Understanding the Differences Between B2B and B2C Marketing

When it comes to digital marketing, there are two main types of businesses: B2B (business-to-business) and B2C (business-to-consumer). While many of the same strategies and tactics are used in both B2B and B2C marketing, they are applied in different ways. It is true that the cost of a sale for the B2B market can be more expensive than the B2C market, but that doesn't mean success is more elusive or expensive than it is for our friends in the B2C world. The easiest way to explain the differences between B2B and B2C marketing is that a B2B transaction often requires more consideration, involves more people, and requires more decision makers.

The buying cycle can be much longer than for B2C. While this doesn't mean that quick decisions and impulse purchases don't happen, B2B customers often form much deeper emotional connections with a brand. At the top of the conversion funnel, a B2C marketer must be able to create influential ads that give the consumer the need for a product. On the other hand, B2B marketing focuses on building personal relationships and providing educational content.

You can use industry jargon or business-friendly terms. Think of a complex article about how to combine data points along the customer journey. Once you understand these five key differences, you can take advantage of certain tactics that only apply to B2B or B2C companies. In B2B, you tend to have longer sales cycles and therefore need to be nurtured for a longer period of time before a sale is made.

It doesn't matter if Vanessa deals with other companies in her role as CMO (B2B) or buys new hiking shoes for summer (B2C), she wants to be approached as a person. Because of this, B2B companies often use social media and content marketing to keep in touch with their current or past customers, to keep them in mind for another project or a reference. This isn't always straightforward, of course, sometimes there's overlap, but these differences between B2B and B2C search marketing are significant. As B2B marketers, understanding your audience can help you understand the decision-making process that can apply to them. If you're not sure how to structure your marketing budget, Marketo has a good high-level B2B budget that can help you allocate your funds in the right areas.