Technology gets smarter every day, and industries across the board are increasingly realizing they need to keep pace.
As a result, B2B marketers are increasingly turning to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). No, they’re no longer tech buzzwords for your latest PowerPoint presentation.
Reaching the right audiences can sometimes feel like throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. But these emerging technologies can help you zero in on potential quality leads, fine-tuning your efforts for maximum impact. Plus, you get to automate all the tedious tasks simultaneously.
This article explores five exciting ways AI and ML impact B2B demand generation. But first, a brief overview.
What is B2B demand generation?
B2B demand generation is geared towards creating (and sustaining) awareness and interest in your products or services among potential customers. It fans the flames of interest and excitement in out-of-market buyers, who constitute the bulk of your target audience.
Demand generation strategies intersect marketing and sales while leaning towards the former. On the one hand, it uses various marketing tactics to capture interest from potential leads. But while it doesn’t involve using tools like sales force AI, it does pave the way for sales to work its magic by converting generated leads into customers.
B2B demand gen vs. lead generation
Understanding the differences between these terms allows you to optimize your marketing funnel for a smoother flow of potential buyers.
They’re often used interchangeably, but demand and lead gen represent two distinct aspects of marketing.
On the one hand, demand generation focuses on pulling prospective customers from a broad audience by building your reputation and creating awareness. Conversely, lead generation takes that awareness and creates high-quality leads that are sent through your conversion funnel.
Benefits of AI and ML for B2B demand generation
AI and ML are taking traditional marketing strategies to the next level. Suddenly, marketing teams can create more personalized content, ecommerce companies can generate automated product recommendations, and teams can quickly monitor Key Performance Indicators to gauge campaign effectiveness.
Don’t just take our word for it: according to a Hubspot report, 43% of marketers agree that recently, AI and automation have been the most effective trends for driving growth. And that figure is bound to rise.
So, how can AI and ML improve on the benefits of demand generation?
Elevated visibility
B2B demand generation puts your brand in the spotlight. By actively seeking out potential clients and creating awareness, you’re ensuring your business is seen and remembered.
AI and ML algorithms analyze vast amounts of customer data and online behavior to identify highly specific audience segments with laser precision. That way, you can optimize your outreach.
Improved lead quality
Thanks to demand gen, you can attract businesses that are genuinely interested in what you offer. So, sales teams spend less time chasing dead ends and more time nurturing promising prospects and reaching campaign goals.
How do you target B2B leads with AI and ML? Predictive analytics. AI tools like Microsoft Azure Machine Learning and H2O Driverless AI identify patterns and trends within data, providing valuable insights for predicting the prospects most likely to convert into paying customers. ML takes it a step further by continuously refining these predictions.
Your lead quality doesn’t just get a one-off boost; it keeps improving over time.
Higher conversion rates
With potential clients already warmed up through demand generation efforts, the sales journey becomes much smoother. So, there’s less convincing, more converting.
But you can reach a whole new level by introducing AI and ML.
Chatbots and conversational AI can engage website visitors, answer their questions, and guide them toward the information they need.
It gets better. Have you ever received an email or visited a landing page that seems like it was written or designed just for you? That’s AI at work.
A hyper-personalized approach means deeper engagement, and you’re bound to have significantly higher conversion rates as a result.
What’s more, AI-powered demand generation tools play vital roles in conversion rate optimization. AI analytics tools are able to access historical data, so you continue to refine your strategy to target leads that are most likely to convert.
Cultivated relationships
Demand generation is the starting point for trust and, ultimately, long-term partnerships.
Now, AI and ML may not be the first things that spring to mind when building genuine relationships because of the, well, artificial connotation. Still, it can elevate your efforts in a wide range of ways.
For instance, thanks to hyper-personalization, interactions feel more genuine to each prospect. Plus, because it’s great at handling the mundane, your teams can focus on building rapport.
5 ways AI and ML are Transforming B2B demand generation
As we’ve explained, artificial intelligence and its machine learning subset are rapidly revolutionizing B2B demand gen and marketing as a whole. They’re elevating traditional strategies so businesses can create a more personalized and data-driven approach.
Let’s look at a few ways they’re doing so.
1. Decoding consumer behavior
To a large extent, demand gen’s success depends on how well you understand your audience. It’s a strategic advantage that separates generic campaigns from those that truly resonate. Otherwise, how can you pique people’s interest in your products or services?
Most traditional approaches are like fishing in a muddy pond. However, AI and ML clear the waters.
By analyzing vast amounts of consumer data – everything from website interactions to content engagement, search queries, and even social media sentiment – AI can help you unlock valuable secrets that will cause you to ditch the guesswork.
2. Personalizing user experience
One-size-fits-all marketing? That era is fast fading into oblivion. You must meet customer expectations, and nowadays, that invariably means personalized, hyper-tailored experiences.
So, where do AI and ML come in?
AI and ML can create a more personalized experience for your customers in a variety of ways throughout the sales process.
For example, AI and ML have benefits for early-stage marketing by sifting through mountains of data and uncovering preferences on a grand scale. So, you can create detailed customer profiles that allow hyper-personalization at every touch point. What about self-nurturing landing pages, adaptive CTA buttons, exit-intent pop-ups, and tailored recommendations?
Further down the line, when it comes to customer queries, there are many benefits of a virtual assistant that uses AI, as it ensures that customers receive a more personalized customer service experience that answers their questions and seamlessly directs them to the right team.
3. Personalizing ad campaigns
Customers are drawn to ads that make their needs and pain points feel seen and understood. That applies as much to B2B businesses as it does to individuals – and it’s why data-driven campaigns are more effective.
Would location-based targeting work better for your business or should you spread your net? Customers might identify with an .io domain that reflects their location, or they might be left wondering ‘what does io mean in a URL?’ and find a .com domain more straightforward. Either way, data can help you find this out.
That said, personalizing ad campaigns on an individual basis is tedious and labor-intensive. Unless you use AI.
Say you have a cybersecurity solution. Imagine being able to create an ad that reaches Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) at companies in the financial sector who have recently read posts about data breaches.
That’s the laser-focused targeting you get with this technology. Just make sure the data you’re using is GDPR compliant and users have consented to how their data is being used.
4. Dynamic websites
So, you’ve generated enough interest in a bunch of prospective customers to visit your website, but can you convince them to stay? According to the latest Google Analytics 4 Industry Benchmarks report, the average bounce rate across all industries is around 45%, so you have your work cut out for you.
Good thing AI can help. Imagine stepping into a store where the shelves rearrange themselves based on your preferences.
AI can analyze a visitor’s behavior on the website in real-time. Coupled with machine learning, the website dynamically adjusts its layout and content, so you’re delivering a more relevant experience.
5. Improving the content marketing quality
How do you generate demand? Content takes center stage and helps you nurture qualified leads throughout the customer journey.
But “good”, relevant content isn’t enough. Quality matters, and even search engines prioritize this when delivering results. You want content that captivates, educates, and ultimately drives conversions within your target market.
AI can supercharge your content strategy. Dedicated tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Synthesia are becoming increasingly mainstream, while AI is integrated into popular solutions like Canva and Adobe.
They may never fully replace the human touch, but they’re certainly complementary to demand generation marketers.
Wrapping Up
Modern businesses are constantly fine-tuning their approaches to snap up new customers. An effective demand generation strategy translates into higher quality leads for your sales funnel so you’re not wasting time on those that won’t close.
The future of AI and ML for B2B demand generation holds great promise.
So, if you’re serious about staying ahead of the curve, start leveraging these emerging technologies. They’ll make your business more visible, help you cultivate valuable relationships with your audience, and ultimately translate to higher conversion rates.