HPE Guide to Digital Marketing

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Your customers have gone digital. You should, too.

These days, B2B buyers are using digital resources to research solutions, engage with brands, and make purchase decisions. They’re in control, choosing when and how to engage with content and brands.

That’s why it’s important for your brand to maintain a strong, consistent online presence. Digital marketing helps you stay competitive by reaching your customers where, when, and how they access content online.

of B2B buyers go online during their purchase process1

66% of a B2B buyer’s journey is spent interacting with digital content and this is

consistent throughout the buying process.1

1 Source: SiriusDecisions, 2018

89%

66%

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Accelerate your digital marketing efforts with HPE The HPE Partner Ready Digital Marketing Program gives partners access to a comprehensive suite of digital marketing resources, tools, and content to help them accelerate their digital marketing practices and drive effective, multi-channel marketing campaigns that ultimately yield more pipeline and generate more sales. It provides partners the opportunity to:

• Assess their level of digital marketing maturity and identify areas where their companies should focus to further develop their digital capabilities. It also provides recommendations on where they can supplement their own expertise with tools and content from HPE.

• Educate themselves and build their digital marketing proficiency through the HPE Partner Ready Marketing Pro Academy which offers workshops and online educational content that shares insights on the latest digital marketing trends and best practices.

• Collaborate with HPE marketing teams or Marketing Services Agencies who can supplement their own resources and provide digital marketing expertise, insight, and support to help facilitate the planning and execution of their co-marketing efforts.

• Empower their marketing teams with ready-to-use, customizable content, campaigns, and tools to enable them to quickly and easily launch digital and social activities.

Learn more about the program by accessing the HPE Partner Ready Digital Marketing Program eBook or visit the program page on the HPE Partner Ready Portal.

About this guideWhether you’re a savvy, experienced digital marketer or just beginning your digital marketing journey, HPE is dedicated to providing you with the information and resources you need to help you enhance your expertise and improve your digital marketing successes.

This guide is designed to help you advance your knowledge of digital marketing and take advantage of HPE content, tools, and resources that can assist and enhance your digital marketing efforts. The content includes everything from quick-read infographics to detailed whitepapers that let you dive deeper into digital marketing topics.

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Digital Marketing

Digital Advertising

Content Marketing

Lead Nurturing

Social Media Marketing

Social Selling

Search

HPE Marketing Tools and Resources

Learn more about digital marketing

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Digital Marketing

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Digital Marketing

Build relationships to drive more business with digital marketing.More than ever, people are consuming content and acquiring information through digital channels. The days when a customer engaged with a salesperson have been replaced with online research and peer recommendations via social media at all stages of the buyer’s journey.

Along with human interaction, digital marketing plays an important role in building trust with your B2B prospects and helping them move through their buyer’s journey—and that role continues to increase. It provides an opportunity to make strong, meaningful connections with customers by making relevant digital content readily available no matter where customers are in their buyer’s journey. The more content marketers make available, the more opportunities customers have to access and consume it. This builds trust in your brand and drives more business by positioning your company as an industry thought leader, making customers more likely to purchase the products, solutions, and services you provide.

According to a recent study, 57% of brands say that content download forms generate leads with the highest conversion rates. In the same study, these companies identified research reports, social media content, website articles, blogs, case studies, and whitepapers to be the types of digital content that deliver the highest customer conversion rate.1

Defining digital marketing

Simply defined, digital

marketing is the

promotion of products,

solutions, services, and

brands via electronic

media. It includes the

delivery of content and

advertising through

digital channels such

as search engines,

websites, social media,

email, and mobile.

1 Source: https://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-strategy/which-content-type-generate-the-most-leads/, September, 2017

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Where does digital marketing fit in the buyer’s journey?Digital marketing encompasses the full buyer’s journey. You can make the greatest impact through advertising and search to earn attention, then incorporating lead nurturing and content marketing for the engage and persuade phase, and finally utilize social selling to help close the sale.

Access the following HPE content and resources to learn more about how to incorporate digital marketing into your overall marketing campaigns, and reach customers at each stage of their buying journey.

Digital marketing overview

Sales guideFor HPE and Channel Partner internal use only.

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Sales guide

Digital marketing checklist

For HPE and Channel Partner internal use only.

Digital Marketing

HPE Partner Ready Digital Marketing ProgramHPE eBook• Explains how the HPE Partner Ready Digital Marketing Program

can help you improve your digital marketing proficiency and drive more effective digital campaigns

• Directs you to available HPE tools and resources designed to support your digital marketing initiatives.

Digital Marketing OverviewHPE Article• Provides a detailed overview of digital marketing, its components,

and how to create the right mix of digital marketing strategies and tactics for you.

Digital Marketing Optimization ChecklistHPE Article• Access helpful checklists on a range of digital marketing topics.• Shows how you can optimize various digital marketing tools,

including video, SEO, and mobile.

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Programmatic 101—The Rise of Programmatic in B2B Marketing HPE Article• Defines what programmatic marketing is, why it’s important, and

the basics on getting started.• Includes statistical insights as to why a growing number of B2B

marketers are embracing this technology.

HPE Enterprise Customer Personas GuideHPE Article• Provides an in-depth view into the key behaviors, attributes,

motivations, challenges, and goals of our key enterprise customers personas.

• Shows how to easily connect with them by delivering content and messaging that addresses their needs and concerns.

HPE Partner Ready Digital Marketing ProgramHPE Infographic• Provides a brief overview of the HPE Partner Ready Digital

Marketing Program.• Highlights the resources and tools available to help you accelerate

your digital marketing proficiency.

Germany EMEA

€127 million €3.4 billion ¥130 million

¥279.4 million6€5.78 billion5€1.1 billion4

2014

2018

2014

2015

Japan

2014

2018

UK

£623 million

£3.2 billion4

2014

2018

China

$4.21 billion

$22.94 billion4

2014

2018

The rise of programmatic in B2B marketing

In an always on, always connected, multi-channel and multi-device world, the B2B buyer’s journey has become increasingly fragmented. Potential customers in every phase are putting in more time on screens than ever before—and where customers go, brands must follow.

As a result, connecting with customers is increasingly more intricate. Marketers must be able to plan programs and messages to be consumed seamlessly across every point of interaction. It’s not about throwing the same message across every channel and hoping it works.

What is programmatic marketing?One trending solution that is helping B2B digital marketers connect with customers in this changing landscape is programmatic marketing. Simply put, programmatic is the use of technology to automate the buying, selling or fulfillment of online media. It can include tools that help automate everything from rate negotiation and campaign set up to optimizations and actualizations.1

Programmatic is here to stayProgrammatic isn’t anything new. But over the past few years, it’s established a proven track record of boosting media buying efficiency and improved targeting. And the proof is in the numbers. Programmatic ad spending reached nearly $15 billion in 2015, and that figure is expected to reach $20 billion by the end of 2016.2

Marketers are transitioning their focus to programmatic, especially when it comes to digital display (banner ads, rich media, etc.). In 2016, programmatic will account for 73.0% of all US digital display ad spending.3 What’s more, programmatic’s share of US digital display ad spending will reach $37.88 billion, by 2018.3 The numbers around the globe are equally persuasive:

Sales guideFor HPE and Channel Partner internal use only.

1 What’s in Store for Programmatic. CMO website.

2 Programmatic 101: DSPS Explained. Centro website.

3 US Programmatic Ad Spending Forecast: Most Mobile Display And Video Ad Dollars To Be Automated By 2018, eMarketer Inc., 2016

4 eMarketer Inc. Germany mobile programmatic ad spend UK mobile programmatic ad spend China mobile programmatic ad spend

5 Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe (IAB Europe) and IHS, “European Programmatic Market Sizing 2015,” September 14, 2016

6 Programmatic Ad Spend in Japan Reaches Mobile Tipping Point, 2016

Digital Marketing

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Five Ways to Empower your Digital Marketing SuccessHPE Infographic• Shows how the HPE Partner Ready Digital Marketing Program

provides you with a full range of digital marketing tools, content, and resources to enable you to develop, launch, and track your own digital marketing initiatives.

Enabling Your Digital Marketing JourneyHPE Infographic• Outlines how HPE PSNow provides you with a single, convenient

resource to help you find the digital marketing content you need to streamline and expedite your digital marketing campaigns, drive demand, and grow revenue.

HPE Co-marketing Campaign Toolkits for PartnersHPE Video• Shares how HPE Digital Marketing Campaign Toolkits are designed

to help you create your own co-marketing digital campaigns with assets that generate awareness, nurture leads, and drive pipeline.

Digital Marketing

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Digital Marketing—What You Need to KnowHPE Whitepaper featuring SiriusDecisions• Learn how the new focus on digital affects the buying journey and

selling process, and discover what digital approach works best for your organization.

The Digital Marketing Imperative to Win More BusinessHPE Video featuring SiriusDecisions• Highlights ways organizations can achieve higher levels of sales

success and generate twice as much pipeline as the competition.

Assess your Digital Marketing Type to Drive PerformanceHPE Video featuring SiriusDecisions• Summarizes how to measure your digital readiness by defining

your digital type.

Align Digital Marketing and Sales for Higher ROIHPE Video featuring SiriusDecisions• Shares why it’s important for sales and marketing to work together

for better results and cost efficiencies.

Make a serious impact with digital marketing.The evolution of the B2B buyer’s journey is having a profound impact on how both sales and marketing engage with customers. To stay competitive, you need to be engaged with your customers when, where, and how they access content online.

“Digital marketing is no longer a nice to have; it’s an imperative,” states Maria Chien, Service Director, Channel Marketing Strategies at SiriusDecisions. “Organizations have to use digital to engage with buyers or they’re going to be left behind.”

Here are a few assets HPE has developed featuring SiriusDecisions, a leading global B2B research and advisory firm.

Digital Marketing

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Digital Advertising

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Drive awareness and results with digital advertising.Digital advertising encompasses a variety of digital media tactics such as video, banner ads or display advertising, and mobile advertising. Each tactic offers unique opportunities to share your story with prospects at all stages of the buyer’s journey. Understanding more about these tactics, including when and where to place them, can make a significant impact on your overall digital marketing success.

Digital advertising is an extremely effective way to reach your target audience. It’s also one of the most cost effective—in a recent survey, U.S. marketers reported to see an average 18% return on ad spending for online display advertising.1

Considering today’s customers are spending an enormous amount of time—nearly 10 hours each day with electronic media1—digital advertising lets you deliver timely, relevant, customized content to buyers through multiple channels at each stage of the buyer’s journey.

1 Source: http://www.mediadynamicsinc.com/uploads/files/PR092214-Note-only-150-Ads-2mk.pdf, 2014

Defining digital advertising

Digital advertising

is when marketers

leverage the internet

and its properties to

deliver promotional ads

to customers on various

digital channels.

Digital Advertising

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Digital Advertising

Digital advertising encompasses a variety of tactics such as banner ads, video, and mobile. Review the content below to learn how to best utilize each as part of your overall digital marketing campaign.

Digital Advertising Overview and Step-by-Step GuideHPE Article• Provides a handy resource and guide for planning, creating, and

launching digital advertising initiatives.

Digitally Enhanced—Optimizing Your Digital Advertising FormatsHPE Whitepaper• Identifies the most common and effective digital advertising

formats.• Provides insights into which formats are most effective in the

buyer’s journey.• Highlights best practices to consider when creating digital

advertising content.

Where does digital advertising fit in the buyer’s journey?You can make the greatest impact with digital advertising in the first two stages of the buyer’s journey by launching a search, social, and/or banner ad campaign to gain attention, then switch to retargeting during the engage and persuade phase.

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Digital Advertising

Creating More Meaningful Moments Across the Buyer’s JourneyHPE Whitepaper• Shares in-depth information and insights on three types of digital

advertising placement techniques.• Including definitions, advantages, and considerations for

each technique

Digital Advertising—Online, On Time, On TargetHPE Infographic• Covers the importance of digital advertising in delivering timely,

relevant, valuable information to prospects and customers.

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Content Marketing

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Customers crave content.At the heart of digital marketing is the content that marketers provide for their prospects and customers. For B2B marketers, content marketing is key to helping develop strong and long-lasting relationships with prospects and customers at every stage of the buyer’s journey. Consider this: B2B companies who use content marketing generate 67% more leads than those that don’t.1

In this digital marketing age, customers aren’t waiting for information. They’re actively seeking it online, from their office, home, or wherever work takes them. Content includes much more than basic marketing tactics such as articles, whitepapers, and brochures—it can also include videos, case studies, blogs, presentations, eBooks, social media posts, and more. Essentially, anything that helps customers educate themselves and impacts their purchasing decision can be considered content.

While content such as product brochures have their role, it’s vital that marketers also create content that is interesting, fresh, relevant, and provides value.

1 Source: https://www.impactbnd.com/blog/blogging-statistics-to-boost-your-strategy, January, 2017

Content Marketing

Defining content marketing

Content marketing is

the process of creating

and distributing timely,

relevant, and valuable

content to attract,

acquire, and engage

your target audience.

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Content Marketing

Content Marketing Overview and Step-by-Step GuideHPE Article• Describes what content marketing is, why it’s a vital part of digital

marketing, and how to create and share the right content to your customers throughout their buyer’s journey.

• Includes a thorough checklist to get you started.

Implementing a “Content Factory” Approach to Tackle Your Content Marketing NeedsHPE Article• Shares an established framework for creating appropriate content

that builds excitement around your brand, products, and solutions.

Content marketing needs to be a key part of your digital marketing strategy. The resources below can help you leverage best practices for creating and sharing the right content to the right audience at the right time.

Where does content marketing fit in the buyer’s journey?Content plays a key role in all phases of the buying journey as customers research and review materials on their way to making a purchase decision. Marketers can make a significant impact in the second phase of the buyer’s journey by delivering relevant, high-value content that can convince customers to place your brand or solution into their consideration set.

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Content Marketing

Thought Leadership and Content Marketing—They Just Go TogetherHPE Article• Summarizes how thought leadership and content marketing can

work together to strengthen trust and loyalty among prospects and customers.

Effective Content Marketing HPE Video• Describes the importance of content within your overall digital

marketing plan.• Shares best practices and insights on what content is preferred

and accessed throughout the buyer’s journey.

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Lead Nurturing

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Take the lead on lead nurturing to grow pipeline.Today’s buyers engage with brands and companies through their own research across multiple channels—such as social media, events, collateral downloads—often long before marketing or sales has the opportunity to directly engage with them.

Today’s buyers don’t become customers overnight. They need to be nurtured over time as they self-educate and build trust with a company. With lead nurturing, marketers can communicate consistently with buyers across multiple channels and throughout the buyer’s journey—addressing the gap in time between when a lead first interacts with you and when the buyer is ready to purchase.

Implementing a solid and consistent lead-nurturing strategy can• Result in bigger sales—nurtured leads make 47% larger purchases1 than non-

nurtured leads• Result in faster sales—nurtured leads have a 23% shorter sales cycle2

• Provide a significant competitive advantage—25–50% of sales go to the vendor that responds first2

Lead nurturing can be automated or manual, but should be based on an ongoing communication with your prospect or customer that is personalized to their interests.

Continuing to engage with prospective customers through lead nurturing can help you make sure you’re in the consideration set once they’re ready to buy. Studies show, marketers realize a 20% increase in sales opportunities from nurtured leads compared to non-nurtured.1

1 Source: https://www.marketo.com/definitive-guides/lead-nurturing/ (2016-2017)2 Source: blog.hubspot.com/marketing/topic/lead-nurturing#sm.00012tnlhijulfepri71cs14b542d, August, 2017

Lead Nurturing

Defining lead nurturing

Lead nurturing is the

process of providing

relevant and valuable

content to prospective

customers that helps

move them along the

buyer’s journey.

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Where does lead nurturing fit in the buyer’s journey?Lead nurturing is most effective for marketers in the latter phases of the buyer’s journey through the use of content marketing, multi-touch emails, or retargeting banners to nurture the customer from a prospect into a lead.

These resources further detail how you can incorporate lead nurturing into your digital marketing mix to convert prospects into leads.

Lead Nurturing Overview and Step-by-Step GuideHPE Article• Shares why lead nurturing is important for generating leads and

filling the sales funnel.• Outlines four steps to take when creating a successful,

comprehensive lead-generation program.• Includes a glossary of common lead nurturing terms.

The Art of Nurturing LeadsHPE Article• Explains the important role lead nurturing has in building customer

relationships during their buyer’s journey. • Features a lead-nurturing architecture from HPE based on best

practices, and a case study from a past HPE lead nurturing campaign.

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Top 5 Strategies for Reaching the C-Suite through Lead NurturingHPE Article• Describes best practices for reaching the elusive and busy

C-suite audience.

The Importance of Lead NurturingHPE Infographic• Shares powerful statistics that show why a lead-nurturing

program is so important for B2B marketers and sales.

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Social Media Marketing

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Make an impact and engage with customers through social media.Considering 86% of B2B IT buyers use social in their purchase decisions1, it’s critical for B2B marketers to incorporate a strong social media marketing strategy into their overall marketing mix. Social media has rapidly become a viable tool for B2B buyers to research solutions, seek opinions from peers, and review content.

Engaging with B2B buyers requires a strong social media presence. 75% of B2B buyers use social media to make purchasing decisions2, and 71% of consumers who had a good social media service experience with a brand are likely to recommend it to others.3

Social media marketing takes a more personal approach to connecting with customers. Brands who have a solid social media presence can make a positive impact among their customers. This not only strengthens customers’ relationships with the brand, but also encourages them to reach out to others and share their experiences.

1 Source: https://reply.io/101-social-selling-stats, April, 20172 Source: https://maark.com/b2b-search-and-social.html, 20173 Source: https://socialmediaexaminer.com/social-media-marketing-industry-report-2017

Social Media Marketing

Defining social media marketing

Social media marketing

is the method of using

social networking sites

(such as LinkedIn,

Facebook, Twitter,

YouTube, and others) as

an online marketing tool

to drive traffic, generate

leads, and boost brand

awareness.

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Taking a Closer Look at Social Media MarketingHPE Article• Highlights the benefits of social media for B2B marketers.• Shares how to track the effectiveness of your social media campaigns.• Provides guidance on how to incorporate social media into your

overall marketing mix.

Make a Social Impact in your B2B Marketing HPE Article • Offers guidance on how to overcome some common misconceptions

about using social media for B2B marketing.

83% of executives who choose a vendor on behalf of their companies use social media in their decision making.1 To be part of their consideration, you need to be diligent in using social media to connect, share, and engage with B2B buyers. The following resources can help you as you create and implement a social media marketing strategy.

Where does social media fit in the buyer’s journey?Social media marketing makes its strongest impact in the first two phases of the buyer’s journey as customers are seeking solutions and ideas through social media channels. In particular, marketers can use social media marketing during the engage and persuade phase to strengthen their position as a problem solver and solution provider.

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1 Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2018/03/22/strategic-social-media-is-essential-for-driving-b2b-sales/#5b29331db02b

Social Media Marketing

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Social Media Means Business. Top Three Social Media Platforms for B2BHPE Article• Shares data and insights about the most popular social media

platforms used by B2B marketers today.

The ROI of Social Media Marketing: Putting Social Media to Work for your BusinessHPE Article• Summarizes how tracking your social media results can help you

gain valuable insights to increase the success of future campaigns.

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Social Selling

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Connect, cultivate, and close with social selling.While social media marketing provides a way for marketers to share content to a broad audience, social selling provides a way for salespeople to utilize their own social media channels to engage and share content in a more personable, relevant, and relatable way.

Social selling is a key tool for B2B salespeople. These days, 90% of decision makers never answer a cold call, but 75% of B2B buyers do use social media to make purchasing decisions.1 Through the use of social selling, salespeople are able to guide, educate, and build relationships with customers by supplying and discussing content, as well as answering buyers’ questions.

Social selling lets salespeople make strong connections and engagements with customers in near real time. Compared with other digital marketing strategies, social selling is more personal with true one-to-one engagements between salespeople and their customers. Salespeople who consistently utilize social selling as part of their customer outreach can significantly improve their success, with 72.6% of salespeople who use social media as a core part of their sales process outperforming those who don’t.2

Customers take notice when a salesperson reaches them through social means. 91% of B2B buyers are now active and involved in social media3, making your social media presence more important than ever.

1 Source: https://reply.io/101-social-selling-stats, April, 20172 Source: https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/social-media-marketing-industry-report-2017/3 Source: https://www.superoffice.com/blog/social-selling-statistics/, 2018

Social Selling

Defining social selling

Social selling is when

salespeople utilize

their own social media

channels to interact with

prospects and customers

on a one-to-one basis

to share content, build

relationships, and learn

more about their

challenges and needs.

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Learn more about how social selling differs from social media marketing, and how both play a critical role in moving customers through the buyer’s journey.

Act. React. Interact. How Social Marketing Differs From Social SellingHPE Article• Explains the differences and unique roles social selling and social

marketing play in helping customers move along their buyer’s journey.

• Includes a side-by-side comparison as a handy reference guide.

Build Connections—and Business—With Social SellingHPE Article• Provides an overview of how social selling fits into an overall digital

strategy.• Shares suggestions on how marketing and sales can work together

to set up and implement a social selling strategy.

Social Selling: Understanding the Rules of ConductHPE Article• Shares guidelines on how to properly and effectively engage with

prospects and customers through social selling.

Internal white paperFor HPE and Channel Partner internal use only.

Act. React. Interact.How social selling differs from social marketing

Internal white paperFor HPE and Channel Partner internal use only.

Build connections—and business—with social selling

Internal white paperFor HPE and Channel Partner internal use only.

Social Selling: Understanding the rules of conduct

Where does social selling fit in the buyer’s journey?It’s up to salespeople to drive social selling, particularly when building relationships and trust during the engage and persuade phase. Marketers need to provide relevant product, solution, and promotional content for sales teams to share with their customers throughout the buying journey and, ultimately, to help close the sale.

Social Selling

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The Why of Social Selling: An Evolution in the B2B Sales ApproachHPE Article• Stresses why social selling is an effective way for B2B marketers

and salespeople to reach prospects and clients throughout the buyer’s journey.

Social Marketing and Social Selling With HPEHPE Video• Covers the importance of integrating social media within the

buyer’s journey.• Details the impact social selling can make in nurturing prospects

and closing sales.

Amplify Sales With Social Media TrendsHPE Edelman Video• Features Mory Fontanez, Managing Director for Global Client

Strategy at Edelman, a global communications marketing firm.• Provides insights on how today’s social media trends in B2B are

affecting how sales and marketing engage with customers.

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Leverage Social Marketing and Selling to Drive SalesHPE Edelman Video• Explains how sales and marketing must work together to create

effective, consistent communications with customers through social media.

Engage and Grow Your NetworkHPE Video• Describes the types of content you should consider to create

engaging social media posts.• Details how the HPE Partner Ready Social Media Center can help

you find, customize, and place HPE social media content.• Shares how you can strategically grow your social presence on key

social media channels

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Search

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How Search impacts your ROI.Every digital marketing initiative or campaign needs to include search engine marketing (SEM) or search engine optimization (SEO) to improve its chance of reaching your target audience. Why? Because search is one of the most common first steps for customers as they begin their buying journey:

• 90% of B2B online buyers use search specifically to research business purchases, conducting an average of 12 searches prior to engaging with a brand1

• 71% begin with a generic search query, looking for product and solutions options first, not a specific brand1

By having a strong search strategy that incorporates both paid search (SEM) and unpaid (SEO), you can make sure your brand has a significant presence as your customers begin their search process. You want your website and content to be easy to locate. After all, the sooner they find your website, the more likely they’ll engage with your content and place you into their consideration set for purchase.

More importantly, search marketing refinement never ends. You need to continually optimize your website to ensure you’re listed high on search results pages. Adding paid search to your strategy can further enhance visibility among your customers. Together, SEO and SEM can make the difference between customers finding your brand instead of the competition.

1 Source: https://www.weidert.com/whole_brain_marketing_blog/understanding-todays-b2b-buyer, June, 2017

Defining search marketing

Search marketing is the

process of gaining traffic

and visibility for websites

and pages from search

engines through both

paid and unpaid efforts. It

encompasses both Search

Engine Optimization

(SEO) and Search Engine

Marketing (SEM).

Search

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Where does search fit in the buyer’s journey?As an HPE partner, you should focus your search marketing on the engage and persuade phase with a keyword strategy that’s more focused on the specific product or solution you provide.

You can use search to complement and support any digital marketing campaign. The resources below provide insights and guidance in developing a search strategy, then managing and modifying it to maximize results.

Business white paperFor HPE and Channel Partner internal use only.

The search is on: SEO/SEM guideIncreasing business results through search

Keys to a Stronger Keyword StrategyHPE Article• Illustrates how you can optimize your search marketing activities to

complement HPE campaigns.• Details best practices to consider to maximize your search ranking

with keywords.

The Search Is On: SEO/SEM GuideHPE Article• Reveals the differences between organic and paid search.• Explains the importance of website optimization and keyword

strategy.• Illustrates how to manage and implement your bid strategy.

Are You Search Savvy? HPE Article• Describes new search technologies like voice search and machine

learning, and how they’re altering how marketers think about SEM.

Business white paperFor HPE and Channel Partner internal use only.

Keys to a stronger keyword strategyOptimize your search marketing with keywords

Business white paperFor HPE and Channel Partner internal use only.

Are you search savvy?Explore the latest technologies that can impact your search marketing

Search

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Optimizing Search With HPEHPE Video• Illustrates how you can optimize your search marketing activities to

complement HPE campaigns’ with ongoing HPE campaigns.• Discusses best practices for search and HPE recommended search

strategy for channel partners.

Optimize your Search Marketing With HPEHPE Playcard• Explains the differences between organic and paid search and how

they work better together. • Summarizes how to establish a keyword strategy that aligns with

the buyer’s journey and complements HPE search activities.• Includes a checklist for creating and launching a paid search

campaign.

Optimize your search marketing with HPE

1 Google, 2014 Source: https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics2 Google, 2015

© Copyright 2017 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice.

a00036902enw, December 2017

When submitting a query on a search engine such as Google, Yahoo, or Bing, a set of related results will be displayed. This is known as the Search Engine Results Page, or SERP.

Search engines will typically display two types of results: organic and paid.

• Organic search—utilizing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to rank as high as possible on the search engine results page. While there is no direct cost for organic, optimizing your web pages does require time and resources.

• Paid search—purchasing ads to promote your website at the top of the page above the organic results. With paid search, you pay whenever a customer clicks your ad.

Paid search typically results in better placement on the search engine results page, increasing the likelihood it will be seen and clicked by the customer.

To maximize both results and efficiencies, HPE recommends incorporating a complementary keyword strategy in your search marketing.

HPE’s search approach delivers high-level, broad awareness through national campaigns to ensure page dominance on SERPs. HPE focuses on generating awareness of its brand, owning 100% of HPE-branded keywords, and gaining significant coverage on category terms for early stages in the buyer’s journey.

Establishing a complementary keyword paid strategy

To create and implement your search engine marketing strategy, begin by:

1 – Establishing your objectives, (e.g., determine what products/solutions to promote, what action you want your customers to take, etc.

2 – Determining which HPE co-marketing campaign best supports those objectives

3 – Developing your unique value proposition, i.e., convey what sets you apart from your competition

When your objectives, campaign focus, and value proposition have been established, follow the steps below for running your own HPE MDF-funded paid search campaigns.

Getting started with a paid search campaign

Partners that will benefit best from a search investment are those that:

• Have a website promoting HPE branding with content that is optimized for conversion

• Already invest in digital marketing, e.g., advertising, content development, paid social

• Have a co-branded landing page that has a clear call to action (for demand generation)

• Will commit to manage paid and organic search programs over a three- to six-month period in order to test, learn, and optimize learnings

Note that partners in all markets are eligible, with additional opportunity in markets where HPE is not deploying paid search:

• Countries include: Taiwan, New Zealand, South Africa, Russia, Colombia, Argentina

• Partners can execute a broader set of keywords and a more localized approach, e.g., country page, local language in countries not covered by HPE

What partners should invest in paid search

Search Engine Marketing (paid search) is eligible for HPE MDF reimbursement. Search Engine Marketing is a form of online advertising that involves the purchasing of ads on search engines to promote HPE products, solutions, and services. Search ads are focused on demand generation and link back to co-branded content on partners’ website or some other call to action. See regional MDF guidelines for partner eligibility to perform Search Engine Marketing activities.

Please note: not all expenses are covered by MDF. Ineligible expenses include:

• Search engine optimization (organic search) costs

• Penalties or cancellation charges

• Sponsorship activities

• Any competitive product/service content

• Partner in-house activities

HPE MDF eligibility

To claim your MDF for your Search Engine Marketing activities, you must provide both Proof of Cost (PoC) and Proof of Execution (PoE).

Proof of Cost (PoC) requirements:

• Itemized invoices or receipts from third-party supplier(s) such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, etc., which clearly associate to the activity.

• For Alliance co-funded activities, please refer to the Alliances terms for required documentation.

• Note: Hewlett Packard Enterprise reserves the right to request additional proof documentation.

Proof of Execution (PoE) requirements:

• Screenshot (including weblink) of the web page or other digital copy showing the placement of digital advert, or a copy of the ad report, plus weblink to the co-branded content on the partner’s website.

• For Alliance co-funded activities, please refer to the Alliance’s terms for required documentation.

• Note: Hewlett Packard Enterprise reserves the right to request additional proof documentation.

How to claim your MDF for Search Engine Marketing (paid search)

HPE has the tools and resources to help when developing and launching your search engine marketing plan, you don’t have go it alone.

1 – Contact an HPE Marketing Services Agency to help build and implement your SEM campaign

2 – Or for more information:Download the HPE Digital Marketing Workshop presentation: Optimizing search with HPEView the “Optimizing search with HPE” video part 1 and part 2 on the HPE Digital Marketing Workshop page on Products & Solutions Now

Building search into your marketing plan

Historically, the first phase of the buyer’s journey has always included education and research—reviewing company brochures and collateral, speaking with peers, attending events and tradeshows, and engaging with sales reps.

However, these days, much of that preliminary research is done online, with the majority of those searches—71%— beginning with a generic search.1 On average, B2B researchers do 12 searches prior to engaging with a specific brand’s site.2

Clearly, B2B buyers rely heavily on search as a vital part of the B2B buyer’s journey, which is why search must be part of any successful marketing plan.

of B2B researchers start their search with a generic search1

B2B researchers do

on average prior to engaging on a specific brand’s site2

Understanding organic vs. paid search

Combining organic and paid search can significantly improve your search results and drive incremental traffic to your website.

There are additional benefits of utilizing both organic and paid, such as the ability to promote multiple destinations on your company’s website. For instance, while your organic listing may link to a page with product information, your paid ad can point to a page featuring current offers or your online store.

By working in tandem, you gain greater visibility on the SERP which gives you a competitive advantage by helping generate greater credibility of your company to prospects and customers.

Organic and paid work better together

71% 12searches

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Distraction

Recognizeneed Search for

solutionsEvaluatesolutions

Socialresearch Purchase

Seek vendorsolutions

Justifysolutions

Costanalysis

Evaluatedecision

Earn Attention Engage & Persuade Commit to Purchase

HPE Partners

To complement that strategy, minimize redundancy, and avoid raising bids, partners are encouraged to focus on demand generation by using keywords for the later stages of the buyer’s journey (e.g., specific products and services) to close the sale. This approach includes:

• Focusing on longer-tail, specific keywords targeted to conversions at most efficient Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)

• Focusing on product terms rather than generic terms

A complementary search strategy aligned with the buyer’s journey

SAMPLE HPE KEYWORDS

HPE

HPE Pointnext

All-Flash Storage, HPE Flash Storage

SAN Storage

Composable Infrastructure, HPE Synergy

Hybrid IT

Rack Servers, HPE Rack Servers

Server Options

Where to buy HPE Servers

SAMPLE PARTNER KEYWORDS

Partner company name

Server Installation Services

HPE 3PAR StorServ

HPE MSA 2052

HPE Synergy Composer, HPE Synergy Storage

IT as a Service

HPE ProLiant Servers, HPE ProLiant DL380

HPE Server Accessories

Where to buy HPE ProLiant Servers

Planning Determine HPE

products to promote

Select market and search engines where the campaign will be run

Finalize landing page URLs that will receive customer traffic

Align goals with Partner Marketing Manager and incorporate paid search into MDF planning

Funding Plan campaign

budget and in-market timeframe

Request HPE MDF funding approval

Ensure search engine accounts are set up for payment

Consider engaging Marketing Services Agency

Development Develop keywords

and ad copy to be set up on search engine accounts (refer to “Optimizing Search with HPE” PDF for some best practices)

Launch Load HPE-approved

keywords and ad copy into search engine accounts

Set bidding strategy according to position goals, total budget, and desired in-market duration

Push paid search campaign live and record screenshots for MDF reimbursement

Optimization Adjust

keywords/bids based on engine report of performance, and update ad copy as needed to improve on-site actions

Once campaign is complete, provide required documentation to HPE for MDF reimbursement

What is search?Search marketing is the process of gaining traffic and visibility from search engines through both paid and unpaid efforts.

Search

Watch now

Access now

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HPE Marketing Tools and Resources

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HPE tools and resources to empower your digital marketing journey.Accelerate your digital marketing execution by accessing the following HPE tools and resources to help you create, launch, and even track your own digital marketing initiatives.

HPE Products and Solutions Now (PSNow)PSNow provides an easy way to find and access a variety of relevant, high-value digital marketing content to help move your customers along the digital buyer’s journey. Content available through PSNow includes product and solution information, campaign content, selling collateral, and co-marketing campaign assets.

HPE Partner Ready Social Media CenterThe HPE Social Media Center is a complete social media tool that helps you integrate ready-to-post, customizable social media content into your digital marketing programs. Through the tool, you can deploy click-to-share content, customize posts and schedules, access measurement and analytics tools, tools, as well as review training content on industry trends.

Or if already logged into the HPE Partner Ready Portal, access via this navigation path: HPE Partner Ready Portal home page > Sales &Marketing > Marketing Resources > Social Media Center

HPE Content Syndication ServicesThrough HPE Content Syndication Services, you can automatically receive HPE product and marketing content pushed directly to your website or online store where you can customize, supplement, and package it under your brand. Choose the service that best fits your go-to-market strategy, and receive leads directly from the dynamically syndicated HPE brand showcase.

Or if already logged into the HPE Partner Ready Portal, access via this navigation path: HPE Partner Ready Portal home page > Sales & Marketing > Marketing Resources > Content Syndication

HPE Marketing Tools and resources

Access now

Access now

Access now

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HPE Partner Marketing ConciergeCan’t find what you’re looking for? Let HPE help you find the HPE digital marketing content and assets you need. Connect to qualified consultants to get training on HPE digital marketing tools, help you quickly and easily locate HPE content and assets including sales content and social media content, and get support on content syndication.

HPE Marketing Services Agencies (MSAs)HPE-approved MSAs offer a full range of B2B marketing services to our partners to help them plan and develop effective demand and lead-generation marketing campaigns and activities that are funded or co-funded with HPE Market Development Funds (MDF).

HPE Co-Marketing CampaignsEnhance your digital marketing initiatives by accessing complete, ready-to-use, customizable HPE campaigns and assets. These campaign assets include digital demand generation tactics such as infographics, digital ads, and e-DMs that support the digital buyer’s journey. You’ll also find Channel Campaign Prep Kits and Social Media Kits for current HPE campaigns that include guidance on how to develop and execute an integrated digital marketing campaign.

Or if already logged into the HPE Partner Ready Portal, access via this navigation path: HPE Partner Ready Portal home page > Sales & Marketing > Marketing Resources > Products & Solutions Now >Co-Marketing (under the section Content Types)

HPE Marketing Tools and resources

Access now

Access now

Access now

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Resources and contacts

Contact:To see the full set of resources available to HPE channel partners, visit the HPE Partner Ready Digital Marketing Program website.

For additional support:Access the HPE Partner Marketing Concierge.

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© Copyright 2018 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP.

The information contained herein is subject to change without notice.

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