Tap Blogging

When I think about social media marketing, especially for B2B, I’m reminded of words of wisdom from one of my favorite bands: The more you try to shave the cat The more the thing will bite and scratch It’s best, I think, to leave its fur And listen to its silky purr Some people like to make life a little tougher than it is. — Cake, Tougher than It Is (Seriously, give it a listen, it’s a bop). How does this apply to B2B social media marketing? Well, marketers, we’ve been trying to shave that particular cat for a decade.  The Problem with Most B2B Social Media Marketing The goal of a social media site is to keep people on the platform — reading, commenting, interacting, infinitely scrolling. Meanwhile, marketers are trying to get people off the social media platform. We create blog posts, white papers, assets of every flavor, and post links to social media. We want social to be a gateway to our content. And as we work at cross purposes, social media algorithms bit...

How can small businesses work together with big clients and form powerful partnerships that make good things happen? For our third season of Break Free B2B Marketing video interviews , we’re featuring conversations with leading B2B influencers, and examining the issues that each subject matter expert is influential about in their specialized industry. 2020 was a difficult year for business owners, and 2021 hasn't quite been the return to normal many had envisioned. In 2020 profits were down, stress was up, and everyone was questioning how they were going to not only survive, but thrive, in the coming year. These worries were more real for small business owners than anyone else. After all, when you own a small business, you’re not afforded the same protections or options that larger companies might have. You have to be smart, adaptable, and relentless in your pursuit of your goals. Nobody understands this struggle better than Ramon Ray , founder of Smart Hustle Media. In fact, he’...

Looking for inspiration and new insight to forge new B2B marketing success as we drive ahead to 2022? Today is National Book Lovers Day, and to celebrate the occasion we’re taking a look at 10 forthcoming or recently-published books that offer an array of fascinating tactics, tips, case studies, and other insight from some of the industry’s top business marketers and subject matter experts. Let’s turn the page and jump right in for #NationalBookLoversDay. 1 — RE:Think Innovation: How the World's Most Prolific Innovators Come Up with Great Ideas that Deliver Extraordinary Outcomes Carla Johnson Leap Advisor, Demand Spring Carla’s new book, “ RE:Think Innovation: How the World's Most Prolific Innovators Come Up with Great Ideas that Deliver Extraordinary Outcomes ,” offers a wealth of insights that are certain to inspire B2B marketers. Carla also shared some of her content marketing predictions in our annual “ Top B2B Marketers Share their Content Marketing Predictions for 2...

LinkedIn Acquires Tutorial Video App Jumprope as it Looks to Expand its Creator Tools Microsoft-owned LinkedIn (client) has acquired video tutorial creation app firm Jumprope, with the array of creator tools from the acquisition set to help enhance LinkedIn Learning and other areas of the professional social media platform, the company recently announced. Social Media Today Google parent Alphabet reaches record quarterly revenue, profit in ad boom Google and its parent firm Alphabet saw an especially strong 70 percent increase in advertising revenue during the second quarter of 2021, the company recently disclosed. That equates to some $560 million is advertising revenue per day during the quarter, and a year-over-year increase of 62 percent, rebounding from the firm’s only revenue decline a year ago due to the global health crisis. Reuters 3 in 4 B2B Marketers Are Planning Hybrid Events — Here Are Their Perceived Challenges Providing digital events as good as in-person ones is ...

How can B2B marketers adapt to the latest changes in search engine marketing? Google, Bing, and other search engines have continued to refine their services, bringing changes that B2B marketers need to be aware of. Holding the dual roles of the world’s most popular search engine and its biggest search advertising provider, Google and its parent company Alphabet saw an especially strong 70 percent increase in advertising revenue during the second quarter of 2021 , the firms recently disclosed . That equates to some $560 million is advertising revenue per day during the quarter, and a year-over-year increase of 62 percent, rebounding from the firm’s only revenue decline a year ago due to the global health crisis. Search advertising revenue alone rose by 68 percent and accounted for some $38.8 billion during the reporting period, making it as clear as ever that paid search ads continue to be used as an important part of the marketing strategies of both B2C and B2B firms. The recently-re...

Shattered world records. Nail-biting competition. Limitless sportsmanship. The Olympic Games are a sight to behold. via GIPHY While we had to wait a little longer for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, they’re still captivating audiences with competition that pushes the limits of athletes and of humans. As a long-time spectator of the games, however, I’ve found that some of the most memorable Olympic moments hold real-life lessons and even happen outside of the competition floor. Already at these Olympic Games, I’ve taken note of several moments that are unforgettable in life and in work. Especially as a marketing project manager, where we often have to coach our team members, I’ve learned several lessons from the first week of competition. To learn what those lessons are and how they can impact your marketing projects, read on. Lesson #1 — It’s okay to say, “no.” Simone Biles, the GOAT ?, shocked the world when she pulled out of the women’s artistic gymnastics team final. And shocked us ag...

Diminishing organic social reach, distrust of brand marketing and information overload makes reaching and engaging today's B2B buyer harder than ever. On top of that, the major changes brought by the pandemic have created new challenges and opportunities for B2B companies to better attract and engage customers in meaningful ways. Out of the pandemic and the shift to digital first go-to-market approaches for B2B companies, Influencer Marketing has emerged as one of the most effective ways to connect with customers to create better experiences. Despite substantial growth in the discipline from best practices to software, many B2B brands are still experimenting or simply don't know how to identify, engage and activate influencers. As I've talked with prospective clients and my own team, many B2B marketers see the value in working with influencers to drive credible conversations and content about topics that customers care about. They simply don't have enough information...