Why B2B Marketers Like Content Marketing – Study

 

B2B marketers ostensibly get a satisfying return on content marketing because that’s the preferred choice for 82 percent of respondents in a survey.

The study, “B2B Marketing Trends 2011 Survey,” was conducted by HiveFire.

The respondents’ preferences:

• 82 percent – content marketing
• 70 percent – search
• 68 percent – events
• 64 percent – public relations

Respondents also indicate the most salient goals of content marketing:

• 82 percent – engagement
• 55 percent – driving sales

“Content Marketing is now a more popular marketing tactic than search marketing, public relations, events, or print/TV/radio advertising,” wrote the study’s authors. “Twice as many marketers now implement Content Marketing as do print, TV and radio advertising. 

Naturally, HiveFire defines content marketing: “…the creation and publication of original content, such as blog posts, photos, videos, website resource pages, case studies or white papers to enhance a brand’s visibility.” 

More than three fourths say their goal is to generate sales leads. 

“But they have to do it without a lot of help: working with a limited budget (28 percent) and limited staff (23 percent) were the top two marketing challenges cited by respondents,” wrote the authors. 

Why is content marketing popular? It’s economical. 

“Content marketing is an essential role in B2B strategies but half (50 percent) of content marketers dedicate less than 30% of their budgets to it,” said the authors. 

Content marketing does make sense. The digital age has resulted in highly informed consumers. Content marketing works in branding because prospects get a sense of your business philosophy and approach, and is not costly. 

Caveats: It doesn’t work for all sectors. If content marketing is suitable for your business, note this article: E-mail Marketing Goes Better with Social Media, Study. And budget permitting and depending on your niche, I wouldn’t forget about traditional marketing as in business radio-TV programs or online business publications.  

From the Coach’s Corner, also:

• Best Practices to Optimize Your Brand, Manage Your Web Reputation
• Need PR, But No Budget? Here’s How to Leverage News Media. 

“I notice increasing reluctance on the part of marketing executives to use judgment; they are coming to rely too much on research, and they use it as a drunkard uses a lamp post for support, rather than for illumination.”                               

-David Ogilvy

 

__________

Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry.