B2B Marketing Channels: Which Ones to Invest In

Deciding which B2B marketing channels to invest in can be a daunting and overwhelming task for sales and marketing teams. Marketing channels are constantly evolving and coinciding with each other. Understandably, we feel uncertain about which one to dedicate a significant amount of time, effort, and dollars to.

These channels facilitate the efficient fulfillment marketing of goods and services from businesses to other businesses. They serve not only as conduits for transactions but also as important touchpoints for building and maintaining relationships between suppliers and their corporate customers.

Effective use of marketing channels in B2B contexts can enhance market coverage, improve supply chain efficiency, and enable businesses to better understand and meet the unique demands of their professional clientele, ultimately leading to increased sales and sustained business growth.

Using tools like Google Analytics is crucial for measuring and optimizing these channels.

Here, we’ll cover fifteen B2B marketing channels you need to consider for your business, how they work, what they produce, and some advice on using them effectively.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

It is important to select the right marketing channels based on your industry, target audience, and available resources.
Digital B2B channels are increasingly favored due to their cost-effectiveness, wide reach, and the valuable analytics they provide.
The diverse range of channels and the emphasis on digital platforms reflect the dynamic nature of the marketing landscape, requiring businesses to stay adaptable and continuously evolve their strategies.

What are B2B Marketing Marketing Channels and Why You Need Them

B2B marketing channels are the pathways through which businesses market and sell their products or services to other businesses.

Some examples of companies that offer services online and employ B2B marketing efforts include Software as a Service (Saas) companies, wholesalers, cyber security firms, tools and accessories vendors, and many more.

Understanding and leveraging the right mix of B2B marketing channels is crucial for businesses looking to reach and engage their target business customers effectively.

Here are the top 15 B2B marketing channels that are shaping the future of B2B marketing, reflecting emerging trends and technologies:

Social Media Marketing
Webinars and Online Events
Content Marketing
Video Marketing
Email Marketing
Omni-channel Marketing
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Word of Mouth Marketing (WOMM)
Influencer Marketing
Offline and Local Advertising
Pay Per Click (PPC) Advertising
Display Advertising
Podcast Marketing
Partnership Marketing
Community Building

Digital B2B marketing channels are no longer optional for businesses relying on online sales.

That’s not to say that offline methods, in-person sales, and local or distributed marketing are dead. Far from it, these marketing channels are alive and well, as we’ll discuss below.

However, digital B2B marketing channels are now a requirement to compete in international market that’s becoming more global by the day.

Digital marketing channels offer several benefits over offline channels. First, they tend to be more cost-effective. Putting boots on the ground, buying billboard space, taking the time and money to print and disperse fliers, and other traditional advertising methods are expensive.

SEO and social media are often entirely free to set up and require only a fraction of the time.

Another benefit of utilizing digital channels is reach. Digital marketing and advertising can potentially reach millions of potential clients worldwide overnight.

Now, let’s cut to the case and get to know the channels that will be your marketing allies.

15 Intelligent B2B Marketing Channels for Your Business

When going through the list of digital and offline marketing channels below, consider which might appeal most to your target audience and which ones you can most execute effectively.

For instance, an instructional YouTube series may be popular with your client base but delivers the same sales results as a paid ad campaign that requires a fraction of the time and effort.

Long-term planning, content calendars, extensive user research, marketing strategy, and an in-depth understanding of your chosen B2B marketing channels are essential for success. This guide can be a starting point and introduction to B2B digital marketing.

Social media influence 84% of C-level and VP-level buyers during their purchasing decisions. This underscores the critical role social media plays in reaching and persuading top-tier business decision-makers

These social platforms offer a powerful digital marketing channel through an ever-expanding network of users worldwide. In fact, research shows the average daily usage is over two hours a day for more than half the world’s population. Social media channels allow you to generate awareness for your brand and market directly to your target audience.

Brands have been using social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and YouTube to generate awareness since the inception of these digital platforms. Every year, social media marketing proves to be a viable, if not a necessary, means to attract clients.

SAP tailored its social media strategy to the Latin American market by consolidating its social accounts to deliver a more focused message. This approach led to a 900% increase in fans and followers and a significant 17% interaction rate across the region.

Digital marketing through social media platforms means using these platforms for brand building, establishing a following, forming relationships, and generating sales.

Posts, paid ads, paid search, promotional content, interactive content, search engine optimization, and many other methods all constitute different means of social media marketing.

Connecting with prospective clients to generate leads is a typical result of social media marketing.

Companies interested in leveraging social media marketing would do well to invest time and effort into segmenting their audience, consistently posting relevant content as part of a content plan, and using social media in tandem with content marketing. When executed effectively, social media marketing is one of the best channels for lead generation.

2. Website Marketing

Webinars are powerful tools for lead generation and lead nurturing. 73% of B2B marketers have experience getting high-quality leads during the event, and 48% agree they yield better results in lead nurturing initiatives.

Webinars also have a significant conversion potential, with communication webinars achieving the highest conversion rate at 67.05%, followed by training and marketing webinars.

Virtual events allow B2B companies to address the shifts in buyer behavior, where a significant portion of the buying process is completed online by consuming content.

They serve as a platform for thought leadership, providing an interactive environment to educate and engage with potential buyers, influencers, and existing customers.

Best Practices for Hosting Webinars and Online Events

Timing and scheduling must be intentional. Tuesdays are optimal for sending out invitations, whereas Thursdays are the best days to host webinars, with the prime times being in the afternoon, around 2, 3, and 4 p.m., to accommodate various time zones.
The duration of the webinar also affects attendance and engagement. While attendees prefer 30 to 45-minute webinars, longer sessions can attract more registrations and are suitable for in-depth training or presentations.
Engaging content is key. Webinars that are overly marketing-focused tend to deter attendees, with 78% of buyers being put off by content that is too product-oriented.

The strategic use of webinars can significantly broaden their application beyond lead generation to include audience development, thought leadership, and relationship building.

Integrating online events into a cohesive content marketing strategy can unlock new opportunities for engagement and brand awareness, contributing to a more robust and effective marketing approach.

3. Content Marketing

HubSpot reports that 82% of marketers are actively investing in content marketing. Blogs and other forms of content can result in connection points throughout every part of the buying journey or sales funnel.

Content marketing refers to providing your audience with informative and engaging content for different sales funnel levels. For example, some articles may be targeted at the top of the funnel, build your brand, and gain website traffic from potential customers.

High-conversion articles may be targeted lower down the funnel or toward the end of the buying cycle to generate leads or close a sale.

Google Analytics can help identify high-traffic content that can be repurposed across various platforms.

A key aspect of B2B content marketing is understanding the buying process, which is often non-linear and involves multiple stakeholders, each performing distinct roles such as problem identification, solution exploration, and consensus creation, among others.

This complexity necessitates a deep content repository to satisfy every possible question or concern that might arise.

To achieve success in content marketing, it’s important to play the long game to see the digital marketing ROI that makes content marketing so valuable. According to the Content Marketing Institute, most successful B2B marketers have a documented content marketing strategy.

Extensive user research, strategic content, and following a content calendar are all markers for successful content marketing.

Content marketing tools pair well with other digital marketing efforts, such as SEO, website landing pages, and social media marketing.

Please refer to these guides for more information and techniques you may need in building your content strategy:

4. Video Marketing

HubSpot reports that video marketing was the primary channel developed in 2021. Video marketing, such as through social media platforms like YouTube, allows companies to build their brand and deliver information in the form of video content.

YouTube alone provides over one billion hours of new video content every day. In addition, other social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and others have incorporated their video services within the platform.

When we mention video marketing, we’re referring to delivering informational content, brand building, attaining followers on social media, lead generation, advertising products, and services, expanding social media presence, and offering instructions.

Video marketing comes in many forms and should be viewed broadly. Understanding how your target audience likes to consume content at different buying cycle stages is vital.

More than any other digital channel, video marketing allows brands to connect in a very human way. This is extremely important for goods and services that require a significant amount of trust, such as for doctors and coaches.

Video marketing can be combined with other digital marketing methods like paid ads or blog articles through embedding the video. Most importantly, if using a platform with a massive number of users, like YouTube, posting consistent and strategic content is necessary to gain a steady flow of followers that may convert into clients.

5. Email Marketing

The Content Marketing Institute named email as one of the top three B2B marketing channels of 2021. Email marketing provides a pipeline between companies and clients that delivers communication, content, and transactions.

Using email as a form of private, person-to-person communication is nothing new. However, neither is using email marketing to promote products and services.

Email marketing means using email to interface with potential and current clients. Each phase is part of the buying cycle, whether it’s to send informational content, special promotions, or deliver a service directly.

Email marketing is primarily conversion-focused. It converts prospective customers into recurring customers.

Recommendations for executing a successful email campaign include planning, marketing strategy, and personalization. Spam, or unwelcome emails, are not only ineffective but detrimental. Additionally, personalizing emails presents an opportunity to tailor the message to the client and build your company’s brand.

6. Omni-channel Marketing

Omni-channel marketing connects companies with clients across various marketing channels. It includes video, email, social media, etc.

While this business strategy is growing in popularity globally, using multiple marketing channels is nothing new. Brands have been using a combination of television ads, print ads, direct mail, and outside sales promotions for a long time.

Getting more specific, omni-channel marketing means repurposing content. For example, suppose you have a podcast, a company social media profile, and a blog on your website. In that case, you don’t necessarily have to create unique marketing content for each channel.

While shared on your website, a blog post can be optimized by the search engine to boost web traffic, promoted on social media, and used as the topic of discussion on a podcast episode.

Omni-channel marketing provides lead generation, traffic, and conversion metrics at every level of the sales funnel. That means gaining traffic in the form of prospective clients and increasing client retention.

7. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Research shows that 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine. SEO connects your company with clients through search engines like Google, DuckDuckGo, Amazon, YouTube, Quora, and any other website or platform that utilizes a search. This includes search results on social media such as LinkedIn and Indeed.

Historically, search engines have provided the dominant form of online traffic through organic search results.

To better understand marketing through search engine optimization, we can define it as the comprehensive efforts to ensure your company’s digital presence conforms to search engines.

Generally, SEO marketing or Search Engine Marketing (SEM) means getting ranked to appear in front of users. That could mean appearing in a Google search as a how-to article or the nearest service to the user.

SEO marketing is popular for gaining traffic. However, its potential for conversion is often overlooked. To better understand how to target different stages of the buying cycle, companies would study the intent behind search results pages or queries to attract the most qualified leads.

According to Ahrefs, over 90% of websites receive no organic traffic at all from Google. Marketing through SEO efforts is a voluminous topic that requires time and dedication to understand. Some important subcategories to explore include keyword research, backlinks, organic search, paid search marketing, on-page and off-page SEO, crawling, and indexing.

8. Word of Mouth Marketing (WOMM)

Word-of-mouth marketing, or WOMM, connects companies with clients through spoken experiences of people in your clients’ social circles. As far as I can tell, it is arguably the oldest form of lead generation, especially for qualified leads, and while it’s not specifically digital, it can be targeted through digital efforts.

Whenever a friend, family member, colleague, or acquaintance promotes knowingly or unknowingly a product or service, there is a higher level of trust present than through other forms of advertising and marketing.

One key method to achieve effective word-of-mouth marketing is through the quality and results produced by the product or service itself. Overall, the customer or client experience determines whether or not word-of-mouth marketing will be employed or not.

Proactive measures to promote word-of-mouth marketing include:

Incentivizing client promotion.
Encouraging user-generated content.
Utilizing hashtags to connect your product or service to a popular shared topic.
Employing reviews and testimonials as social proof on your company’s website.

9. Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing connects companies with clients through the influencers they follow. This typically happens through a celebrity or social media influencer promoting a company, product, or service.

Marketing through influencers has been around for as long as celebrities have, and it is not a strictly digital channel through which to market.

That said, influencer marketing is as strong, if not stronger, than ever. It works because influencers are not only known, liked, and trusted by a great many people. They also represent ideals that many of their viewers aspire to. This is especially true of professional athletes.

Once a company discovers which influencers appeal to its target audience, it strives to deploy a successful outreach marketing strategy. When the company connects with the influencer, compensation and expectations are established.

As I see it, influencer outreach is powerful and desirable because of its impact on the bottom-of-the-funnel strategy. For example, a relatively unknown company that’s struggling for sales can see a large influx of revenue online overnight through an intelligently executed influencer marketing campaign.

10. Offline and Local Advertising

Local marketing done offline helps companies catch the attention of a geographically nearby prospective client base.

It means billboards, fliers, advertising through local businesses, and more.

While not as talked about as other digital channels, local offline marketing offers a unique assortment of benefits. For one, there is an added degree of trust.

A flier in your local cafe doesn’t have the same impact as an ad seen on the internet.

Additionally, a sense of accountability comes with a physical presence.

Local offline marketing comes in many forms and works at every level of the sales funnel, from attracting followers through public speeches to closing sales with door-to-door representatives.

11. Pay Per Click (PPC) Advertising

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertisements are a digital advertising method that most resembles traditional commercial advertising. Typically, the user knows they are engaging with an ad with PPC campaigns.

PPC ads came about before SEO and SEM marketing and before social media platforms existed on the internet. This channel involves an advertisement that users click on, and the advertiser then has to pay for each click. Standard PPC ads are offered by Google, Facebook, and many other platforms.

While it can be expensive, PPC is cheaper than advertising through television. Other benefits include reporting marketing data through analytics and targeting particular audiences.

12. Display Advertising

Display ads refer to text, video, audio, and images that are displayed through various channels, such as websites, email, social media, and other means.

Occasionally display ads come in PPC advertisements, but not necessarily.

Display ads share some strengths with PPC in that they can be targeted at fragmented audiences and report valuable data through analytics.

While not as popular among users who are looking for information or are in the research phase of the buying cycle, direct advertising through display focuses almost exclusively on converting audiences. For that reason, the closer they are to the bottom of the funnel, the more likely they are to produce an ROI.

13. Podcast Marketing

Podcast advertising is a billion-dollar industry according to Statista. It connects companies with clients in a human and versatile way. Users don’t have to be looking at a screen, which means podcasts are listened to during a wider variety of activities.

Over the past decade, audio demand has increased dramatically. Edison Research announced that podcast listeners tune in, on average, to eight podcasts per week. This means great opportunities for companies to connect with clients through their own hosted podcasts or by marketing through influencer podcasts.

Podcast marketing leverages the affinity for storytelling. They can be used to further brand awareness, promote products or services, gain followers, or leverage influencers.

14. Partnership Marketing

Partnership marketing means connecting with other companies or brands in a mutual campaign wherein both brands or companies profit.

It has been around since before digital channels were available and can be a powerful method of expanding your marketing throughout your chosen industry.

This channel is also cost-effective because, typically, costs are shared by both parties. Examples include co-branded content, affiliate marketing, referral programs, product giveaways, sponsored promotions, and charities.

Companies choosing to pursue partnership marketing as a B2B channel are advised to carefully choose who they partner with, set clear expectations and roles, and pay special attention to marketing efforts like attribution.

15. Community Building

According to CMX research, 85% of marketers and community managers believe that having a branded online community improves the customer journey and increases brand trust. This demonstrates the significant impact communities can have on the overall customer experience and perception of a brand.

A compelling example of community building in B2B marketing is the case of the “B2B Leaders in Marketing” community on Guild.

This community, managed by Adam Harper, brought together over 100 active B2B marketing leaders within six months, demonstrating the power of engaging and learning from peers.

The community combined online engagement with quarterly physical meetups, creating a hybrid model that leveraged online and offline interactions to foster stronger connections and more meaningful exchanges among members.

Another insightful case study is Bigbeat Inc., which developed a B2B marketing community through its #BigbeatLIVE events in Tokyo. Starting with an event that attracted 600 registrants, Bigbeat successfully transitioned these participants into an ongoing digital community.

This community continued the conversation online and provided valuable feedback that helped shape future events and marketing strategies. The case illustrates the importance of creating engaging events as the foundation for a thriving community, which becomes a valuable asset for ongoing marketing efforts.

A five-step simple approach to community building:

determine where the community gathers
meet active members
set engagement rules
gather data
define participation guidelines

This framework highlights the necessity of listening and providing value to the community, aligning business goals with community interests, and being open to losing some control to foster genuine engagement and collaboration.

Emerging Trends and Future Channels in B2B Marketing

As B2B marketing continues to evolve, several emerging trends and innovative channels are reshaping how companies engage with their audiences. Staying ahead of these developments can position your brand as a forward-thinking leader.

Here are some of the top trends and channels to watch:

1. AI and Automation in Marketing

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the B2B marketing landscape, particularly in personalization, data analytics, and automation. AI tools now enable marketers to analyze customer data faster and at a deeper level, allowing for highly personalized campaigns. For example, automated chatbots can engage leads 24/7, and AI-driven tools like Jasper or ChatGPT can generate on-brand content at scale. Leveraging AI in your marketing can save time, improve targeting, and enhance the customer journey by delivering tailored content at the right moment.

Quick Tip: Start by integrating AI-driven analytics tools to gain deeper insights into your audience and use this data to refine your content and messaging strategies.

2. Voice Search Optimization

With voice searches on the rise, optimizing for voice queries is becoming essential. Unlike text searches, voice search queries are longer and more conversational, often leading to higher search intent. For B2B marketers, voice search optimization means rethinking SEO strategies to include more natural language and question-based keywords.

Quick Tip: Start creating content that answers common questions directly or use FAQs to address voice search queries. Ensure your website is mobile-optimized, as most voice searches come from mobile devices.

3. Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Technology Enhancements

ABM has been around, but new technologies are making it easier to target and engage high-value accounts more effectively. With tools like HubSpot ABM software and Terminus, businesses can deliver hyper-targeted ads and content specifically crafted for key accounts. These tools offer insights into account behavior, helping B2B marketers adjust their campaigns in real time.

Quick Tip: Evaluate your current CRM and marketing stack for ABM compatibility or explore software specifically designed for ABM to get more precise insights and better control over key account engagement.

4. Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR and AR) for Product Demos

Virtual and augmented reality are starting to become valuable tools for B2B marketing, especially for product demonstrations. By allowing potential clients to experience products in a virtual environment, AR and VR help bridge the gap between digital interactions and real-life experience. For example, a company selling complex machinery might use AR to show how it operates in a real-world setting, enhancing the buyer’s understanding and engagement.

Quick Tip: Experiment with VR or AR tools for your product demos if you have a complex product. Start with simple AR experiences that allow users to view a 3D model of your product on their mobile devices.

5. Social Commerce and Shoppable Content

Social commerce, although more common in B2C, is gaining traction in the B2B space as well. Platforms like LinkedIn are exploring ways to enable direct transactions through their channels. Social commerce allows brands to create shoppable posts and links, shortening the customer journey. For B2B companies, this can mean facilitating immediate downloads, demos, or consultations directly from social platforms.

Quick Tip: Explore LinkedIn’s sponsored content options or consider gated content on your social channels to encourage direct conversions without navigating to an external site.

6. Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility

With increased awareness of sustainability and corporate responsibility, buyers are now considering companies’ environmental and social policies as part of their purchasing criteria. Showcasing your company’s commitment to sustainable practices or corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives can positively influence potential clients.

Quick Tip: Dedicate part of your marketing efforts to promoting your CSR activities. Highlight how your products or processes are sustainable, or showcase your involvement in community support initiatives.

Conclusion

Regardless of which B2B channel or marketing campaign your marketing team or sales team pursues, each requires a thorough understanding of your audience to deliver an ROI.

Different audiences prefer different methods of interfacing with potential clients. It depends on your audience’s psychographics, the industry in question, and the stage of the buying cycle.

Last, when investing in marketing programs, it’s best not to start off spreading yourself too thin. Instead, carefully decide which channel is the most viable, and master it before branching into others.

FAQs

Here are some common questions you may come across when researching B2B marketing.

What Are the Four Types of B2B Markets?

B2B markets include producers, resellers, government, and institutions.
Producers refer to businesses that buy goods and services to produce their products and services.
Resellers buy products and services and resell them for a profit. Resellers include retailers, wholesalers, and brokers.
Governments purchase goods and services from companies and make up a sizable B2B market.
Institutions, such as non-profits, purchase products and services for social purposes.

What Are the 5 Marketing Channels?

Every B2B company should consider investing in the five key channels, which include social media marketing, SEO, email marketing, video marketing, and referral marketing.

What Is a B2B Distribution Channel?

B2B distribution channels refer not to marketing but to channels through which products and services are delivered.
Today, distribution channels are being more and more integrated through ecommerce platforms to provide a more direct, B2C-style, buyer experience.

What is the best marketing channel for B2B marketers?

The best channel for B2B marketers depends on their specific audience, industry, and business goals. However, businesses regard LinkedIn as a highly effective platform due to its professional user base, networking opportunities, and targeted advertising capabilities, making it ideal for lead generation, brand awareness, and content distribution in a business context.