1. Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning has been a trending topic for years. If you don’t already know, AI enables a machine to act at the same degree of intelligence as a human by learning from previous experiences and self-correcting so it can make decisions, solve problems, and improve customer experiences.

AI offers huge advantages for small businesses, such as helping personalize interactions with customers.  This business tech trend is expected to grow in popularity, as artificial intelligence is predicted to drive 95% of the customer experience by 2025. Business leaders who implement AI technology early will profit from being ahead of the curve, since these breakthroughs will only become more important in the future.

2. Social media and influencer marketing

Digital marketing budgets are expected to increase by 25% on average across industries. Businesses are discovering that finding innovative strategies to break through the digital noise and keep their brands relevant is more crucial than ever.

Many businesses are already on social media, but a great strategy for small to midsize businesses is to leverage influencer marketing. Rather than utilizing cost-per-click (CPC) or your own company profiles, you can have influencers with a following of your target audience to promote your brand. 

3. Automation

 Automation is a system that performs repeated operations with little or no human intervention using pre-programmed patterns and rules. Automation can help small businesses save time and money by automating tedious manual tasks such as inputting data into a system. A Salesforce study found that 55% of small businesses cite insufficient time as a substantial challenge.

 Other examples include automating online pricing to balance profitability and revenue growth as well as inventory management systems to ensure the proper quantity of goods is on hand. As of 2022, 68% of marketers use automation. It’s expected that a new generation of companies will be looking to develop these solutions for businesses to ensure that the demand for increasing automation continues.

4. Video communication technologies

In order to compete against enterprise-level competitors, small businesses usually rely on their personalized service models. However, decentralized operations and limited in-person interactions forced small businesses to adapt to stay relevant during the pandemic.

This started the demand for technological advancements to help improve engagement for both customers and employees. In 2020, virtual meetings to ensure face-to-face contact became popular, as well as hosting webinars in order to network and generate more leads. 

5. Increased cybersecurity

As more and more businesses move their operations and data online and on the cloud, cybersecurity has become increasingly important. While 60% of small business owners don’t think they’ll be the target of a cyber attack, 61% of small businesses have fallen victim at least once to a cybersecurity breach. 

 When your personal information and that of your clients is exposed, cyber attacks place your business in danger of financial losses and brand damage. Since these are crucial for the survival of businesses, the cyber insurance market is expected to grow to $14.8B in 2025.

6. Comprehensive HR technology

Organizations in various industries were forced to decentralize, adapt to the virtual workplace, and figure out how to effectively assist their employees in the face of quickly changing conditions.

With the shift to remote work, a demand for comprehensive human resources software and technology arose so that small business owners could keep track of their employees and their needs.

7. Software integration and cloud adoption

 Software integration is the process of combining multiple software systems into a single unified system. This allows you to input more data into your systems more quickly, reduce errors, and save money over manual processes. 

For instance, when you update a client’s contact information in one platform, you’ll want it to automatically update in other applications you are using to ensure consistency. Small businesses will have a greater demand for software integration as they adopt new technology solutions. 

8. Remote onboarding tools

As more people choose remote employment and as more firms adopt this new model, remote onboarding processes will become increasingly reliant on technology. When it comes to employing new hires and familiarizing them with their roles and the company culture, onboarding is critical. 

Starting a new job in a remote environment presents obstacles for employees, which employers should be aware of, because 64% of employees will leave a new company within the first year if they have a bad onboarding experience.

9. Live chat and conversational marketing

The B2B space will be dominated by chatbots and other conversational marketing activities in order to generate and nurture leads. People want genuine human interaction that delivers immediate responses to their questions or pain points.

 Nobody likes to send an email and then wait a week for a response from a salesperson. Businesses are looking into ways to make the sales funnel process seamless by incorporating live web chat, SMS, and social media messaging so they can deliver the quick gratification that people are looking for. 

10. Branded calling solutions

 Marketers are aiming to build better personal connections with consumers in order to improve their relationships. A phone call is the best way to connect, as 92% of customer interactions are done via phone, yet most individuals don't answer calls from unfamiliar numbers. In fact, 94% of unknown calls go unanswered.

Branded calling allows a firm or organization to be easily identified on an incoming call screen. This can contain information such as the organization's name, logo, and reason for calling, enhancing the user experience while ensuring that essential calls are not missed.

11. 5G proliferation

 The fifth generation of cellular technology, 5G, provides significantly faster data transfer speeds than the more widely used 4G technology. This breakthrough is significant for the internet of things (IoT), as 5G networks are better equipped to handle the inflow of interconnected smart devices.

In 2022, there will be 18 billion IoT devices, with 1.5 billion of them operating on cellular connections. 

12. Virtual reality (VR)

Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer-generated environment with realistic-looking images and objects that gives the viewer the feeling of being completely immersed in their surroundings.

VR technology can be used by B2B marketers to produce dynamic content that connects with the right buyer. VR is primarily beneficial as a visual storytelling tool since it can immerse the spectator in a totally immersive experience.