Only 28% of B2B content marketers say they have the technology they want, based on a brand new examine. Perhaps coincidentally, solely 29% mentioned their organizations are very profitable with content advertising and marketing.
Those technology numbers might not change all that quickly. Content applied sciences got here in tenth out of 10 areas the place marketers anticipated to see funding in 2023, based on The Content Marketing Institute’s annual report on B2B content advertising and marketing.
The report additionally discovered a lower in the use of some key applied sciences over the final yr:
- Social media publishing/analytics decreased to 71% from 80% the earlier yr.
- Content creation/calendaring/collaboration/workflow instruments decreased to 65% from 73% the earlier yr.
- Email advertising and marketing software program decreased to 68% from 75% the earlier yr.
by way of Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfsTechnology additionally prompted the greatest problem for B2B content marketers final yr. Nearly half (48%) mentioned their greatest problem was issues with integrating/correlating information throughout a number of platforms. That’s greater than mentioned getting their group to determine on goal-setting KPIs (45%). That was adopted by issues tying efficiency information to objectives (43%) and getting insights from information (42%).
On the excellent news entrance, solely 23% mentioned they didn’t have the coaching they wanted.
Dig deeper: How to measure content advertising and marketing ROI and ROE
Which content channels will get extra money
While the jury continues to be out on attendance at in-person occasions, the cash is in. Some 52% of marketers count on to spend extra on in-person occasions in 2023. That’s the identical as for this yr. Spending on digital occasions decreased to 25% in 2022 from 33% in 2021. However, it might not drop any additional as 42% count on funding on them to remain the identical subsequent yr.
by way of Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfsThe drop in spending on visible occasions appears odd, as marketers mentioned solely in-person produced higher outcomes.
Hybrid occasion spending has the most mercurial numbers: While 23% count on funding to extend (down from 39% the earlier yr), 10% count on a lower, however 28% mentioned they won’t/don’t use hybrid occasions in any respect, in contrast with 18% the earlier yr.
Dig deeper: Content advertising and marketing: What it’s and why marketers ought to care
Other findings of curiosity from the report:
- 46% mentioned one particular person or group was accountable for all sorts of content of their group — promoting, brochures, thought management, website positioning content, and so forth.
- Use of paid content distribution decreased to 67% from 81% in 2021.
- LinkedIn is the natural social media platform B2B content marketers use the most and discover only.
- The most dependable metrics for content efficiency are conversions (70%), high quality of leads (60%) and web site engagement (57%)
- 78% mentioned their group will make investments/proceed to put money into video in 2023, up from 69% the earlier yr.
The 13th Annual B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends: Insights for 2023 report was based mostly on responses from 925 marketers from round the globe — representing a spread of industries, useful areas, and firm sizes surveyed throughout July 2022.
Why we care. The technology points are possible the outcomes of two issues. First, too many B2B corporations are letting options and capabilities decide what’s of their stacks, when it needs to be decided by their very own technique. Second, they might not perceive the degree of complexity and quantity of assets wanted to handle and keep their martech instruments.
Let’s hope the quantity of cash being spent on in-person occasions is pushed by analysis. What we’ve seen at large exhibits and conferences is that the majority attendees are digital, not bodily. There is a danger these spending selections are based mostly on what marketers are most acquainted and cozy with.
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About The Author
Constantine von Hoffman is managing editor of MarTech. A veteran journalist, Con has lined enterprise, finance, advertising and marketing and tech for CBSNews.com, Brandweek, CMO, and Inc. He has been metropolis editor of the Boston Herald, information producer at NPR, and has written for Harvard Business Review, Boston Magazine, Sierra, and plenty of different publications. He has additionally been an expert slapstick comedian, given talks at anime and gaming conventions on every part from My Neighbor Totoro to the historical past of cube and boardgames, and is creator of the magical realist novel John Henry the Revelator. He lives in Boston along with his spouse, Jennifer, and both too many or too few canine.