For the past three years, we have released our annual Content Marketing Benchmarks and Trends Research for Business-to-Business (B2B). This year, we decided to see how business-to-consumer (B2C) marketers are using content marketing, as well. We’re thrilled to release 2013 B2C Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends from the Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs, sponsored by Pace.
Now we can answer these kinds of questions:
Do B2B or B2C marketers use content marketing more often?
What tactics do B2C marketers use — and which ones do they find to be most effective?
What social media channels do B2C marketers use — and how does this differ from what B2B marketers use?
What are B2C marketers spending on content marketing?
Where are B2C marketers most challenged with content marketing?
B2C Content Marketing: 2013 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends—North America from Content Marketing Institute
NEW VERSION OF THIS RESEARCH NOW AVAILABLE: B2C Content Marketing 2015: Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends–North America
B2C marketers use more mobile and print
Eighty-six percent of B2C marketers are using content marketing, compared to 91 percent of B2B marketers, and on average, B2C marketers use 12 tactics to achieve their content goals. The most popular of these tactics include social media (84%), articles on a company’s website (84%), and eNewsletters (78%).
While B2C and B2B marketers use the same mix of tactics, B2C marketers are more likely to use mobile content, mobile apps, print magazines, and print newsletters. Compared with their B2B peers, they use far fewer case studies, white papers, webinars/webcasts, and research reports.
Similar to their B2B peers, B2C marketers are not confident they are using these tactics effectively. However, compared to their to B2B, B2C marketers are more confident in their use of social media and print.
Tweetable stat: B2C marketers use mobile and print more often than B2B >> B2C #contentmarketing research from @cmicontent: http://bit.ly/b2c2013research
Most popular social channel: Facebook
On average, B2C marketers use four social media networks to distribute their content, compared to five for B2B. The channel they use most often, by far, is Facebook (90%). The majority of B2C marketers also use Twitter (69%), YouTube (65%) and LinkedIn (51%). B2C marketers use LinkedIn much less frequently than their B2B peers (83%).
Tweetable stat: 90% B2C marketers use Facebook; LinkedIn most popular with B2B: B2C #contentmarketing research from @cmicontent: http://bit.ly/b2c2013research
B2C marketers are investing in content marketing
On average, B2C marketers are spending 28 percent of their marketing budgets on content marketing, compared to 33 percent of budgets for B2B. Fifty-five percent of B2C marketers are planning to increase their content marketing spend over the next 12 months.
Tweetable stat: B2C marketers spending 28% of marketing budgets on #contentmarketing: Research from @cmicontent: http://bit.ly/b2c2013research
B2C marketers most challenged with lack of budget
The biggest content marketing challenge faced by B2C content marketers is lack of budget. This is an issue for 52 percent of B2C marketers, and it is the biggest single challenge as identified by 23 percent. Other challenges include producing enough content and producing the kind of content that engages.
Tweetable stat: B2C marketers most challenged with lack of budget: B2C #contentmarketing research from @cmicontent: http://bit.ly/b2c2013research
Want to learn more? Download our full report to get answers to more questions:
What goals and metrics do B2C marketers use?
What percentage of B2C marketers tailor content?
Do B2C marketers outsource content creation or keep it in-house?
What does the profile of a best-in-class B2C content marketer look like?
What do you think of the findings? Is this consistent with what you are experiencing? Let us know in the comments!
For more insightful research on content marketing trends, visit the Content Marketing Institute Research page.
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