Niche & Proud in B2B – June 2024

This is our regular ICYMI round-up for B2B marketers who target niche audiences. We share thought leadership, announcements and research that matters – particularly for those working in the industrial, professional services or technology sectors.

Starting life as an internal resource for the Velo team, now, anyone is welcome to subscribe!

Latest from the Velo team

It's been a busy month for Mark Gillam , our Digital Marketing Lead, who's penned not one but two articles about the latest in B2B performance marketing.

Mapping the MarTech map – 14,000+ platforms to choose from. Unless you target a niche

With over 14,000 platforms included, a quick scan of this year's marketing map is enough to make anyone feel overwhelmed. However, for those in B2B, the number of relevant platforms falls to 293. For those targeting a niche, this shrinks even further. We share our tried-and-tested recommendations here.

Google Consent Mode: a B2B Marketer’s guide

With stricter data consent management, what does Google Consent Mode V2 mean for B2B marketers? Even though Google has announced delays, the direction of travel remains the same.

Based on past B2B audience behaviour, we’re estimating that 30-50% of visitors will deny all cookies.

The headline is: visitors will need to consent to you collecting their data on your website. If they do not, you will no longer have visibility on what these visitors do on your site, and the data we collect for marketing purposes will not be available. We've put together a top-line guide for what you need to know to help you adapt to the update.

There is no place for negativity in B2B marketing

Paul Crabtree 's latest article muses the importance of positivity in B2B marketing. From evoking feelings of hope with a 'glass half full' approach to messaging, to creating moments of joy and nostalgia with vibrant colours, read how B2B marketers can leverage positivity in influencing decision-making.

In other news

Make sure you didn't miss:

Audience insight

• Canberk Beker , Head of Growth at HockeyStack, shares a recent report on B2B SaaS buyer journeys, highlighting the complexity of closing deals and the importance of a multi-touch strategy. The headline? The journey is not linear. The results of the comprehensive 13-month study identified an average of 54 touchpoints from the first ad impression to an MQL, and a further 87 from MQL to SQL. Read the full report here for the breakdown by touchpoint.

Budgets and Planning

• The 2024 Gartner CMO Spend Survey reveals a significant shift in marketing budgets, dropping to just 7.7% of company revenue, down from 9.1% last year. The report highlights patterns of an increase in the use of AI and the importance of strategy to maintain market share despite budget shortfalls. Learn more about how marketing leaders are adapting in Gartner's full report.

Messaging and Positioning

• Growing integrity and trust should be on the mind of every B2B marketer. The importance of trust is explored in an EY report and analysed in the Edelman Trust Barometer.
• Research by Raconteur (register to view) explains the importance of authentic storytelling around ESG concluding that "The majority of companies are promoting better ESG credentials than their actions justify" – particularly in industrial manufacturing.

Sector insight

• The latest Make UK survey in partnership with BDO reports increased output and orders in Britain's manufacturing sector, signalling promising growth. As business confidence matches a decade high post-COVID, manufacturing companies are shifting priorities to long-term strategy and skills development to maintain competitiveness and fulfil contractual obligations. Read the full report here.

Optimising tactics

• LinkedIn undoubtedly offers a huge opportunity with granular targeting, but Tim Davidson highlights some of the hidden challenges to avoid and emphasises the importance of precise exclusions. Check out the full post to help refine your approach and improve ad accuracy.
• See what ads your competitors are running with LinkedIn's archive tool of paid ads. Learn from others, gather competitor intelligence and gain creative inspiration. A brilliant tool and well worth adding to your bookmarks!

Until next time!

About Velo

Velo is a specialist B2B marketing agency that’s built on recommendation

Focusing on reaching niche audiences, we craft marketing to be proud of for clients in the technology, industrial, and professional services sectors.

By composing emotive brand comms, savvy integrated marketing campaigns, and powerful storytelling, we help our clients to be at the top of their game.

As an award-winning team of specialists like you, we thrive on finding new ways to rise to the challenge of B2B marketing to a niche audience, driving results we’re as proud of as you are.

To find out more, or for more articles, visit: www.velo-b2b.com