86% Of B2B Marketers Use Content

According to the sixth wave of the B2B Barometer survey, 86% of B2B marketers in the UK use content in at least some of their marketing activity.
A total of 128 B2B marketers were polled in the sixth B2B Barometer, including 73 client-side B2B marketing professionals and 55 B2B marketing agencies. The results revealed that 8% of the marketers said that they used content in all of their activity, 40% in most of their activity, 16% in half of their activity and 22% in some of it. The remaining 14% reported little or no use of content in marketing.
When asked about their plans regarding the use of content in the next 12 months, three-quarters of the participants answered that they would move closer to a content-driven marketing approach, 2% said they intended to pull further away and 24% did not envisage any change.
Case studies were the most favoured content type – used extensively by 45% of marketers, ahead of white papers and seminars, which were used by 31% and 27%, respectively. Case studies were also deemed the most effective content type to achieve marketing objectives. The content used was distributed mostly on websites, by 59% of the marketers. Other preferred distribution channels include regular e-mail newsletters, trade events, ad hoc e-mails and social media. The primary goals for using content were to generate and nurture leads and support brand positioning.
B2B Barometer is a joint effort of Circle Research, the Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing (IDM) and the Association of B2B Agencies (ABBA). The benchmark B2B Barometer report was released in April 2009.