B2B marketing has evolved far beyond the traditional suit-and-tie strategies of yesteryear. LinkedIn, the go-to platform for professionals, has emerged as a creative playground for marketers who dare to stand out. If you’ve ever felt constrained by industry “best practices,” it’s time to break the rules and experiment with bold ideas that cater to complex buyer journeys, prioritise metrics by stage, and integrate brand and demand strategies. Here’s how.
Cater to Complex Journeys
In today’s B2B landscape, the buyer’s journey is no longer linear. Decisions are influenced by multiple stakeholders, each with their own priorities and pain points. As LinkedIn’s Purna Virji explains, “You have to win the mind to win the market.” But how do you navigate a journey with so many entry points?
A study by Gartner reveals that the typical B2B buying group includes 6 to 10 decision-makers. These individuals consult multiple sources and touchpoints before arriving at a decision. This means marketers must cater to diverse personas and stages of the journey simultaneously. An excellent example is Google Cloud’s “bingo card” campaign, which gamified their event promotion to engage a variety of audiences in a fun and interactive way. By focusing on playful yet relevant content, they encouraged stakeholders to invest their time and attention, regardless of their role in the buying process.
To succeed, consider these strategies:
- Leverage multi-format campaigns: As Purna suggests, using formats like single-image ads, videos, and carousels can cater to different content consumption preferences.
- Align content with stakeholder priorities: For example, while an executive may value ROI-focused content, a mid-level manager might look for implementation details.
For more insights, explore Harvard Business Review’s articles on non-linear customer journeys.
Prioritise Metrics by Stage
Effective marketing requires a clear understanding of which metrics matter at each stage of the buyer’s journey. Purna highlights the importance of “dwell time,” a LinkedIn metric that measures how long a viewer engages with your content. This is particularly valuable in the awareness stage, where the goal is to capture attention.
In the consideration and conversion stages, metrics like click-through rates (CTR) and lead-generation form fills become more critical. For example, Investo’s financial literacy game combined engagement with education, resulting in over 3.5 million visitors and 125,000 gameplays within a year. This approach tied awareness to measurable outcomes, bridging the gap between top-of-funnel and bottom-of-funnel metrics.
To align metrics with stages:
- Awareness: Focus on metrics like impressions, video views, and dwell time.
- Consideration: Optimise for CTR and engagement rates.
- Conversion: Track lead forms, website visits, and ROI.
Integrate Brand and Demand
Branding and demand generation are often treated as separate entities in B2B marketing. However, strong branding fuels demand generation at every stage of the funnel. “Creativity is the thing that helps you stand out,” Purna emphasises.
Duolingo’s quirky concert stunt, where fans in the front row wore masks of the company’s logo, is a case in point. This low-budget, high-impact campaign garnered over 20 million impressions on LinkedIn, proving that strong branding creates demand by capturing attention and sparking conversations.
Integrating brand and demand involves:
- Creating emotional connections: Use relatable and humanising content, as SAP did with their frustration-themed videos that resonated with HR professionals.
- Leveraging employee advocacy: People trust people more than brands. Encourage employees to share thought leadership content, as these posts often outperform corporate updates.
For more insights, explore Forrester’s research on the ROI of brand equity in B2B.
Final Thoughts
B2B marketing on LinkedIn is no longer confined to polished professionalism. By embracing creativity, aligning metrics with buyer stages, and integrating branding with demand generation, marketers can achieve impactful results. Remember Purna’s advice: “Marketing is meant to be fun. Let’s go back to the joy of doing what we do.”
Start breaking the rules today and watch your campaigns thrive.
