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Maximize Sales Impact with a Smarter B2B Social Selling Strategy

Social & Video, Social Media /

According to LinkedIn, 78% of social sellers outsell peers who don’t use social media – a stat that continues to hold true in today’s buyer-first environment. But what exactly is B2B social selling, and how does it differ from social media marketing? At its core, B2B social selling is all about building relationships through digital engagement. Rather than using social media to solely promote a product or service, sales professionals use platforms to connect with prospects, share helpful content, and foster genuine conversation that builds trust over time. Social selling, by design, is meant to feel personal and sincere. How B2B Social Selling Differs from Social Media Marketing While often confused with social media marketing, B2B social selling is more personalized and relationship driven. Instead of broadcasting from a company account, sales reps and leadership teams leverage their personal profiles to build connections, engage with industry peers, and offer value to potential clients. B2B social selling is sales-focused, driven by one-to-one interactions and thought leadership from individuals. Social media marketing is typically brand led, aimed at boosting reach, engagement, and awareness. For our agency’s clients, the goal of B2B social selling is visibility, development of long-term relationships and trust building. Here’s why it matters: These stats reinforce the importance of B2B social selling as part of a larger sales and marketing strategy. It’s not just about being visible; it’s about being strategically visible in the right places. If you need help developing a B2B marketing strategy, our full-service B2B marketing agency team is ready to help. LinkedIn: The MVP of B2B Social Selling Tools When it comes to the business-to-business space, LinkedIn® stands out with its detailed professional data and robust information. While omni-channel B2B social selling can and should take place across multiple channels, LinkedIn itself is designed directly for business networking. As a sales professional, if you’re leaning into B2B social selling, LinkedIn is the #1 platform to focus on. An added bonus: LinkedIn provides a quantifiable way to measure the effectiveness of your B2B social selling efforts – the Social Selling Index (SSI). SSI measures performance across four key areas: 1. Establishing a Professional Brand 2. Finding the Right People 3. Engaging with Insights 4. Building Relationships     LinkedIn data shows that sellers with a high SSI are 51% more likely to hit their quote than their peers. Practical B2B Social Selling Tips to Start Using Today In addition to the insights listed, here are some B2B social selling tips to take your efforts to the next level: Always remember, it’s about your prospect, not your pitch. Listen more than you talk. Respond with insights, not just offers. Make your prospect feel seen and understood, and you can stand out from the noise. Let’s Power Up Your Social Marketing Strategy With 84% of B2B decision-makers turning to social media during their purchasing journey, ignoring social selling is no longer an option. It is one of the most cost-effective, relationship-focused tools in your sales and marketing toolkit. Find more resources about optimizing your strategy with our blog posts on: Whether you are building a full scale social strategy, need help choosing the right B2B social selling tools, or want expert guidance on engaging your audience at scale, the Stifel Marcin team is here to help. Contact us and a member of our team will be in touch shortly. Stifel Marcin – The B2B Marketing Agency Unlike many advertising and marketing agencies, B2B isn’t just something that we do, it’s all we do. We’ll work to help your brand achieve its goals through the strategic combination of creativity, communication and technology. Our focused client intake processes give us the ability to thoroughly understand your business, products and objectives, working to identify the competitive advantages and opportunities that will grow awareness, leads and sales. We develop innovative marketing plans with strategic, data-driven processes, presenting complex ideas and compelling messages that position your business ahead of the competition. As your cooperative partner, our integrated B2B marketing agency is dedicated to your success. If you have questions about B2B social selling strategies, contact us today.

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Seven Key B2B Lead Generation Strategies That Work

Lead Gen Tactics /

Lead generation is essential for the success of any B2B business, but attracting the right high-quality leads can be a challenge. With so many channels, strategies, and technologies available, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the possibilities. The key is to focus on the B2B lead generation strategies that work – strategies that have been proven to deliver results and help you generate leads that are not only plentiful but also highly qualified. Whether you are looking to enhance your current efforts or refine your approach to lead generation, the actionable tactics our experts explore below can help you achieve sustained growth and improve your bottom line. Effective Strategies for B2B Lead Generation B2B companies face longer sales cycles, complex decision-making, and highly specific buyer personas, which means they need a strategic approach to attract, nurture, and convert prospects into customers. At Stifel Marcin, the following strategies help businesses create a scalable lead stream that fuels long-term growth. 1. Account-Based Marketing (ABM) ABM focuses on identifying high-value target accounts and creating strategic campaigns designed to engage and convert them. Rather than using a broad volume-based approach, ABM takes a  more precise, data-driven strategy, diving deep into target profiles, cross-department priorities, and key insights. Key ABM tactics may include: Personalized Outreach: Crafting tailored messaging and campaigns for individual accounts based on the industry, pain points, and business goals. Custom Content: Creating unique case studies, whitepapers, and presentations that address the challenges of target accounts. Multi-Channel Engagement: Leveraging email, LinkedIn, targeted ads, and direct mail to connect with decision-makers across multiple touchpoints. Learn more our approach to account-based marketing and view client success stories. 2. Content Marketing Creating valuable, educational content is one of the most effective ways to attract and nurture B2B leads. Instead of pushing a sales message, content marketing provides prospects with the insights, solutions, and industry knowledge they need to make informed decisions. By addressing common pain points and offering expert guidance, businesses can build trust and position themselves as a go-to resource. Some of the best performing content types for B2B lead generation include: Case Studies: Real-world examples that showcase how your product or service has solved a specific problem. Blog Posts: Informative and actionable articles that answer common questions and provide value to your audience. Interested in B2B marketing tips? Check out resources from our experts. Whitepapers and Industry Reports: In-depth research and data-driven insights that establish thought leadership. While content marketing works hand-in-hand with search engine optimization to drive organic traffic, its impact goes beyond search rankings. High-quality content fuels email campaigns, social media engagement, and lead nurturing workflows, ensuring prospects stay engaged throughout the buying process. Explore our content marketing services and learn how this B2B lead generation strategy can drive results. 3. Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Driving traffic to your website is only part of the lead generation equation – turning traffic into leads is where conversion rate optimization begins. CRO focuses on refining website elements, landing pages, and forms to maximize the number of visitors who act, whether it is filling out a contact form or requesting a demo. Even small improvements to user experience (UX), messaging, or design can have a significant impact on lead generation. Common CRO tactics include: A/B Testing: Experimenting with different headlines, CTAs, and layouts to determine what resonates most with visitors. Optimized Forms: Reducing friction by simplifying lead capture forms and only asking for essential information. Clear Calls-to-Action: Ensuring CTAs are easy to find, persuasive, and aligned with user intent. By continuously analyzing user behavior and making data-driven optimizations, business can increase the percentage of visitors who convert into leads. Learn how our team’s specialized B2B knowledge can help optimize your CRO strategy and help you meet your lead generation goals. 4. Email Campaigns Email remains one of the most effective and highest-ROI channels for B2B lead generation. With direct access to decision-makers, businesses can nurture leads over time, provide valuable insights, and guide prospects through the sales funnel. A well-executed email marketing strategy keeps your brand top of mind while delivering relevant content that moves potential customers closer to conversion. To maximize results, our email marketing experts consider: List Segmentation: Grouping contacts based on industry, job role, engagement level, or stage in the buyer’s journey ensures more targeted and relevant messaging. Personalized Outreach: Using recipient names, referencing past interactions, and tailoring content to their specific needs increases engagement. Timely Delivery: Drip campaigns and triggered emails keep prospects engaged by ensuring timely, relevant content based on their behavior. Our experienced team of B2B marketing experts know that standing out in a reader’s inbox takes more than a clever subject line. Get more email marketing tips for lead generation from our content experts and explore the benefits of email for B2B brands. 5. PPC & Remarketing Paid advertising (PPC) is a powerful tool for driving highly qualified B2B leads by targeting decision-makers with precision. Platforms like Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads allow businesses to reach prospects based on search intent, job title, industry, and company size. With well-crafted ad copy and strategic bidding, PPC campaigns can generate immediate traffic and capture leads from professionals actively searching for solutions. Remarketing ads play a crucial role in re-engaging website visitors who did not convert on their first visit. By tracking user behavior and displaying targeted ads across websites, social media, and search engines, businesses can stay top of mind and encourage prospects to return. Remarketing strategies can include: Personalized Display Ads: Showing relevant products, services, or content based on pages a visitor previously viewed. Lead Magnet Offers: Encouraging return visits by promoting gated content, such as webinars or whitepapers. Time-Sensitive Promotions: Using limited-time offers or discounts to create urgent and drive conversions. With a combination of precise targeting, compelling ad creative, and continuous optimization, PPC and remarketing ads can help B2B companies maximize their marketing spend and convert more prospects into leads. Talk to our digital marketing experts about PPC services designed to strategically meet your needs. 6.

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The Last Google Core Algorithm Update of 2024: What to Expect

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What is a Core Update? Several times a year, Google makes significant changes to its search algorithms and systems, referred to as core updates. These updates aim to improve the quality and relevance of search engine results for users. Unlike updates that target specific issues, core updates are comprehensive and can impact search rankings across a wide range of websites. The primary goal is to ensure that Google delivers helpful and reliable results by reassessing how content is evaluated and ranked. This involves refining algorithms to better understand user intent and content quality. However, it can lead to noticeable changes in rankings – some websites may experience drops in positions, while others may see improvements. The November Google Core Algorithm Update was recently released and will impact search results throughout December and beyond. Expected Changes This core update targets all types of content, as it is a global update impacting all regions and languages. It is not a penalty but rather aims to promote or reward pages with high-quality content. During this process, expect high volatility in search results. The Business & Industrial category, which includes B2B companies, is experiencing significant fluctuations. There are currently no specific details about the update, but Google suggests that those negatively impacted focus on improving the quality of their content. This volatility has already been noticed with AI overviews and organic search. Any changes in Google’s algorithms will impact this search feature, which was launched in May 2024 and expanded to over 100 countries in October 2024. One continuing trend is the overlap between organic content and AI overview citations. High-ranking organic content has a strong chance of becoming a citation in AI overviews, a trend that suggests that Google is increasingly aligning citations with its organic search algorithms. This highlights the necessity for websites to optimize their content for this new feature, which is here to stay. Our experienced B2B digital marketing team specializes in optimizing websites to maximize their impact in the ever-evolving digital landscape. We can help you fine-tune your website for AI overviews, ensuring your content aligns with Google’s latest search algorithms and AI-driven features. By leveraging our expertise, you can increase your site’s visibility, improve organic search rankings, and ensure your content is well-positioned to appear as citations within AI overviews. Whether it’s content optimization, technical SEO, or tailoring your messaging to meet user intent, our team is ready to help your business stay ahead of the curve and drive meaningful traffic and engagement. Reach out and let’s discuss your needs. What to Do After the Core Update is Complete? When the update is complete, it is time to assess the impact and respond strategically by adapting to any shifts. Monitoring website performance, noting any significant changes in SERPS, and reviewing available competitor data can help you refine your strategy to stay at the top of search engine results. As the final major update of the year, Google’s November 2024 Core Update highlights the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing. With AIO shaping search trends, it is essential to adapt and refine strategies for 2025. Leverage the Expertise of Our Digital Marketing Experts Stifel Marcin’s team of digital marketing experts is well-equipped to help your team navigate these changes and help your business maintain its online visibility. We can conduct a thorough analysis of your website, identify areas for improvement, and implement strategies to optimize your content for better search engine rankings. Prepare for the new year by contacting our search engine marketing team and put our expertise to work for you. Read more from our experts about SEO optimization strategies:• How to Improve Your SEO Ranking on Google: 6 Tips• The Benefits of an SEO Audit• The Importance of Long Tail SEO Stifel Marcin – The B2B Marketing Agency Unlike many advertising and marketing agencies, B2B isn’t just something that we do, it’s all we do. We’ll work to help your brand achieve its goals through the strategic combination of creativity, communication and technology. Our focused client intake processes give us the ability to thoroughly understand your business, products and objectives, working to identify the competitive advantages and opportunities that will grow awareness, leads and sales. We develop innovative marketing plans with strategic, data-driven processes, presenting complex ideas and compelling messages that position your business ahead of the competition. As your cooperative partner, our integrated B2B marketing agency is dedicated to your success. If you have questions about the recent Google core algorithm update, or if you are in need of search engine marketing services, let’s talk.

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What is Google Consent Mode?

SEO /

When visiting websites, you have likely noticed alerts similar to the one below asking users for permission to collect and process their data: Google Consent Mode (GCM) is a powerful tool that enables marketers to comply with stringent data privacy regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) while continuing to collect valuable user data. When a Google Consent Mode banner gives users the options to “accept all,” “reject” or “customize,” it indicates that the business is respecting their privacy and giving them control over how their data is used: • “Accept All” allows the website to collect all necessary data to provide a full range of features and personalized experiences. The potential privacy trade-off: by accepting all cookies, the user may be sharing more personal information than necessary.• “Reject All” minimizes data collection to the absolute minimum required for a website to function, and users may experience some limited functionality with reduced features or personalization options.• “Customize” allows users to choose which specific categories of cookies and trackers to allow or block and provides a personalized experience to their preferences, ensuring only necessary data is collected. By providing these options, businesses can balance data collection needs with user privacy, ensuring a transparent and user-centric approach to digital marketing.  Why Should B2B Marketers Care About GCM? As data privacy regulations tighten and user experiences evolve, understanding and implementing GCM is crucial. It directly impacts a marketer’s ability to collect important user data, personalize marketing efforts, and measure campaign performance. By implementing GCM on your website, B2B marketers can: • Avoid large fines and legal repercussions by adhering to data privacy laws. • Protect brand reputation and maintain trust with customers.• Improve user satisfaction and loyalty by respecting privacy preferences.• Collect accurate and reliable data by ensuring it’s obtained with explicit consent.• Make data-driven decisions to optimize marketing campaigns and improve ROI.• Personalize marketing messages and tailor content to individual user preferences. Important Note: As of March 2024, Google Consent Mode is no longer optional for any website that uses Google services and wants to continue using ad personalization features and collecting user data in the European Economic Area. It’s imperative for marketers to implement GCM to adhere to privacy regulations and avoid potential penalties and reputational damage. Our experienced B2B digital marketing team can help you navigate Google Consent Mode and any website development efforts by providing expert guidance, technical implementation, and ongoing optimization to ensure compliance, enhance user experience, and maximize marketing effectiveness.  Reach out today to discuss your specific website needs. Selecting a Version: Google Consent Mode Basic vs. Advanced GCM is offered in two versions: basic and advanced. Each version provides different levels of control and customization over how Google tags and cookies behave based on user consent. Basic Consent Mode is a simpler option that is easier to implement and configure. It offers basic control over tag and cookie behavior, with tags loading only after user consent is obtained. While this approach can help with basic data collection, it may limit the depth of insights and personalization capabilities due to delayed tag loading and basic data modeling techniques. Advanced Consent Mode provides greater flexibility and control over tag and cookie behavior. While it requires more technical expertise to implement and configure, it offers immediate tag loading and advanced data modeling techniques. This enables more accurate data analysis and personalized experiences, even when users have limited consent. It is important to note that this increased complexity may require more time and resources to set up and maintain. The digital marketing experts at Stifel Marcin can help you weigh the pros and cons of Google Consent Mode basic versus advanced and implement the optimal solution for your business goals and user experience. Potential Consequences of Non-Compliance The importance of correctly implementing Google Consent Mode cannot be understated. If a website does not include privacy functionalities like GCM, it risks several consequences: 1. Non-Compliance with Data Privacy Regulations: Failing to comply with GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy data laws can lead to hefty fines, legal repercussions, and damage to the website’s reputation.2. Reduced Data Accuracy and Insights: Without proper consent management, the website may collect inaccurate or incomplete data, hindering its ability to make data-driven decisions and optimize marketing efforts.3. Limited Marketing Effectiveness: Incomplete or inaccurate data can lead to less effective targeting, personalization, and measurement of marketing campaigns, ultimately impacting the website’s ROI.4. Damaged User Experience: Users may perceive the website as untrustworthy if it collects data without explicit consent, leading to a negative user experience and potential loss of visitors.5. Potential Impact of Google Services: Google may limit the effectiveness of its services, such as Google Ads and Google Analytics, for websites that do not comply with privacy regulations and implement proper consent mechanisms. If you or members of your marketing team are asking “what is Google Consent Mode and do we really need it,” that answer is a resounding yes. It’s imperative to prioritize data privacy and implement robust consent management practices to both safeguard your business and protect your users. Our team is here to assist you in navigating the complexities of GCM and can help you create optimal digital experiences that inspire user trust while safely collecting data that helps inform marketing campaigns, generate leads, and grow brands. Leverage Our B2B Digital Marketing Expertise Understanding web privacy and data compliance is crucial for any business looking to succeed in the digital landscape. If you are asking specific questions like “what is Google Consent Mode,” our B2B marketing team wants to talk to you. With our expertise in digital marketing strategy, data analytics, and compliance best practices, we can help you achieve your specific goals while ensuring your business is protected and thriving. Stifel Marcin – The B2B Marketing Agency Unlike many advertising and marketing agencies, B2B isn’t just something that we do, it’s all we do. We’ll work to help your brand achieve its goals through the strategic combination of creativity, communication

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SEO Glossary of Terms: Decode the Search Engine Optimization Language

SEO /

Search engine optimization, more commonly known as SEO, has evolved rapidly, incorporating AI and complex algorithms. With updates constantly reshaping the landscape, it can be challenging for B2B marketers to keep up with SEO terminology. To help you stay informed and navigate its complexities, the expert team at Stifel Marcin has created a comprehensive SEO glossary of terms. Whether you are a seasoned pro or a beginner in SEO, we hope this resource becomes your go-to guide for understanding SEO vocabulary and concepts that power successful campaigns. SEO Terminology A-Z If you need to brush up on your SEO vocabulary, our SEO glossary of terms provides clear and concise definitions for common terms. If you have questions about search engine optimization, reach out to our team. With years of experience and a deep understanding of search engine algorithms, we can help you unlock the full potential of your online presence. A • Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP): AMP is a simplified form of HTML aimed at speeding up the browsing experience for mobile users.• AI Content Optimization (AIO): The process of tailoring your digital content to ensure it is accurately understood, indexed, and utilized by AI-powered platforms. • Algorithm: A complex set of rules used by search engines to rank websites in the search results.• Alt Text (Alternative Text): Descriptive text for images to help search engines understand the content of images.• Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): The process of optimizing your online content to provide clear and accurate answers to specific questions users ask in search engines.• Application Programming Interface (API): An API enables the development of applications by providing access to the functions or data of another service, such as an operating system or application.• Anchor Text: This refers to the clickable text used to link to other pages.• Artificial Intelligence: The simulation of human intelligence by machines. In SEO, AI analyzes data, predicts trends, and researches improving search engine algorithms and enhancing search results with no-click insights.• Auto-Generated Content: Content produced automatically by programs rather than written by humans. B • Backlink: A link from one website to another, which can improve a site’s authority and ranking.• Bing Webmaster Tools: A free service provided by Microsoft that assists in monitoring and troubleshooting your website’s visibility in Bing’s search results.• Black Hat: These are search engine optimization techniques that breach Google’s quality standards. Black hat techniques can result in your website being penalized.• Bots: Also called “crawlers” or “spiders,” these are programs that browse the Internet to locate content.• Bounce Rate: The percentage of visitors who leave a site after viewing only one page.• Breadcrumb Navigation: Internal links that provide users and search engines with a clear path to navigate through your website.• Broken Link: A hyperlink on a webpage that leads to a non-existent or “dead” resource, which can be either internal or external. This is sometimes indicated with a “404 Page Not Found” error message. C • Cached Page: A version of a webpage that Google saves on its servers during its most recent visit.• Canonical Tag: The (rel=”canonical”) HTML code snippet specifies the primary version of duplicate, near duplicate and similar pages.• Canonical URL:  The preferred URL for a page, used to avoid duplicate content issues.• Click-Through Rate (CTR): The ratio of users who click on a link to the number of total users who view a page or ad.• Content Management System (CMS): Software used to create and manage digital content.• Content Marketing: Creating valuable content to attract and retain an audience.• Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): Improving the percentage of website visitors who complete a desired action.• Core Web Vitals: Metrics that are part of Google’s Page Experience signals, used to evaluate user experience.• Crawlability: The capability of a search engine to access content on a webpage.• Crawler: An internet program designed to systematically browse the internet, primarily used by search engines to discover, process, and index pages for search results.• Customer Journey: A detailed mapping of the steps a consumer takes from their initial awareness of a brand to purchasing a product or service, and their experiences thereafter. D • Dofollow Link: A link that passes on PageRank, often referred to as a “followed” link.• Domain Authority (DA): A metric developed by Moz that predicts how well a website will rank on search engines.• Duplicate Content: Content that appears in more than one place on the internet, which can harm SEO performance. E • E-A-T: Stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, factors used by Google to evaluate the quality of content.• Entry Page: The initial page a visitor lands on when they visit your website.• Evergreen Content: Content that remains relevant and does not become outdated.• External Link: A link from your website to a different website. F • Featured Snippet: A summary of an answer to a user’s query, which is displayed on top of Google’s search results.• Footer Link: Links that are placed in the footer section of a webpage. G • Google Analytics: A web-based service offered by Google that measures website traffic and performance based on an analysis of data and statistics.• Googlebot: Web crawler that drives Google’s search engine.• Google Business Profile: A free business listing provided by Google that appears in maps and web search results and allows a company to claim/create a profile, and update the profile with information including hours, links, and photos.• Google Consent Mode: A feature that allows websites to adjust how Google tags behave based on user consent. It enables websites to respect users’ privacy choices regarding cookies while still measuring key metrics and optimizing performance.• Google Search Console: A web service by Google which allows webmasters to check indexing status and optimize visibility of their websites. H • Heading Tags (H1-H6):  HTML tags used to define headings on a webpage.• Hreflang: An HTML attribute used to inform Google about different language and regional versions of a webpage.• HTTPS: A secure version of HTTP that encrypts communications between your browser and the server, working

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TikTok Marketing Strategy: Do You Need It For Your Business?

Social & Video, Websites /

With more than 1.2 billion daily users, TikTok has become a social media phenomenon. Self-described as the leading destination for “short-form mobile video,” a significant 47 percent of its users are under 30 (with nearly 25 percent under the age of 20). Its popularity is prompting companies to ask if they should position their brands with this audience. Unlike other social platforms, TikTok’s algorithm rewards its content first (instead of building a follower base and having only a fraction served your content). Since you do not need to have followers for your content to be seen, this gives brands a big opportunity to get their “tiktoks” in front of their target audience. If you are looking for a way to increase brand awareness and engagement, while also building a loyal following within a young audience segment, TikTok might be right for your brand. But like any social platform, it is critical to have the right knowledge and right strategy in place. Is TikTok Right for B2B Marketing? The truth is, there is no definitive “yes or no” answer to this question. Just like any social platform, it is critical to have the right knowledge and strategy in place. Organizations and marketers should be asking key questions regarding goals and objectives they wish to achieve, and develop a marketing strategy to support them. Here are some things to consider: • Who is your target audience? Do you see potential overlap with the TikTok demographics? • Authenticity and creativity lead the way on TikTok, versus scripted or polished video content. Is your brand comfortable thinking “outside your current creative box?” Videos on TikTok are meant to be entertaining, engaging and personal. Do you/your marketing team have the bandwidth to create such content? • People rule over brands, meaning individuals producing content tend to be more popular than actual brand accounts. Many companies are finding success with TikTok by partnering with influencers or participating in hashtag challenges. • Do you have a brand standard or persona? Brands who lean more “traditional” or employ a more serious tone of voice may have more of a challenge embracing TikTok’s quirkier content. • The TikTok algorithm rewards those posting multiple times a day. This can be a challenge for many brands who may already be struggling to create relevant content just 1-3 times weekly. • Look at your current content on your other social channels. What is resonating with your audience? Do you have a blog? You may be in a good position to creatively repurpose that content into “snackable,” entertaining bits for TikTok. Think short and sweet, videos less than 60 seconds are favored. Advertising on TikTok TikTok provides five options for advertising, including sponsoring a branded hashtag challenge and in-feed video ads. Within their ad manager (you must register and create an account), you can select audience targets or create custom audiences. Advertising costs on TikTok typically start at around $10 per CPM (cost per 1,000 impressions), with a minimum campaign spend of $500. High-impact format ads like TopView ads can be significantly more expensive, with costs varying depending on targeting, format, duration and competition. We recommend you check with TikTok for current pricing on premium ad formats. You will recall that the majority of TikTok users are Millennials and Generation Z, so consider this before investing if your demographics do not align. The Long and Short of It It is important to note that just because a social media platform is popular, it does not necessarily mean it is right for your business. For manufacturing and tech companies, many of which have limited marketing resources, platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter may make more sense. Remember that social media requires strategy and commitment to quality content. If you have limited bandwidth, choose a platform or two to start, and serve those audiences first. TikTok is likely here to stay, which means you can watch, learn, and research if the platform is right for your organization. Power Up Your Social Strategy If you’re looking for a B2B marketing agency partner who can help you with your TikTok marketing strategy and/or social media strategy, contact us today. Stifel Marcin – The B2B Marketing Agency Unlike many advertising and marketing agencies, B2B isn’t just something that we do, it’s all we do. We’ll work to help your brand achieve its goals through the strategic combination of creativity, communication and technology. Our focused client intake processes give us the ability to thoroughly understand your business, products and objectives, working to identify the competitive advantages and opportunities that will grow awareness, leads and sales. We develop innovative marketing plans with strategic, data-driven processes, presenting complex ideas and compelling messages that position your business ahead of the competition. As your cooperative partner, our integrated B2B marketing agency is dedicated to your success. Learn more about our social media marketing services and let’s talk.

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Trade Shows in B2B Marketing: Marketing Beyond the Show Floor

ABM, Lead Gen Tactics /

In recent years, some B2B companies have found it harder to justify the high cost of attending multiple tradeshows. However, live contact with prospects and customers––outside of the standard sales call––is still a valuable marketing tool. At Stifel Marcin, we regularly work with B2B companies on the marketing strategy for trade shows. We can help to evaluate your show program, as well as assist in taking your face-to-face marketing beyond the trade show to build rapport and value with your audience. Trade Show Value in the B2B Marketing Mix Is the role of trade shows within the B2B marketing mix on the decline? The answer remains nuanced with data ranging by industry. Recent data shows a strong resurgence in sectors like technology, healthcare, and entertainment, while industries such as heavy manufacturing and construction continue to see lower attendance compared to pre-pandemic levels. Real-time feedback from marketing managers in manufacturing and industrial sectors indicates that many B2B companies are reassessing their trade show strategies, weighing increasing costs and mixed lead quality against potential networking benefits. While some events are experiencing growth, the increasing scrutiny of ROI and evolving digital marketing alternatives are influencing how businesses allocate their marketing resources. Let’s face it; exhibiting at a trade show is a hefty investment. Costs include booth space, your exhibit and graphics, freight and drayage, on-site labor, utilities and services, travel, lodging, meals, entertainment, and the time commitment of vital staff. With this range of expenses, even a small regional show can cost a company tens of thousands of dollars and weeks of valuable time. And while in-person customer face time is essential, if enough leads aren’t being generated by show participation, the high costs and resource commitments are hard to justify. So, what are B2B industrial marketers to do? Here are some tips and tactics from our trade show agency experts. Analyze Carefully and Choose Wisely The first step is to analyze your trade show performance in detail. Some questions to ask are: What were the overall costs and their breakdown? Did we get quality leads? Can we follow-up quickly and effectively? How many of the leads proved convertible into actual sales? And what was the cost per lead? Plus, trade show exhibitions are also valuable for brand awareness, so consider if overall show attendance and traffic generated enough brand exposure. Use in-depth analysis to edit your tradeshow schedule. Select shows with high-quality leads, optimum cost per lead, and high brand engagement. Depending on your industry, company size, market share, and business goals, this may result in attending just one or two critical shows per year. Finally, analyze your exhibit and staffing requirements. Are there ways to maximize branding and audience impact, while reducing costs and resources required? Consider things such as: All of these factors can help you reduce costs at the tradeshows you have selected to attend as an exhibitor. Host Your Own Events So, you have analyzed your trade show schedule and have determined that you will exhibit at one major market show this year––a show that is still putting up good attendance figures and generating a high volume of good quality leads. Now you have a challenge. Your sales managers are concerned that cutting four regional shows from the schedule will reduce opportunities to get in front of your customers on a personal level, and they are right. One option? Host your own events. Building a program of customized events around select, high-quality target audiences can be very effective. Hosting customized company events such as lunch and learn sessions, customer-specific product launches and demonstrations (by invitation), specialized training classes, panel discussions, and industry seminars give you critical face time with customers and prospects while demonstrating your organization as a “thought leader.” Plus, hosting your own event gives you greater ability to control costs, resources, locations, and logistics. Most importantly, hosting also gives you greater control of attendance and lead quality––you’ll be personally marketing to and inviting the customers and prospects you want to see. Take Your Show on the Road A second option for replacing tradeshows is to take your custom presentation direct to the customer’s site. For example, companies are reporting great success with events such as “vendor days.” This is an event where a customer will provide space on site and host several vendors for the day, giving each vendor time for a brief presentation of their products and services. This type of cooperative event is a win-win for both host and invited suppliers concerning staffing, costs, and efficiency: the host company benefits by introducing their employees to key suppliers and new technologies, and the supplier team benefits from a day in front of key decision makers at every level. Plus, neither company must send large numbers of staff to a tradeshow for three days, at considerable cost, while critical work backs up at home. Our trade show marketing experts can help you develop the right tools to help you achieve your goals. Communicate and Promote for Success What if I hold an event and no one comes? Don’t let this happen! “If you build it, they will come” does not work in business or marketing. You have to tell your audience about your event and what benefits it will provide. And you have to tell them consistently, frequently, and in a variety of ways. While one can argue that the Internet and today’s digital marketing are factors in the decline of tradeshow participation and attendance, digital communications are wonderful for promoting events too. Online newsletters, email blasts, and social media are proven, practical ways to get the word out to your audience. What’s more, integrating digital media with traditional direct marketing, such as a personal letter or postcard campaign, can increase the reach and response to your event promotions. Finally, in developing the event itself, make sure it is well supported by knowledgeable staff, brand graphics, presentation materials and multimedia, and hospitality items. While these components do add costs, they will improve the audience’s experience

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The Importance of SEO for B2B

SEO /

The hallmark of a great website is an optimal user experience (UX)  – with an architecture that is understandable, easily navigated, and allows users to quickly find the right products and information to support their research, review or purchasing decision. Properly planning, implementing and maintaining a B2B search engine optimization strategy will position your business prominently in the marketplace, and in the search results. The importance of SEO for B2B businesses is evident when considering some recent statistics: • 89% of B2B researchers gather information about potential purchases online • 53% of website traffic is from organic search (vs paid advertising) • 42% of B2B purchasers use a mobile device during their search • Less than 1% of searchers click beyond page one page of Google results • The average B2B buyer conducts 12 different online searches before interacting with a B2B website When Done Right, SEO is a Win-Win for Both User and Business  At its core, excellent SEO practices: • Allows users to find your business more easily with higher search engine results page (SERP) rankings.  • Ensures your website offers content that helps solve the problem they’re searching about  • Creates positive brand visibility  • Ensures your website renders properly on different devices and browsers • Provides key data people are seeking • Improves the user experience SEO Maintenance is a Must Do  Search engine optimization takes ongoing maintenance and monitoring to be sure you are listing where you want, and don’t fall in the rankings. Even if you achieve that coveted first-place ranking, take the steps to ensure both your site code and content are updated regularly, and take stock of your keyword performance to gauge how your rankings compare to your competitors. Just because your site is at the top today, doesn’t mean your competitors aren’t actively working to grab that position from you. We Understand the Importance of SEO for B2B Businesses  Exceptional search engine optimization and maintenance is crucial in this digital age. Whether you are building a new site or need ongoing B2B SEO services to improve an existing build, our team of experts is here to help. As a Google Partner agency, we have the resources to measure, monitor, and improve your page experience and search engine rankings. Reach out via the form on this page or contact us via phone or email and let’s talk. Stifel Marcin – The B2B Marketing Agency Unlike many advertising and marketing agencies, B2B isn’t just something that we do, it’s all we do. We’ll work to help your brand achieve its goals through the strategic combination of creativity, communication and technology. Our focused client intake processes give us the ability to thoroughly understand your business, products and objectives, working to identify the competitive advantages and opportunities that will grow awareness, leads and sales. We develop innovative marketing plans with strategic, data-driven processes, presenting complex ideas and compelling messages that position your business ahead of the competition. As your cooperative partner, our integrated B2B marketing agency is dedicated to your success. When you need B2B SEO experts, look no further than Stifel Marcin. Let’s get started.

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B2B Marketing Agency Services: 5 Reasons to Outsource

Lead Gen Tactics, Marketing Campaigns /

The time may come when you consider outsourcing specific marketing needs to an experienced agency. As advertising and marketing become more complex, utilizing B2B marketing agency services, and establishing a relationship with trusted experts, can reap many benefits for your organization. With the rise of digital marketing, the growing sophistication of inbound and outbound content creation, and the complexity of budget planning and shifting increasing, knowing you have the support of expert B2B marketing agency services can help you plan for success. If you’re working to gain internal support to retain B2B marketing agency services, here are a few benefits you can share with your team: 1. Working with Experienced Marketers   Your organization’s team members may not have the unique resources needed to fully execute various parts of a marketing strategy. When you employ B2B marketing agency services with a firm like Stifel Marcin, you collaborate with experienced specialists. Keeping up with changing digital trends and requirements, and complex search engine and social media algorithms is really a full-time job. Every day our team is researching changes, remaining current on the trends, tools and issues impacting marketing today. Our integrated and multi-disciplined team collaborates to help you develop goals, KPIs, and optimize budgets, determining the best marketing strategy that is unique to your business. 2. Reducing Your Team’s Workload We often hear from clients about the difficulties in keeping up with changing technologies, or not having enough time or resources to execute on-going tasks like content development or social media marketing. Investing in B2B marketing agency services lets your team focus on the tasks they do best and collaborate more effectively and efficiently with their internal teams, ultimately saving time and money. At Stifel Marcin, we see ourselves as an extension of your team, with a flexible structure that allows us to function like an in-house marketing department, while providing the expertise of a full-service B2B marketing agency. 3. Accessing Better Marketing Technology Modern marketing relies on many digital tools and software such as analytics tools, creative software and research platforms. For digital marketing strategies like SEO and paid advertising, they are essential. These tools can be very expensive and knowing how to leverage the detailed and specific features means we can evaluate data, set up tracking metrics, identify changes, anticipate trends and more with expertise and a strategic finesse. Working with an experienced agency like Stifel Marcin will ensure you are benefitting from the best technology services and tools to generate leads, sales and returns. 4. Discovering a Unique Point-of-View While you know your products and services best, engaging B2B marketing agency services can provide fresh perspective on your marketing goals, current approaches, and future needs. Your ideal agency partner will work to understand your business and your audience(s) thoroughly, evaluate the competitive marketing environment and collaborate with you to develop strategies promoting your unique benefits that help your company stand out in a crowd. Every day at Stifel Marcin, we work with technical content and complex concepts, creating engaging messaging and visuals that create attention and inspire the right customers to act. With more than two decades of experience, we know that fresh eyes on your brand and a cooperative partnership can take your marketing results to the next level. 5. Optimizing Budgets When you leverage the benefits of an integrated agency, you can review tactics, spend and ROI across the full channel of marketing opportunities. Some organizations opt to hire companies they feel are “specialized” in one area or another (perhaps a digital company, a PR company, etc.). This, however, can sometimes have the opposite effect. Instead of one collective evaluation of tactics from your single B2B marketing agency partner, you can find conflicting opinions, differing tracking methodologies and even recommendations made based on one agency’s personal interests. Additionally, as subject matter experts across a wide variety of marketing applications, when you utilize the B2B marketing agency services like we offer at Stifel Marcin, you benefit from expertise on how to optimize spend on every channel. We understand how to best plan media buys, bidding strategies and negotiate with third parties to achieve the best results. It’s in our best interest to make the biggest impact, ensuring we can make your brand as visible as possible. B2B Marketing Agency Services That Power Results If your agency is considering outsourcing some or all of your marketing needs, we can help. Check out our tips on how to outsource B2B marketing services and then contact us. Together, we can help determine what services may be right for you. Stifel Marcin – The B2B Marketing Agency Unlike many advertising and marketing agencies, B2B isn’t just something that we do, it’s all we do. We’ll work to help your brand achieve its goals through the strategic combination of creativity, communication and technology. Our focused client intake processes give us the ability to thoroughly understand your business, products and objectives, working to identify the competitive advantages and opportunities that will grow awareness, leads and sales. We develop innovative marketing plans with strategic, data-driven processes, presenting complex ideas and compelling messages that position your business ahead of the competition. As your cooperative partner, our integrated B2B marketing agency is dedicated to your success. If you have questions about outsourcing your marketing to maximize returns, let’s talk.

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A Marketing Guide: Creating a Website Privacy Policy Checklist for Your Business

Website Development, Websites /

In today’s digital age, where data is the backbone of business operations, online privacy has emerged as a critical concern. With an ever-growing emphasis on data protection and compliance, businesses must prioritize safeguarding user information to maintain trust and mitigate risks. This holds true for B2B enterprises, where sensitive data exchange is common. The stakes are high when it comes to privacy for B2B businesses. Breaches can lead to significant financial loss, reputational damage, certification compliance issues, and legal repercussions. Customers and business partners expect their data to be handled with extreme care, and negligence in privacy measures can have far-reaching consequences. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, businesses must proactively address customer and visitor privacy to stay ahead of the curve and protect their interests. Our digital experts have developed a website privacy policy checklist that serves as a practical guide for marketers, helping businesses navigate the complexities of data protection, compliance and user trust. Of course, your marketing team should also be in direct communication with your legal team, to ensure accuracy and compliance to your business operations and locations. Check out our tips below and contact our team who is ready to help with your B2B marketing needs and questions. Website Privacy Policy Checklist – Five Steps Whether you are an established business or an emerging start-up, this website privacy policy checklist can help minimize the risks associated with mishandling data, and is a great starting point to help make your online activities compliant with legal requirements. 1. Conduct a Privacy Audit A privacy audit involves an assessment of your website’s data collection, storage, processing, and security practices. It helps you understand what personal information you collect, how it is collected and how it is used and shared. A thorough audit will also detail your current privacy policies, cookie usage, third-party integrations, and security measures. Our digital marketing experts can support this assessment and provide proactive insights and recommendations that can help you mitigate risks. 2. Develop or Review Privacy Policies Privacy policies serve as a written statement that outlines how a business collects, uses, stores and shares user data. Privacy notices are concise notifications that inform users about specific data collection activities, such as the use of cookies or third party tracking. Both play a vital role in establishing transparency and trust with website visitors. But crafting clear and legally compliant privacy policies and notices can be a complex task, especially for B2B businesses that may have unique data processing requirements. Your management, website team, and legal department should work collaboratively on developing a comprehensive privacy policy, which often includes: • Data collection – a statement to clearly explain what types of personal information are collected from website visitors, such as names, email addresses or browsing behavior• Purpose of data collection – an explanation of the purposes for which the collected data will be used, whether it’s for order fulfillment, communication, personalization or analytics• Data sharing – disclose whether or with whom the collected data will be shared, such as third-party service providers, business partners or affiliates• User rights – outline the rights of users regarding their personal information, including the right to access, correct, delete or restrict the processing of their data• Opt out processes – explain to users the correct process to follow to request their information be removed from business databases and tracking as applicable to your site• Security – describe the measures in place to protect user data from unauthorized access, discourse, alteration or destruction A B2B marketing agency like Stifel Marcin can provide expertise in your website structure, development and processes, working with your legal team to assist in navigating privacy regulations. 3. Cookie Management and Consent Your website privacy policy checklist should include documentation of your cookie tracking and management practices. Cookies are small text files that are stored on a user’s device to track their online activities. It is important to manage cookies responsibly because they can collect sensitive information and impact user privacy. In many cases, the best approach is to obtain informed and explicit consent through the use of a third-party cookies function control or custom solution, triggering a pop-up message on a user’s site entrance. Regardless of your approach, businesses should demonstrate respect for user choices and their right to control personal data. When implementing cookie consent notices/banners, again, transparency is key. Clearly communicate to users what types of cookies are being used, their purpose and how the collected data will be used. Providing consent options allows users to choose which types of cookies they want to accept, giving them control of their privacy preferences. It is also important to maintain a record of user preferences, as this ensures compliance and allows users to easily manage and modify their consent settings. You can read more about cookies in our article. Stifel Marcin can assist in designing and developing user-friendly consent banners or installing cookie-related plug-ins that align with best practices, working with your team to establish processes for recording and managing user preferences. By leveraging our digital marketing knowledge and experience, you can understand the complexities of cookie management and consent effectively, maintaining user trust and meeting privacy obligations. 4. Implementing Data Protection Measures Customer data is valuable and businesses have a responsibility to protect it. Implementing data protection measures involve a combination of technical, organizational and procedural safeguards to ensure confidentiality, integrity and availability of customer data, including: • Security of data storage – employing secure servers or cloud platforms with strong authentication mechanisms and encryption protocols can help prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data. Encryption protects data both at rest and in transit, ensuring that if it is intercepted, it remains unintelligible to unauthorized parties. • Access controls – businesses can restrict data access to authorized personnel only, minimizing the risk of internal data breaches. Strong authentication measures, like multi-factor authentication, add layers of security to restrict access to authorized individuals. • Data backups – by implementing automated and regular backup processes, businesses can retrieve information in the event of a data loss or a security incident, minimizing downtime and data loss. • Plug-in updates – plug-ins, an extension of features and functionality added to

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