important to have the right technology in place - such as Journey, our B2B central nervous system - to capture and analyse relevant insights from customer behaviors and interactions with your advertisements. Having B2B analytics in place is essential for understanding how your programmatic advertising impacts the customer journey. A DMP allows for the aggregation and analysis of valuable B2B data sets, helping to identify which advertisements are driving conversions and improving ROI. Furthermore, with the right B2B attribution model, it's possible to track customer behaviors more effectively and adjust your advertising strategies accordingly. By leveraging B2B programmatic advertising as part of an overall marketing mix, businesses can better understand their customers, improve targeting accuracy and maximise return on investment.

With a comprehensive B2B analytics platform, you can leverage additional analytics capabilities such as predictive modelling, CRO tools, and segmentation to further refine your programmatic advertising strategy for improved performance across channels. Besides B2B analytics, a comprehensive B2B analytics platform can also offer additional capabilities such as named account tracking and life scores to help refine your B2B programmatic advertising for improved performance. 

Leveraging B2B Analytics to Optimise Performance

Leveraging B2B analytics can provide insights into how to optimise performance with programmatic advertising, such as understanding the cost per lead (CPL) and how different channels contribute to conversions. This data enables b2b advertisers to make informed decisions about their budget allocation and campaign strategies in order to maximise ROI. As such, B2B analytics can offer an in-depth view of the entire customer journey, tracking attributions and conversions across media channels. Additionally, advertisers can better understand why certain campaigns resonate more with audiences, identify duplicates, and detect fraudulent activities. By leveraging B2B analytics and leveraging programmatic advertising strategies, marketers can improve their campaigns and reach more potential customers.

Best Practices for Measuring B2B Media Buying Performance

Measuring B2B media buying performance is essential to understand the effectiveness of campaigns, which allows for optimisation and improvement of future efforts. To do this, marketers need to focus on programmatic advertising, attribution, and analytics when selecting best practices. This can include funnel analysis, a data-driven approach which is popular among B2Bs as it enables tracing of campaigns from the initial touchpoint to successful conversion. Programmatic advertising allows for automation, improved targeting, and a more efficient use of budget and resources. Attribution helps understand which channels are most effective in engaging the target audience, helping to optimise future campaigns. Analytics then provides real-time insights into audience behavior, helping to inform media buying decisions and maximise ROI.

Programmatic advertising provides access to a large selection of inventory from various marketplaces, allowing buyers to be precise in their targeting. This helps inform key decisions related to budgeting and optimisation that can have a positive impact on performance. Through B2B analytics, buyers can gain further insight into the impact of their campaigns and make more informed decisions on B2B attribution. By utilising B2B analytics, marketers can determine what messaging resonates most with their target audience, optimise their strategies to ensure the greatest ROI, and measure the success of their programmatic advertising campaigns.

Attribution is used to uncover the relationship between media channels and customer behavior over time to determine which marketing efforts are paying off the most. By combining attribution with analytics capabilities, marketers can get as granular as needed with their data insights to identify areas for improvement and maximise ROI on media spending across all channels Again, high quality engagements are essential when it comes to b2p programmatic advertising. By utilising powerful b2p attribution and analytics capabilities, marketers are able to gain valuable insights into customer behavior, enabling them to better understand the relationship between media channels and customer actions. This data can then be used to optimise media spending and maximise ROI while identifying areas for improvement.

Keeping Pace with the Evolving Landscape of B2B Media Buying

Keeping pace with the evolving landscape of B2B media buying requires adoption of programmatic advertising and attribution technologies. These technologies enable marketers to more effectively target, measure, and optimise campaigns across multiple channels in real-time. With high-quality engagements and granular B2B analytics, B2B marketers have unprecedented access to high-value customer insights that can drive high ROI on programmatic campaigns. By adopting programmatic advertising and attribution technologies, B2B marketers can stay ahead of the competition and maximise their lead generation efforts with high quality results.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a number of different ways to measure the performance of your B2B media buying strategy. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to understand each one before making any decisions about which metrics to use. By using the right metrics, you’ll be better able to determine what’s working and what’s not in your media buying efforts, giving you the insight you need to improve your strategy and increase ROI.

B2B feels like the segment that ad-tech left behind, but now with dedicated technology built to analyse on-site behaviour (Journey - our B2B CNS!) and a built-for-purpose ABM DSP - the capabilities to really optimise and measure what is important to a B2B marketer has finally arrived