More business-to-business companies increasingly see content marketing and thought leadership as key ways to position themselves well in the eyes of clients.
According to a new study commissioned by asset management firm Euromoney Institutional Investor Thought Leadership, B2B marketers will continue to place a heavy emphasis on content marketing and thought leadership initiatives going into the new year.
The research shows that marketers will likely triple their investment in the the coming years as they continue to shift their overarching strategies to focus primarily on these channels.
“Our research confirms that content marketing is the principal tool for B2B marketers and will only grow in importance in coming years,” said Guy Dunn, CEO of Euromoney Institutional Investor Thought Leadership, in a statement. “But, as more organisations adopt a thought leadership approach, it is going to be increasingly difficult to stand out from the crowd. Marketers will need more compelling content, greater access to high-level audiences and more innovative means of delivery to achieve success.”
However, the trend of gaining prospective customers’ attention via engaging content still has its obstacles.
The research shows that many organizations had difficulty producing forward-looking content that distinguishes their brand, while others had produced engaging content but struggled to connect it with their intended audience.
Euromoney compiled the results from more than 200 responses received from companies of varying sizes primarily based in North America and Europe, with some respondents also hailing from Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East.