Brands need to increase the emotional resonance of content to drive B2B sales, according to a new report published by social networking giant LinkedIn.
After rolling out video ads to its marketing toolset earlier this year on the back of internal data showing that end users are 20 times more likely to share it compared with other formats, LinkedIn is now trying to educate brands so that they can make better use of visual aids to enhance the power of their content.
LinkedIn says that emotional factors play a major role in B2B sales, as buyers in this segment are more motivated to buy a product or service when they are engaged in this way compared to when merely judging its functional value.
Meanwhile, 86% of buyers admit that there is often very little difference between the suppliers they research – which offers brands the opportunity to be unique by establishing an emotional connection. Perhaps more importantly, a B2B buyer is also eight times more likely to commit to buying a “premium-level” product when this connection is present.
Mixing high-quality editorial content, compelling infographics and engaging video content will give brands the best chance to drive maximum engagement. In order to tap into “emotional drivers”, marketers should use music, colour and storytelling, as these are excellent for reinforcing the brand while serving up an emotive story or narrative.
Brands that tap into these emotional triggers and use one or more in their content campaigns can expect higher view counts and click-through rates, and an increase in profit generation.
