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Why Semrush’s Marketing Strategy Is Dominating in 2024
How unique activations and influencer strategies resulted in one post exceeding 3.1 million impressions and generating substantial B2B marketing results.
AJ Eckstein
December 02, 2024
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Nicole Ponce is the Influencer and Communications Lead at Semrush. She has successfully led global influencer marketing campaigns for a marketing platform used by 10,000,000 Marketers. We sat down with her last week to reveal all the strategies that have enabled Semrush to CRUSH the B2B marketing space… |
Influencer Weekend: A Fresh Take on B2B Marketing
Semrush’s Influencer Weekend was all about shaking up the traditional B2B marketing space by borrowing some of the best ideas from the B2C playbook. Held in London this past June, it brought together a small group of marketing influencers for a weekend packed with connection, creativity, and just the right amount of competition.
Here are some key details:
Invite-Only Event:
Semrush handpicked 10–12 influencers with expertise across different areas of marketing. Everything—from accommodations to activities—was fully covered, giving the weekend an exclusive and elevated feel.Fun Activities:
Think picture-perfect picnics, sightseeing adventures, and a bunch of creative content challenges. Influencers were split into teams and given prompts to create videos, posts, and other content. Points were awarded for creativity, and the winning team directed a $5,000 donation to a charity of their choice.
Building Connections:
The event wasn’t just about creating content for Semrush. It was about influencers collaborating, sharing ideas, and learning from each other. Pairing people with different strengths led to some pretty cool professional breakthroughs.High Quality Merchandise:
Forget cheap pens and throwaway water bottles. The merch—like stylish tote bags and premium fanny packs—was high quality, useful, and designed to look great in photos. Because, let’s be honest, no one posts a photo of a cheap t-shirt.
Why It Worked:
The Influencer Weekend wasn’t just a fun getaway. It was a genius marketing move that combined brand building, community, and creativity. The event sparked organic social media buzz, helped deepen relationships with influencers, and showed the world that B2B marketing doesn’t have to be boring.
Semrush proved that with the right approach, you can create something that’s memorable, meaningful, and just plain cool.
📊 Proven Results from Spotlight 2024
After a successful Influencer Weekend, Semrush took an even bigger step and launched their first-ever IRL Conference called “Spotlight 2024.”
3.1 Million Impressions: A single collaboration with a lifestyle influencer organically reached over 3.1 million people.
1,000 Attendees: Spotlight 2024, Semrush’s first conference, exceeded expectations with double the anticipated turnout.
$5,000 Donated: A gamified competition during an Influencer activation weekend ended with a significant charity contribution.
500+ Social Posts: Attendees shared content across LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok, amplifying Semrush’s event reach.
🚀 Q&A with Nicole
Q: What makes traditional B2B marketing seem so boring?
A: "I think the main aspect of why it's boring is because it's just not as impactful and long lasting as B2C, and the people that are consuming don’t find it enjoyable."
From ball pits to silent yoga to spray tattoos
Q: How did Semrush leverage creators and influencers to contribute to the success of Spotlight 2024?
A: "My focus here was to make sure that we invite speakers that have a lot of value to share, but also a lot of influence, so they can bring their audience to join us as well."
A “Meme Museum” showcasing all of Semrush’s past memes they created
Q: What is Semrush's approach when it comes to event merch and swag?
A: "We focus more on quality over quantity, to make sure it’s something that people will actually take care of and use for the long term."
Q: How can other brands replicate Semrush's successful event activations?
A: "I definitely see live activations becoming a bigger thing nowadays, especially because, we're all stuck at home doing online stuff, so it's nice to do offline stuff too, and I've just seen it as kind of like a trickle effect."
Nicole Ponce
"Think social first. It’s about whether something will look attractive online or make people want to talk about it. Create areas and experiences that are visually appealing, engaging, and easy for others to share without much effort."
📈 Advice for Brands
Adapt B2C Tactics for B2B: Engage your audience with creativity and emotion, not just information. Don’t be afraid to use B2C formats.
Focus on Quality Merch/Swag: Provide items that attendees will actually use and share for the long-term, extending your brand visibility.
Invest in IRL Events: In-person experiences are more powerful than ever as they build community and brand loyalty more than anything online ever could.
📈 Advice for Creators
Showcase Your Expertise: Post about your skills, collab, and speaking topics to attract Brands. Think in terms of “keywords”!
Be Authentic: Stay true to your style and voice. It’s not just about having a large audience but a deep connection… think “1,000 true fans.”
Network Smart: Attend events and connect with Brands and Creators to find new opportunities that may not exist online.
Semrush
B2B marketing can be creative and engaging. Build campaigns that resonate emotionally and are worth talking about—your audience will respond.
Looking forward to seeing you at the next event :)
P.S. Have a Creator, Brand, or Agency you’d love to see featured at our next event? Just reply to this email with your recommendation—we’d love to hear from you!
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