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Guide to Web-Based B2B Lead
Generation Programs
Related pages
The most common
types of Internet advertising and online B2B lead generation
programs include:
The goal in all
cases is to make it easy for your prospects to find you when
they are looking for a solution to a problem that your
product or service provides, then guide them through the
process from information-gathering to purchase.
Research shows that 75-80% of B2B buyers and influencers
use the Internet to find information about vendors rather
than responding to outbound efforts.
Search Engine
Marketing
Two programs dominate search engine marketing (SEM)—Google
AdWords and
Yahoo Sponsored Search. Also known as pay-per-click (PPC)
advertising, both programs work similarly. See
Best Practices in Search
Engine Marketing to discover how to get the best ROI and
B2B lead generation results from search marketing campaigns.
Internet
Advertising Networks
These networks serve ads through networks of popular content
partner sites. At the simplest level, if you’re already
running a search engine
marketing campaign with Google AdWords, you can extend
your ads to their content network in your campaign settings.
There are also dozens of more sophisticated options
available. These networks serve ads in basic text and rich
media formats across networks of highly-trafficked partner
sites.
White Paper
Syndication Services
White papers remain the leading form of thought-leadership
content distribution, and among the most productive forms of
B2B lead generation. Syndication services make your white
papers available on their own highly optimized sites as well
as across leading technology publisher websites, and also
promote your content by email to their large opt-in
registration lists.
Email Marketing
Despite their best efforts (“worst efforts” may be more
appropriate), spammers, phishers and virus-producers haven’t
completely obliterated the effectiveness of email as a
legitimate marketing tool—but they
have made responsible email marketing efforts more
difficult. For example, many corporate email systems now
routinely block HTML images, so it’s critical to send
messages that are effective in both plain text and HTML
formats. They also frequently block attachments from
unfamiliar sources, so avoid the use of attached files
unless the recipient is expecting these.
There are several ways to use email for marketing,
including:
-
Sending
periodic messages or an internal
email
newsletter to your house list
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Sending
promotional email blasts to rented lists
-
Advertising
in popular industry trade publication email newsletters
Webcasts and Podcasts
Webcasts—also referred to as
webinars—and podcasts are
alternative vehicles for delivering thought leadership
content. Use a webcast to present long pieces of information
with an important visual component. Podcasts are a better
format for interviews, short content items, or white paper
promotion. For more about producing and using webcasts and
podcasts, see the Overview of Webcasting and Podcasting.
Related pages:
Higher
level:
How to
Develop a Web Marketing Plan
Peer pages:
How to Create an Effective
Business Blog
Best Practices
in Blog Marketing
Search Engine Optimization Basics
How to Write
Effective Email Newsletters
Interactive PR
Lower level:
Best Practices in Search
Engine Marketing
Overview of
Webcasting and Podcasting
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