Words: Belinda
Lead generation is crucial for businesses in both the B2B and B2C spaces. While paid campaigns and social media ads are amazing, a finely tuned lead generation strategy using organic activations is a game-changer. Below, we’ll share optimal strategies for generating leads organically for both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-customer (B2C) markets.
What is organic lead generation?
Organic lead generation attracts potential customers without using paid ads. Digital marketing strategies, including content marketing, SEO, social media engagement, and email marketing, are used to target the audience and generate quality leads.
Unlike paid advertising, organic lead generation focuses on building a sustainable, long-term presence, which requires patience and consistent effort. It may take a while, but this strategy can bring in higher-quality leads and better customer loyalty over time.
Organic lead generation strategies for B2B
Using a combination of successful organic strategies in the B2B space will help your brand increase organic lead gen while enhancing your position of authority. Here’s how:
Content marketing
This should underpin all of your B2B lead gen. Sharing high-quality, informative content that solves the problems and needs of your target audience helps position your brand as an industry authority. This is especially relevant on platforms such as LinkedIn, where 40% of visitors engage with a page organically each week. And don’t forget about the increase in lead gen that can come with LinkedIn newsletters.
B2B business Hubspot does content marketing well including publishing timely, relevant blog content on all aspects of digital marketing and sales software. They also offer online courses and e-books, which keeps their audience returning to learn more.
Webinars and online events
Hosting webinars and online events can attract potential leads by providing valuable information and showcasing your expertise. Bonus: by engaging directly with your audience and answering their questions, you build trust and brand recognition. Recording and sharing these events as on-demand content can further extend their reach.
B2B brand Salesforce is renowned for their on-demand product demonstrations, interactive Q&A sessions, and industry-specific webinars. Their biggest and most successful online event is Dreamforce, which in 2020 attracted more than 200 million views.
Email marketing
Easily grow your email list by offering valuable content, such as industry reports or exclusive insights, in exchange for contact information. Email marketing, including sending out newsletters and personalised emails, keeps your audience engaged and moves them further down the sales funnel.
Organic lead generation strategies for B2C
Organic lead gen strategies focus in B2B highlight building genuine connections and providing value to your target audience, leading to increased conversions. Try these strategies:
Social media engagement
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok are vital for organic lead generation for B2C brands. As well as its almost 3 billion monthly users, Facebook has a variety of data-capturing and analysis tools that can make lead gen seamless.
Your organic social media strategy should include posting a mix of posts, stories, and lives regularly to increase brand awareness and attract potential leads.
Influencer partnerships
Collaborating with influencers can amplify your reach and attract new leads. In fact, almost half of all consumers are inspired to make a purchase at least once a month after seeing influencer posts.
Influencers have established audiences that trust their recommendations, making them valuable partners for organic lead generation. Good influencers understand the importance of creating engaging content and are able to follow a brief. Learn more about influencer marketing here.
SEO and local SEO
Optimising your website for search engines is just as crucial for B2C businesses. Local SEO can help attract leads from your geographical area. Check that your business is listed on Google My Business and other local directories and optimise for local keywords to drive organic traffic from nearby customers.
Mastering lead generation beyond paid campaigns requires a strategic approach that uses organic activations like content marketing, SEO, social media engagement, and other organic strategies. This helps both B2B and B2C businesses attract and nurture leads effectively.
Too much going on to even think about your digital marketing? Contact us! We’re a full-service digital marketing agency with specialists in SEO, content marketing, and design – and we love driving lead generation.