B2B buyers are making up their minds long before they ever talk to sales. In a world where perception shapes intent, marketing now carries unprecedented weight in driving the decisions that matter most.
With a smart media strategy, brands can elevate awareness, build trust and influence buying committees long before conversations with sales ever begin. Below, we break down key media channels and share practical tips to build a results-driven B2B media plan.
Key Takeaways
- Media planners need to evaluate various marketing channels to ensure business objectives can be met. Each platform has its own strengths and limitations, which must be taken into account when creating a strategy.
- To develop an effective plan, marketers need to have a deep understanding of their target audience, including how they like to consume information and who the members of the buying committee are.
- Testing and optimizing campaigns is a crucial step in ensuring you are maximizing marketing ROI.
A Closer Look at B2B Media Channels
There are several B2B marketing channels companies can leverage to meet their campaign goals. A media planner’s job is to choose the right placements to drive targeted outcomes — whether that means building brand awareness, nurturing prospects, or generating sales-ready leads. Below is a brief overview of each channel and its key benefits.
Webinars
When a prospect commits 30 to 60 minutes to watch a webinar, they’re doing more than passively consuming content — they’re signaling intent. These higher-funnel engagements often produce sales-ready leads who have demonstrated clear interest by investing their time upfront.
With 80% of marketers leveraging LinkedIn, and 40% identifying it as their most important platform, LinkedIn remains a go-to channel for reaching decision-makers. Its expanding suite of features and robust targeting capabilities allow brands to precisely engage the right audiences at the right time.
Content Syndication
B2B content syndication extends your reach by partnering with publishers who distribute your content across their networks, often with guaranteed lead volumes. This tactic helps scale awareness while generating a predictable lead pipeline.
Email remains a versatile workhorse. External campaigns allow you to tap into third-party audiences via trusted publications, while internal B2B email nurture streams keep your brand top-of-mind for prospects already in your funnel.
CTV and Video
Video content continues to deliver on both awareness and perception. Connected TV (CTV) introduces targeting sophistication, helping you serve video ads to highly specific audience segments and ensuring your media dollars aren’t wasted.
Out-of-Home (OOH)
OOH remains a powerful brand awareness tool, particularly when integrated with trade shows or industry events. Digital OOH takes the concept a step further, allowing for precise audience targeting and real-time campaign adjustments.
Direct Mail
While often overlooked in B2B, direct mail cuts through digital noise and creates tangible brand moments. It’s a flexible tactic that can be deployed across the funnel, from cold outreach to customer retention.
Display
B2B display ads deliver cost-efficient brand awareness, particularly when paired with richer media formats like video. Unlike video, display is less susceptible to creative fatigue, extending the shelf life of your messaging.
Audio
B2B decision-makers increasingly rely on podcasts for professional insights. Sponsoring or advertising within relevant audio content positions your brand alongside trusted industry voices, building both awareness and credibility.
PPC and SEO
Most buyer journeys still start with search. That makes keyword strategy and SEO optimization foundational to any digital media plan. Aligning website content to user intent ensures you’re visible when prospects are actively seeking solutions. Additionally, you should ensure you are bidding on the right keywords in your paid search strategy to ensure you are attracting the right people to your website.
6 Keys to Building a High-Impact B2B Media Plan
The role of a media planner not only focuses on which channels to choose, but how to make them work together to maximize ROI. Below are some tips for developing a strong B2B media plan.
1. Target the Full Buying Committee
B2B purchases are rarely single-threaded. Harvard Business Review reports that group buying decisions are twice as complex as individual ones. As technology buying groups grow, your media plan needs to engage a range of stakeholders — from end users to economic buyers — fostering alignment and consensus across the organization.
2. Map Content to the Way Your Buyers Consume Information
Your buyers aren’t waiting for marketing to find them, they’re actively seeking insights across channels. In a recent Arizona Technology Council survey, tech professionals cited Quora, podcasts, social media (including Ars Technica and X) and industry conferences as trusted sources. Audience research helps uncover where your buyers are gathering information, ensuring your media dollars are allocated where they’ll have the greatest impact.
3. Create Content Across the Entire Funnel
Lead generation is only one piece of the puzzle. With three out of four B2B buyers preferring a rep-free experience, marketing must support the full sales cycle with nurture content that builds trust and moves prospects closer to purchase. Tactics like display, CTV and email nurture campaigns ensure your brand stays engaged with prospects from first touch to closed deal.
4. Don’t Underestimate Brand Building
While harder to measure, brand awareness has a direct impact on purchase behavior. B2B buyers are more likely to engage with brands they recognize and trust. Consistent brand-building efforts keep you top of mind when your audience moves into the market.
5. Use Multiple Ad Formats to Build Memory
According to Boston University professor Andrew Budson, multisensory engagement drives stronger memory formation. By diversifying formats (i.e., video, display, audio, direct mail), you can create more memorable touchpoints that help your brand stand out.
6. Measure, Optimize, Repeat
While channel metrics vary, ongoing measurement is critical to long-term success. Consider both holistic metrics like brand lift studies or lead progression as well as channel-specific KPIs like reach, impressions, CTR and lead volume. Use these insights to fine-tune campaigns and optimize for performance over time.
Final Takeaway
B2B media doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does need to be intentional. With the right partner, you can create campaigns that don’t just check boxes, but drive real business outcomes.
At Walker Sands, we bring together strategy, creative and execution to help brands scale with confidence. Ready to get started? Let’s talk outcomes.
