[Research] How B2B Professionals are Utilizing AI in the AI Source Hub

August 13, 2023 No comments yet
[Research] How B2B Companies are Leveraging AI

A New Era for B2B Marketing

Everywhere you turn, you read about AI and its impact on business. B2B marketing is at the forefront of the conversation, as professionals are planning and preparing their next steps. New research by Wpromote and Ascend2 finds that B2B marketers are embracing AI. 79% expect to incorporate more AI into their strategies this year, looking to augment CX and customer service, content generation, and ad creative.

The State of B2B Digital Marketing

The research study, The 2023 State of B2B Digital Marketing, surveyed 348 B2B marketing professionals in the U.S., and was fielded in April 2023. Here are a few of the key findings on how marketers are using AI to advance their marketing initiatives, as well as a few additional insights on the state of B2B marketing.

Key Finding #1: B2B Marketers\’ Perspective on AI

2023 is likely to go down as the year AI went fully mainstream, and B2Bs are showing no signs of being left behind when it comes to leveraging these new tools to enhance, expand, and amplify marketing initiatives. A full 79% of B2B marketers expect to incorporate more AI into their overall strategy and tech stack in the coming year.

However, it\’s important to note that some marketers have concerns about using AI and how to strike a balance between automation and human touch. To address these concerns, here are four steps to get started:

  1. Identify marketing objectives and challenges: Before incorporating AI into your B2B marketing strategy, understand your marketing objectives and the specific challenges you face. Identify areas where AI can make a significant impact, such as lead generation, personalization, customer segmentation, content creation, or predictive analytics.
  2. Gather and analyze data: AI relies heavily on data, so gather and analyze relevant data from various sources. This data could include customer demographics, purchasing behavior, website analytics, social media interactions, and more. Ensure that the data is clean, organized, and suitable for AI analysis.
  3. Choose the right AI tools or platforms: Research and evaluate different AI tools and platforms based on your specific needs and budget. Some popular AI tools for B2B marketers include chatbots for customer service, predictive analytics tools, natural language processing tools, and marketing automation platforms.
  4. Implement AI gradually: Start with small-scale pilot projects to understand how AI can benefit your specific marketing objectives. Gradually expand and refine your AI initiatives based on the insights and results you gather along the way.

    Key Finding #2: Areas B2B Companies are Investing in AI

Over the next two years, marketers are considering a diverse slate of potential uses for AI, with multiple areas of opportunity relating to the customer experience. Personalizing the customer experience was ranked #1 at 41%. Here are five ways B2B marketers can use AI to personalize the customer experience:

  • Customer Segmentation: AI can help B2B marketers effectively segment their customer base by analyzing vast amounts of data.
  • Predictive Analytics: AI-powered predictive analytics can assist B2B marketers in anticipating customer behavior and preferences.
  • Dynamic Content Generation: AI can automate the process of content creation and personalization, generating dynamic content tailored to each customer.
  • Chatbots and Virtual Assistants: Implementing AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can greatly enhance the customer experience in B2B interactions.
  • Predictive Lead Scoring: AI can optimize the lead scoring process for B2B marketers, identifying high-quality leads.

    Key Finding #3: Top B2B Marketing Challenges

AI is not the only concern for B2B marketing professionals. The challenge of delivering a best-in-class customer experience continues to confound many marketers. Another challenge is connecting marketing performance to business outcomes. While these challenges are universal, top performers are actively working to solve them by implementing more sophisticated strategies and addressing gaps in measurement and data.

Key Finding #4: The Most Effective Digital Channels

Organic search fell to last place in 2023, tying with streaming TV. B2B marketers are now paying more attention to content and paid search vs. SEO. To drive revenue, B2B marketers can focus on targeted content promotion through paid search channels and use account-based marketing (ABM) to target high-value accounts.

Conclusion

AI is transforming the landscape of B2B digital marketing. It\’s no longer a question of whether to incorporate AI into your strategy, but rather how to do it effectively. By following the steps outlined in this article, B2B marketers can embrace AI and leverage its power to enhance customer experiences, optimize marketing performance, and drive revenue. AI Source Hub is here to guide you on your AI journey and help you achieve your marketing objectives. Contact us today to learn more.

Contact AI Source Hub at info@aisourcehub.com or visit our website at www.aisourcehub.com.

As an advocate for the AI community, We are committed to bridging the gap between theory and practical applications in the field of AI Digital Marketing. With a strong belief in the power of collaborative learning, we actively engages with readers, encourages discussions, and shares valuable insights through his blog posts on AI Source Hub.

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