Inbound marketing is quickly winning over businesses everywhere—and it’s no wonder why. Marketers love that it attracts the right prospects, while consumers appreciate its non-intrusive approach. Everyone’s happy… or are they?
For every marketer who’s thriving with inbound, there’s another who’s facing roadblocks. If you’re struggling to make inbound work for you, you’re not alone.
Marketing challenges are more common than you might think—but the good news is, they’re fixable. So, what are the biggest challenges marketers face, and how can you tackle them head-on?
The Top Challenges B2B Marketers Face
1. Information Overload in the Age of AI
Cutting Through the Noise
With generative AI fueling rapid shifts in content creation, it feels like the internet is bursting at the seams—Google alone is indexing nearly 30 trillion pages. So, how do you make your content rise above the noise without sounding like an echo of what's already out there?
To tackle this, start by diving into the real obstacles your customers are facing. What’s tripping them up, and how can you offer a smoother path forward?
Sure, there might be plenty of advice on typical solutions, but maybe you can add a twist, a simpler explanation, or an approach that’s truly innovative.
Think of it as standing out in a packed room—not by shouting louder, but by saying something that’s genuinely useful.
AI can also help personalize your insights. It can analyze customer behavior to pinpoint what resonates with your audience. And when you know where your audience hangs out—whether that’s on social media, niche forums, or somewhere in between—you’re set to join the conversation with more impact.
With their attention secured, guide them to explore your other digital assets, keeping the journey smooth, relevant, and, well, a bit of fun.
2. Generating High Quality Website Traffic
Solid lead generation is pivotal to inbound marketing success. Why? Because once you’ve generated leads, inbound allows you to nurture them through the buyer’s journey by providing helpful information and to guide them toward a purchase decision.
Inbound marketing is about creating valuable content that answers your prospects’ questions. When people think you have something to offer them, they will be more likely to provide you with their contact information.
Now you have a lead that’s definitely interested in what you have to offer. Your job is to nurture this lead by providing helpful information until they’re ready to make a decision.
The problem here is that many businesses struggle with lead generation in the first place. Without generating leads, it’s impossible to nurture them.
Without reaching new prospects and attracting new customers, it can be very difficult to sustain growth. After all, if no one is visiting your website, your sales funnel will be empty. To solve this problem, you should:
Revisit Your Buyer Personas: Target The Right Audience
The first question you should ask yourself is: are you targeting the right people? Give your buyer personas enough detail so you know exactly who you are targeting. Ultimately, this will allow you to create content that truly speaks to them.
Reconsider your content
What type of content does your audience want? Some people like reading blogs, while others prefer an entertaining video. Find the right medium for your prospects and use it to create interesting and relevant content.
Continue to Optimize Your Content
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the key to being found on search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo. Even with the rise of AI technologies that enhance search capabilities, SEO ensures that your content is structured and relevant, increasing your visibility on search engine pages.
This visibility translates to more potential customers visiting your website, making SEO an indispensable part of your digital strategy.
Invest in Paid Search: Try LinkedIn
SEO is the best way to up your organic search engine rankings, but paid search is a fast and easy way to get noticed by your audience. It complements your SEO and fills in any gaps by directing your prospects to the right landing pages.
LinkedIn enhances B2B visibility and engagement by sharing content and joining discussions, helping connect with decision-makers and build brand authority.
Encourage Return Visits to Your Site with Retargeting
Have you ever visited a website, only to see their ads all around the internet over the next few days? That’s retargeting. These ads reintroduce your brand or products to your prospects so you stay top-of-mind.
3. Marketing and Sales Alignment
Friends, Not Frenemies
Let’s face it—marketing and sales often feel like they’re in a long-distance relationship, with one team off doing their thing while the other does theirs.
But here’s the twist: when these teams actually work together, magic happens. Sales reps hold a treasure trove of insights that can help marketing create content that doesn’t just get clicks but actually converts.
A close collaboration can also sharpen your understanding of buyer personas. By aligning on who you’re targeting, marketing and sales can create a unified front, speaking directly to customer needs and expectations.
To make this happen, take time to truly define your ideal customers and dig deep into their most pressing problems.
This alignment guarantees that your brand produces spot-on content and offers solutions that your audience actually wants. So, make it a team effort—your customers (and your bottom line) will thank you.
4. Toolstack and Technology
Let’s be real—without the right tools, even the best marketing strategy can feel like trying to run a marathon in flip-flops. With an endless lineup of options, choosing the right tech stack can feel more like speed dating than strategic planning.
According to HubSpot’s State of Inbound report, 24% of marketers struggle to find the right tools to meet their needs.
As a HubSpot Platinum Certified Agency Partner, we recommend learning about and using HubSpot tools; even the free tools can add lots of value.
Regardless of whether you use HubSpot, here are some other tools that you should have in your arsenal:
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software
Keep track of, organize, and learn more about your contacts with the right CRM. This helps you get to know your customers better, so you know how to sell your business to them.
Social Media Publisher
Think of this as your social media command center. Choose one with a calendar, scheduling tools, and monitoring features to keep your audience engaged.
Marketing Automation Tools
Inbound is about nurturing your leads. A marketing automation tool helps you guide your leads to a purchase decision and prevent them from falling through the cracks.
Analytics Tools
How do you track the actions people take on your website? Explore available analytics tools. Google Analytics is a great option—are there others that suit your needs? Pick the right tools by looking at what your business truly needs.
Key Takeaway: Keep it simple and scalable. The right tools should empower your team, helping you focus on what really matters: creating connections that stick.
5. Overwhelming Data and Too Many KPIs
Finding Focus in a Sea of Stats
Inbound marketing is like an all-you-can-eat buffet of data—there’s more than you could ever need, and it’s easy to get a little carried away. With metrics for everything from buyer personas to ROI tracking, figuring out where to focus can feel overwhelming.
But here’s the trick: zero in on what actually matters. Take a moment to look at your data options. Sure, you’ll find everything from consumer trends to hyper-specific metrics like eye-tracking stats, but not all of it will drive your goals.
Key Questions to Ask:
- What really matters to my goals?
- Which metrics will show if I’m on the right track?
Keep it simple. Interesting data is great, but if it doesn’t help you make better decisions, it’s just noise. Stick to the essentials, and only add new metrics if they directly support your success.
6. Engaging the Right Audience
Enhance Your Strategy with AI Tools
Today’s users are picky—if your website doesn’t measure up, they’re gone. That’s why it’s crucial to nail your online experience, especially in three areas: website design, mobile optimization, and avoiding duplicate content.
And with AI in your toolkit, you can elevate each of these aspects to keep users engaged.
Website Design
Think of your website as the front door to your business. AI tools can analyze visitor behavior in real-time, offering insights that help you optimize layout, navigation, and content placement to keep users engaged and moving toward conversion.
Mobile Optimization
With so many users on their phones, a mobile-friendly site is a must. AI can help by identifying where mobile visitors may struggle, allowing you to address specific issues quickly and provide a seamless experience.
Avoid Duplicate Content
Repeating the same content across platforms tells users you’re not putting in the effort, and search engines don’t love it either. AI-driven tools can detect duplicate content and suggest unique alternatives, helping maintain originality and boosting SEO.
In the end, it’s about making every interaction count. By leveraging AI to personalize and refine the user experience, you can keep visitors coming back for more.
7. Securing Resources and Marketing Budget
You've got the strategy; now, it’s all about execution. For many marketers, getting the necessary resources and budget can feel like scaling a mountain, especially without clear proof of ROI.
The key to convincing decision-makers lies in demonstrating how each marketing dollar translates into measurable results.
Here’s how to tackle resource and budgeting challenges:
Link Marketing to Sales Outcomes
Track leads from their first interaction with your content to their final purchase. By showing how marketing activities directly influence sales, you can present decision-makers with clear, data-backed proof of ROI.
Optimize ROI Tracking
Gathering data on every touchpoint—whether a lead converts or doesn’t—can attribute that activity back to specific campaigns, helping your team understand what’s working and where to invest more.
Key Steps to Secure Resources
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Define Clear Goals: Set specific goals for your marketing. Are you aiming to generate leads, increase reach, or establish thought leadership? These clear goals make it easier to determine which metrics need tracking.
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Choose KPIs That Matter: To measure ROI, you need the right KPIs. Align these metrics with your goals to provide real-time insights without unnecessary manual effort.
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Invest in the Right Tools: Tools like Google Analytics, Databox, or HubSpot’s CRM simplify ROI tracking. They allow your team to see real-time results, helping you pinpoint areas for resource allocation.
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Align Marketing and Sales: Use a service-level agreement (SLA) to bridge the gap between marketing and sales. A shared understanding and collaboration ensure both teams are focused on generating valuable leads and tracking their journey from start to finish.
This approach enables you to make a strong case for your budget needs, showing stakeholders the direct link between resources, marketing activities, and business growth.
Partner with the Right Agency to Tackle Your B2B Marketing Challenges
Marketing challenges come in all shapes and sizes—from quick fixes to full-scale strategic overhauls. Sometimes, it takes a complete evaluation of your current strategy and a deep dive into what’s working (and what’s not) to get things moving in the right direction.
The good news is, you’re not alone. As an inbound marketing agency with a solid track record in helping businesses succeed with inbound, New Perspective can help you overcome these roadblocks.
Contact New Perspective today to get started.
