5tipsReaching the desired audience has always been a challenge not to be sneezed at for advertisers and it can be assumed that it will be even more difficult in future to place advertising messages in a targeted manner. This is because the ePrivacy Regulation (ePVO) will prohibit collecting data to create detailed user profiles without explicit permission of the user. This makes it much harder to play personalized advertising across channels.

Nevertheless, there is still an option for reaching the target group of B2B decision-makers in the future, Haufe Media Sales, states, namely with ‘cross-media advertising in analogue and digital trade media’, However, advertisers should keep the following tips in mind:

Tip 1: Focus on your strengths

In the complex field of tension regarding adblockers, ePVO, and the technological possibilities for data evaluation, it will become even more difficult to define and reach specific target groups in the future. Marketers should therefore recollect their strengths and examine the core of their brand before planning their reliable, cross-media marketing strategy: Simple considerations, like “what makes your brand special?”, “which measures are suitable for which channels?” can result in a multitude of targeted options to reach the desired target group.

Tip 2: Get rid of the influence of the big US platforms

The ePrivacy regulation makes it much harder to measure the success of actions. Passé is the time when costs per click could be opposed to sales. The triumphal march of online marketing in the past decade is mainly due to the once favorable pay-per-click and pay-per-lead payment models. But with increasing power and influence of the major US platforms, prices have risen sharply. Not to mention that online advertising opportunities are reduced with the ePVO, hence, probably become even more expensive. To reduce costs, you should turn away from the American platforms and consider cheaper alternatives.

Tip 3: Advertise in printed trade media

Even though many have long since evoked the downfall of print, in the context of the ePVO, printed trade media are becoming more relevant again. There are multiple reasons for this. On one hand, the handling of personal data is naturally limited. On the other hand, print media are indispensable for decision-makers and are very widespread in this target group: 83% of B2B decision-makers use printed specialist media to find out about products and solutions. They value the credibility, seriousness, neutrality and diversity of specialist media in all phases of the customer journey. So, you might want to consider print media in the future to reach professionals.

Tip 4: Advertise in digital trade media

As important as printed trade media are digital offers. As a reliable source of information, professional media websites have a distinct advantage in terms of search engine results, the online presence of associations and similar organizations, the manufacturers' websites, and specialist forums.

You should take advantage of this fact and make sure that digital special offers are on the advertising agenda. After all, around 80% of B2B decision-makers consider those companies that regularly advertise in specialist media to be important providers in the relevant market. With such advertising, you can sustainably increase the image of your company and your products - at a comparatively low cost. Already today, it is more cost effective to send a newsletter for lead generation via an established specialist medium than to carry out an Adwords campaign.

Tip 5: Chose the right environment

You can increase the impact of your cross-media campaign if you play it in a high-quality and at the same time thematically relevant environment. The journalistic environment of an established specialist medium directly influences the advertising measure and the advertising brand, while recipients rate the measure significantly more positively - independent of the media channel and user group.

The better target group environments and consumer interests match, the higher is the success of advertising. An advertising medium develops its maximum effect if you play it out for the desired target group in a suitable environment where the advertising impulse meets willingness to buy.

By MediaBUZZ