Skip to main content

Online Channel Aids Tech Buyer Facilitation


Last year was the first time trade shows -- or face-to-face media -- surpassed business publications in share of total revenue. The emphasis on socialization -- and social media -- is growing for digital media, according to the latest market assessment by eMarketer.

Their "B2B Marketing Online" report tracks the tectonic shifts that are shaking up the once solid and predictable world of long, complicated sales cycles.

Of course, reaching the ultimate decision maker is still the key goal, but marketers also need to target researchers, technical advisers and negotiators at every stage of the buyer facilitation process.

In addition, online search-based research clearly plays a major role for buyers in every phase of the purchase process, and social media -- such as blogs, wikis, social networks -- are being consulted as well.

eMarketer projects that in 2008, U.S. B2B online advertising spending will increase almost 19 percent, to $5.2 billion. I believe that the technology marketing sector will continue to be the benefactor of this key trend.

That said, the corporate skills shortage in search engine optimization (SEO) and paid search will likely continue to be supplemented by online channel vendors, contractors and consultants. Online marketing expertise should be mainstreamed into every technology marketer's talent pool, but that's rarely been the case.

Popular posts from this blog

How AI is Reshaping Business Communication

The typical customer engagement model is undergoing a dramatic transformation, driven by the convergence of Conversational AI, Generative AI  (GenAI), and an emerging technology called Agentic AI. As business leaders seek to automate and enhance their customer interactions, these technologies are creating new possibilities for more natural, contextual, and efficient communication at scale. The numbers tell a compelling story. According to Juniper Research's latest analysis, the conversational AI market is poised for substantial growth. Revenue is projected to surge from $14.6 billion in 2025 to over $23 billion by 2027. Artificial Intelligence Market Development The vendors in this industry are expected to generate a remarkable $57 billion globally over the next three years. This growth reflects the increasing enterprise adoption of AI-powered communication solutions across various sectors. What's particularly interesting is the regional distribution of this market. The Far Ea...