2018_B2B营销研究报告（英文版）_26页_1mb

B2B Marketing Research Summary - 2018 Report

Core Content Overview

This report presents findings from the eighth annual Australian B2B marketing research study, highlighting current practices, challenges, and future directions in the B2B marketing landscape. It focuses on performance measurement, customer experience (CX), lead generation, marketing technology, and the growing importance of Account-Based Marketing (ABM).

Key Findings

• Participation: 412 respondents participated in the study, representing a 23% increase from the previous year.
• Marketing Objectives: Only 24% of B2B marketers achieved their objectives in 2017, while Best-in-Class marketers achieved theirs at a significantly higher rate (73% more likely).
• ROI Measurement: Only 19% of B2B marketers effectively measure and communicate ROI internally, highlighting a critical gap in performance tracking.
• Customer Experience: 95% of respondents identified CX as a significant challenge, but only 48% had developed customer personas, showing little improvement since 2016.
• Technology Integration: 67% of marketers with a Marketing Automation Platform (MAP) have connected it to their CRM, a notable increase from 42% in the previous year.
• Content Marketing: Content development is a top investment area, with over two-thirds of respondents rating it in their top three. Best-in-Class marketers are more likely to personalise content by segment or individual.

Best-in-Class B2B Marketers

• Definition: Best-in-Class marketers are identified by their success in three areas: understanding their target audience, focusing on pipeline outcomes, and adopting marketing technology.
• Performance: They are 15% of all respondents and significantly outperform others in strategic planning, performance measurement, and customer experience.
• Personas & Strategy: All Best-in-Class marketers have developed customer personas, and 68% have a documented CX strategy.
• Lead Management: Best-in-Class marketers are twice as likely to have a defined lead process across the sales funnel and are more valued by the Sales team.

Challenges & Objectives

• Top Challenges in 2017:
  • Measuring marketing ROI (52%)
  • Optimising customer experience (50%)
  • Generating leads (41%)
• Top Objectives in 2018:
  • Lead generation
  • Lead nurturing
  • Optimising customer experience
• Sales & Marketing Alignment: Despite being a key challenge, it was rated as the least significant objective for 2018. However, Best-in-Class marketers significantly outperform in areas like shared MQL definitions and SLAs.

Marketing Strategy

• Planning: Best-in-Class marketers are more likely to document their strategies, especially for CX, lead generation, and nurturing.
• Personalisation: There is a growing shift from mass marketing to more targeted and personalised approaches, with 46% of respondents deploying ABM.
• Adaptation: Marketers must adapt to a more agile and customer-centric environment, balancing speed with strategic focus.

Customer Experience

• Importance: CX is increasingly seen as a strategic priority, with 95% of respondents considering it a challenge.
• Implementation: 48% of B2B marketers have undertaken customer journey mapping and developed personas, while 74% of Best-in-Class marketers personalise content.
• Investment: Website and SEO are the second most important investment area for B2B marketers in 2018, with 62% citing it as one of their top three areas.

Lead Generation & Lead Nurturing

• Focus: Generating and nurturing leads is a top priority, with 70% of respondents rating it as their most significant objective.
• Follow-Up: Only 43% of respondents reported satisfactory follow-up of marketing leads by Sales, with 36% citing "information not available" as a concern.
• Best-in-Class Performance: They are 81% more likely to have a documented lead generation and nurturing strategy.

Sales & Marketing Alignment

• Performance Gap: Best-in-Class marketers outperform others in shared goals, lead management processes, and SLAs.
• Lead Definition: 68% of Best-in-Class marketers have a shared MQL definition with Sales, compared to 34% of others.
• Collaboration: 57% of Best-in-Class marketers regularly collaborate with Sales to review KPI progress, while only 38% of others do so.

Marketing Technology & Automation

• MAP Usage: 54% of all respondents use a Marketing Automation Platform (MAP), with 41% integrating it with their CRM.
• Testing: 40% of B2B marketers use A/B or multivariate testing across digital channels.
• Dynamic Content: Only 15% use technology to support dynamic content personalisation.
• AR/VR Adoption: Very low (6%) adoption of AR/VR platforms, despite reduced costs, indicating a need for further exploration in B2B contexts.

Content Marketing & Social Media

• Investment: Content development is the top investment area, with 60% of respondents having a documented strategy.
• Social Media Growth: LinkedIn remains dominant, with 88% of respondents using it, while Instagram usage has increased to 30%.
• Social ROI: 21% of respondents reported ROI from social media in 2017, up from 14% in 2016. However, many still struggle with cost-effectiveness and consistency.

Account-Based Marketing

• Adoption: 46% of respondents are currently investing in ABM, with 21% planning to implement it.
• ROI: 56% of ABM users reported strong or moderate ROI, with very few (2%) abandoning it.
• Collaboration: 60% of ABM investors have shared goals and KPIs between Sales and Marketing.
• Responsibility: Responsibility for ABM is shared among Marketing, Sales, and joint teams, indicating a collaborative approach.

Conclusion

The report underscores the need for B2B marketers to enhance performance measurement, focus on customer experience, and adopt more targeted and integrated strategies. While ABM and content marketing are gaining traction, challenges in ROI measurement and technology integration remain. The insights provided offer a roadmap for marketers to align their efforts more effectively and drive greater value for their organisations.