More and more, we are seeing organizations use IP not only to identify potential leads, but also to dynamically serve them content and provide them with an experience that is more relevant and engaging. We call this IP marketing.

What’s the first word you think of when you hear “IP (Internet protocol) address”? Binary numbers? Network identification? Hosts? Domains? Don’t be afraid – IP isn’t just for IT geeks anymore.

In light of Google’s recent announcement that it will encrypt all searches and no longer send keyword data to site owners, it’s time for marketers to capitalize on IP. More and more, we are seeing organizations use IP not only to identify potential leads, but also to dynamically serve them content and provide them with an experience that is more relevant and engaging. We call this IP marketing.

*Survey key: “Somewhat implemented” – using IP lookup to gather buyer insights, but not dynamically serving up content

“Fully implemented” – dynamically serving up content based on company size, industry or location data presented via IP lookup

The need for company-targeted content has arrived. Why? B2B companies often struggle to deliver the right messages to their customers at the right time. By targeting different buyer segments through various sets of business rules, organizations can display unique content elements, banner ads or precise images, depending on the visitor’s company size, industry and geographic location.

IP marketing enables companies to dynamically deliver content that matters to customers by conducting a reverse IP lookup.  This process identifies the visitor by company and then provides demographic information, including industry, company revenue size and location. Based on this information – along with Web site business rules – the site can display dynamic or default content. By presenting more relevant information from the point of entry, the Web site can potentially minimize the time the visitor must spend looking for answers, improve engagement and increase the likelihood of conversion.

This is not a completely new concept. Although reverse IP lookup has been around for years, the way it is being applied has changed. IP marketing is in the hands of marketers now. Companies are raising the bar, making sure their Web sites give visitors a more distinctive and optimized experience than their competitors’ Web sites.

Is your organization using IP marketing yet? Comment below to share your experience.