B2B Marketing News: How B2B Events Are Changing, Consumers Switch Brands During Pandemic, & New B2B Micro-Segmentation Data

Study: Most Americans Permanently Changing Brands During Pandemic
45 percent of U.S. consumers have switched at least one brand preference during the global heath crisis, and some 62 percent believe that their brand change will become permanent — two of several items of interest to digital marketers in recently-released survey data. MediaPost

How microsegmenting boosts B2B conversion rates
Micro-segmentation helps both B2B sellers and customers, with better conversion rates and more relevant customer experiences, with some 68 percent of B2B buyers noting that it’s important for vendors to present relevant content throughout the buying cycle without having to rely on salespeople, according to recently-released Forrester report data. Digital Commerce 360

Gartner Identifies Five Technologies to Drive More Agile and Scalable Advertising Capabilities for Marketers
The digital advertising trends having the most impact on the industry have been outlined in Gartner’s latest annual Hype Cycle for Digital Advertising 2020 report, showing the rise of Advanced Supply-Side Bidding (ASSB), Identity Resolution (IDR) and other areas of interest to digital marketers. MarTech Series

Facebook Releases New Web Collage App via its Experimental NPE Team
Facebook’s New Product Experimentation (NPE) test-bed team has launched an experimental image display app called E.gg, offering a throwback look for modern photo collages that could eventually bring marketers new visual display opportunities, the social media giant recently announced. Social Media Today

What Types of Content Generate Leads That Convert?
Marketers generate the most lead conversions by utilizing online content that incorporates video, which was seen as the most effective format by 41 percent of marketers, followed by webinars at 36 percent, and original research at 36 percent, topping the list of newly-released survey data of interest to digital marketers. MarketingCharts

LinkedIn Provides More Tips for Virtual Events in New Guide Book
Microsoft-owned LinkedIn (client) has published new insight into using its LinkedIn Live and Events features, including marketing survey data showing that some 69 percent of marketers find it challenging to make the move to virtual events, the firm recently announced in conjunction with the launch of its second-ever events guide. Social Media Today

Infographic: Consumers Want to See More Brands in the Esports Realm
Today’s consumers would like to find more brands including e-sports in their campaign efforts, with 72 percent saying that would like to see brands that are savvy enough to use the medium’s fast-paced conversation. The gaming industry is the most dominant media channel for Gen Z and millennials, and is expected to top $1.5 billion in brand spending, according to recently-released infographic data. Adweek

Zenith: Global Ad Spend Projected To Drop 9.1% This Year
Overall global advertising spending for 2020 is expected to fall by 9.1 percent, while digital ad spend is forecast to see only a 2 percent decrease, with digital accounting for more than half of global ad spend, according to recently-released Zenith report data. MediaPost

Facebook Tests New Page Design Which De-Emphasizes Like Counts
Facebook has begun testing pages that don’t include page like buttons, instead placing focus on having users follow pages. The expanded test, which has been limited to certain public figures, has now also been implemented for some business pages, the firm recently announced. Social Media Today

How COVID-19 Is Affecting the B2B Exhibition Industry
73 percent of B2B event organizers have had to cancel a physical event because of the pandemic, and 81 percent have begun providing virtual alternatives, according to recently-released survey data of interest to digital marketers. MarketingProfs

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE:

A lighthearted look at “multicultural marketing” by Marketoonist Tom Fishburne — Marketoonist

Street Artists Reimagine Classic Ralph Lauren Polo Shirt for AR-Enabled Murals — Adweek

TOPRANK MARKETING & CLIENTS IN THE NEWS:

• TopRank Marketing — Is B2B Influencer Marketing Effective During A Crisis? — Tribal Impact
• TopRank Marketing — 33 of the Best Social Media Marketing Blogs of 2020 — HubSpot
• Joshua Nite — Shake Up Your Business Strategies with These Community Suggestions — Small Business Trends
• Lee Odden — C-Suite Marketing Episode 5: Lee Odden of TopRank Marketing [Podcast] — ITSMA / SoundCloud
• Lee Odden — B2B Influencer Marketing — Evans on Marketing

Have you come across your own favorite B2B content marketing or digital advertising stories from the past week of news? Please let us know in the comments below.

Thanks for joining us, and please return again next Friday for another collection of the most relevant B2B and digital marketing industry news. In the meantime, you can follow us at @toprank on Twitter for even more timely daily news. Also, don’t miss the full video summary on our TopRank Marketing TV YouTube Channel.

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