Demand generation has evolved, especially in the post-pandemic world, where businesses have had to adapt to changing buyer behaviours. Traditionally focused on filling the top of the funnel, today’s marketers are shifting their strategies to emphasise quality over quantity and guide customers through their entire buying journey.
Here are eight key demand generation trends that are shaping 2024:
- Digital-First Demand Generation The pandemic forced many businesses to embrace digital marketing, which is now a crucial component of demand generation, especially in B2B sectors. Companies are increasing their content marketing budgets and using tools like marketing automation to create seamless digital experiences for customers.
- Convergence of ABM, ABX, and Demand Generation Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is maturing into a more comprehensive approach known as Account-Based Experience (ABX), which integrates with demand generation to enhance customer engagement. This convergence allows companies to better target key accounts and streamline marketing efforts across departments.
- Increased Focus on Revenue Growth Revenue operations have become a central focus in demand generation. Aligning marketing, sales, and customer support teams is crucial to providing a seamless customer experience, which is now the primary competitive advantage. Buyers expect easy access to relevant content, and marketers must use data-driven insights to guide prospects through the sales funnel.
- Social Analytics for Demand Generation Social analytics are becoming a key tool for demand generation, providing insights into customer behaviour and content performance. By analysing interactions on social media, businesses can refine their strategies, improve engagement, and stay ahead of the competition.
- Self-Service Buying Preferences The pandemic accelerated the shift towards self-service buying in B2B markets. Buyers now prefer to research and make purchasing decisions online without the involvement of sales representatives. Marketers must focus on creating comprehensive digital buying journeys to meet these new preferences.
- Intent-Based Strategies Intent data, which tracks online behaviour to signal buyer interest, is becoming essential for demand generation. By using this data, marketers can personalise their efforts, engage with potential customers early in the buying process, and generate high-quality leads.
- Webinars as a Key Strategy Webinars have proven to be an effective tool for generating qualified leads and engaging customers at every stage of the buying journey. In 2024, webinars will continue to be a critical part of demand generation strategies, particularly as businesses adopt hybrid event formats.
- Privacy-Compliant Demand Generation With the phasing out of third-party cookies, marketers are turning to privacy-compliant alternatives like first-party data and IP advertising. These methods allow businesses to continue engaging customers while respecting privacy regulations.
Key Takeaway As businesses move into 2024, they must adopt these emerging trends to stay competitive. By focusing on digital-first strategies, integrating ABM and demand generation, and prioritising customer experience, marketers can ensure that they not only generate demand but also build lasting relationships with their customers.
Reference: https://financesonline.com/demand-generation-monitoring-trends/
