B2B content marketing: plans and requirements for the near future

w&co MediaServices, a full-service media provider for omnichannel marketing, has published results of a study on B2B content marketing. What becomes clear is: Companies must - and will - leave their comfort zone in marketing in order to address customers in a more differentiated way, raise their profile and tap into new markets. The study from Germany shows three key developments in B2B content marketing: Own content in different formats is becoming increasingly important. The demand for quality in communication for an unmistakable brand identity is increasing. And purpose-driven marketing is also gaining importance in the B2B environment.

Complex products and revenue-relevant services require extended communication

This is driven by new requirements in B2B business: B2B companies expect consulting or engineering services to account for an increasing share of total revenue over the next five years. Currently, one-third (33 %) say their main source of revenue includes both product sales and consulting. In the next five years, that proportion will be half (49 %). In other words, products will become more complex or require more explanation in the future and will be linked to value-added services that are relevant to sales. This must be reflected in correspondingly expanded marketing communications.

Internationalization poses new challenges for marketing

At the same time, sales are becoming more international: The proportion of B2B companies that generate their sales both in German-speaking countries and internationally is rising from 39 to 50 percent. In fact, for one in eight B2B companies, the majority of sales will be generated abroad in the future. "Marketing in multiple languages and regions is in itself a challenging task," says Robert Schneider, Managing Director of w&co MediaService. "In addition, critical aspects are added by regionally different legal requirements as well as the challenge of ensuring consistent brand identity despite local adaptations."

Comfort zone is left in the direction of new markets

Companies are preparing for harsher times from a currently stable business base: Today, 53 percent see themselves in a healthy competitive environment. In the next five years, 89 percent expect increased competitive pressure. It is clear that the comfort zone must be left behind: If marketing has so far been primarily about generating leads in established markets and retaining existing customers, this will no longer be enough in the future. More than today, respondents will place a strong focus on lead generation in new markets, image cultivation and brand building, launching product innovations and increasing sales to existing customers through value-added services or follow-up purchases.

Increasing demand for distinctiveness and quality in marketing

B2B companies are concerned with brand development that reaches customers - and those who are to become customers - in a variety of ways. The goal here is to position multi-layered unique selling propositions. For example, B2B companies expect the demand for distinctiveness and quality in marketing to increase over the next two years, there must be better differentiation by target group, and the relevance of purpose-driven marketing is growing. Online education - a valuable tool in customer orientation - will also become more important.

Modernization in marketing must overcome technical and organizational hurdles 

There is still some way to go to meet these requirements: Although 66 percent say that their marketing measures are coordinated in terms of timing and content, it is questionable whether these are also designed to be customer-centric: because only 43 percent say that they gear their communications to the respective phase of the customer relationship. 39 percent said that they only differentiate between new and existing customers.

In order to make a leap forward in marketing - both in terms of a convincing presence on the market and in the efficiency of implementation - the technical infrastructures must be modernized and the marketing organization must also be adapted with an eye to the future. The B2B companies surveyed consider the high technical effort as well as the costs for digital marketing, the lack of competencies in this area and the complex processes to be particularly difficult.

The hurdles mentioned relate to special competencies and infrastructures that cannot be resolved briefly via service provider projects. Rather, they require a rethinking of the outsourcing strategy - toward long-term, integrated collaboration with partners in the sense of an ecosystem.

Source: www.w-co.de