Today, more than ever, B2B Buyers are demanding a B2C experience. They expect information that is timely, relevant, and personalized. 

They also expect companies to keep up with new trends – and that’s where many marketers get stuck. How do we keep up with the changes? How do we know what’s trending? At Anteriad, we rely on the experts. Following our recent webinar, The Future of MarTech, we sat down with our guest speaker, Forrester’s Katie Linford, to hear what she’s seeing from a customer experience perspective. 

1. Social Media 

Over the past two years, we’ve seen a 162% increase in B2B buyers using social to learn about the products they’re going to purchase. This makes sense – social has become a part of our everyday life. It’s now natural (and convenient) to do our business research there, too. 

2. Video 

We’re seeing a lot of marketers invest in online video platforms, including event platforms. As humans, we engage when we see a person’s face, watch their hand gestures, and hear the tone of their voice. You certainly connect with it more than you do when you see written words on a page. And connection is key in both B2B and B2C marketing. 

3. AI-Generated Content 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being absorbed into a lot of the technology we already have. It has the potential to make a big difference for marketers – especially in AI-generated content. It can help us understand what our customers are looking for. However, it’s also an area where there’s a lack of understanding, so we’ll also have to build trust in AI.  

4. Screenless Communication 

Voice assistance is the big one here. Start thinking about how you can connect with your customers outside of their screens. This has the potential to revolutionize how we meet customers where they are. 

5. Second-party data 

As we get closer to the depreciation of cookies, the importance and emphasis on second-party data will grow. We’re already thinking about how we get our information today and how we will get our information when we don’t have cookies to rely on. I see second-party data as a key piece in that discussion. 

6. Intent Data 

This isn’t a new one, but it’s here to stay. Use intent data as early in the buying cycle as you can, and bring in as many sources of intent as possible. The more we can learn about how our customers are engaging, the more we can provide what they want and need.  

One thing to keep in mind: your data lifecycle is linked to both your buying cycle and the type of data you have. In general, intent data will have a shorter lifespan while contact and account data will have a longer lifespan. Also, the shorter your buying cycle, the shorter the lifecycle for your data.  

Next Steps 

Read How to Select an Intent Data Provider 
Watch How Video is Redefining B2B