Advertising in specialist media: Why the environment influences advertising impact

Advertising is particularly effective in the relevant environments of B2B trade media. SME B2B users visit the websites and digital specialist portals of established specialist media providers almost every day. They inform themselves about specific specialist topics because they consider the content presented there to be relevant. It is therefore a good idea for advertisers to display thematically appropriate advertising in this high-quality environment - especially as website visitors are not disturbed by it. This is the key finding of the latest B2B Media Study for SMEs.

Advertising is better received in relevant environments

70 percent of respondents consider advertising to be more credible if it fits into the thematic context of the respective page and is rather unobtrusive. Whether it succeeds in attracting the attention of visitors also depends on the environment. 65% of study participants are more likely to pay attention to advertising if it fits in with the topic of the page they are visiting at the time.

Accordingly, 79% of users feel more persecuted than informed when advertising and the environment diverge strongly in terms of subject matter. It can be concluded from this that advertising in relevant B2B environments generates greater attention among recipients and is more effective than in a thematically unrelated context.

Role model B2C

To reach the target group of B2B decision-makers, advertisers need to do their homework in advance. It is advisable to use B2C as a guide. Imagine the following situation: Thousands of business customers are camped outside a production hall in the depths of winter. The icy temperatures and physical exertion leave them cold. Because they want to be the first to own the latest generation hydraulic pump. So much for the wishful thinking of B2B companies. But even the most innovative hydraulic pump cannot succeed in causing this kind of behavior. Contrast this with the iPhone, for example. The mere presence of a brand triggers euphoric enthusiasm and products exert such a strong attraction that they become highly coveted objects - a rarity, especially in B2C.

B2B marketing is fundamentally more complicated

Of course, strong company and product brands are also important success factors in B2B. However, it would be a big mistake to rely solely on the appeal of the brand. While a positive corporate image and a certain level of recognition used to guarantee numerous recommendations, B2B companies now have to market themselves. This is not least due to the change in consumers' information behavior. They are very self-determined and more comprehensively informed than ever before.

In addition, marketing in B2B is much more complex than in B2C. On the one hand, the products are less emotionally charged, while on the other, other factors such as high investment sums, lengthy decision-making processes, intense competitive pressure and intense price wars determine the purchasing process. Last but not least, B2B transactions are much riskier than private investments. This is why bad purchases have far-reaching consequences for companies.

It is a widespread misconception that all purchasing decisions are based purely on reason. Advertisers are only too happy to forget that B2B buyers are people with individual needs and ideas. Even if they justify their decisions rationally to the outside world, they are influenced by (unconscious) feelings. Including emotional aspects can therefore be decisive for success when advertising in specialist media.

B2B ads - but the right way!

There are also other aspects that positively influence the success of advertisements in the high-quality environment of specialist media.

• Buyer personaOnly those who know their target group can reach them with the right messages. With the buyer persona concept, companies give their target group a face. A buyer persona as a typical representative of the target group makes potential B2B customers tangible as real people. This makes the buyer persona an ideal basis for creating effective ads and addressing the needs of the target group.
• Corporate websiteB2B prospects have completed around 60 percent of the purchasing process before they contact a provider's sales department. In addition, 80 to 90 percent of all B2B purchases are influenced by website information. This is why a professional website on which prospective customers can find all the important information quickly and easily is a success factor that should not be underestimated.
• Inbound MarketingA well-prepared corporate website is the first step towards effective inbound marketing. With this in mind, B2B companies should provide useful content that helps prospective customers to overcome a specific challenge. In addition to your own website as a content hub, other owned media channels such as blogs and social networks are also important distribution channels.
• Cross-channel marketingIn addition to owned media, paid and earned media channels should not be neglected - in line with a cross-media marketing mix. By using different channels with tailored messages, B2B companies make use of different types of communication. Cleverly combined, cross-channel marketing creates synergy effects with which companies can increase conversion rates.
• Cooperation between marketing and salesIn times of Industry 4.0 and digital sales, the boundaries between marketing and sales are becoming increasingly blurred - also with regard to B2B marketing. In order to attract new prospects and generate more sales with existing customers, marketing and sales must work together professionally.
• CookiesThe ECJ's cookie ruling of October 1, 2019 prohibits the use of all types of cookies unless the user has given their consent. Only technically essential cookies remain permitted - although it is not precisely defined what is meant by "technically essential" or "functionally essential". The following therefore applies: If you want to set cookies, you need the express consent of the user. Pre-selecting the relevant checkbox is not permitted - nor are cookie consent banners, which merely inform users that the website operator is setting cookies. Users who do not wish to click the OK button must leave the website.

Semantic targeting instead of cookies

Semantic targeting is an alternative to the cookie-based display of advertisements. Here, the focus is on the website content: online ads are only displayed in thematically relevant environments. An example: The managing director of a medium-sized mechanical engineering company reads an article about marketing automation and is then shown an ad from a corresponding software provider. It is permitted to display such advertising even without the consent of the person concerned. After all, no cookies are set and no personal data is collected. Semantic targeting also ensures brand safety. As the entire content of a page forms the basis for the publication of an online ad, image-damaging misplacements are de facto impossible. This gives B2B companies the certainty that their campaigns will reach the desired target group and achieve the best possible reach - with optimal use of the budget.