5 Key Shifts in B2B Marketing Every Brand Should Know

1. Building Brand Through Social & Community Engagement

Traditionally, B2B marketing prioritized email and SEO over community or social media branding. But now, B2B companies are recognizing the value of demand-generation channels (such as social media, podcasts, YouTube, and community platforms) to create a lasting brand impact.

With the rise of short-form content, social platform usage is on the rise, and it's crucial to remember that B2B audiences consist of individuals within corporations. Investing in social media and community channels can help raise awareness among potential customers from the very beginning of their buying journey.

For B2B, these demand-generation channels are less about immediate conversions and more about establishing industry authority and building trust. Monitoring metrics like reach and engagement—once dismissed as "vanity metrics"—has become essential for tracking early-stage content performance. Rather than measuring the number of leads, many B2B marketers now focus on reach and engagement as indicators of their content’s effectiveness in building demand.

TALENTism can support B2B brands in expanding their social and community presence, creating content strategies that reach target audiences on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and niche communities.

 

2. Influencer Marketing in B2B: The New Normal

Influencer marketing has become mainstream, not only for B2C brands but also for B2B. Historically associated with consumer goods, influencer partnerships are now becoming a tool for B2B companies to humanize their brand and expand their reach.

Working with influencers allows B2B companies to make their brand more approachable and relevant, especially given that B2B social accounts tend to have lower engagement. While direct product placements are challenging in B2B, companies can leverage influencer partnerships by inviting them as speakers at events, featuring them in webinars, or having them create value-driven content.

Collaborating with influencers to share industry insights—without necessarily mentioning products—can effectively build brand awareness. For B2B, it’s crucial to focus not only on who the influencer is but also on what content they’re sharing.

TALENTism can connect B2B companies with relevant influencers in the Korean market, building trusted partnerships that align with brand values and creating content strategies to engage local B2B audiences.

 

3. From Executives to Employees: Everyone’s Involved

With the rise of “employee influencers,” or "employees as influencers," B2B brands are embracing Employee Advocacy. Employees share content on their personal accounts, increasing reach and adding credibility. Employee Advocacy leverages individual voices, enabling companies to reach larger audiences without paid advertising.

Corporate social accounts typically reach only about 5% of followers organically, while employee-shared content often achieves higher engagement. Having employees share company updates from personal accounts not only enhances reach but also builds trust by adding a human touch.

TALENTism can help design Employee Advocacy programs that encourage Korean employees to become brand advocates, training teams to share brand-aligned content on their social channels for maximum reach and impact.

 

4. Video Content: Establishing Thought Leadership

LinkedIn's recent shift to a TikTok-style video feed and search capabilities for video content signals a new trend: video (especially short-form) is now central to B2B marketing. Companies are repurposing long webinars into short videos, with executives and subject-matter experts presenting insights to establish thought leadership.

The goal is to engage without overtly pushing for conversions, building brand presence through authentic, relatable video content. This trend is particularly relevant as potential customers increasingly prefer consuming quick, digestible content.

TALENTism can produce short-form videos for Korean platforms and audiences, helping brands effectively convey thought leadership in a culturally relevant manner.

 

5. Hybrid Models: Merging ABM and Demand Generation

Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is the foundation of B2B marketing, focusing resources on a defined set of high-value accounts. However, companies risk missing other potential customers not included in ABM lists. To address this, B2B companies are adopting hybrid models that combine ABM with demand generation (demand gen).

In hybrid models, ABM focuses on key accounts, while demand generation raises broader brand awareness. This integrated approach allows marketing and sales teams to share data effectively, optimizing results across both strategies.

 

TALENTism helps international B2B companies execute hybrid ABM and demand generation strategies tailored to the Korean market, leveraging local insights to ensure maximum reach and relevance.

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