2024.01.23

Strengthening Advertising Communication Strategies for B2B Cross-Border Outreach

Taiwan’s small and medium-sized enterprises are largely manufacturing-based. For component and machinery manufacturers that want to export worldwide, their ability to do B2B cold outreach is constantly being tested. Today, B2B brands are no longer relying only on trade shows and face-to-face networking — outreach has already shifted to a mix of online + offline.

Before using digital tools for cross-border outreach, it’s essential to move toward a digital marketing model. A complete digital layout should connect at least four areas:

  • Website building & operation
  • Maintaining business social channels
  • Planning & running advertising campaigns
  • Remarketing & follow-up nurturing

When these parts connect, a brand can establish visibility and build overseas relationships more effectively.

Four key pillars of cross-border digital marketing (Digit Spark / LeadsGeek framework)

For all of the above, Digit Spark offers consulting and AI MarTech tools — from diagnosis and strategy to execution. In this article, we focus on the advertising portion of B2B cross-border marketing.

When advertising globally, B2B outreach must balance “breadth” and “depth”

You can always buy exposure if you spend enough — but how you buy it determines whether it becomes real business results. Broad reach improves awareness, but without depth, it only means “people have seen you” and nothing more.

Depth means identifying the audiences who truly matter, then reaching them in the right channel, at the right time, with the right message.

“When planning ads, brands must think about both: using exposure to build breadth, and designing strategies to build deeper conversations with the right audiences — creating a remarketing list that truly has value.”

Good ad strategies build usable awareness

B2B advertising is very different from B2C advertising

B2B ads must be clear, concise, and professional. While B2C ads often use emotional storytelling, B2B ads must quickly answer:

  • Who are we?
  • What are we good at?
  • What can we do for you?

Complex technology is often explained through simple real-world cases, making it easier for busy decision-makers to understand.

“In an ad, your core selling points must be crystal clear — just like when preparing a pitch.”
How ad spend connects to traffic, click-through rate, conversion rate, and order value

The channels you choose decide who listens to you

Different marketing goals require different exposure channels. From Digit Spark’s experience, two channels are the best starting point for B2B cross-border:

  • Google Ads
  • LinkedIn Ads

These platforms reach decision-makers, procurement, HR, PR teams, and business owners.

Choosing between Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads for B2B campaigns

Below is a useful summary showing where each Google ad format fits best:

Google Ads formats: YouTube, Display, Search, Discover, Gmail, Maps

And here is a guide for when to run LinkedIn ads:

LinkedIn Ads: objectives and suitable audiences

Further reading (Chinese): Do companies really need media buying?

Optimize ad strategy to improve connection with prospects

Strong CTAs and optimized ad strategy are like improving the pond before fishing. The clearer and more precise your targeting, the more high-quality prospects you attract.

To stand out in global B2B markets, brands must master both ad breadth (reach) and ad depth (nurturing). Doing both well shortens sales cycles and brings in more exact-match prospects.

Digit Spark uses data science and marketing logic to help companies create digital content and service experiences aligned with real customer needs.