B2B Marketers Embrace Custom Content
Custom content is an increasingly critical aspect of the B2B marketer’s portfolio, according to a new study by Junta42 and B2B Magazine. In order to strengthen their positioning and generate more leads, marketers are investing more actively than ever before in white papers, case studies, email newsletters, blogs and custom events.
The study surveyed 150 marketing decision makers earlier this spring. It asked them, among other things, to share the percentage of their marketing budgets that currently go toward custom content/publishing, and to identify whether that was an increase or decrease from previous years.
According to the research, B2B marketers will spend 29.4% of their total marketing budget for 2008 on custom content. For 42% of them, this was an increase from 2007. Only 12% of them decreased the amount they will spend on custom content generation (while the rest will stay even).

What does it mean? That marketers are now relying on custom content to cut through the market noise, build credibility and position themselves as thought leaders.
What does it mean for you?
Well, you might be in one of the companies out in front of this trend. In this case, your company is investing in content development that is both provocative and relevant to your targeted customers. If you’re behind the curve in this regard, it means that you’re missing out on sales opportunities (and better conversion rates). You are missing a clear opportunity to differentiate in a crowded market.
Interestingly, custom content and other forms of thought leadership tend to represent a relatively cost effective means of achieving market differentiation. Smaller firms can level the playing field with their larger rivals. Market leaders can deepen their strengths as a brand of choice.
Today’s customers are not just seeking products and services. They are seeking guidance and authority. If they are going to make a high stakes investment, they want confidence that their solution provider can deliver measurable business value and has a strong sense of what is coming next. Custom content is a growing aspect of the market mix because it fills this deeply felt need.