Welcome to the Ever-Changing World of B2B Content Marketing!
Are you ready to dive into the exciting realm of B2B content marketing? As someone with over a decade of experience in this dynamic field, I can assure you that no two days are the same, and best practices are evolving faster than you can say “T-Rex in a time machine.”
With the internet flooded with content for the past 30 years, standing out has never been more challenging. But fear not! By staying creative and keeping a pulse on industry trends, you can carve out a unique space for your brand in the competitive landscape.
To help you navigate the ever-changing world of B2B content marketing, we’ve compiled some key insights from recent research to shed light on the current state of the industry.
28 B2B Content Marketing Stats to Inform Your Strategy
Get ready to dive into a treasure trove of valuable information sourced from reputable studies and industry experts. Let’s explore the challenges, successes, and opportunities that lie ahead in the world of B2B content marketing.
Challenges and Barriers
Only 41% of B2B marketers have a documented content marketing strategy. (Source: Gartner)
“Document your strategy! Your strategy is your single source of truth. It can be updated and adjusted as needed to meet changing demands, but that strategy will communicate to all stakeholders what’s come before, what’s coming next, and what’s possible.” – Theresa Meis, Content Marketing Manager, TopRank Marketing
Creating the right content for the target audience remains the top content creation challenge for B2B marketers. (Source: CMI)
B2C blog posts receive 9.7 times more shares than those published on B2B sites. (Source: Backlinko)
84% of B2B marketers find integrating content performance data across multiple platforms to be a significant challenge. (Source: CMI)
93% of B2B content fails to acquire any backlinks from external websites. (Source: Backlinko)
Insight: The key to overcoming content marketing challenges lies in a well-documented strategy and a deep understanding of your target audience.
Successes and Opportunities
45% of B2B marketers anticipate an increase in their content marketing budget in 2024, focusing on video, thought leadership, and in-person events. (Source: CMI)
Over 80% of B2B marketers credit content marketing for brand awareness and lead generation. (Source: CMI)
Top-performing B2B marketers attribute their success to a deep understanding of their target audience. (Source: CMI)
Insight: Investing in creative, engaging content can drive brand engagement and help you stand out in a crowded market.
Techniques, Tactics, and Strategies
Short articles, videos, and case studies are the most popular content types among B2B marketers. (Source: CMI)
B2B buyers prefer short-form content like infographics and blog posts. (Source: Demand Gen Report)
Webinars, case studies, and demos are the most relied-upon content types at different stages of the buyer’s journey. (Source: Demand Gen Report)
Insight: Tailoring your content to meet the needs of your audience at each stage of their journey can drive engagement and conversions.
B2B Content Marketing and AI
72% of B2B marketers use generative AI, yet many lack guidelines for its proper implementation. (Source: CMI)
Less than 25% of B2B marketers feel confident in their understanding of AI’s role in marketing. (Source: LinkedIn)
Skills gap remains a barrier to utilizing AI effectively in B2B marketing. (Source: LinkedIn)
Insight: Leveraging AI can streamline content creation and enhance your marketing efforts, but requires a solid understanding and strategy.
Ready to elevate your B2B content marketing game? Reach out to us to discover how we can help you drive brand growth through smart strategies!
About the author
Nick Nelson is our friendly neighborhood writer-man. As the Associate Content Director at TopRank Marketing, he is on a mission to energize brand narratives with smart, fun, sharp wordplay. In his free time, Nick enjoys basking in the misery of Minnesota sports fandom, making cringeworthy puns, and smothering all types of food in buffalo sauce.