BY Kathy Crosett
Are your accounts struggling to capture audience attention? It’s harder than ever to be heard in our fast-paced economy. If your accounts aren’t reaching out through the right media channel, they might be overlooked. AudienceSCAN data can help with that. And Channel V Media, a public relations firm, contends that your accounts can benefit from a more targeted advertising and PR approach.
How does differentiation lead to visibility?
In their survey of more than 250 marketing executives, Channel V Media finds that businesses are committed to gaining more visibility. To reach their goal, around 78% will increase advertising/marketing to improve their visibility. And 2/3 of these businesses will boost it by 10%.
Visibility is not the only challenge. The surveyed marketers emphasize multiple challenges. While 62% agree on visibility, 60% think they can pull ahead in the marketplace if they differentiate themselves from competitors.
Channel V analysts emphasize that getting audience attention can be “the greatest differentiator.” They point to the success of ChatGPT in the generative AI space. The product was not first in the market. It may not have distinct features. But what it does have is attention. Consumers know the name of that tool.
Which verticals have the most trouble gaining audience attention?
In particular, Channel V Media reports that operators in the professional services vertical find it particularly challenging to gain visibility. The problem is that “customers don’t experience the service…until they’ve brought it, they buy on how value is communicated upfront through marketing.” Professional services firms understand what they’re up against. Research shows that 32% of these firms spend $4M or more on marketing to stand out from the competition.
Analysts also point out a marketplace irony. A “not-great” product can deliver revenue if the brand or company has more attention. This news is not what your accounts want to hear. But it’s an opportunity for you to sell your services to help them increase their attention factor. And this is no easy task in the crowded marketplace.
Which messages stand out in a competitive economy?
25% of surveyed B2B senior decision-makers note that they expect increased competition during the next two years, according to our B2B BuyerSCAN research. And around 14% expect to struggle with a cutback in the advertising/marketing budgets. These realities make the marketing need to capture attention even more critical.
In generating attention, accounts should strive to communicate a specific message. Channel V Media analysts report that B2C companies (64%) strive to “communicate differentiated brand value.” For B2B marketers, the top goal in increased attention is about generating leads (57%).
How businesses are advertising to gain attention
Social media and other digital advertising formats are used by over 70% of B2B advertisers to “get attention.” Public relations is another tactic that 69% of B2B companies turn to. In comparison, only 38% use traditional ads. The strategy comes down to what the marketer believes is the most effective channel is for reaching the target audience.
Ultimately, B2B marketers want the chance for an in-person connection. To increase their chances of making that happen, these businesses turn to SEO (57%) and events (67%).
What are the advertising differences between B2B verticals?
Not every B2B business uses the same media mix. Analysts noticed a significant difference between verticals. For professional services firms, the mix skews to social media (94%), public relations (86%) and digital ads (83%),
But tech industry operators use a slightly different strategy. In this vertical, social media (91%), public relations (87%) and email are the priorities.
How important is video?
Wistia reports that LinkedIn is where 81% of B2B sellers share videos and 62% use paid video ads. These videos are particularly effective in terms of generating audience attention.
What do B2B buyers notice?
How does this effort match with what B2B buyers say they notice? Over 48% of B2B buyers took action after seeing ads on a social network, according to B2B BuyerSCAN. Sponsored search prompted 48% to take action after seeing an ad in the past 30 days.
Other marketing tactics work too. Around 28% of these buyers will give additional consideration to a vendor who sponsors an industry-related event. And 21% take notice when a press release is published.
Summary
Businesses have many ways to generate audience attention — earned, paid and owned media. When these three pieces work together, target audiences notice. The Channel V Media research indicates that when earned media coverage is generated through PR efforts, the following benefits are the result:
- Boosted sales 62%
- Boosted awareness in a new industry 54%
- Generated leads 53%
Work with your accounts to help them increase the attention and new business they’re seeking.
Image by Gustavo Fring on Pexels.
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