B2B marketing is a technical area that describes the marketing efforts of businesses. This is generally aimed at business owners and managers rather than individual consumers. Data visualization is an important part of B2B marketing because:
- It helps to illustrate complex information in easy-to-understand ways
- Business decision-makers are often very data-driven, so they expect to see charts and graphs in presentations
14 Ways to Use Data Visualization in B2B Marketing
1. Business dashboards
Business dashboards are used to give real-time information on how a business is doing in relation to its competitors, market performance, and costs. Data visualization is the fastest way of displaying this information concisely while still allowing for drill-down (clicking through) to other levels of detail that may be required.
2. Reports and presentations
Businesses are often asked to produce performance reports, which means that data visualization is an essential part of this process. The presentation must always be complete with charts and images that support the conclusions reached in the report.
Only then will it receive the attention it deserves. Data Visualization can be used to explain complex data sets, multidimensional cubes, and other business-related information.
4. Data visualization in marketing campaigns
Businesses rely on marketing campaigns to keep them in the public eye. In many cases, they must show their audience why they are different from competitors and what benefits customers will get from choosing them over others. Data visualization is a particularly useful tool for explaining innovative products or services in ways that consumers can easily understand.
5. Present complex information in visually appealing ways
B2B marketing often involves data analysis and interpretation, so it can be beneficial to use colorful charts and graphs to make it easier for audiences to understand. Business decision-makers are more likely than most consumers to appreciate these visuals because they are used to seeing them at work.
Visuals are often more memorable than words, so they are an excellent way to get information across in a compelling and engaging way. Data visualization techniques such as the Sankey charts can be utilized to simplify information.
6. Showcase the benefits of using your product or service
B2B companies often rely on their websites and marketing collateral for lead generation. Data visualizations show users how products and services can improve their lives in ways that written text can’t.
For example, using a chart with the increase in productivity that comes with an optimized workflow could help your audience understand why they need to make changes and how doing so will improve their businesses.
7. Highlight progress and success
When developing marketing materials for prospects who are still on the fence about purchasing from you, it is important to emphasize how far they have come in their current processes and where improvements can be made.
Data visualizations are a great way to illustrate this information because it gives your audience a broad look at the benefits of working with you rather than a more detailed, step-by-step explanation.
8. Compare yourself to competitors
In many cases, businesses are not sure which of their competitors is the best choice for them. These days, consumers often research several options before making a decision, and they tend to turn to online sources for this information.
Visuals give your audience an overview of the features and benefits offered by each company, so it is easier for them to make comparisons on their own. For example, you can use Sankey diagram to visualize data.
9. Reach prospects
When they are in the research stage, businesses that are thinking of purchasing from you but have not made up their minds can be difficult to reach through traditional marketing efforts, such as social media posts and email blasts. However, data visualizations offer a way to connect with these decision-makers in an interactive way during this critical research phase.
10. Highlight your company’s expertise
Visually illustrating data about your business can give prospects a better idea of how knowledgeable and experienced you are in the B2B world.
When designing visuals, it is important to ensure that they look professional and that the information presented clearly distinguishes you from competitors. You also want to make sure that the data is current and relevant, so you can show customers how far your company has come since its inception.
11. Make statistics more digestible
Many business decision-makers are very numbers-oriented, meaning that they tend to be very comfortable with statistical information. However, this does not mean they enjoy crunching the numbers themselves!
Data visualizations are a great way to present important statistics in an easy-to-understand way. If your audience is interested in seeing raw data, you can always provide it as well.
12. Ask questions rather than make statements
Many business decision-makers have already made up their minds about your company before they even begin researching you. However, you still want to do everything possible to keep these audiences engaged because it can be difficult for them to find what they are looking for if they use generic keywords. Data visualizations can be an excellent way to ask questions that encourage prospects to engage with your website.
13. Encourage social sharing
Your company’s website should be able to generate as many qualified leads as possible. However, this is often challenging because business decision-makers do not always find the information they need on your website.
Data visualizations can encourage these prospects to share your website on their social media profiles, which gives a larger audience a chance to see your data and decide whether or not they want to engage with you as well.
14. Demonstrate ROI
Even though many businesses are very numbers-oriented, not all of them are interested in seeing large amounts of data and statistics on your website. If you do offer this information, make sure that it does not overshadow other important elements such as mission statements and contact information. Data visualizations can be a great way to clearly demonstrate how your company is helping customers achieve their goals.
Conclusion
Visualization is an increasingly popular and effective way to bring data and statistics to life. Pairing words with visuals can help your audience understand what you’re saying and encourage action, leading to stronger relationships with your customers and better results for your business as a whole.
The benefits of using visual aids such as charts, graphs, infographics, or videos are becoming more apparent, so it is important to follow the best practices above to make sure that you are taking full advantage of this medium.
