Marketing Insights: How Do B2B and B2C Marketing Differ?

You’re running Facebook Ads, promoting Instagram posts and engaging with your audiences. But you aren’t seeing the results you want in your marketing campaign, and you can’t figure out why.

If you aren’t marketing based on being a business-to-business (B2B) company or a business-to-consumer (B2C) company, you probably won’t ever see those results that you have been longing for.

The purchasing experience between B2B and B2C companies varies drastically, and it’s essential to market toward that purchasing experience in order to market effectively.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about how to target a B2B and a B2C marketing campaign.

How Are B2B And B2C Marketing Campaigns Different?

While both B2B and B2C marketing campaigns appeal to narrow and targeted audiences, they are both created with different intentions to yield specific results.

For example, purchases for B2B companies are often expensive and lengthy. Oftentimes, B2B purchases involve more than one decision maker and includes a lengthier consideration process.

On the other hand, B2C purchases often only involve one or two decision makers and the consideration process is considerably shorter because it’s only affecting a few individuals as opposed to an entire business.

What Does A B2C Marketing Campaign Resemble?

A B2C marketing campaign can also appeal to a variety of audiences based on the interests of a consumer. For example, a sofa company might direct their ads to female homeowners with an income of at least $45,000. On the other hand, a gaming company might direct their ads to males under 25 with a specific interest in video games. The point of this is that

When creating a marketing plan for your B2C company, think about evoking emotion from your targeted audience.

These consumers have the ability to go to a wide variety of companies to obtain their product or service. Therefore, it’s essential to show that your company is the best and that they would be missing out if they didn’t have your specific product or service.

It’s also essential to get your message across as fast as possible for this specific reason. Because if your competitor is relaying their marketing message faster than you are, it could cost you money in your pocket.

What Does A B2B Marketing Campaign Resemble?

While a B2C marketing campaign can be very broad and target a variety of audiences, a B2B marketing campaign is often directed toward specific job titles.

For example, if everyone in the office wants faster desktop computers, they are going to have to go to the office manager and put in a request. This office manager is the customer B2B companies might direct their ads toward because he/she is the one researching and essentially purchasing the desktop computers for the company.

B2B companies can direct their ads to these higher up decision makers through targeting specific job titles in Facebook Ads.

It’s also essential to create B2B ads based on logic because they often have no emotional connection to a product. When marketing for a B2B company, think about how your product can save a company time and money.

How will it produce a strong ROI? How can it increase productivity and save on resources? These are the essential questions a B2B customer is going to be considering when making a purchase.

Are you a B2B company? If so, you can learn more here.

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, B2B and B2C marketing campaigns are created with different intentions to target different audiences. Whether you are selling to businesses or consumers, marketing to a specific purchasing experience can make all the difference in your campaign.

Did you enjoy this article? If so, take a look at our other marketing articles for more expert advice.