Content marketers in 2023 will consider changing buyer behaviors, privacy concerns, and the need to measure content’s impact. We know that content marketing is no longer optional, but this method of reaching buyers will become increasingly important as B2B companies try to build brand awareness through a climate filled with economic uncertainty. That uncertainty will also push content marketers to tie metrics to their work, producing a clear ROI.
Ironpaper’s Nicky Capella, Content Strategist, Hannah Kim, Associate Content Director, and Chantel Hall, Marketing Content Specialist, discuss trends to watch in B2B content marketing.
Ironpaper can help you develop a solid B2B content marketing strategy to engage and convert your buyers.
Content Marketing Isn’t Optional Anymore
Nicky Capella, Content Strategist, says, “Content marketing has successfully moved from a ‘nice-to-have’ to a central role in marketing strategy. In 2023, content will be tied more closely to larger organizational strategies, acting as a partner to drive organizational goals.”
“Content marketing has successfully moved from a ‘nice-to-have’ to a central role in marketing strategy."
-Nicky Capella, Content Strategist
Capella believes stakeholders will pay more attention to how content marketing initiatives perform. “They’ll be tracking KPIs including engagement across website, social media, and email, as well as conversion rates, website traffic, and SEO. Like other marketing functions, content marketers will be expected to provide demonstrable ROI.”
To ideate and write effective content, Capella says, “Content creators themselves will be more involved in measuring, tracking, and utilizing data to analyze the success of content marketing. Content marketers that are proficient in digital marketing tools and data analytics will be in high demand,” says Capella. “To prepare for the future, content marketers should become adept at using a variety of digital applications, including social media and web analytics, website and content engagement tools, CMS, CRM, and collaboration tools.”
Disrupting Industries with Content Marketing
According to Hannah Kim, Content Manager for Ironpaper, B2B companies are also starting to understand the value of content when it comes to disrupting the industries they serve — which requires a true understanding of the buyer’s needs and how your disruptive product or service will benefit them.
Kim says, “I’ve been seeing a gradual uptick of clients seeking to disrupt industries with their products or services, which requires a change not only in buyer behavior, but buyer perception. We approach this need for disruption through ‘industry impact’ and ‘engagement’ strategies, but the fundamentals of our content methodology will remain the same: focusing on the buyer’s pain points and aspirations and working backward to the solution.”
Content Delivery Methods Will Change
According to Kim, coming privacy changes will necessitate a shift in how we measure the success of our content marketing initiative. “I think there are some significant privacy/data shifts coming that will require content marketers to level up the trustworthiness of their content and ability to build a community/following. I’m not sure for how much longer we’ll be able to optimize campaigns by accessing users’ engagement data with email, for instance."
"I can see more of a blending between B2B and B2C digital channels going forward as evolving personal digital habits will also influence professional digital habits.”
-Hannah Kim, Associate Content Director
B2B content marketers may also find that they’re engaging with buyers on platforms that haven’t always been in their purview. Kim says, “I’ve also been noticing shifts in how traditional B2B buyers consume content. For example, I’ve been working on more B2B content strategies designed to reach customers through traditional B2C channels (e.g., Instagram, TikTok, billboards), and more of an appetite to engage with content in different formats, such as micro-videos and interactive guides. I can see more of a blending between B2B and B2C digital channels going forward as evolving personal digital habits will also influence professional digital habits.”
Don’t Let Your Content Marketing Stagnate
We believe that the challenges content marketers face in 2023 can be opportunities to transform their strategies and support their business’ overall goals. Look for opportunities to engage with buyers in new ways, use data to drive decision-making, and nurture buyers further up in the funnel.
