Believe it or not, 2 years changes a lot in B2B marketing.

Did you know nearly half of all B2B researchers are Millennials?

Google made this finding after partnering with Milward Brown Digital to study changes in B2B marketing. Together, the two organizations surveyed 3,000 B2B researchers about their research and buying habits, and their use of digital search, mobile, and video.

Here are some additional findings from the study:

1. While B2B marketing strategies almost exclusively focus on the C-Suite, B2B researchers not in the C-Suite have significant influence over purchasing decisions
2. 71% of B2B searchers start with a generic search, not a branded search
3. There has been 91% growth in the use of mobile search from 2012-2014
4. B2B researchers watch video during their entire decision to research and buy

Different research conducted by Google also found:

• 48% of tech B2B customers find new vendors through search
• Tech B2B customers are more likely to remember display ads versus magazine ads
• 32% of tech B2B customers download whitepapers and other B2B marketing materials on their smartphones
• Brand websites and YouTube are the 2 places B2B tech customers go to find video content

So What Do You Do With All This Information?

If you’re B2B, you clearly have some new information to consider in your marketing strategy. Targeting the C-Suite still works, but you have some new angles to test too.

And you know these Millennial researchers whisper into the C-Suite’s ear. Pretty soon, they’ll also be the C-Suite themselves!

How Do You Engage Millennial B2B Researchers?

Well, you’ve seen the information about video. That’s a great tactic to use.

But the strategy with content aimed at Millennials needs to focus on relevant, personal interactions. This insight comes from the IBM Institute of Business Value (IBV). But they also agree with Google – Millennials prefer personal interactions via digital tactics.

What they really want, continues the report, is an easy, hassle-free experience, that they feel like they have control of.

While they differ greatly from previous B2B generations in that respect, they’re similar in their need for data. IBV’s report also adds that Millennial decision makers love data from analytics, and actionable insights they can use right now.

And you can count on Millennials to talk about positive experiences with your company. 69% of those surveyed by IBV said they’ll happily make a compliment on your website if they’re happy with your products or services.

Armed with that information, you now know how to engage Millennial B2B researchers – our nation’s future leaders. However, the tactics are up to you.