Digital MarketingSEO

B2B and B2C Digital Marketing: Know The Differences

The field of marketing is buzzing with the festivity of digital marketing. Prevalence and proficiency of digital marketing have changed the landscape of marketing.

Now consumers are more focused on the marketing campaigns instead of the product being marketed.

The term digital marketing was first utilized in the 1990s, but you can trace its roots back in 1980s where ChannelNet formerly known as SoftAd Group developed advertising campaigns for the automobile companies.

It became more sophisticated in the 2000s and today proliferation of digital devices have made it a must have a component of all online marketing strategies.

This umbrella term, used for commercialization of products and services through digital technologies particularly the internet also include advertising through a mobile phone, display, and other digital mediums.

In short, digital marketing is an all-mighty gateway between electronic technology and marketing psychology. If you want to master and manage the information going out and into this gateway, you have to make sure digital marketing strategy is integrated into your marketing plans.

There are different types of digital marketing, but in this article, we are going to dig the ground for exploring the fundamental differences between two major types of digital marketing, i.e., B2B and B2C.

difference between b2b and b2c digital marketing - beta compression

B2B and B2C Digital Marketing

B2B stands for Business to Business marketing, is based on same B2C marketing practices, but it has slight modifications due to nature and characteristics of B2B commerce industry.

Although, there is certainly some overlap between these two marketing strategies but few key differences are also there which can either make or break your overall online marketing campaign.

The B2B audiences are tech savvy, accustomed to being bombarded with information and they are short on time. Utilization of social media in case of businesses is different from customers.

On the other hand, digital marketing in case of B2C is all about entertainment and fun for selling products and services.

difference between b2b and b2c digital marketing - top objectives

Let’s have a look at some key differences between B2B and B2C marketing and leverage them to get most out of digital marketing.

Past vs. Present

There were much more differences between these two types of marketing strategies because the primary method of research and point of contact differed greatly.

The ground level basis was used by marketers to reach customers. On the other hand, businesses tend to be more formal and restricted in their methods of reaching out.

But today the situation is completely different; both business and consumers are capable of working and researching their problems over the internet. A whole new expanse has opened up the opportunity for reaching out and making contact with potential new customers.

In the realm of digital marketing, the method of reaching out and contact is nearly identical.

Few significant changes suggest marketers have to utilize industry jargons for excellent effect on B2B platforms.

The B2B marketing process is designed for efficiency and expertise seeking audiences. The B2B purchase process is more rational and logical as compared to emotionally triggered consumer choices in case of B2C marketing.

Read Also: Content Marketing VS Inbound Marketing

B2B vs. B2C Audience

B2B buyers are top managers or owners of their respective companies. They are more sophisticated and gain an in-depth understanding of the service being offered by the marketers from an organizational perspective.

They take an interest in a particular offering with an objective to grow their own company. Therefore, marketers when conveying a message through digital media have to define how managers or business owners can boost profits, save money and stay competitive in the long run.

difference between b2b and b2c digital marketing - audiences

In such case, the content must have to be thoroughly researched, and marketers are required to give the audience a reason to utilize the product and service being marketed before it’s too late.

However, typical B2C buyers look for the best price available.

They tend to purchase from the most trusted retailer. So, in this case, the content and website have to convey the feeling of Trust and security to the buyer.

That is why the design of the site and substance matters the most. Consumers are likely to opt for trusted sources for purchase.

Therefore digital marketers in the case of B2C marketing have to take care of trust, security and brand loyalty.

Read Also: 15+ Must-Have Free Mobile Apps for Marketers

Size of the Market

The size of the market is another important consideration in the field of digital marketing. In a case of B2C marketing target market is larger and take a major sector of the public, i.e., millions of customers are included in this case.

On the other hand in B2B marketing, you are targeting a particular niche, i.e., a number of clients are in thousands.

Hence, different size of the market in both cases suggest that the content has to be appealing to a particular market that the company is aiming to target.

Marketing Material – Thought Leader, or Entertainer?

B2B marketing means you must have to understand the operational activities of the organizations which you are targeting.

It is also important to know who will be looking at your content and website. In B2B sector, there is tremendous thrust for knowledge because business owners are focused on growth and expansion of their businesses.

Your product will get an active appreciation if it is capable enough to help them in development. Provide marketing material to lay out the foundation about how your product and service can save time, money and resources.

To captivate B2B customers, you must have to provide relevant content which the businesses are actively searching for and relate it with your offerings.

Whereas, B2C marketing is all about entertainment. Customers are not going to follow the posts if it is all about sales. Genuinely exciting, emotional and funny content keep the masses happy and contended.

In the case of B2C marketing, marketers must have to utilize social media channel with personal as well as human touch.

Being a faceless corporate entity means you are going to lose a significant number of customers in the long run.

B2B and B2C both are types of marketing to people like you and me. Being professional doesn’t mean that you cannot have fun. Marketing to the public does not say you cannot take advantage of B2B methods.

Both are different, but you can utilize both at the same time.

Social Media Matters

B2B digital marketing strategy involves long term relationship slightly different from social media strategy in B2C digital marketing.

difference between b2b and b2c digital marketing - social media matters

B2C companies flock to Facebook to reach wider audiences, on the other hand, B2B companies gravitate towards LinkedIn as a way to network and establish connections.

In B2B digital marketing utilization of newer and trendier social media networks like Snapchat is not suitable in any way because teenage consumers are the possible demographics of this type of network.

I am not saying that B2B marketers do not use Facebook, what I mean to say is that they have to utilize best social media marketing approach.

difference between b2b and b2c digital marketing - social media approach

B2B Marketing Builds Relationships

The end goal of B2C marketing is to sell the products and services to target consumers. On the other hand, B2B marketers tend to look for ways to establish long term ongoing relationships with customers.

The end goal of B2B marketing is to focus on generating lead and keeping up the long term relationship through emails, blogging, and other strategies.

B2B is all about building trust and sharing information.

It means marketers communicate with contacts for building a mutually beneficial relationship.

Read Also: 7 Best Tools to Automate Your Social Media Marketing

Businesses Want Facts

B2C marketing wants video and tweets to entertain target audiences but in the case of B2B marketing sole purpose of marketers is to inform.

The target market of business buyer include industry savvy customers, and they seek information that can help them to grow their businesses. Business customers are driven by facts and figures.

They want logic instead of a typical advertising strategy. If you are building an online media campaign, then it is important to keep in mind the interest and need of your customers.

Use info graphics, factual links and statistical reports to back up your claims.

Sales Cycle

Capturing the attention of your audience in both cases is entirely different from each other.

In the case of B2B marketing, the marketers try to capture the attention of smaller market over the longer period as compared to marketing in case of B2C marketing.

The sales cycle in case of B2C marketing is relatively lower than the sales cycle in case of B2B. Business transactions need more consideration as compared to B2C operations and require a high level of trust and bond between customer and supplier.

Sales cycle typically starts with driving traffic to the website for finding potential clients. Whereas B2C sales cycle is based on a single step purchase cycle.

In this case, the customer wants a brand to be perfect and give customers a reason to purchase from the service provider.

Brand Value

Organizations by providing a branded content want to create a favorable impression among consumers. A piece of content evokes an emotional and political responsiveness among customers.

Such as P&G is successfully creating a forward thinking impression among consumers. It market products for entertainment and opts for emotional response option from them this is B2C digital marketing.

In the case of B2B digital marketing, marketers tend to provide information. EBooks, whitepapers and other forms of downloads such as template and documents can be used to add value to your brand.

These valuable sources incredibly contribute in increasing brand value.

Moreover, to increase brand value, online public relations are considered as an integral part of B2C marketing, but it is not sufficient in the case of B2B marketing.

In the case of B2C marketing, marketers can strive to get mentioned in industry publications and blogs for the reading of your target audiences.

In this instance, some strategy for media coverage can be a better option. Other than that you can communicate interviews, arrange interviews and write advertorials to increase PR.

Whereas in the case of B2B marketing routine surveillance of industry related media outlets is required to enhance public relations.

B2B Content Is More Accurate and Industry-Driven

Content is an integral part of digital marketing.

Either it is B2B marketing, or it is B2C marketing content marketing plays a significant role in marketing and advertising your brand over the internet.

While sharing or writing the content for B2C audiences marketer should have to keep it short. They need to make it humorous, and catchy as much as possible to appeal a large number of readers.

difference between b2b and b2c digital marketing - content marketing

On the other hand in case of B2B marketing more detailed, informative and lengthy content is required.

Because in the case of B2B marketing the marketers are expected to show off their digital expertise, they have to inform and inspire prospective buyers.


Engaging yourself in a debate for finding the difference between B2B and B2C digital marketing means you are engaging yourself in an endless conversation and you will end up as blue in the face at the end.

We scratch the surface to find some fundamental differences between these two digital marketing methods and terminologies, but there is a lot more to be discovered.

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