Note: This blog was updated October 2024.
As we near 2025, it’s crucial to reassess your B2B lead generation strategies. With the first quarter behind us, now is the perfect time to recalibrate and optimize your lead gen efforts for the rest of the year. Looking for ideas? We got you. Let’s explore the initiatives you need to try in 2025 to stay ahead of the curve.
B2B Lead Generation Strategies: What You Need to Try in 2025
Let’s start with the basics …
What is B2B Lead Generation?
Lead generation is the process of filling up your sales funnel with qualified leads that your sales team uses to vet potential clients and customers. Making sure that your funnel is full of the right leads is essential to any B2B company’s success. Which begs the question …
How do you get the Right Leads?
Simple – a fully integrated lead generation strategy. That’s … maybe not so simple.
Lead generation strategies are made up of tactics that fall into two buckets – inbound and outbound.
Inbound – These tactics involve any way you get potential customers to come to you. Inbound typically centers around creating and distributing content designed to inform and educate.
Outbound – These tactics involve reach out to leads to get them interested in working with you. You can do this through a variety of channels like emails, calls, and LinkedIn messages.
If you want to fully maximize your lead generation efforts, you need to be doing the right mix of both inbound and outbound tactics.
But time and resources are finite, so this list will be ordered by priority.
Think of it as “need to have” vs. “nice to have.” We’ll start with the foundation – solid inbound lead generation efforts. These are the things that you NEED to be doing. If you have those bases covered then feel free to skip to the outbound stuff – this is where the fun begins.
Without further ado…
B2B Lead Generation Strategies for 2025
Inbound Lead Gen
- Website UX
- Blogging
- Dynamic content
- Social media
- SEO
Outbound Lead Gen
- CRM
- Automation
- LinkedIn & CoPilot AI
Inbound Tactics
We’ll start with inbound because these are tactics that you need to be using in your lead generation strategy.
Inbound marketing is great for many reasons, but maybe the best of them all …
It’s pretty much free – if you do it right.
These are the “need to have” items – especially in 2025. Your customers expect things like a well-functioning website and loads of informative content. Without them, it’ll be a challenge to gain any traction with leads.
If you’re just starting up or refreshing the way your business works, here are the most important tactics to focus on building that foundation.
A Fully Optimized Marketing Website
When you want to build a house, you start with the foundation. And the foundation of any inbound lead-gen strategy is a website that fires on all cylinders.
A well-designed, easy-to-use website filled with educational content is the cornerstone and an absolute must-have if you want to generate leads. Point blank – clunky websites are frustrating.
Here are the things you need to focus on…
Design & UX: When a website looks bad, tons of red flags go up in your potential client’s mind. Avoid that at all costs. Make sure it looks good and performs beautifully.
Speed: Website doesn’t load fast enough. People click away. Simple as that. Regularly measure your site’s performance and updating accordingly.
SEO: Effective SEO is what keeps your site at the top of Google search results and in front of potential leads. The more queries you show up for, the more leads you will bring into the funnel.
Mobile-First: While most of your buyers will use desktops to access your site, Google sees only the mobile version.
Accessibility: Site accessibility is a critical but too-often ignored element of website building. Follow WCAG 2.1 guidelines.
After laying the groundwork for a robust website, let’s delve into visualizing the step-by-step process of lead generation. Below is a flowchart illustrating the journey from identifying prospects to converting them into qualified leads:
Now that we’ve visualized the process, let’s explore further strategies to enhance your lead generation efforts.
A Regularly Updated Blog (and Other Content)
The blog is one of the pillars of a successful B2B inbound marketing strategy. You need to create engaging content to keep your audience’s attention and those SEO juices flowing. And you need a place to go with that content. A blog scratches both of those itches.
Blog posts are great for capturing those long-tail keyword queries with high search intent. They allow you to answer the specific questions your prospects are asking.
On top of that, one of the main goals of good inbound marketing is to be viewed as a thought leader in your industry. When people see you and like what you have to say, they want to work with you.
Once you have a good blog going, it gets easier to create other content like eBooks, guides, and case studies.
Integrating SEO with Content Marketing
The process:
- Conduct thorough keyword research to identify relevant focus keywords
- Analyze top-ranking content for each keyword to understand what resonates
- Create high-quality, in-depth content pieces optimized for those focus keywords
On-Page SEO:
- Weave focus keywords into titles, headings, body content, alt text, meta descriptions
- Avoid keyword stuffing, prioritize great user experience
Off-Page SEO:
- Earn backlinks from authoritative, relevant websites
- Promote content to bloggers/influencers for mentions
Measurement:
- Track organic search performance (rankings, clicks)
- Use data to test new keywords and content types iteratively
Technical SEO:
- Ensure the website meets performance and accessibility standards
By integrating SEO into content marketing:
- Your content gets discovered by prospects actively searching
- You drive more of your ideal audience to your brand
A Multimedia Dynamic Content Plan
Go beyond the written word!
Think about the content you consume. A big part of that content comes in a form other than the written word. The same goes for your prospects.
Here are some content formats to try in 2025.
Video: Great for sharing on social media and on your website. Do you have an amazing software solution? Show exactly how it works with video demos.
Podcasts: The popularity of podcasts has exploded over the past decade. There’s a podcast for almost every subject. So, if you think your company can’t make a podcast, you might be surprised. Plus a good podcast can be repurposed into blogs, eBooks, guides, and so much more. Put your expertise front and center.
Infographics: A picture says a thousand words. Infographics are a great way to share a lot of information quickly in a digestible bite.
Webinars: Your prospects want to learn. And they want to work with smart people.
Social Media
Between your blog, premium assets, and dynamic content, you got a lot of cool stuff to share. So, share it!
But …
Be intentional with where you share it. Social media is great, but if your audience isn’t on Facebook, then you don’t need to be on Facebook. (And let’s be honest: Should you really be on Facebook?) When used precisely, social media is a great way to target your prospects with relevant content and drive high-quality traffic to your website.
A Multimedia Dynamic Content Plan
Go beyond the written word!
Think about the content you consume. A big part of that content comes in a form other than the written word. The same goes for your prospects.
Here are some content formats to try in 2025.
Video: Great for sharing on social media and on your website. Do you have an amazing software solution? Show exactly how it works with video demos.
Podcasts: The popularity of podcasts has exploded over the past decade. There’s a podcast for almost every subject. So, if you think your company can’t make a podcast, you might be surprised. Plus a good podcast can be repurposed into blogs, eBooks, guides, and so much more. Put your expertise front and center.
Infographics: A picture says a thousand words. Infographics are a great way to share a lot of information quickly in a digestible bite.
Webinars: Your prospects want to learn. And they want to work with smart people.
Social Media
Between your blog, premium assets, and dynamic content, you got a lot of cool stuff to share. So, share it!
But …
Be intentional with where you share it. Social media is great, but if your audience isn’t on Facebook, then you don’t need to be on Facebook. (And let’s be honest: Should you really be on Facebook?) When used precisely, social media is a great way to target your prospects with relevant content and drive high-quality traffic to your website.
Search Ad Campaigns
PPC campaigns (e.g., Google Search ads) are a great way to get in front of people searching for exactly what you offer.
PPC helps you solve one of the most important tenants of good inbound content marketing – being able to offer the right content at the right time to the right people exactly when they need it.
Outbound Tactics
When you hear the term “outbound marketing,” what do you think of?
If it’s cold calls and emails and lots of trade shows, then you might need to update your thinking. Not that these are necessarily bad tactics,
Outbound marketing has gotten a lot of love over the past few years, and there are a lot of automation tools and tactics that are designed to bring in leads with less cost than traditional outbound methods.
If you already have a solid inbound lead generation foundation, then 2025 is your year to dip your toes into the new outbound waters.
A Robust CRM
A good outbound strategy all starts with a robust customer relationship management solution.
These solutions help you find new customers and win their business. They do this by giving you a complete suite of tools to keep detailed records of contact information, past communications, and preferences.
CRMs give you a consolidated view of each prospect and customer. This allows your sales team can speak to each prospect with complete information. Empower them to provide prospects with the right offers at the right times, moving them down the pipeline quicker.
Automation
Outbound is no longer as costly as it used to be thanks to automation.
There are a lot of automated workflow and communication solutions out there like automated email campaigns, automated social messaging, and automated calling.
The problem with outbound in the past was scalability. These automated solutions allow your business to personally communicate with prospects at scale.
One word of warning here – be careful not to go overboard with automated communications. These automations are good, but people can tell when they are talking with an AI.
Make sure to supplement these efforts with true personal communication.
Tools and Technologies Comparison
When implementing lead generation, CRM, and email marketing automation, it’s important to evaluate and compare the various tools and platforms available. Here are some tables comparing popular options in terms of features, benefits, and pricing:
Tool | Key Features | Benefits | Pricing |
LeadFeeder | Identifies companies visiting your website, tracks lead activity | Reveal anonymous web traffic, integrate with marketing automation/CRM | Starts at $79/month |
Leadworx | Enrich lead data, automate lead routing, track engagement | Increase lead volumes, align sales and marketing | Starts at $295/month |
LeadLander | Lead tracking, web visitor tracking, form tracking | Identify most engaged leads, integrate with CRM | Starts at $399/month |
Albacross | Identify companies visiting the website, track buyer intent signals | Prioritize best-fit leads, real-time alerts for sales | Starts at $149/month |
CRM Platforms Comparison
Platform | Key Features | Benefits | Pricing |
Salesforce | Contact management, opportunity tracking, automation, analytics | Customizable, mobile app, third-party integrations | Starts at $25/user/month |
HubSpot CRM | Contact insights, company tracking, task automation, email integration | Free version, easy to use, all-in-one platform | Paid versions start at $45/month |
Zoho CRM | AI assistant, workflow automation, telephony, reporting | Affordable, scalable pricing, mobile apps | Starts at $14/user/month |
Pipedrive | Visual pipeline, customizable dashboards, LeadBooster add-on | Simple UI, chatbot integration, 24/7 support | Starts at $14.90/user/month |
Email Marketing Automation Platforms Comparison
Platform | Key Features | Benefits | Pricing |
HubSpot Marketing | Drag-and-drop email builder, list segmentation, A/B testing, analytics | Free version, all-in-one platform, CRM integration | Paid versions start at $45/month |
Mailchimp | Audience segmentation, landing pages, marketing CRM, lookalike audiences | Forever free plan, multichannel marketing automation | Paid plans start at $11/month |
Constant Contact | Customizable email templates, eCommerce tools, list growth tools | Powerful editing features, drip campaigns, surveys | Starts at $9.99/month for email |
ActiveCampaign | Automation workflows, attribution, split testing, CRM & CMS integration | Visual automation builder, machine learning capabilities | Starts at $9/month |
Lead Scoring
As you generate more leads, implement a lead-scoring system to prioritize the most promising prospects for your sales team. Lead scoring involves assigning points to each lead based on criteria that signal their level of interest and fit.
Common criteria include:
- Demographics: Company size, industry, job role
- Behavior: Website interactions, content downloads, email engagement
For example, a lead that matches your ideal customer profile and has downloaded multiple resources would score higher than someone who has browsed your website once.
Define criteria and assign appropriate point values. Leads crossing certain score thresholds can be automatically routed to sales based on their likelihood to convert.
The benefits of lead scoring:
- Enables sales reps to focus on the hottest, most qualified leads
- Automates lead routing and distribution
- Provides data-driven prioritization of prospects
- Allows nurturing of lower-scored leads until they exhibit further buying signals
As your lead generation efforts ramp up, an effective lead scoring model will be critical for extracting maximum value and optimizing your strategies.
While lead scoring helps prioritize individual prospects, there may be certain high-value accounts or companies that warrant a more targeted, comprehensive approach. This brings us to account-based marketing strategies:
Account-Based Marketing Strategies
For high-value opportunities, use an account-based marketing (ABM) approach to pursue key target accounts with personalized, targeted efforts.
ABM involves:
- Make a list of specific companies/accounts to target that fit your ideal client profile
- Gathering deep intelligence on those accounts – key people, challenges, needs
- Crafting customized marketing content tailored to each account
- Running hyper-targeted ads, campaigns, and outreach personalized for each account
Examples of personalized ABM tactics:
- Custom content pieces (white papers, case studies, videos) addressing their use cases
- Account-specific email campaigns and LinkedIn ads speaking directly to stakeholders
- Creative direct mail, gifting, or experiential campaigns
Benefits of ABM:
- Demonstrates intimate understanding of target accounts
- Drives significantly higher engagement/conversion rates than generic programs
- Allows focussed efforts on highest-value opportunities
Considerations:
- Requires investment in data, research, and creative resources
- Need robust processes to deeply understand each target account
For landing big “whale” accounts, a well-executed ABM strategy can be a powerful spear for success.
Leveraging AI and Automation
AI and automation tools are vital for enhancing lead generation efforts:
AI Benefits:
- Predictive lead scoring using machine learning
- Campaign optimization based on data analysis
Conversational AI (chatbots, virtual assistants) for 24/7 nurturing
Automation Benefits:
- Behavior-based email nurturing cadences
- Multichannel outreach flows across channels
Automated lead routing and distribution
Combined AI + Automation enables:
- AI identifies ideal audiences and messages
- Automation executes those insights consistently at scale
As strategies evolve, investing in AI and automation will be crucial for:
- Driving demand efficiently and cost-effectively
- Providing seamless buyer experiences
- Staying ahead of the curve
LinkedIn & Copilot AI
One of our favorite new tools is Copilot AI. Essentially it’s an automated LinkedIn messenger that allows you to create personalized and highly-targets communications with prospects.
It allows you to target specific positions and companies on LinkedIn. From there you can create automated messaging campaigns specifically designed to elicit a response. Once you get that response, you can respond yourself.
Copilot helps make your LinkedIn outreach easier, more targeted, and infinitely more scalable.
B2B Lead Generation Strategies for 2025: The Main Takeaway
Lead generation takes time and a coordinated effort on multiple fronts. There are the “need-to-have’s” and the “nice-to-have’s.” Every business is at different points along its lead generation journey.
The way to move forward for your journey, focus on the needs first and then move on to the nice.
It takes a fully integrated lead generation strategy to fill up your sales funnel with qualified leads, so make 2025 the year where you beef up your lead generation.
