Often debated, gated B2B content is critical to a successful digital marketing strategy. According to a recent article on Chief Marketer, today’s audiences are on to us as marketers, we have to provide value for what they’re exchanging their information for.

Regardless of organizational size, many would agree that deploying a successful content marketing program can be a challenging feat. In Content Marketing Institute’s latest research study, Enterprise Content Marketing 2019: Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends—North America, found that the larger the organization, the greater chance for business units to be siloed. In fact, one of the largest challenges, with nearly three quarters of respondents admitting so, was the ability to coordinate content marketing efforts among multiple departments and brands.  

In an updated design trends article for 2019, Webflow delivers a detailed article on the latest web design trends that follows everything from typography and illustration to color, grids and even updated cursor design. 

Visuals and subtle cues centered around content can help spark action, create quicker impact and even make a more convincing case. A recent article from Content Marketing Institute walks through seven proven types of visuals that can help B2B content-focused landing pages convert. Some suggestions include using a tangible object to showcase something intangible, such as a digital download. This can help visitors visualize what they’re about to receive and create more perceived value. Another is to strategically include certain illustrations and visuals to bolster storytelling, which is a great opportunity for B2B companies that want to incorporate more storytelling into their marketing messages.

Most B2B marketers know that LinkedIn leads the pack when it comes to content and social media marketing. According to LinkedIn, the site is now among the top 100 most-visited websites in the world. An overwhelming 92% of B2B Marketers leverage LinkedIn over all other social platforms, and 79% of B2B marketers see LinkedIn as a good source for generating leads.

Recently, LinkedIn released its 2019 LinkedIn Content Marketing Tactical Plan. Chocked with actionable tips, daily and weekly tactics and key metrics to track, it’s a goldmine for B2B marketers who want to better leverage LinkedIn this year. We especially appreciate how comprehensive it is, with coverage specific to:

The 2019 State of IT Marketing report, which examines B2B technology company marketing spend, trends and challenges, found that 37 percent of respondents expect their marketing budgets to increase. The report attributes the findings to a “renewed priority on marketing is driving budget increases and enabling organizations to experiment with new marketing trends and technologies.”

In addition, 30 percent of budgets are expected to be allocated toward paid media efforts (search marketing, social media marketing, email marketing and display), 22 percent to trade shows and events, 21 percent on martech (content/experience, social/relationship, advertising/promotions, and data/analytics), and 19 percent on external agencies and contractors.

Content marketing has historically been difficult to measure. So it's no surprise that in a recent article from the Content Marketing Institute (CMI), they ask whether content marketers are measuring the right things when it comes to gauging effectiveness.

After judging the 2018 Content Marketing Awards, the author notes that she was interested to see how entrants reported their success metrics. She says, “I was beyond disappointed to see many entries relying on the same ubiquitous metrics everyone touts, regardless of the nature of the content or the business goals it’s meant to achieve.”

While marketers have tons of metrics to gauge performance, it really comes down to measuring and reporting the right things that all tie back to business goals and types of content created. Because, according to CMI, the entire purpose of content marketing is “to drive profitable customer action.”

A new year brings new opportunities for a different perspective and a fresh approach. With the prevalence and maturity of content marketing, savvy B2B marketers well-recognize that a compelling content strategy is the cornerstone to any results-driven marketing program. However, according to the research, it seems many organizations lack a clear well thought out plan.