2021年B2B内容营销报告（英）-49页_3mb

报告摘要

B2B Content Marketing Summary

Core Content & Key Findings

This report presents the 11th Annual B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends, highlighting how B2B content marketing strategies evolved during the pandemic. It includes insights from content marketers across different company sizes, focusing on strategy, team structure, content creation and distribution, metrics, and budgets.

Top Performers

The report identifies key differences between top performers and the general group of B2B content marketers:

Has a documented content marketing strategy: 60% (Top Performers) vs. 43% (All Respondents)
Sophisticated/mature content marketing: 77% (Top Performers) vs. 49% (All Respondents)
Uses an editorial calendar: 80% (Top Performers) vs. 70% (All Respondents)
Established an online community: 42% (Top Performers) vs. 32% (All Respondents)
Uses metrics to measure content performance: 94% (Top Performers) vs. 81% (All Respondents)

Top performers attributed their success to:

Value of content (83%)
Website changes (60%)

Least successful marketers cited:

Content creation challenges (63%)
Strategy issues (51%)

Pandemic Response

B2B marketers adapted quickly to the pandemic:

83% made quick changes to their content marketing strategy
80% felt the changes were effective
86% expect some changes to remain in place long-term

Key changes included:

Adjusting messaging and editorial calendars
Fewer revisited customer journey and personas
Fewer adjusted KPIs or metrics

Team Structure & Outsourcing

Team size: 57% reported no change, 31% said it increased, and 6% said it decreased due to the pandemic
Small companies (1-99 employees) are more likely to have no full-time content marketing staff (35%)
Medium and large companies tend to have larger content marketing teams
Outsourcing: 49% of organizations outsource at least one content marketing activity
Large companies are more likely to outsource (61%) compared to previous years (71% last year)

Top outsourced activity:

Content creation

Top challenges when outsourcing:

Finding partners with adequate topic expertise (69%)
Budget issues (51%)
Finding partners who understand the audience (43%)

Content Creation & Distribution

Content creation tools: 78% use keyword research tools, 70% use editorial calendars, only 22% use fact-checking procedures
Content types: Blog posts/short articles (top), virtual events/webinars/online courses (increased to 67%), livestreaming (increased to 29%), and in-person events (decreased to 42%)

Top organic content distribution channels:

Social media platforms (89%)
Email (87%)
Website/blog (86%)

Metrics & Goals

81% of B2B marketers use metrics to measure content performance
Website traffic is the most commonly used metric (90%)

Content marketing goals achieved:

Create brand awareness: 87%
Build credibility/trust: 81%
Educate audience(s): 79%
Generate demand/leads: 75%
Build loyalty with existing clients: 68%
Nurture subscribers/audiences/leads: 60% (a decrease from previous years)

Budgets & Spending

Two-thirds of respondents had a content marketing budget for 2020
53% reported no change in spending due to the pandemic
29% reported a decrease, 18% an increase

For H2 2020:

33% expected to increase spending
68% expected to keep spending flat
12% expected a decrease

Marketers expressed mixed views on future budgeting:

Some plan to invest heavily in content marketing
Others anticipate budget cuts based on economic conditions

Conclusion

The pandemic significantly influenced B2B content marketing strategies, with a focus on adaptability, digital transformation, and the value of content. While most marketers were resilient and made effective changes, challenges such as content creation, strategy alignment, and budget constraints remain. The report emphasizes the importance of documented strategies, metrics, and leveraging digital channels for success.

展开完整摘要