B2B marketing has never been a walk in the park, but 2025 brings new twists to the game. Buyers are savvier, committees are bigger, and getting noticed is tougher. At the recent B2B Marketing Expo, Oban’s Suzie Oakford and Chloe McKenna shared insights to help marketers tackle these challenges head-on. Forget buzzwords and vague advice – here are practical steps that will actually help.
The changing face of B2B buying
B2B buying has transformed into a multi-layered journey, driven by more diverse decision-makers, shifting buyer demographics, and a deluge of information. Understanding these changes is essential to stay ahead:
- Larger buying groups: B2B buying decisions are rarely simple, with solutions typically involving 6–10 stakeholders, who each bring to the table up to five pieces of information they’ve gathered independently, according to Gartner. Each conducts independent research and may never meet, yet all influence the final decision. Messaging must address varied priorities. For IT managers, does your product integrate with existing systems to save time or automate updates to reduce oversight? For CFOs, does it offer transparent reporting or forecasting tools to simplify budgeting? For marketing leads, can it scale campaigns globally without extra staff or link activity directly to revenue? Specific answers connect far better than generic promises.
- The rise of younger buyers: According to Global Web Index, nearly two-thirds of B2B buyers are aged 21–40 – a generation accustomed to searching for everything online. They value autonomy and aren’t keen on traditional sales pitches. Your website, blogs, and customer reviews might do more heavy lifting than your sales team. Easy to digest, authentic, and transparent content will win trust.
- The power of brand familiarity: Younger buyers are 59% more likely to choose brands they already know, according to Global Web Index. If they’ve never heard of you, you’re invisible before the research even begins. Building recognition early is the only way to get on the shortlist.
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5 strategies for global lead generation
Given this landscape, it’s not enough to cast a wide net and hope for the best – B2B lead generation demands precision and a clear understanding of your audience. Here are five practical ways to stay ahead:
1) Map the customer journey in detail
Not every stakeholder in the buying process cares about the same things. A procurement officer will look at costs and contracts, while a tech lead might focus on product compatibility. Do your homework:
- Interview past clients to understand the pain points at every level of decision-making.
- Create messaging that directly addresses each role. Adjust your messaging and content for each stage of the buyer’s journey, making sure every touchpoint is relevant to the challenges they face at that stage.
Example: A case study might work wonders for the procurement team, but a white paper explaining ROI in plain terms might win over the CFO.
Source: “B2B Discovery to Devotion” Study – Google and Bain & Company
2) Prioritise brand visibility early
The harsh truth? 90% of buyers shortlist brands before they even begin detailed research, according to Google & Bain (2022). If you’re not visible early, you’re not considered at all.
- Be bold: Challenger brands can’t rely on reputation, so invest in stand-out campaigns that push your name to the forefront. Use humour, creative visuals, or unexpected angles to grab attention.
- Blend brand and acquisition messaging: LinkedIn data shows users exposed to both are six times more likely to convert. Upper-funnel activities like video ads or thought-leadership content build trust, making potential customers more receptive to your performance campaigns later.
- Use a media mix: Combine brand-building efforts with performance formats like retargeting to maximise conversions.
Pro tip: Don’t just promote your brand at industry events – own the space. Sponsor sessions, offer workshops, or create content hubs that attendees can access year-round.
3) Adapt to evolving search behaviours
Search engine results aren’t just text links anymore; they’re crowded with carousels, video snippets, FAQs, and maps. If you’re not optimising for these features, you’re handing leads to competitors.
- Leverage rich media: High-quality visuals and structured data make your content more likely to appear in prominent SERP features.
- Think local: Your global campaign might flop in Germany if you’re not ranking for the exact terms German buyers use. Localised SEO is no longer optional – it’s a must.
- Do keyword research in each language: Don’t rely on translating English keyword lists. Search behaviours differ across languages and regions. Identifying terms native speakers actually use will ensure your content ranks effectively.
Example: A company targeting German buyers should focus on terms like “effiziente Logistiklösungen” rather than simply translating “logistics solutions” from English.
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4) Use AI thoughtfully
AI is a powerful tool, but it’s only as effective as the strategy behind it. Used wisely, it can help you work smarter, not harder:
- AI insights: Use AI to crawl forums, review sites, and social platforms to identify the most frequently asked consumer questions. This intelligence can guide your content and SERP strategies.
- Content optimisation: Use AI-driven insights to inform your content creation process, ensuring it aligns with search opportunities and audience needs.
- Improved relevancy: AI enhances onsite content relevance, improving your ability to drive better results by targeting what your audience genuinely cares about.
- Predictive analytics: Identify patterns in customer data to predict who’s ready to buy, allowing you to focus your resources where they’ll have the biggest impact.
- Sentiment analysis: Use AI-powered social listening tools to understand how your audience feels about key topics, enabling you to fine-tune your messaging to resonate.
Warning: While AI is a great enabler, it shouldn’t replace human insight. Buyers still value authentic interactions and personalised approaches that demonstrate a deep understanding of their specific challenges.
5) Rethink how you measure success
Traditional metrics like clicks and impressions no longer capture the complexity of modern B2B buyer journeys. To understand what truly drives conversions, adopt more nuanced measurement approaches:
- Cohort analysis: Track groups of leads over time to identify conversion timelines, key touchpoints, and patterns by industry or role. For example, tech leads might favour demo videos, while CFOs respond to ROI calculators.
- Beyond clicks: Evaluate visibility in SERP features (People Also Ask, video carousels) and engagement depth (time on content, downloads). These metrics show influence beyond direct clicks.
- Revenue impact: Combine marketing data with sales results to understand which content or campaigns attract valuable leads. Use attribution models to improve your strategies based on what moves prospects through the sales funnel. A full-funnel strategy is key to effective lead generation, making sure efforts at each stage work together to guide prospects toward conversion.
Pro tip: Focus on business-critical metrics like customer acquisition cost (CAC) and pipeline velocity for a clear link between marketing efforts and organisational success.
The local advantage in global campaigns
Global campaigns fail when they treat international markets as one-size-fits-all. What works in the UK may flop in Japan. Subtle differences in language, tone, or design can make or break your success.
- Invest in local insights: Partner with Local In-Market Experts who understand what works in their market. For example, in Germany, detailed product spec sheets and white papers may carry more weight than short-form social media ads, as buyers often prioritise technical precision and in-depth information.
- Test and learn: Run small-scale campaigns in new regions before committing a large budget.
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Ready for 2025?
The year ahead will demand smarter strategies, sharper tools, and a clearer focus on what your buyers really want. Success lies in crafting campaigns that resonate with the right people, at the right time, in the right way. Want to discuss how to apply these ideas to your business? Contact Oban today, and let’s make your 2025 a standout year for B2B lead generation.
Further reading:
Oban International is the digital marketing agency specialising in international expansion.
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