B2B Digital Marketing Tools & Resources
π WELCOME to your go-to guide for B2B Digital Marketing Tools & Resources! Perfect for small to medium business owners and marketers like you… Ready to DOMINATE the online world?
Let me guess… You want to turn potential clients into loyal customers, right? That’s the dream. Well, good news! This guide is here to help.
π― The secret? A STRONG digital marketing strategy. It drives targeted traffic to your website, engages visitors, and converts them into leads for your sales team (andΒ your website is the foundation of it all).
In this guide, we’ll focus on essential tools that will help you achieve these critical digital marketing objectives:
- π₯ Creating compelling content
- π¦ Driving traffic from various sources
- π£ Converting visitors into leads
- πΌ Nurturing leads into paying customers
These tasks can be challenging, but the right tools make all the difference.
- π Website Design – Capture leads for your business
- βοΈ Content Creation – Draw in Your Target Audience
- π¦ Traffic Generation – Drive Your Target Audience to Your Website
- π€ Marketing Automation – Work Smarter, Not Harder
By leveraging these tools, you’ll build a winning B2B digital marketing strategy that streamlines the process of attracting, retaining, and converting visitors into loyal customers.
π Website Design Tools for B2B Marketing
Your website is the bedrock of your online presence. To make it shine, you need tools that optimize design, functionality, and user experience. Let’s explore the top tools to help you achieve these goals…
π Content Management System (CMS): The BACKBONE of Your Site
Gone are the days of manually coding each webpage. Today, a CMS makes it a breeze for your marketing team to create blog posts and landing pages without a developer’s help.
Options range from pricey enterprise tools like Adobe Experience Manager to budget-friendly platforms like Squarespace or Wix. But for small-to-medium B2B companies, my top pick is WordPress.
π Why WordPress is the Top Choice for B2B Websites
It’s FREE, user-friendly, and insanely popular (powering 40% of websites on the Internet)! Its vast user base means it’s well-maintained and compatible with COUNTLESS marketing tools and plugins.
π¨ Website Design: Unlock the Power of Your Digital Brand
WordPress alone doesn’t create stunning websites. That’s where THEMES and WEBSITE BUILDERS step in.
- Modern WordPress relies on website builders for designing, while themes focus on headers and footers.
- My recommended free themes are Astra or Hello Elementor. This website uses Astra!
- These themes are fast and well-supported and take care of what the majority of businesses require for header/footer design.
To create reusable page templates and GORGEOUS designs, I suggest Elementor.
Elementor turns WordPress into a DRAG-AND-DROP design tool, perfect for non-developers.
For added features like extra widgets, theme builder, and pop-up builder, consider Elementor Pro ($59/year).
π‘ Website Hosting: Storing Your Website in the Digital World
Hosting is what makes your website accessible to visitors online. It’s where your website’s files and data, including the CMS, are stored.
If you choose WordPress as your CMS, you’ll need hosting and a domain name (if you don’t already have one) to start building your website.
I recommend Bluehost for your hosting needs. Plans start at just $3/month and include a free domain name, a one-click WordPress install, and a CDN to make your site lightning fast!
My Recommended Website Design Toolkit:
WordPress, Elementor Pro, and Bluehost
These tools offer a POWERFUL, easy-to-use, and cost-effective solution for most B2B businesses. Harness the power of WordPress, design with Elementor Pro, and host with Bluehost to create an OUTSTANDING B2B website in no time!
π Content Creation Tools: Draw in Your Target Audience
To draw potential customers to your website, you need to craft content that’s both relevant and valuable. This might include blog posts, social media updates, videos, podcasts, ebooks, or infographics.
To create top-notch content quickly and efficiently, you’ll need tools to assist with writing, designing, editing, and publishing.Β
Here’s my recommended toolkit for each task:
Brainstorming + Writing Content π§ βοΈ
Before diving into content creation… brainstorm! RESEARCH industry trends, keywords, and competitor content. Tools like BuzzSumo, SEMRush, and AnswerThePublic can provide invaluable inspiration.
Don’t forget AI tools likeΒ ChatGPTΒ β they’re GAME-CHANGERS for generating content ideas tailored to your audience’s pain points. With AI, you can not only come up with topic ideas FAST but even draft entire pieces of content.
Once you’ve got those IDEAS, start writing with Google Docs. It’s perfect for seamless collaboration with team members. Want polished, professional content? IntegrateΒ Grammarly! This tool checks grammar, punctuation, and style, ensuring your content SHINES.
Image, PDF & Video Creation Tools πΈπ₯
Captivating visuals are KEY to grabbing your audience’s attention. But in today’s fast-paced world, SPEED is everything. As an expert in Adobe Creative Suite, I’ve found myself switching to cloud-based apps for quicker content creation.
Canva Pro, a user-friendly and budget-friendly design tool, is my go-to for images, PDFs and videos that CONVERT. With Canva Pro, you’ll unlock access to 100+ million stock photos, videos, graphics, and audio β an incredible value!
For video editing, try beginner-friendly yet powerful tools like InVideo,Β Adobe Premiere Rush or Flixier. These cost-effective apps let you create ENGAGING videos without demanding technical expertise or draining your wallet. Embrace the FUTURE of visual content creation with these game-changing tools!
Podcasts & Voiceovers ποΈ
Podcasts and videos with voiceovers are HOT right now. But producing top-quality audio can be complex and time-consuming.Β
That’s where Play.ht comes in!
This software creates ultra-realistic AI voices, perfect for podcasts or voiceovers. Starting at $99/month, Play.ht even lets you clone voices from your organization for a custom touch.
My Content Creation Toolkit Recommendations
ChatGPT, Google Docs, Grammarly, Canva Pro, Flixier and Play.ht
Elevate your content game with this POWERHOUSE combo! Brainstorm with ChatGPT, write seamlessly using Google Docs and Grammarly, create stunning visuals with Canva Pro, and produce lifelike AI voiceovers via Play.ht. This toolkit has you COVERED for captivating content that wows your audience!
π¦ Traffic Generation Tools: Drive Your Target Audience to Your Website
Creating STELLAR content is just the beginning – now it’s time to put it in front of your target audience.Β
To do that, you need to generate traffic from multiple sources, such as search engines, social media, email, and paid advertising. So, let’s dive into the tools that will help you drive traffic like a pro!
Organic Traffic: Boost Your Brand's Visibility...Naturally π±
To attract visitors without spending a fortune on ads, you’ll need tools that enhance your SEO, social media management, and email marketing efforts. Here’s a list of my favorites:
π SEMRush – A comprehensive SEO tool that helps you optimize your site, find keywords, and analyze competitors.
π UberSuggest – A user-friendly SEO tool that offers keyword suggestions, backlink analysis, and more.
π Bright Local – A must-have for local SEO, helping you manage local citations and improve your online presence.
π¨ Canva Pro – A versatile design tool (as mentioned earlier) that’s also great for creating eye-catching social media visuals. The pro version also includes a social media management tool.
π Buffer – A fantastic social media management tool that simplifies scheduling and tracking the performance of your posts.
Paid Traffic: Invest in Your Business Growth πΈ
Sometimes, investing in paid traffic is essential to drive even more visitors to your site.Β
Here are some platforms to consider:
π° Google Ads – The king of online advertising, helping you reach potential customers through search and display ads.Β
π₯ Facebook Ads – A highly-targeted ad platform that helps you reach your audience based on their interests, demographics, and behaviors.Β Don’t forget, Instagram Ads are included in Facebook Ads too!
Other Social Platforms: TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Snapchat π
While these platforms have advertising options, they’re either not as mature as Facebook and Google Ads, or not as widely used.
I recommend starting small with Google and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) ad platforms to get in front of as many potential audience members as possible without spreading yourself too thin.
There are exceptions to this rule, but in most cases, driving more traffic to your website FAST will be easiest with Google and Meta ad platforms.
My Recommended Traffic Generation Toolkit:
SEMRush, Bright Local, Canva Pro, Google Ads, and Facebook Ads
To SUPERCHARGE your content creation, leverage ChatGPT for brainstorming, write with Google Docs and Grammarly, design visuals using Canva Pro, edit videos with Adobe Premiere Rush or Flixier, and create AI voiceovers with Play.ht to craft COMPELLING content that attracts your target audience!
π€ Marketing Automation Tools: Work Smarter, Not Harder
When visitors land on your site, the goal is to turn them into leads and, ultimately, paying customers. To do that, you’ll need to nurture them with targeted messages and content.Β
Marketing automation tools help streamline this process, making life easier for your sales and marketing teams. Let’s dive into some must-have tools for email nurturing, social media automation, CRMs, and workflow integrations!
Email Nurturing + Automation: Stay Connected with Your Leads π
Keep your leads engaged and guide them through the sales funnel with the right email marketing tools:
π§ ConvertKit – This easy-to-use platform is built specifically for creators and small businesses. ConvertKit helps you craft beautiful emails, manage subscribers, and automate your email campaigns. I love ConvertKit for its simplicity, high open rates, and affordability.
π§ HubSpot – A more advanced (and pricier) option, HubSpot offers a comprehensive suite of email marketing tools. While it’s packed with features,Β
Note: I personally use and prefer ConvertKit for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness.
Social Media Automation: Keep Your Online Presence Fresh & Consistent π
Effortlessly manage your social media channels and maintain a consistent posting schedule with these tools:
π¨ Canva Pro – As mentioned earlier, this versatile design tool helps you create eye-catching visuals for your social media posts. Canva Pro also includes a social media management platform, but it’s not quite as robust as Buffer, which is specifically designed for that purpose.
π Buffer – An excellent social media management tool that lets you schedule and analyze your posts for maximum engagement.
CRMs: Organize & Track Your Leads Like a Pro π
Manage your leads and customers efficiently with these CRM systems:
π Salesforce – A powerful,Β scalable, customizable CRM platform for businesses of all sizes.Β
πΌ FreshSales – A user-friendly CRM solution with features like lead scoring, email tracking, and more.Β
π HubSpot CRM – A free CRM that offers a robust set of features for growing businesses.
Integrations & Workflows: Connect Your Tools & Streamline Your Processes βοΈ
Ensure your marketing automation tools work together seamlessly with:
π Zapier – An integration platform that connects your favorite apps and automates your workflows. For example, you can use Zapier to automatically add new ConvertKit subscribers to your HubSpot CRM. With more than 5,000 supported apps, the possibilities are endless!
My Recommended Marketing Automation Toolkit:
ConvertKit, Canva Pro, Buffer, Salesforce CRM, and Zapier
These tools provide a POWERFUL, user-friendly, and cost-effective solution for automating your B2B marketing efforts. With this toolkit, you can NURTURE leads, manage social media, track customer interactions, and streamline your processes to GROW your business with ease!