15 Best Demand Generation Practices and Strategy in 2024

As the COVID-19 pandemic nears its end, expectations for driving growth in 2022 rise, bringing increased pipeline performance and accountability. Marketers plan to increase support for inbound leads, as the use of demand generation best practices and strategy along with the right demand generation software become more aggressive in 2022. Teams prioritize quality over quantity and invest heavily in content marketing and account-based marketing.

This guide will provide you with valuable tips, taking into account current trends as well. The objective is to aid you with a viable demand generation strategy for 2022.

According to the State of Demand Gen 2021 report of Activate, about 8 out of 10 marketers said they successfully replaced live events with online events in 2020. However, 90% of these marketers said consumers grew tired of online events. As such, in 2021, more funds were allocated to other tactics to increase high-quality lead programs.

Moving forward, the findings of the 2022 Demand Generation Benchmark Survey by Demand Gen suggest that marketers are getting more aggressive with demand generation tactics, focusing on account targeting and sales-marketing alignment, as a result of higher budget prioritization. Companies are striving to improve existing campaigns now that ABM tactics are well-established.

About 69% of poll respondents claimed their budgets will increase by 1% to 20%, while nearly a third (31%) said they would boost revenue by more than 20%. Improved content marketing is a top focus, with more than half of respondents wanting to boost their budget by 1% to 20%. Budget-wise, ABM is ranked second. Sales enablement and personalization are also top priorities.

The modern B2B buyer wants bespoke, customized products that are relevant to their individual needs, thanks to the rise of content marketing. Demand generation best practices, therefore, are geared towards creating content that can sustain interest and guarantee conversions.

15 Best Demand Generation Practices and Strategy in 2025

Despite the significant changes that the pandemic has brought into the world of digital marketing and demand generation, the best practices like nurturing leads, using ABM, and leveraging social media remain. However, strategies are best fined tuned to focus on creating authoritative content and adding more media formats. Here are the best demand generation practices and strategies for this year.

1. Capitalize on Videos, Events, and Webinars

The pandemic’s effects are still influencing marketers’ preferences for video and virtual engagement strategies. The top three engagement tactics in 2021 in terms of generating qualified leads for the top of the funnel (TOFU) were webinars (45%), virtual events or digital experiences (35%), and videos (25%), according to DemandGen.

Further into the middle of the funnel (MOFU) and at the bottom of the funnel (BOFU), DemandGen’s poll found that webinars (36%) remain as the most successful engagement tactic. Virtual events or digital experiences (28%) and videos (23%) slid to third and fourth, respectively. Personal, in-the-field events, meanwhile, landed fifth place (22%). Ultimately, buyers engage mostly in webinars, videos, and virtual events or digital experiences. It would be ideal, therefore, to include these three content types in your content planning.

Take note, however, that while these three content types would work in your favor across the funnel from top to bottom, buyers would require different information depending on where they are in the buying journey. This means, consider creating webinars, virtual events, and videos that highlight awareness for your TOFU, education, and authority for your MOFU and BOFU. A good mix of these three content types helps you guide your target audience through the buying journey.

2. Create Case Studies to Boost Authority

Demand generation involves creating awareness and interest among the target audience, and what best way to do this but with content. Since websites (36%) are the second best channel for generating leads for marketers and the third-best for early-stage engagement, it seems to make sense to stuff them with content to improve their search engine rankings. However, establishing oneself as an industry authority is now the key to expanding the consumer base.

Today’s buyers look for authority, thus making case studies vital. Case studies (25%) ranked fifth in the top engagement tactics in 2021 in generating qualified leads in TOFU. the top of the funnel (TOFU) and second in BOFU and TOFU. Such content could also build towards original research, white papers, and even ebooks, which altogether can boost authority.

Besides, case studies are customer-focused and not company-focused. Through such content, they discover other firms or people to whom they can relate, see problems they face, learn how the company solves problems, see how you applied your expertise, and finally realize what your product or solution did for the customer. As such, they can make informed decisions on how your product or service could help them.

3. Use Account-Based Marketing Tactics

While content marketing may prove effective for B2C, it is not the same for B2B. Marketing to a business rather than an individual requires materials to be relevant to all stakeholders. ABM is the optimal choice for B2B businesses. When done correctly, ABM generates demand from decision-makers in target accounts.

ABM focuses on the customer experience before and after the sale. Unlike inbound marketing, which generates leads with compelling offerings, attracting targeted visitors to a landing page when just 1%-2% converts to paying customers, ABM prioritizes lead generation, acquisition, sales, and post-sales performance. Instead of a broad range of unconvertible leads, ABM businesses invest in accounts that are likely to close. They achieve long-term connections with clients, increasing sales opportunities and customer lifetime value.

As such, you need to align relevant teams like sales and marketing, map buyers’ journey from pre- to post-purchase, and align relevant technologies like the best CRM tools with automation software. Building a targeted account list using data to target firms that will be a suitable fit for your products is one example. Target such accounts with ads or emails so that you can tailor the sales process and train your sales staff accordingly.

4. Take Email Marketing Seriously

Email is not going away, no matter how much search marketing or digital marketing changes. It remains to be the top lead generation channel (49%). DemandGen respondents also said it is the best early-stage channel (51%) and the best in late-funnel conversions (46%). Clearly, email marketing is widely acknowledged as a highly effective demand generation tool. Companies, however, ought to focus on personalizing their email campaigns to engage and connect with customers.

Besides, email marketing generally works best as part of a multi-point social plan. Moreover, emails must be responsive: they should react to the way your contacts interact with them. Meanwhile, although recipients can unsubscribe or opt out of email campaigns, you can give ‘opt down’ choices so they receive fewer emails while still being part of the campaign.

Start your outreach campaigns with emails, but to be more efficient, automate your process with email marketing software. Remember that a cold email with the recipient’s name in the subject line will likely get you some traction.

5. Enhance SEO Strategy

If used wisely, search engine optimization (SEO) can become a powerful marketing tool. In fact, 26% of Demand Gen’s respondents find search an ideal channel for early-stage engagement. Leveraging SEO to have your website appear on the first page of the search engine results can help increase organic search traffic to your site.

However, good SEO requires work not only on-page but even off-page. This means you perform a range of activities, including but not limited to keyword research, search intent, content optimization, competitive analysis, and link building. In essence, do not just focus on adding keywords and internal links to your content; strategize also on getting backlinks to help raise domain authority.

Every piece of content you publish must be SEO-friendly, but take note of SEO best practices, and avoid keyword stuffing among others. Of course, the content must be of value to your target audience, so be reminded of adding authoritative materials to your content.

6. Maximize Social Media

Social media optimization is a great demand generation strategy. Social media (34%) is the third-best channel to drive leads into marketers’ pipelines and the second-best for early-stage engagement. As such, using it to find, engage, and qualify prospects can greatly improve revenue.

Social media is perfect for pushing information and communicating with C- and B-level executives in multi-point marketing initiatives, especially when you successfully identify the best time to post content on social media. Besides, the marketing strategy of helping rather than selling works best in short, casual content like those on social media.

B2B initiatives often necessitate long-term communication with prospects. Until they are ready to commit, social media helps you to stay in front of them. It is ideal for multi-point interactions since it is fast becoming a thought leadership market.

7. Align Sales and Marketing

CRM and marketing automation software integration allows sales teams to reach out to prospects and nurture them through the sales funnel. Automating these critical tasks saves an organization time and money. Also, by automating the process, a company will not lose any of its best leads.

Besides, campaigns must adapt to Google’s universality and adaptability. As such, sales and marketing departments should be exchanging data. For example, the marketing team would develop content that engages and educates, aiming to move readers down the sales funnel. The sales team then takes over, using high-quality content to nurture leads and make direct contact with potential clients. They can solicit inputs on marketing content while at the same time, allowing the marketing team to adapt quickly.

This task is easily done with marketing tools that can help create beautiful websites without the need for an IT team. You can create and distribute engaging content to target audiences, allowing you also to contextualize your calls to action and messaging. More importantly, you can track the impact of your strategy on sales.

8. Align Ad Campaigns to Funnel

Every digitally savvy company needs to run ads. A well-planned paid advertising campaign can swiftly reach your target demographic. Demand Gen’s poll shows that 24% of the respondents find ads to be an effective channel to drive leads into marketers’ pipelines and for early-stage engagement (21%).

Paid search ads can help your content stand out. You may use Google Ads to advertise an ebook, drive asset downloads, or drive newsletter sign-ups, but the goal is to get your material in front of individuals who are actively searching for similar topics. You’ll be able to convert clicks into conversions and potential buyers into customers if you align your digital advertising with intent.

However, some marketers’ main gripe is that their ads do not convert, and they seem to be wasting money as no one’s clicking on the ads. A segmented audience list with a thorough understanding of buyer persona may help you identify and target BOFU prospects. Targeting BOFU makes sense since prospects in this funnel usually know exactly what they want and will engage with your ad if given the correct push. This strategy would be ideal for retargeting, display ads, and pay-per-click ads.

9. Define Buyer Personas and Map Buyer Journey

Understanding your customers is a unique competitive advantage. Discover your customers’ decision-making process, pain points, and a normal day in their shoes, and create your buyer persona, which helps you understand your ideal consumer better. Subsequently, you can create a more customized lead generation strategy that addresses certain buyer persona concerns.

Map out the buyer journey to understand how the buyer persona may act at each level of the funnel. For instance, identify what content entices your customers to move further into the funnel and leverage such content. Often, content or materials that address buyer personas’ pain points get the most engagement. The bottom line is, to make your audience the focal point of your demand-generating efforts.

Try to create a buyer persona for each level of the funnel as well. For instance, gather names, demographic data, and behavioral traits for every funnel level and customize your content, channel strategy, SEO, and paid advertising based on these data. This means your strategy for each level may vary.

10. Establish a Brand Identity

The most effective demand generation is diverse in format and customer touchpoints. Consistency is essential for your efforts to become part of a cohesive, positive experience. Every point of contact with a customer should use the same brand voice and message.

However, because the personalities of those who create marketing materials vary and could outshine the company’s brand, some organizations may find it difficult to maintain brand consistency. Another issue is that there are not enough ways to talk about the brand on a daily basis in order to stay current and exciting. Finally, ensuring that employees are brand ambassadors is a difficult task.

Create simple branding guidelines that outline how everyone in an organization should communicate the brand to the outside world. By combining visual elements, ensure that the visual identity is consistent across all marketing materials and adheres to the branding style guide. Encourage employees to learn about the brand’s values, mission, and history so that they can help project a more professional image of the company or brand. Finally, to meet changing market demands, your company and products must evolve and adapt.

11. Boost Lead Nurturing Techniques

With advances in marketing automation, CRM, and other business-enhancing technologies, businesses must constantly refine their business strategy. Companies must increase their lead nurturing tactics to continue growing their leads and nurturing them along the demand creation funnel.

Nurturing leads entails purposefully engaging the target audience by providing relevant information, assisting them in any way they require, and maintaining a sense of delight throughout the buyer’s journey.

A strong nurturing plan includes leveraging analytics, content, personas, and nurture flows. Based on data, map out the buyer’s journey and create a buyer persona, which will then underpin the content and other marketing collateral, making sure these are customized and personalized, thus addressing prospects’ pain points. Monitoring of data, campaign strategies, and other activities and making changes where necessary would help boost lead nurturing.

12. Reach out to Prospects

When a prospect expresses interest in a company’s product or service, marketers should schedule a meeting with a sales representative. Priming leads maximizes their value. This would be easier with CRM tools, which could help salespeople to nurture leads, identify opportunities, and close deals.

CRM tools help salespeople visualize pipelines to see the whole process. They can make lead lists for easier follow-up. The tool then automates workflow and even administrative tasks. Caller features are especially helpful in connecting with prospects and tracking the calls as well for follow-ups.

There is a wide range of CRM software available, each with its own set of features, such as tools designed specifically for handling massive amounts of data, so you should be able to find something that meets your requirements. Some of these tools even offer different plans or versions with specific features to benefit your company’s product or service.

13. Use a Stage-Based Approach

Many buyers want different information at different stages of the sales cycle. Companies must recognize that different content is required at various stages of the sales funnel in order to present their clients with the most relevant information. Just as it’s critical to nurture new leads, it’s crucial to nurture them throughout their buying experience.

It is critical to nurture new leads, but it’s even more important to nurture them throughout the buyer’s journey. The sales funnel depicts the path your customers will take to buy your product or service.

As such, be reminded of the value of creating a buyer persona for each level of the funnel. In this way, you can create targeted content and campaigns that are unique to every persona or funnel level.

14. Create a Lead Scoring Model

When most firms start using inbound marketing, their main concern is acquiring enough new leads. Once they have a lot of leads, they need to sort out who is serious about their products and who is just browsing.

The goal of lead scoring is to collect as much data and information about a given lead as possible and then assign point values to that information. This method assists sales and marketing teams in prioritizing leads, responding appropriately, and increasing conversion rates.

With lead scoring, each lead you create for your company is assigned a value, sometimes in the form of numerical points (i.e., 1-100). You may rate your leads based on their professional information and how they have interacted with your website and brand online. This method helps sales and marketing teams prioritize leads, respond correctly, and enhance conversion rates.

15. Leverage Metrics

Data is the lifeblood of B2B marketing. There are lots of numbers to study with longer sales cycles and a bevy of marketing tools. But focusing on the incorrect metrics can do more harm than good.

Metrics and data must be contextualized to be actionable in demand generation. Identifying and focusing on a few important metrics is almost usually the best strategy but a well-rounded demand generation strategy will consider all indicators to provide a complete picture and find improvement opportunities. The metrics you choose to track should be based on your strategies and other metrics.

You should not rely solely on metrics that have previously proven to be effective, though you may do so in some cases. A different metric would be required for different strategies. Your measurements should be based on your goals and ideally unique to your situation.

Examples of Demand Generation Software

Several software programs can make demand generation effective and efficient, helping you to keep up with the trends and stay relevant in 2022. Here are the top five useful software worth exploring.

Hubspot MarketingVISIT WEBSITE

HubSpot Marketing can help you increase traffic and sales while also creating beautiful websites, simple workflows, and data integrations without involving your IT team. You can contextualize your calls to action and messages by creating and distributing engaging content to target audiences. Its marketing A/B tests and contact forms also aid in the generation of qualified leads.

Marketing Creatio

Marketing Creatio is an out-of-the-box solution that aids in the automation of lead management. With sophisticated no-code tools, you can create and manage multichannel marketing campaigns. It also facilitates team collaboration, resulting in increased productivity. Your marketers can create and manage highly customized marketing processes, as well as add new business rules and UI sections to the system, resulting in increased customer engagement.

PipedriveVISIT WEBSITE

Pipedrive covers everything from nurturing leads, identifying prospects, to closing deals. You can build customizable virtual pipelines, and your agents can manage contacts and receive reminders to keep track of new and existing customers. They can also create shareable Smart Docs, and the built-in eSignature feature allows them to obtain digital signatures from clients. All of this contributes to the efficiency of the workflow.

UnbounceVISIT WEBSITE

Unbounce is a landing page and copywriting solution ideal for small businesses. You don’t need a web developer to use this cloud-based technology. Its Smart Builder uses over a billion relevant data insights to design a landing page that converts the best. Its Classic Builder allows you to simply customize your landing pages using drag-and-drop. It also integrates with other business and productivity apps.

Mayple

Mayple is a digital marketing agency that allows you to work with the marketing experts, thus saving you time and money from creating and monitoring your campaigns. Your digital marketing journey starts by answering simple questions. Experts will use your response to create a strategy unique to your business.

The preview pane in HubSpot Marketing.

Enhance Demand Generation in 2022

With more companies prioritizing demand generation best practices, marketers must use data and analytics wisely to create innovative digital marketing strategies. The bottom line is targeting the right audience with relevant content that solves their pain points.

Content that is self-serving, superficial, and performance-based is no longer relevant. Data-driven, customized, and audience-centered strategies are the way to go. To stay ahead of the competition this year, the best demand generation tips include leveraging email marketing, building authority through webinars and case studies, and using ABM.

Key Insights

• Emphasis on Account-Based Marketing (ABM)
  • Focus on targeting specific accounts with tailored marketing efforts.
  • Align sales and marketing teams to improve lead generation and conversion rates.
• Leveraging Authoritative Content
  • Create webinars and case studies to establish industry authority.
  • Use content marketing to engage and educate potential leads throughout the buyer’s journey.
• Mapping the Buyer’s Journey
  • Define buyer personas to understand customer needs at different stages of the funnel.
  • Tailor marketing strategies to address specific pain points and decision-making processes.
• Utilizing Video and Virtual Events
  • Capitalize on the continued preference for video content and virtual engagement.
  • Adapt webinars and virtual events to provide value at various stages of the funnel.
• Importance of Email Marketing
  • Personalize email campaigns to engage and connect with customers effectively.
  • Use email marketing software to automate and enhance outreach efforts.
• SEO and Social Media Optimization
  • Enhance SEO strategies to increase organic traffic and improve search engine rankings.
  • Maximize social media platforms to find, engage, and qualify prospects.
• Lead Nurturing and Scoring
  • Develop robust lead nurturing techniques using analytics and personalized content.
  • Implement lead scoring models to prioritize and respond to high-quality leads.
• Integration of Marketing Tools
  • Use CRM and marketing automation tools to streamline processes and improve efficiency.
  • Align ad campaigns with the sales funnel to target the right audience at the right time.

FAQ

1. What is Account-Based Marketing (ABM) and why is it important in 2024? Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is a focused marketing strategy where sales and marketing teams collaborate to target specific high-value accounts. It’s important in 2024 because it allows businesses to tailor their marketing efforts to individual accounts, increasing the chances of conversion and fostering long-term customer relationships.
2. How can businesses leverage authoritative content like webinars and case studies for demand generation? Businesses can use webinars and case studies to showcase their expertise and provide valuable insights to their audience. Webinars engage prospects through interactive sessions, while case studies highlight successful client stories, building credibility and trust.
3. Why is mapping the buyer’s journey crucial for demand generation? Mapping the buyer’s journey helps businesses understand the decision-making process of their customers. By defining buyer personas and their specific needs at each stage of the funnel, companies can create targeted content and strategies that effectively guide prospects towards making a purchase.
4. What role does video content play in demand generation strategies? Video content plays a significant role in demand generation by providing engaging and easily digestible information. It helps capture the audience’s attention and can be used throughout the buyer’s journey to educate, inform, and persuade potential customers.
5. How should businesses approach email marketing to enhance demand generation? Businesses should focus on personalizing email campaigns to cater to the interests and behaviors of their audience. Automating email marketing processes and using data to inform campaign strategies can improve engagement and conversion rates.
6. What are the best practices for enhancing SEO and social media optimization in 2024? For SEO, businesses should focus on keyword research, content optimization, and building high-quality backlinks. For social media optimization, it’s crucial to engage with the audience, post relevant content consistently, and leverage analytics to understand the best times and types of content to post.
7. How can lead nurturing and lead scoring improve demand generation efforts? Lead nurturing involves engaging with prospects by providing relevant information and support throughout their buyer journey. Lead scoring helps prioritize leads based on their readiness to purchase, ensuring that sales teams focus their efforts on the most promising prospects, thereby improving conversion rates.
8. What tools can businesses use to streamline their marketing and sales processes? Businesses can use CRM and marketing automation tools to manage leads, track interactions, and automate repetitive tasks. These tools help align marketing and sales efforts, making processes more efficient and effective in converting leads into customers.
9. Why is aligning ad campaigns to the sales funnel important? Aligning ad campaigns to the sales funnel ensures that the content and messaging are relevant to the audience’s current stage in the buyer’s journey. This increases the likelihood of engagement and conversion, as the ads address the specific needs and interests of potential customers.
10. How can businesses ensure consistent brand identity across all marketing efforts? Businesses should develop comprehensive branding guidelines that outline the visual and messaging aspects of the brand. Training employees on these guidelines and regularly reviewing marketing materials can help maintain consistency, ensuring a cohesive brand experience for customers.

By Jenny Chang

Jenny Chang is a senior writer specializing in SaaS and B2B software solutions. Her decision to focus on these two industries was spurred by their explosive growth in the last decade, much of it she attributes to the emergence of disruptive technologies and the quick adoption by businesses that were quick to recognize their values to their organizations. She has covered all the major developments in SaaS and B2B software solutions, from the introduction of massive ERPs to small business platforms to help startups on their way to success.