About BridgeTower Media
When print magazines and publications gained popularity, the b2b buyer relied on direct mail, magazines, and newspapers to conduct research and make business decisions. Foot traffic was a necessary step to complete business transactions. In fact, many companies were limited to the companies they knew of or that were in their proximity for this to be possible. The introduction of the Internet brought a first wave of transformation to the b2b buyer, increasing potential reach of companies. Consequently, companies created a digital version of their print magazines to satisfy online readers but kept print advertising as the priority. BridgeTower Media entered the market among these circumstances, acquiring several publications that were over 100+ years in existence. We faced the realization that the b2b buyer has become more reliant on digital information and savvier than ever. Here is what the current b2b buyer looks like:
- The majority of b2b shoppers who research online considered 2+ brands.(1)
- Today’s typical B2B shopper utilizes multiple resources for decision making including online catalogs, multiple Google Searches, and visiting branded websites(1)
- Buyers regularly revisit online information to inform decision making(1)
- Buyers who shop offline respond to online engagement(1)
- 80% of the average B2B sales journey happens online.(2)
- Email marketing is the primary channel for 59% of B2B marketers(2)
- 57% of b2b advertisers use both print and digital avenues(2)
This brings about a new era of B2B shopping behavior — buyers are sitting at the intersection of online and offline. The controllable, measurable, and scalable nature of digital advertising has brought b2b buyers to advertise online. Print advertising has not gone away, but digital advertising for even those who do print advertising exists and is increasing. Consequently, companies must transform the way they attract and conduct business to survive and grow. We must meet our customers where they are spending their time and our marketing efforts must reflect the needs of our customers.