What can B2B marketers learn from Youtubers and Teens?

My teenage daughter is obsessed with Youtube. On a recent family vacation she insisted on driving down Vine street in LA because that is where they live. Because of her excitement, my dad actually thought we were going to visit her "real" friend. She can tell you what they ate for breakfast and where they will be at 6:00 tonight. The who’s who of the Youtube world might as well be a menu written in Greek for me. For the life of me, I just can’t understand how these people have millions of followers and are cashing in to the tune of 15 million annually just for filming themselves crashing a 6-year-old’s birthday party or trying to figure out how to work the washing machine.  

However, the marketer in me can’t deny they all have one thing in common...they have taken the power of marketing to a whole new level. In fact, one could say, they have innovated marketing and maybe changed it forever. And, B2B marketers shouldn’t ignore what they can teach us:

1. They understand how to build relationships with their audience
2. They know how to give their audience an experience they seek more of, to the level of obsession
3. They recognize they have influence and have found ways to leverage it
4. They work together to grow each other's personal brands
5. Their personality becomes their brand and they “merchandise” it across multiple channels
6. And, not all, but most are very transparent and some would even say “raw” which gives them an authenticity that is attractive

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So, how does this relate to B2B marketing?

Some say marketing is still in the midst of a seismic shift. Since I started in marketing a few years back (ok - more than a few), I have already seen dramatic changes like the onslaught of marketing technology, the role of marketing in the organization, the use of customer data, the ways in which we reach our audience and the list goes on.  

But, the biggest change I think is still in its infancy. How we relate to our customers is changing. We are having to adapt to the way society has become accustomed to learning, engaging and even interacting. Marketers, even those in B2B, can utilize what teens and youtubers already discovered to grow their business:

1. Be authentic, even raw helps to establish a sense of trust. Marketers want to make everything picture perfect, on brand, scripted and produced. With social media and reality TV as consumers of information we tend to be weary of anything that seems too perfect.
2. Loosen up. Let your team get in on the action. I mean everyone from the new intern to the CEO. Don’t just encourage your team to repost your content, encourage them to be a part of the conversations. Show everyone how to be an ambassador for your purpose but let them add their own touch and style. 
3. Collaborate with others. Work together as a community with complementary brands to build influence. Two sets of followers are better than one and in the B2B world collaboration with like organizations is another way to show you are relatable, even likable.
4. Interact. Listen, Comment. Marketing is no longer a one way communication. Engage your audience. Listen to what they have to say. Use these conversations to drive business decisions.
5. Relate to your market. Know your audience and give them what they want before they know they want it. 
6. Take risks. Don't worry so much about what "everyone" thinks.  It is your market that matters most. 
   
7. Turn the experience into $$$. You may not have “merch” like a youtuber but you are of course trying to sell something. Give your prospect/customer a reason to take action time and time again without making them feel like they are getting a sales pitch. Youtubers have a way letting the customer feel like they are missing out on something if they don’t take action because they have already committed to the “relationship.”

While there is not a perfect parallel between youtubers selling merch and a B2B product/service sales process, modern day marketers should take some time to see how one of the hottest marketing trends of our time can be incorporated into their marketing strategy.

Author: KC Cox
Contributing Author: Ryan Andrew

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